Compare: LG QNED87T6B vs Philips PML8709

LG QNED87T is a television that definitely stands out. It's a bit unconventional – it doesn't try to forcefully compete with top OLED models, but it makes up for it with modern features and user-friendly operation. It's equipment that works great for those who value comfort and versatility. The 120 Hz panel, VRR, and ALLM make the television perform well with dynamic content. Games run smoothly, the picture is sharp, and the responses are quick. If we spend time on a console, we will appreciate the lack of lag or blurring. When watching sports, quick actions are clear, without stutters. On a daily basis, LG QNED87T is simply comfortable. WebOS operates intuitively, apps launch quickly, and the Magic Remote control significantly eases operation. Voice control saves time, especially when searching for movies or series. Features like USB recording or Bluetooth provide more options, enhancing its versatility. The IPS panel is a big advantage regarding viewing angles. No matter where we sit in the room, the picture looks good. It's a great solution in larger spaces where not everyone has a direct view of the screen. Older films or standard television from built-in tuners also present quite well – the improvement in the quality of lower resolution materials works surprisingly well. However, there are certain things that can be eye-catching. The contrast is simply terrible. In dark scenes, there are no details at all. In the evening, in a darkened room, this is very noticeable. During the day, these imperfections are less felt, so LG QNED87T performs better in well-lit places. LG QNED87T is a television that has its strengths. It handles dynamic materials well, is easy to use, and is excellent for bright rooms. It's not the ideal model for evening viewings in darkness, but in everyday use, it definitely stands out. It's a universal device worth considering when choosing a new television.

Philips PML8709 is a model that stands out in the offering of the Chinese-Dutch manufacturer due to its uniqueness. Instead of the classic Philips operating system - TitanOS, we find the well-known Google TV, which provides extensive personalisation options and access to a vast library of apps. This is a television that, on one hand, entices with very good contrast, and on the other – surprises with several unusual design decisions. In terms of picture quality, the PML8709 offers excellent contrast, which combined with wide colour gamut coverage ensures great colour reproduction – especially after calibration. Despite having a 60 Hz panel, the television performs well in occasional gaming thanks to support for features such as ALLM, VRR, and a low input lag of around 13 ms. On the flip side, Philips has deprived this model of one of the biggest advantages of its TVs – the Ambilight system. This is a surprising move that may disappoint many brand fans. Another weak point is HDR performance – despite promising contrast results, the television performs averagely in this category. Average brightness and issues with detail in brighter scenes give the impression that something has clearly gone wrong in the implementation of this feature. Philips PML8709 is a television full of contrasts. On one hand, it offers solid black quality and interesting solutions for gamers, while on the other – some limitations, such as the absence of Ambilight or average brightness, mean that it is not a model without flaws. It is a good choice for those who appreciate the versatility of Google TV and are looking for a television for everyday use.

In the category of black levels and contrast, the television LG QNED87T6B faces some challenges. Equipped with an IPS panel, it doesn't match the VA panel models in terms of performance in this area. Additionally, edge-lit dimming affects its poor results in this category. It's worth mentioning that the exception is the 50-inch variant, which has a VA panel and is not subject to this test.

Despite the manufacturer offering a dimming control option, the effects remain relatively weak. Test patterns show that the contrast is really poor, and in the test clip from the film "Sicario 2," it's clear to see how the television struggles with the backlighting, illuminating a large portion of the screen from below. This indicates that in more demanding scenes, the television has difficulties maintaining an appropriate level of contrast and black levels, which negatively impacts the overall visual experience.

The model name 8709 “PML” refers to Philips' mini-LED technology, but can we truly call its backlighting that? In the 65-inch version, we counted only 96 local dimming zones. For mini-LED standards, this number seems too low, raising questions about whether we are indeed dealing with a full-fledged mini-LED here. However, if we look at the black quality, the TV performs quite well. On the first two test patterns and in less demanding scenes, the picture looks very decent – blacks are deep and the contrast is satisfactory. Problems begin with more complex scenes, such as the last three test patterns, where minor light elements appear on screen. The local dimming algorithm seems to “lose track,” unable to decide whether to brighten or darken a particular area. The result is noticeable errors – reduced black quality and unevenness in the image. An example of the operation of local dimming zones can be seen in a scene from the film Sicario 2. You can see how the dimming zones attempt to replicate details, but at the same time, this leads to a slight brightening around the helicopter lights. Nevertheless, despite these shortcomings, the black level in the Philips PML8709 turns out quite well, especially considering its price range.

LG QNED87T6B delivers truly decent visual experiences when it comes to HDR. During our tests on test patterns, the television achieved brightness close to 500 nits, which is a satisfactory result and allows for good visibility of details in high dynamic range scenes. Support for basic HDR formats such as HDR10 and HLG ensures proper image quality. Unfortunately, the television does not support more advanced standards such as Dolby Vision or HDR10+, which are particularly important at this screen brightness. The lack of support for dynamic metadata means that in certain scenes, the television may struggle to fully reproduce details, especially in very bright areas – this is precisely when dynamic metadata could significantly improve image quality. Nevertheless, it is worth noting the excellent coverage of the wide DCI-P3 colour gamut, reaching as much as 96.4%. As a result, the colours displayed by the QNED87T6B model are more vivid and natural, enhancing the quality of 4K content viewed with a wide colour palette.

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.

The colour accuracy in the LG QNED, even in Filmmaker Mode, which is the best factory setting, is not without its flaws. The main issue is white balance – we noticed that the level of blue on the graph tends to drop. This results in a shift in colours towards yellow, making the image have a warmer tone than it should. This deviation affects the naturalness of colour reproduction, especially in scenes with a white or neutral background. The Color Checker test confirmed that some colours are distorted and deviate from reality. Such distortion can make film scenes appear less realistic, and details are presented in incorrect colours, negatively impacting the overall image quality.

Regarding contrast, the gamma graph analysis showed significant drops, while the optimal value should be 2.4. This means that the television may display darker parts of the image brighter in some scenes, which reduces their depth and dynamics. Additionally, on the EOTF curve, which is responsible for brightness reproduction, an unnatural drop was noted at the beginning. This phenomenon can result in less accuracy in reproducing dark scenes, which in turn affects the overall image quality. The television may not convey full black depth, causing more demanding scenes to lose realism and detail. As a result, viewers may notice that details in the darker parts of the image become less distinct.

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.

After calibration, the colours in SDR content look very good. The improved white balance translates to natural and harmonious shades in various scenes. Thanks to precise gamma tuning, details in shadows and bright areas of the image are accurately reproduced. The television performs excellently in everyday use, offering vibrant, well-balanced images and solid colour quality in HD. The biggest beneficiary here is also contrast. The gamma graph has been stripped of significant errors, giving the television a new dimension.

As for the white balance in 4K HDR, it has also been significantly improved. However, some errors still appear at the end of the graph. This may be due to the television's overly aggressive local dimming, which in some scenes affects the inaccurate reproduction of colours. It's difficult to talk about an improvement in brightness represented by the EOTF curve. The television, due to its construction limitations, has some drawbacks, and we can't overlook them. The Color Checker test confirms the issue with colour saturation – even though the television offers a wide colour palette, it fails to fully convey the director's intent.

Despite these shortcomings, the overall picture quality after calibration is significantly better than before. Adjustments in white balance and gamma tuning make the images more vivid and the colours closer to reality.

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.

The gradation in LG QNED is quite good, despite minor issues on the colourful dark sky. These small drawbacks do not detract from the fact that the gradation is one of the positive aspects of this model. Overall, the television handles smooth colour transitions well.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in the Philips PML8709 is at a very high level. The colour gradation is incredibly smooth, and the transitions between shades look natural and detailed. Even in more demanding scenes, the television performs excellently. Minor issues may arise with bright elements, where the gradation can be slightly less precise. However, these are such subtle differences that only the most demanding purists will notice them. For most users, the effects will be fully satisfying, and the image will maintain its impressive quality.

When it comes to lower quality materials, the gradation looks really good. The feature called "Smooth Gradation" effectively smooths out the most problematic parts of the image, while not negatively affecting the film grain. For the best effect, it’s worth setting it to a low level. This solution significantly improves the quality of the displayed content, making the viewing of lower resolution materials more enjoyable and smoother.

In terms of digital processing, the image is displayed without cropping, known as overscan. Although slight fraying of the branches can be noticed against the model's background, everything looks very good. Users should be satisfied with the image quality when watching low-quality materials like standard television. The TV handles this task exceptionally well, providing a satisfying visual experience, even with lower quality content.

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 television provides decent smoothness when watching movies, thanks to the “Tru Motion” feature, which allows adjustment of motion smoothing from 0 to 10. De-Judder regulates motion smoothness, while De-Blur adjusts motion sharpness. Users have the option to choose between a traditional cinematic effect with subtle juddering motion (lower settings) and a smoother, theatrical image. Although the latter deviates slightly from the cinematic standard, it may be appealing to many viewers.

As for gamers and sports fans, the LG QNED87 television with a 120Hz panel will surely not disappoint. And with the use of an IPS panel, the response time is typically better than that of VA panels available at a similar price. This ensures smoother gameplay and dynamic experiences when watching sports events.

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.

LG QNED offers a range of features that make it an excellent choice for gamers looking for a high-performance television. The TV is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports, allowing connection to the latest consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, utilising full functionality including Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). Thanks to the Game Bar feature, gamers can quickly and easily manage all game settings without needing to navigate complex menus. Parameters such as VRR, ALLM, Multi View, and frame rate monitoring can be adjusted. The TV also supports G-Sync and FreeSync technologies, which is particularly important for owners of Nvidia and AMD graphics cards. G-Sync and FreeSync synchronise the TV's refresh rate with the graphics card. The 120Hz panel guarantees incredible motion smoothness and image clarity. Combined with the Black Frame Insertion (BFI) feature, which is available at 60Hz and 120Hz, gamers can enjoy an even sharper and smoother picture. LG QNED87 is a television that meets the expectations of even the most demanding gamers, offering modern technologies and features that significantly enhance comfort and satisfaction during gaming.

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.

The LG QNED stands out with an extremely low input lag, which is crucial for smooth and responsive gaming. For a refresh rate of 120Hz, the input lag values do not exceed 6 ms, while at 60Hz, the input lag is a maximum of 15 ms. These are truly impressive results that ensure a player's reactions are almost instantaneously reflected on the screen.

The Philips PML8709 performs very well in terms of input lag. With supported resolutions, results around 13 ms are more than sufficient to ensure a comfortable gaming experience. Such a reaction time means that even more dynamic games do not cause annoying delays. As a result, gamers can enjoy smooth gameplay without unnecessary stress.

The LG QNED television works perfectly with a computer, offering very good font readability. This makes working and browsing content exceptionally comfortable. The high refresh rate of 120Hz provides a smooth and vivid image. It combines a large workspace with performance, making it a genuine pleasure to use. However, for more demanding users, it may be disappointing that the TV has issues displaying fonts on a dark background. Instead of white letters, they take on a greenish hue.

Philips PML8709 offers a dedicated mode for PC, however, its capabilities are significantly limited. The TV does not support chroma 4:4:4, which greatly affects the readability of fonts – text appears blurry and is difficult to read, which disqualifies this model for those planning to use it as a monitor for work or document viewing. Additionally, even though in G-Sync tests the TV showed compatibility, the picture when using this feature is very unstable, with frequent stutters. Such unpredictability eliminates the benefits that should come with support for adaptive sync.

The only positive aspect in the context of PC collaboration is the low input lag, which may be an advantage for those using the TV mainly for gaming. Nevertheless, the limitations in chroma support and issues with G-Sync mean that PML8709 is not the best choice for PC users.

When it comes to viewing angles, LG QNED87 performs really well. Thanks to its IPS panel, it offers wide viewing angles compared to VA panels. This means that the picture remains clear and does not lose quality even at an angle. While it may not achieve the perfect results of OLED TVs, which maintain colours and brightness regardless of the viewing angle, in terms of LCD QNED87 screens, it stands out positively. This makes it a great choice for larger rooms where viewers often watch at an angle.

Philips PML8709, equipped with a VA panel, offers average viewing angles typical of this type of panel. The image deteriorates in quality when viewed from a greater angle – colours wash out and contrast noticeably decreases. This is a characteristic feature of VA panels and is worth keeping in mind, especially if we plan to watch the TV from different spots in the room. For viewers sitting directly in front, however, the image remains clear and well-reproduced.

During the day, the LG QNED television performs adequately. It has a satin finish that doesn’t suppress reflections the best, which can be noticeable in bright rooms. Nevertheless, with quite good brightness at 430 nits, the image remains visible and clear. Although reflections may be somewhat bothersome, the brightness of the television allows for comfortable use during the day.

The Philips PML8709 is equipped with a satin matrix, which average handles glare reduction. In moderately lit rooms, reflections won't be too bothersome, however, in strongly sunlit conditions, the situation may become problematic. An additional challenge is the relatively low screen brightness, at around 330 cd/m². This level may prove insufficient for comfortable viewing in bright rooms, where the image may appear too dark and unclear. The television will perform better in controlled lighting conditions, but for those looking for a model that handles daytime viewing well, this could be a significant limitation.

LG QNED87 TV offers a multitude of features that significantly enhance user comfort. Let's start with the WebOS system, which we believe has the most user-friendly interface among all TVs available on the market. One of its greatest advantages is the remote control with a built-in gyroscope, known as the Magic Remote. Thanks to this, navigation is intuitive and quick, making TV usage a pleasure. WebOS also supports a range of smart features that greatly simplify everyday use of the television. Among them is AirPlay, which allows easy content sharing from Apple devices such as iPhone or iPad. Additionally, the TV supports a wide range of streaming applications, such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and many others, providing access to favourite movies and series in one place. When it comes to everyday use, LG QNED87 does not disappoint. The TV offers a USB recording feature, which is becoming increasingly rare in modern models. This allows users to record their favourite programs and watch them at any time. Furthermore, the TV has a Picture-in-Picture (PIP) function, although only for one tuner, enabling the viewing of two programs simultaneously. Connecting additional devices via Bluetooth is simple and hassle-free. The TV supports various Bluetooth devices, such as mice, keyboards, and headphones, increasing its versatility and allowing easy personalisation of the user experience. With all these features, the LG QNED87 TV is a versatile and convenient device that meets the expectations of even the most demanding users.

Philips PML8709 runs on the Google TV operating system. This is quite a surprising choice, considering it isn’t the flagship model of the brand. Fortunately, it has avoided the implementation of the less popular TitanOS, which can be seen as a plus. Google TV offers a well-known, clear interface and wide capabilities in terms of app installation, making the television more versatile.

In terms of user features, the television performs solidly. Daily use of the device is enjoyable thanks to support for voice search in Polish. The ability to connect peripheral devices such as keyboards, mice, or headphones via Bluetooth enhances its functionality. Unfortunately, the PML8709 does not offer more advanced options, such as USB recording or the PiP (picture-in-picture) feature, which may disappoint more demanding users.

An interesting fact, and quite a surprise, is the absence of the Ambilight system, for which Philips is commonly known. The decision to omit this technology in the PML8709 model seems puzzling, especially since Ambilight is often cited as one of the greatest strengths of televisions from this brand.

The built-in media player in the LG QNED87 television should not disappoint anyone. It offers rich capabilities when it comes to playing video and audio files. It supports many popular formats, ensuring versatility and user convenience. The only drawback might be the limited number of supported photo formats. However, this mainly concerns those less popular formats, so most users should be satisfied with the player's functionality. For everyday use and typical multimedia formats, the player performs very well.

Philips PML8709 handles playing multimedia files from USB well. The television shouldn't have issues supporting most popular video, audio, and photo formats, making it a versatile tool for home entertainment. Files are read smoothly, and the interface of the built-in player is simple and intuitive.

However, a significant downside is the lack of support for Polish diacritics in subtitles, due to the incomplete implementation of the UTF-8 standard. Subtitles with Polish characters are displayed incorrectly, which can be frustrating for those watching films in their native language. This shortcoming means that users seeking full compatibility with subtitles may have to resort to using external media players.

When it comes to sound, it can be said that it's moderately pleasant. There's a lack of pronounced bass, and the mid tones seem a bit unclear. This isn't an ideal situation for audiophiles, but it's worth noting that the television plays DTS files without any issues. This is a feature that's missing in many other televisions, so the LG QNED87 deserves praise for this support.

The sound quality in the Philips PML8709 is average and standard for a television equipped with speakers rated at 2 x 10 W. The audio is sufficient for everyday viewing, but it's hard to expect deep bass or clear details in more demanding scenes. On the positive side, it does support Dolby Atmos and DTS.

LG QNED87T6B vs Philips PML8709

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

TV appearance

Where to buy

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

TV efficiency during daytime

Details about the matrix

TV features

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound