Hisense A6N vs Philips PML8709

The quality of HDR effect on the A6N unfortunately does not impress. A peak brightness of 250 nits does not allow for spectacular effects, and HDR appears rather dull, resembling more of a standard SDR. This situation will not satisfy more demanding users who want to enjoy high-quality film materials. Additionally, the colour gamut coverage is also not very impressive – DCI-P3 at 82% is an average result that does not allow for full enjoyment of vibrant colours in HDR materials.

Looking at the contrast results, we expected that the algorithms responsible for the zones in the Philips PML8709 would be at least decent. However, what we encountered during testing is difficult to explain. The average brightness we managed to achieve was just 350 nits, which is definitely too low to fully enjoy HDR effects. In practice, the TV barely stands out compared to an average SDR. The situation becomes even more surprising in test scenes, such as the second one from the movie Life of Pi or Sicario 2. Small light elements achieve just 120 nits there, making them practically imperceptible. Such a level of brightness is completely below modern HDR standards and significantly diminishes the experience of watching high-quality content. The only bright spot in this category is the very good coverage of wide color gamuts – DCI-P3 at 97% and BT.2020 at 83%. This ensures that colors are saturated and well-reproduced, which can somewhat improve the overall experience of watching HDR materials. However, the lack of adequate brightness means that even this cannot save the Philips PML8709 in this category.

In the category of colour reproduction, the model Hisense A6N in Filmmaker Mode leaves a lot to be desired. Although the name of the mode suggests that we should expect faithful reproduction of cinematic colours, the reality is different – the television has significant issues with image quality. Particularly noticeable is the problem with white balance, for both HD and 4K material, which is heavily skewed by the dominance of blue hues. This results in artificial, cold tones, which is clearly visible in the comparative image below. The Colour Checker test further confirms these errors, which are exacerbated by low colour gamut coverage.

The gamma brightness characteristic shows a serious problem with maintaining a level of 2.4 – the graph is significantly below the reference value, leading to excessive brightness of the image and washed-out blacks. The EOTF curve for 4K materials also indicates brightness issues – at the beginning, there is a notable spike, which results from the television's excessive brightness, negatively affecting image quality. Such an image characteristic does not allow for full enjoyment while watching films and requires manual adjustment.

Though theoretically the Filmmaker mode in the Philips PML8709 should provide natural colour reproduction, in reality it resembles a store mode more. In the white balance, both for HD and 4K content, there is a clear dominance of blue. This causes the image to appear washed out and cold, which is particularly noticeable in the comparative image below.

The brightness characteristics also leave much to be desired. Both gamma and the EOTF curve exhibit excessive screen brightness. As a result, there is a loss of detail in both the brighter and darker areas of the image, further diminishing its credibility and naturalness. Bright elements appear unnaturally flat and little varied.

These significant issues with white balance and brightness characteristics lead to noticeable errors in colour reproduction, which can easily be seen in films as well as the Colour Checker test. The colours are inaccurate, affecting the overall image quality and visual experience. The factory settings require significant improvement in order to fully enjoy the potential of this television.

Hisense A6N offers options and tools in its settings for adjusting many picture settings that we utilised. When it comes to white balance, we managed to eliminate excess blue – this effect is clearly visible in the comparison image below, where the boy in the picture almost "comes to life." A significant improvement can also be noticed in the gamma brightness characteristic – the television no longer has serious issues with excessively brightening the entire image. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for 4K materials, where the EOTF curve could not be fully corrected due to the exceptionally low brightness of this model. For HDR content, we use dynamic tone mapping, which allows for the recovery of many details despite the boosting of midtones in the image. For this television, this provides more benefits than drawbacks. The errors that are still visible in the test with the colour palette and Colour Checker for 4K content arise from low colour gamut coverage and are difficult to eliminate due to the television's characteristics. Nevertheless, the tonal quality of the image is significantly better, which is why we recommend calibrating the factory settings, which are far from ideal.

Philips offers advanced image calibration tools in its televisions, which we decided to fully utilise. The results? Although we managed to improve many aspects, it wasn't without difficulties. White balance was one of the biggest challenges – despite our efforts, it could be called fighting against windmills. We were able to significantly correct it, so the picture now looks much better than in the factory settings, but it is still far from perfect. Especially in some scenes, a subtle dominance of blue is visible, although not as intense as before. We achieved a significant improvement in brightness characteristics – gamma now appears much more stable. The EOTF curve looks correct at first glance, however, when analysing movie content, it is evident that the television has trouble maintaining the proper characteristics. The algorithms are "struggling", trying to adjust brightness, which may be due to the limited number of dimming zones that do not always handle more complex scenes well. Overall, the picture after calibration looks much more pleasing to the eye – colors are more natural, and colour reproduction errors have been minimised. Although it is still not perfect, the Philips PML8709 now presents itself much better than in the factory settings.

Let's check how A6N handles low-quality materials. When it comes to smoothing tonal transitions, the lack of posterization reduction or smoothing of tonal transitions in low-quality materials, such as television or DVD, may be noticeable for more demanding viewers. As for digital processing, the model is presented correctly, and the branches lack characteristic jaggedness – the image is strongly plastic and soft, which may appeal to those who prefer this kind of image style.

The distortion reduction feature in the Philips PML8709 smooths tonal transitions, but its effectiveness leaves much to be desired. We recommend setting this option to "Medium" - at this level, the effect is noticeable but not excessive. Unfortunately, compared to other Philips models, the smoothing effect is less effective, meaning that certain tonal transitions may still appear somewhat uneven. An additional drawback is that this feature also smooths other details, such as the textures of materials like shirts, which can affect image sharpness.

As for image scaling, the television performs very well. The image appears smooth and free of noticeable "jaggies". This effect may appeal to many users, although some might prefer a more vivid look. Fortunately, the television allows for adjustment of the sharpness parameter, enabling us to tailor the image to individual preferences.

The 60 Hz panel in the Hisense A6N will satisfy those who enjoy watching movies, as the TV offers an "ultra motion smoother," allowing us to adjust the smoothness of the image – either more choppy or more fluid and cinematic. When it comes to motion blur, it performs rather average – noticeable blur is present, especially on dark backgrounds, which is quite typical for this range of TVs.

Philips PML8709 is one of the few models with mini-LED technology on the market, offering a refresh rate of 60 Hz. While it’s not a panel for the most demanding gamers, it should satisfy those who mainly watch movies. The TV is equipped with a “Motion Style” feature, which is a motion smoother that allows you to adjust the fluidity of motion according to your preferences – from a more “plastic” look to a cinematic aesthetic with clearly visible frames.

Hisense A6N is a television that is likely to appeal to occasional gamers, mainly due to its 60 Hz panel, which may not satisfy more demanding users. Nevertheless, it offers several conveniences that can enhance the gaming experience. The TV supports features such as ALLM (automatic low latency mode), VRR (variable refresh rate), and Dolby Vision, allowing for better picture quality and motion smoothness in games that support these technologies. Furthermore, the low input lag ensures quick reactions in games, which is crucial, especially in dynamic productions. With these features, although the TV is not the ideal choice for demanding gamers, it provides solid support for those who appreciate comfortable gaming without complicated settings. It's a perfect solution for individuals who want to enjoy gaming without high hardware requirements while still accessing modern technologies that enhance gameplay.

Philips PML8709 is a television aimed more at casual gamers, mainly due to the 60 Hz panel, which won’t meet the expectations of the most demanding users. However, for those who appreciate gaming at a more moderate pace, this model may prove sufficient.

The television offers several gamer-friendly features, such as ALLM (automatic switching to game mode) and VRR (variable refresh rate), which help in providing smoother image display without annoying stutters. Furthermore, in terms of HDR, we find the implementation of HGiG, which adjusts the HDR effect to the specifics of games, ensuring a more natural image in appropriately optimised titles. Unfortunately, there is no support for Dolby Vision mode, which may be noticeable in games that utilise this format.

A nice addition is the presence of a basic "Game Bar," which allows for quick previewing and modification of the most important settings related to gaming. It’s a simple but useful touch, especially for those who frequently change their configuration between different types of gameplay. Despite some limitations, the Philips PML8709 offers a solid set of features for less demanding gamers.