Philips OLED809/819 vs Blaupunkt UGC5500S

Direct comparison

OLED809 / OLED819 / AMIBLIGHT TV

Info

Available screen sizes: 48”55”65”77”

Available screen sizes: 43”50”55”65”75”

Panel type: WRGB OLED

Resolution: 3840x2160

System: Google TV

Model year: 2024

Complete the survey to find out the result

Panel type: LCD IPS

Resolution: 3840x2160

System: Google TV

Model year: 2025

Complete the survey to find out the result

Overall rating

7.6

5.0

  • Movies and series in UHD quality

    7.3

    4.2

  • Classic TV, YouTube

    7.9

    4.1

  • Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

    8.2

    4.1

  • Gaming on console

    9.2

    5.4

  • TV as a computer monitor

    6.4

    6.0

  • Watching in bright light

    5.5

    4.0

  • Utility functions

    7.9

    5.1

  • Apps

    9.6

    9.6

  • Sound quality

    7.1

    6.0

Advantages

  • Extensive Google TV system with good app support

  • Very good collaboration with the console

  • Good image smoothness and an extensive system for improving it

  • Multicoloured Ambilight backlighting

  • Google TV system: massive app library

  • Relatively low input lag

  • Good viewing angles: thanks to an IPS panel

  • PC compatibility: excellent font readability (Chroma 4:4:4)

  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz at Full HD resolution

  • Presence of a classic mini-jack output

  • Quite pleasant sound: clear and loud beyond "budget" standard

Disadvantages

No like
  • Poor factory colour reproduction (can be fixed through calibration)

  • Strongly contrasting tonal transitions

  • Average legibility of fonts when connected to a computer

  • Very weak blacks and contrast

  • HDR: low brightness (250 nits) and lack of real effect

  • System fluidity: sluggish performance and "dull" remote

  • Motion: total lack of digital smoothers in the menu

  • Image processing: noticeable overscan and motion artifacts

Our verdict

Philips OLED 809 is quite a versatile television that appeals to a wide range of consumers. Its standout feature among all the TV models on the market is the multicoloured Ambilight backlighting. It often allows for even greater immersion and engagement in the world of film. What is most important in televisions—contrast, black levels, and colour reproduction—are all at a high standard, which is something that will always impress in OLED TVs. The tested television, while performing quite well in our tests, does have some notable drawbacks. These include the quality of tonal transitions and the jumpy operation of the dynamic tone mapping feature. In some cases, these can be slightly irritating to sensitive eyes. However, Philips OLED 809 performs really well in other aspects, particularly in two areas: gaming performance and motion smoothing. The former stands out significantly, as each of the implemented features operates without the slightest hiccup, allowing for an even more immersive gaming experience. As for motion smoothness, it matches the high level of support for gaming. Thanks to two sliders, whose effects are noticeable at every position, every user is able to find the best level of smoothing for themselves. One cannot overlook the Google TV system, which operates very smoothly and during the tests, there were no instances of any "stuttering".

Blaupunkt UGC5500S is a textbook example of a very cheap television that has primarily two major advantages: the Google TV system and an extremely low price. It is these two elements that make it an attractive option for many people. During testing, we also found it has another great use, which is working with a computer. Thanks to exemplary font readability and good viewing angles of the IPS panel, Blaupunkt surprisingly performs well as a budget monitor. However, one must be aware that this device is typically budget-oriented, and that savings are reflected in the image quality. The panel is simply dark, making it difficult to perform well in tougher lighting conditions, not to mention creating any real HDR effect. Additionally, despite the good viewing angles, the black levels on this model leave much to be desired – in the evenings, it will tend to appear dark grey, which is a typical characteristic of the IPS technology used here. From a price perspective, this is a device that aims to compete in the market not on image quality, but rather on the amount on the receipt. Blaupunkt UGC5500S is perfectly suited as a secondary television in the home, equipment for the holiday house, or for a less important room, where the image just needs to be there, and we want to enjoy all the benefits and applications that Google TV offers.

TV appearance

HDMI inputs
2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps)
3 x HDMI 2.0, 0 x HDMI 2.1
Other inputs
RCA (Chinch)
Outputs
Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones)
Network Interfaces
Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality
Premium
Average
Stand type
stand-type-
Legs
Bezel color
Silver
Graphite
Stand
Fixed
Accessories
Stand
Stand

Contrast and black detail

10/10

2.2/10

Local dimming function: No

Contrast:

Review Philips OLED809/819 Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review Philips OLED809/819 Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review Philips OLED809/819 Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review Philips OLED809/819 Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review Philips OLED809/819 Contrast and black detail

Result

:1

Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S Contrast and black detail

Result

1,000:1

Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S Contrast and black detail

Result

1,100:1

Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S Contrast and black detail

Result

1,150:1

Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S Contrast and black detail

Result

1,100:1

Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S Contrast and black detail

Result

1,050:1

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

Check the visibility of bright lights on a dark background. Mini-LEDs often struggle with this. The photo does not compare black levels – that’s what the video below is for.

The video accurately shows differences in contrast and black levels between TVs, as well as potential issues: halo around bright objects or Mini-LED zone operation visible as brightness jumps.

Philips OLED 809, as the name suggests, uses an organic matrix. Like the vast majority of manufacturers, it comes from the LG Displays factory, which is not surprising, as other leading manufacturers, such as Sony and Panasonic, also use them. The application of this type of panel allows for achieving an ideal result in the contrast and black tests. Thanks to such results, the image is incredibly plastic and free from any blooming effect of bright texts on a dark background, which has become an inherent feature of televisions with local dimming. This is enabled by the very construction of the panel, which is not made up of many layers of filters, but of organic conductive polymers, controlled by electrical impulses. Therefore, if we want to achieve black, the pixel turns off to a value of 0, rather than being covered up. The lights present in the test image are perfectly separated from each other, which is extremely difficult, and often impossible for LCD televisions. One of the strongest points of Philips OLED 809 is its ability to render contrasts. Philips OLED809 test showed that the television handles the separation of bright elements, such as headlights, from the dark background excellently.

To put it bluntly: when it comes to black levels, it's just very poor. Our measurements on test patterns only confirmed what we could see with the naked eye – a result around 1000:1 is, these days, even in this price range, a disappointing outcome. In movie conditions, that "black" simply doesn't exist. To avoid being all talk, we fired up one of our favourite test scenes – the helicopter flight in "Sicario 2" (you can actually see it in the video we've linked below). Instead of inky, deep night, we got an image that is... navy blue. Everything on the screen that should be dark and mysterious actually glows a dark blue. This is the price we pay for using an IPS panel. On one hand, we get quite decent viewing angles, so if you're watching TV with the whole family from different angles, the picture doesn't lose much in saturation. On the other hand, if you're planning evening screenings with the lights off, this lack of contrast is going to sting your eyes from the very first minute.

HDR effect quality

6.9/10

3.8/10

Supported formats
HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG
HDR10, HLG
Color gamut coverage
DCI P3: 99.0%, Bt.2020: 75.0%
DCI P3: 81.8%, Bt.2020: 60.3%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Review Philips OLED809/819 Brightness measurement

Result

921 nit

Review Philips OLED809/819 Brightness measurement

Result

970 nit

Review Philips OLED809/819 Brightness measurement

Result

1039 nit

Review Philips OLED809/819 Brightness measurement

Result

1022 nit

Review Philips OLED809/819 Brightness measurement

Result

425 nit

Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S Brightness measurement

Result

232 nit

Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S Brightness measurement

Result

245 nit

Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S Brightness measurement

Result

255 nit

Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S Brightness measurement

Result

238 nit

Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S Brightness measurement

Result

252 nit

Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)

Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)

The photos show two HDR10 movies. 'Pan' is one of the brightest productions ever made, while 'Billy Lynn' (soldier) has brightness typical of streaming (Netflix, Prime, HBO MAX). Notice the intensity of effects and detail in whites.

Static HDR10

The photos present the visibility of white details in various HDR formats. They do not show brightness differences between TVs (these can be compared in the previous gallery).

HDR luminance chart:

Blaupunkt UGC5500S

Philips OLED809/819

Luminance of RGB colors

Philips OLED 809 delivers a more than satisfactory HDR effect. The television is capable of generating luminance exceeding 900 nits in almost every scene, and sometimes even over 1000. This result allows for a full experience of materials with a wide tonal range. The only moment when Philips OLED 809 cannot generate higher brightness is in a scene from the film "The Meg," which features a large amount of bright white across much of the screen. However, it cannot be said that this is a weak result, as it represents a significant improvement over its predecessor. Overall, such values for OLED panels produced by LG Display, which do not have MLA technology, are very, very good. Combined with high coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, they allow for an HDR experience in a remarkable dimension. Philips OLED 809 test indicated that this television supports popular HDR formats such as Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

We won’t beat around the bush here – if you’re looking for a TV strictly for cinematic HDR experiences, then you’ve come to the wrong place. Unfortunately, the Blaupunkt UGC5500S is not a machine built for such challenges. This is primarily due to its very low brightness, which we measured during our tests. A result of around 250 nits on movie screens speaks for itself. It’s simply too little to even consider any real HDR effect. To be honest, everything displayed in this format can confidently be seen as a somewhat “enhanced” SDR mode. We expected this, as practically every device in this price range falls short in this area, but we feel it’s our duty to warn you. Manufacturers love to brag about HDR compatibility on the boxes, but in reality, this format simply doesn’t exist here – it lacks the “fuel” in the form of brightness.

The situation is further complicated for Blaupunkt, as we’re dealing with a panel that has very basic coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, reaching only about 80%. You won’t find any advanced coatings to expand these capabilities (like quantum dots), which means scenes that are supposed to burst with richly saturated colours appear simply underwhelming on this screen. Therefore, we have a particular piece of advice for you: don’t force HDR mode on this model. If you have the option in the streaming app settings – just turn it off. By sticking to the classic SDR mode, you’ll be sure that the TV won’t try to “enhance” something that it can’t handle hardware-wise.

Factory color reproduction

5.1/10

4.8/10

This gallery shows how colors change after professional TV calibration. If you notice the difference, we recommend ordering this service at SkalibrujTV.com.

Factory Mode

After calibration

This gallery shows how colors change after professional TV calibration. If you notice the difference, we recommend ordering this service at SkalibrujTV.com.

Factory Mode

After calibration

The best factory mode in which we conducted all our tests was "Filmmaker", which is now quite standard in televisions from this manufacturer. However, let's take a look at its characteristics before we start the calibration process. The first aspect we will examine is white balance, as despite being inconspicuous, it determines whether the image will be free from any tints. The graph clearly shows that in both SDR and HDR content, two colours dominated: red and green, which caused a strong yellow tint that was pervasive throughout the image. This is perfectly visible on the "ColourChecker" palette, where all colours shifted towards their warmer counterparts. The second thing we will scrutinise are, in our opinion, the two most important graphs in the context of image quality assessment: gamma and the EOTF curve. Both are intended to maintain appropriate brightness and contrast. The first describes the level of brightness in SDR materials, while the second depicts the rate of luminance increase. Analysing the first one, we can see that it has been remarkably lowered compared to the reference value indicated by the orange line. This situation resulted primarily in a sharp increase in brightness and a significant decrease in contrast, reminiscent of what one would expect from OLED televisions. The EOTF curve showed greater "caution" and only slightly brightened the entire image to 50% of the maximum brightness.

We also took a close look at how Blaupunkt handles colours in movie mode, and here the matter is, to put it simply, twofold. We must once again clearly separate what we see in the standard SDR format from what happens when HDR is switched on, as they are two completely different worlds. Let's start with the better side of the coin. If you're planning to watch traditional TV, YouTube, or older films on this television, you can count on really well-tuned colours. In our test sample, the white balance in movie mode performed exceptionally well, which honestly surprised us. Of course, to avoid being too rosy, we noticed some drawbacks. Looking at the gamma charts, we observed that the processor struggles with properly dimming the image in its brightest areas. Additionally, there is quite a strong, at times overly aggressive, red saturation, which resulted in visible errors in reproducing certain shades. Despite this, overall, the image in SDR is simply solid and watchable without a grimace on your face. Unfortunately, the magic fades when we re-enter the world of HDR. Here, Blaupunkt behaves as if we suddenly switched it to store mode, and in its worst rendition. The excess blue in the white balance is so significant that it’s glaring, ruining any realism in the scene. Furthermore, the television interprets brightness very loosely, which, upon analysing the EOTF curve, clearly showed that for most of the time, colours simply appear washed out and lacking depth. This is also perfectly evident in the colour errors that become apparent in this mode. Once again, we are left with the same conclusion: Blaupunkt in SDR mode looks significantly better and more natural than in HDR, which seems to be forcefully added without proper refinement.

Color reproduction after calibration

9/10

6.4/10

The photos show how movies look on the TV. Pay attention to black detail visibility, colors, and shadow tint.

The photos show how movies look on the TV. Pay attention to black detail visibility, colors, and shadow tint.

Philips, like most leading manufacturers, has been providing advanced tools for the calibration process for years. Here, we find 2- and 20-point grey scale adjustments as well as an advanced CMS (Color Management System). As you can see, this has brought extremely beneficial results and fundamentally changed the perceived image. Practically every one of the elements mentioned above has undergone a transformation and has been returned to its natural state. This is particularly evident on the "ColourChecker" palette, where the measured samples are harmoniously in their places. It must be said that the white balance has turned out exceptionally well, allowing us to enjoy a clean image free from any tint in both SDR and HDR materials. The biggest issue with OLED809, which is gamma, has been properly modelled and only occasionally shows minor errors that won't affect the overall picture. The EOTF curve, on the other hand, has been stripped of that slight brightening and now presents itself almost referentially.

It may sound like a joke – pulling out professional measuring equipment for a TV that costs around a thousand złoty / 250 dollars, but we wouldn’t be ourselves if we didn’t check it. The question is: does such cheap gear give us any leeway in terms of calibration? To your surprise, the answer is: yes, absolutely. In the Blaupunkt UGC5500S menu, we found surprisingly many options that allowed us to effectively work on the picture. These aren't just empty sliders; these are concrete tools that enabled us to make use of our measurement sensors and software. In SDR mode, the effects were visible to the naked eye. We successfully eliminated the problem we mentioned earlier – that excessive, almost artificial saturation of reds. We also fixed the issue with the incorrect dimming of the brightest parts of the image. After calibration, the picture in standard format became significantly more balanced and simply correct. When it comes to HDR, the situation was more complicated again. While we managed to “tame” that aggressive blue tint in the white balance, it was clear that we were fighting a bit of a losing battle. Even after changing the settings, the TV still tried to interfere with the picture in its own way, as if the electronics knew better than we did how the scene should look. To top it off, there's the hardware barrier that no slider can overcome – colours in HDR still remain undersaturated. This simply results from the quality of the panel itself; it physically cannot produce the most vivid colours. To summarise this point: if any of you ask whether it’s possible to calibrate a TV for “a grand”, we respond with complete conviction: it is possible.

Smoothness of tonal transitions

2.4/10

6.4/10

These are selected scenes that show smooth tonal transitions from one color to another. If you see distinct banding, it’s the TV panel’s fault.

These are selected scenes that show smooth tonal transitions from one color to another. If you see distinct banding, it’s the TV panel’s fault.

These are selected scenes that show smooth tonal transitions from one color to another. If you see distinct banding, it’s the TV panel’s fault.

These are selected scenes that show smooth tonal transitions from one color to another. If you see distinct banding, it’s the TV panel’s fault.

Equally important as colours, black and contrast in the context of image quality assessment, is its purity. The quality of tonal transitions can also be included in this category. How many of you have experienced the “banding” effect on your older screens? It is extremely annoying and often effectively hinders immersion in the series or film being watched. Philips OLED 809 unfortunately has some of those issues that are better left unmentioned. However, out of editorial duty, they deserve to be examined and assessed, which will be quite simple given their lack of complexity. As you can see, practically every scene showed a lack of fluidity between colours. And just like in the movie “Kingsman,” this is still acceptable, but in other productions, you really cannot leave a dry thread on them, especially when looking at “The Green Knight.” There, the dense fog has practically been replaced by horizontal bands and indistinct geometric shapes. There are televisions that can manage tonal transitions perfectly, but unfortunately, Philips OLED 809 doesn't belong to that group. During testing, we could see the banding effect, particularly in demanding scenes, which negatively impacts the viewing experience. Philips OLED 809 test indicates that even the options for removing posterization are not sufficiently helpful, which can be considered a serious flaw.

Looking at our test photographs, it’s really hard to pick at anything. Most of the colours in the attached images blend together almost perfectly, creating smooth gradients without noticeable "jaggies". And indeed, in most scenes where we took these shots, it looked surprisingly good. However, the problem arises when we stop analysing still frames and start simply watching the films. In motion, the situation changes dramatically. During dynamic scenes on screen, artefacts begin to pop up, which are a direct result of simply having a poor image processor here. Unfortunately, a static photo can't capture that "tearing" of colours, but you have to take our word for it: what looks clean and smooth in the photo can really stand out and simply irritate during viewing. This is where our rather low rating in this category comes from.

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

5.5/10

2.5/10

Image without overscan on the SD signal
No
No
Smooth transition function
OK
No

Smooth transition function

The match photo shows how the TV smooths weak tonal transitions in low-quality video.

Image scaling SD (576i)

The model photo shows how it handles upscaling of SD material.

Philips OLED 809 didn't perform too well in the test for the smoothness of tonal transitions. Moving on to the part of the test where we assess the behaviour of the TV's algorithms, we will again check the function responsible for removing posterisation. In fact, such a function exists in the menu and has several options available. As you can see in the photo on the left, although its presence has been confirmed by us, it is not useful. Only at the highest setting does it effectively remove disruptions, but it blurs the entire image in the process. Therefore, it is completely unusable.

Time and again, you and we find ourselves watching materials of lower quality. In this case, the quality of the image upscaling algorithms can have a salvaging effect. We must admit that those implemented in OLED 809 work quite efficiently and improve the image quality without visible artefacts. You can only notice slight edge blurring, but it is unlikely to be noticeable during normal viewing.

If you're hoping that the processor in this model will magically "fix" the poor quality signal from your cable TV or old movies from YouTube, we must disappoint you. The capabilities of this television end at absolutely basic upscaling, which is simply stretching the image to a higher resolution. It does this correctly in that the image is not blurry, but there is no mention of any intelligent sharpening or adding details. Worse still, Blaupunkt is completely devoid of any functions to reduce unwanted tonal transitions. If the material being viewed shows what is known as banding (ugly "steps" instead of a smooth transition of colours, e.g., in the sky), this television will display them in all their glory. Additionally, the television has a tendency to slightly crop the edges of the image. Instead of displaying 100% of what the source sends, Blaupunkt slightly zooms in on the frame, causing us to lose details that are at the very edges of the screen. In summary: in the category of digital "enhancement" of the image, Blaupunkt simply performs poorly. We receive a raw, unprocessed signal, with all its flaws.

Blur and motion smoothness

8.5/10

3.7/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel
144Hz
60Hz
Film motion smoothing option
OK
No
Blur reduction option
OK
No
BFI function 60Hz
No
-
BFI function 120Hz
No
-
Brightness drop with BFI
-%
-%

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

The maximum refresh rate we can set on the tested television is 144 Hz. This value can be achieved by connecting it to a really powerful PC. In the case of consoles or television, everything remains the same. For those who require high movement fluidity or dislike the characteristic judder of films recorded at 24 fps, the manufacturer has prepared a fairly advanced motion smoothing system. In the dedicated tab, we will find the “Smoothness” slider responsible for eliminating judder and “Blur Reduction”, which helps increase the sharpness of dynamic elements. The function works very well and granularly, meaning each of the settings has a real impact on the perception of motion. We also mention that it works at a refresh rate of 120 Hz, as it operates on the multiples of film or television materials. Thanks to such an extensive set, every user will find their happy medium. In the photo, we present our choice, which is slight smoothing without the soap opera effect.

Motion is influenced not only by the settings on the television but also by the response time of the panel itself. OLED televisions feature the best response time on the market, which in the case of 809 is about 0.1 ms. There are no IPS/ADS or even VA panels that significantly come close to the results of organic panels.

When it comes to motion fluidity, Blaupunkt has nothing to defend itself with. A 60 Hz panel at this price is standard, so none of us expected a perfectly sharp image in fast action scenes or during a match. However, the biggest drawback of this model is that you won’t find any digital motion smoothers in the menu. The manufacturer hasn’t given us any room for manoeuvre – nothing can be smoothed out or the image adjusted to our personal preferences. The picture is always "raw" and we receive it exactly as it is transmitted by the source. For fans of cinematic "jumping" images, this might be good, but the rest simply has to get used to the lack of any motion enhancement.

Console compatibility and gaming features

10/10

3.5/10

  • ALLM
    Yes
    Yes
  • VRR
    Yes
    No
  • VRR range
    40 - 144Hz
    No
  • Dolby Vision Game Mode
    Yes
    No
  • Correct implementation of HGIG
    Yes
    No
  • 1080p@120Hz
    Yes
    Yes
  • 1440p@120Hz
    Yes
    No
  • 4K@120Hz
    Yes
    No
  • Game bar
    Yes
    No

The Philips OLED 809 supports all the technologies included in the HDMI 2.1 standard, and during our tests, each one activated without any problems. Therefore, we must state that this television is perfect for all gamers, both those using a console and a computer. It's worth mentioning that the manufacturer has implemented the HGIG mode, which is a great alternative to Dolby Vision, which unfortunately on the OLED809 is unplayable due to the very high input lag.

A nod to gamers is also the inclusion of a dedicated GameBar, which allows monitoring of current gameplay parameters and quick adjustments of settings. There is also a function to activate a crosshair, which will be very useful when shooting from a sniper rifle, but from the so-called hip. Additionally, we can also find a shadow enhancement function for better visibility in shadows and a colour filter for gamers with visual impairments.

In summary, the OLED 809 is a very good and versatile device for gamers. Anyone who purchases this television for gaming does not need to worry about anything, as it is simply designed for gaming. Especially since features such as VRR, ALLM, G-Sync, FreeSync, and HDR Dolby Vision gameplay will allow for an even deeper immersion in their favourite title. Lastly, we should note that the only downside of the television in game mode is the artificial sharpening of the image, regardless of the settings, and it cannot be 'softened.'

When it comes to gaming on the Blaupunkt, we weren’t expecting miracles and indeed – the list of features isn’t very long. However, there are two interesting points worth mentioning, as they might be significant for some of you at this price. The first advantage is that the TV quite smoothly detects the connected console. Thanks to the ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature, the device knows when you start gaming and automatically switches to low latency mode. This is convenient because you don’t have to fiddle with settings every time to ensure input lag doesn’t spoil the fun. The second point is a real curiosity that surprised us. Despite it being a 60 Hz panel, the Blaupunkt can display a 120 Hz image at Full HD resolution. Sure, we lose 4K details, but for those playing more dynamic, online shooters where smoothness is more important than resolution, this is a really nice and unexpected addition in such an affordable device. Other than these two points, you won’t find anything more here. There are no advanced smoothness enhancement systems for gamers or extensive gaming menu bars. It’s a simple screen for occasional gaming.

Input lag

9.5/10

8.6/10

SDR

1080p60
13 ms
36 ms
1080p120
5 ms
25 ms
2160p60
13 ms
13 ms
2160p120
5 ms

HDR

2160p60
13 ms
12 ms
2160p120
5 ms
4320p60

Dolby Vision

2160p60 DV
13 ms
2160p120 DV
57 ms

The results of the input lag measurements on the Philips OLED 809 are at a high level, regardless of the signal or resolution. All gamers will surely appreciate the manufacturer's efforts, thanks to which a game running at 4K120Hz with HDR has only 5 ms of lag, which is practically unnoticeable even in online games. One should not forget about the proper implementation of the game mode with Dolby Vision, which can be praised for a similar response time of 13 ms. In this case, the Philips OLED 809 receives our highest score.

An important point for every gamer is, of course, input lag, which is how quickly the television responds to our movements on the controller. Here, Blaupunkt has something to boast about, although the results are quite specific. At 4K resolution, the lag is only 12 ms. That's an excellent result. With such a lag, gaming is simply phenomenal, and the response is almost instantaneous. However, it's a bit disappointing that the situation changes when switching to 1080p. Here, the input lag increases to around 30 ms. Just to be clear: that's still not a terrible result. For most people, it will be "more than acceptable," and during casual gaming, you probably won't even notice it. Nevertheless, it's a pity that such good parameters couldn't be maintained as we saw with full 4K. Nonetheless, in the overall assessment, as a budget screen for console gaming, Blaupunkt really performs admirably in this regard.

Compatibility with PC

6.4/10

6/10

Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate)
No
Yes
Font clarity
Average
Very Good
Readability of dark text and shapes
Good
Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate)
13ms
13ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement
RWBG
RGB
Max refresh rate
144Hz
60Hz
G-Sync
Yes
No

The photo shows the legibility of small fonts. Ideally, lines should be the same thickness on both light and dark text, with minimal pixel gaps.

Just like in games, the tested television performs excellently, but when it comes to everyday text work, it doesn't quite measure up. Its latency is very low; however, the issue lies elsewhere. The television does not support chroma 4:4:4, which results in unpleasant font blurriness, regardless of the given refresh rate. While this is not usually a problem in games, it can be quite annoying during text work due to poor readability. Additionally, the pixel layout in WOLED matrices doesn't make things easier for it.

If you're planning to connect a computer to this television, it's absolutely crucial to find and enable the PC compatibility option in the menu. Once you do this, magic happens – the implementation of Chroma 4:4:4 and font readability jump to an exemplary level. The readability of text is simply excellent here. Of course, our editorial diligence wouldn't let us pass this equipment without taking a look "under the hood." In very specific tests with thin, dark text, we noticed that the horizontal and vertical matrix masks differ slightly in brightness levels. However, we want to reassure you: this phenomenon is so subtle that, during normal use, writing emails or browsing the web, you won't be able to notice it with the naked eye. We maintain our opinion that as a monitor strictly for dynamic gaming on PC, it isn't the ideal choice (as we mentioned in the context of the 60 Hz refresh rate), but if any of you are wondering whether you can comfortably work on such a Blaupunkt – we say: yes, it absolutely can be done.

Viewing angles

7.7/10

5/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees
29%
71%

A widely known advantage of OLED panels is their efficiency when viewed even at sharp angles. There is no noticeable drop in contrast or colour saturation. However, a characteristic feature of panels produced by LG Display, which are not used in top models, is a tint in marine or cyan shades when viewed from a wide angle.

Here it's really very good. Whether we were sitting straight on or on the edge of the couch, the colours didn't lose their saturation. This is a big plus if you're planning to watch matches or movies with a larger group – no one will complain that the picture looks worse for them. Although IPS panels are known for their good viewing angles, in this particular model, when viewed from a sharp angle, the picture noticeably loses brightness. Interestingly, the colour saturation still remains in place, but the screen simply becomes darker. It's not something that disqualifies this television, but it's worth knowing.

Daytime performance

5.5/10

4/10

Panel finish
Glare
Satin
Reflection suppression
Good
Decent
Black levels during daytime
Very Good
Good

Panel brightness

Blaupunkt UGC5500S: 245 cd/m2

Philips OLED809/819: 322 cd/m2

For many years, the issue of the performance of OLED TVs during the day has been raised. Many people still believe that these are not receivers intended for such use. They probably have a point, particularly when it comes to screens from several years ago. Technology has advanced, and currently, there are no objections to recommending such a TV for today. Admittedly, a glossy screen doesn't sound like something that would support this claim, however, it's hard to argue against the pictures that you can see for yourself. Another point we would like to highlight is the contrast during daytime use. This, in contrast to QD-OLED panels, and even OLEDs equipped with MLA technology, is higher. This is due to the absence of excited quantum dots and micro-lenses.

In terms of daytime performance, Blaupunkt is simply average. It all comes down to the low brightness of the panel, which – as we mentioned, hovers around 250 nits. That’s definitely too low for the screen to comfortably "cut through" the strong light coming into the living room. As a result, in bright sunlight, the image loses its clarity and appears somewhat washed out. However, there is one bright spot in this category: the satin coating of the panel. Thanks to this, we don't have to deal with the mirror effect, which often means instead of watching a movie, we're seeing our own couch reflected. The satin nicely diffuses reflections, which somewhat saves the situation. Nevertheless, we can’t cheat physics: while the coating bravely fights against reflections, the low brightness ultimately capitulates in the face of the sun's rays. If you plan to watch something in the middle of the day in a very bright room, prepare yourself for the necessity of drawing the curtains.

Panel details

Backlight Type
White LED
Software version during testing
TPM231WW_R.101.0091.227.211
RTM9.241015.007
Image processor
mt5896
m7332 2GB RAM

Subpixel Structure:

Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:

Philips OLED809/819

Blaupunkt UGC5500S

TV features

7.9/10

5.1/10

  • HDMI inputs
    2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
    3 x HDMI 2.0, 0 x HDMI 2.1
  • Other inputs
    RCA (Chinch)
  • Outputs
    Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
    Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones)
  • Network Interfaces
    Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
    Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
  • TV reception
    DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
    DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C

Classic features:

  • Recording to USB (terrestrial TV)
    No
    No
  • Recording programming
    No
    No
  • Picture in Picture (PiP)
    No
    No
  • RF remote control (no need to aim)
    Yes
    Yes
  • Backlit remote control
    Yes
    No
  • Teletext
    Yes
    No
  • Audio only mode
    Yes
    Yes
  • Bluetooth headphones support
    Yes
    Yes
  • Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio
    No
    No

Smart features:

  • AirPlay
    Yes
    No
  • Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast)
    Yes
    Yes
  • Voice search
    Yes
    Yes
  • Voice search in native language
    Yes
    Yes
  • Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse
    Yes
    Yes
Review Philips OLED809/819 TV features
Review Philips OLED809/819 TV features
Review Philips OLED809/819 TV features
Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S TV features
Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S TV features
Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S TV features
Review Blaupunkt UGC5500S TV features

Before we dive into the software that controls the television, it’s impossible not to mention the biggest distinguishing feature of the manufacturer's televisions. This is, of course, the multicoloured Ambilight backlighting, which is located on the back of the device and displays colours tailored to what's happening on the screen, often allowing for an even greater immersive experience. The Philips OLED 809 is powered by the Google TV system. This is an undeniable advantage compared to some other models from the manufacturer, which use the proprietary TitanOS system, significantly more closed off and limited in terms of available applications. With Google TV, we can install practically any application, both from the store and directly from online repositories via an APK file.

The Google TV system also offers many conveniences related to control. We can easily connect a keyboard with a touchpad, which greatly simplifies typing queries and navigation. Additionally, thanks to integration with Google, we can issue voice commands using the remote, which are quickly and accurately interpreted by the system.

In summary: Google TV is currently one of the most popular systems on the market. Thanks to a powerful CPU, it runs very smoothly and stably, without freezing or stuttering during testing. This is definitely the best option for those who want to get the most out of their television's capabilities and appreciate the openness and versatility of the system.

In terms of Smart TV functionality, the Blaupunkt UGC5500S is a classic example of a device where the system is both its biggest asset and its greatest flaw. On one hand, we have full Google TV, which is a huge plus at this price point. We gain access to a massive library of apps and basically all the functionality we know from brands using this software. Nothing has been cut out forcefully, which is really refreshing in such an inexpensive TV. Unfortunately, it must be honestly admitted that in the case of Blaupunkt, this system operates quite clumsily. This is a typical issue with low-budget TVs running Google TV – the processor barely keeps up with the software. Navigating through the menu isn’t as smooth as we would like, and the remote can react with noticeable delays, giving the impression of being "dull." Of course, once you launch a specific app and start a movie, everything works steadily, but just browsing through the interface requires a bit of patience.

When it comes to classic TV features, Blaupunkt offers nothing extraordinary. It’s a simple device for basic tasks. The remote is a plus, featuring a traditional numeric keypad, which is just convenient for hopping through cable channels. We also have Bluetooth, so you can easily connect wireless headphones or a speaker. The TV also has a physical mini-jack headphone output. At a time when manufacturers are mass-eliminating this connection, the presence of a "jack" is a nod to those with older audio equipment or simply those who prefer classic wired headphones. It’s a small thing, but it’s appreciated.

Apps

9.6/10

9.6/10

OK
Disney_Plus
OK
Amazon_Prime_Video
OK
Player_TVN
OK
Polsat_Box_Go
OK
Canal_Plus_Online
OK
TVP_VOD
OK
Apple_TV_Plus
OK
SkyShowtime
OK
Rakuten
OK
CDA_Premium_Browser
OK
Spotify
OK
Tidal
OK
Netflix
OK
YouTube
OK
HBO_MAX
OK
Kodi
No
Apple_music
OK
Eleven_sports
No
Xbox Game Pass
OK
GeForce Now!
No
Amazon Luna
OK
Boosteroid
OK
Steam Link
OK
Disney_Plus
OK
Amazon_Prime_Video
OK
Player_TVN
OK
Polsat_Box_Go
OK
Canal_Plus_Online
OK
TVP_VOD
OK
Apple_TV_Plus
OK
SkyShowtime
OK
Rakuten
OK
CDA_Premium_Browser
OK
Spotify
OK
Tidal
OK
Netflix
OK
YouTube
OK
HBO_MAX
OK
Kodi
No
Apple_music
OK
Eleven_sports
No
Xbox Game Pass
OK
GeForce Now!
No
Amazon Luna
OK
Boosteroid
OK
Steam Link

Playing files from USB

9.5/10

9.3/10

Supported photo formats:

JPEG
Yes
Yes
HEIC
Yes
Yes
PNG
Yes
Yes
GIF
Yes
Yes
WebP
Yes
Yes
TIFF
No
No
BMP
Yes
Yes
SVG
No
No

Maximum photo resolution:

4 Mpix
Yes
Yes
6 Mpix
Yes
Yes
8 Mpix
Yes
Yes
10 Mpix
Yes
Yes
12 Mpix
Yes
Yes
16 Mpix
Yes
Yes
20 Mpix
Yes
Yes
24 Mpix
Yes
Yes
28 Mpix
Yes
Yes
32 Mpix
Yes
Yes

The default file player on the Philips OLED 809 is quite impressive, although it does have some drawbacks. It handles a wide range of video file formats exceptionally well, except for two less common ones. It deserves high praise for its inclusion of all the checkboxes confirming playback of various subtitle formats. The TV can manage any photo resolution, making it an excellent screen for viewing family albums or studio photos. The rest, including supported photo and audio formats, is satisfactory, and those formats the TV cannot play are either uncommon or obsolete. Moreover, it's not a problem, as we can download an app from the app store that will solve these issues.

In terms of playing files from USB, Blaupunkt performs quite solidly. We tested several of the most popular formats and basically everything that matters worked without any fuss on the factory player. So you're not forced to immediately download additional software right after pulling the TV out of the box, because the equipment is simply self-sufficient ‘out of the box’. Nevertheless, taking advantage of the charms of Google TV, we still recommend installing some external software, like VLC or Kodi. The factory player is adequate, but it's in those external applications where you'll find the most configuration options, better subtitle support, or just a more convenient interface. Since the system gives you that freedom, it's worth taking advantage of it to get as much as you can out of your multimedia.

Sound

7.1/10

6/10

  • Maximum volume
    -
    85dB
  • Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
    Yes
    Yes
  • Dolby True HD 7.1
    Yes
    No
  • Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
    Yes
    Yes
  • Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
    Yes
    No
  • DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
    Yes
    No
  • DTS-HD Master Audio
    Yes
    No

At the outset of this paragraph, it should be noted that sound quality is always subjective. In our opinion, the audio system that the manufacturer has equipped the Philips OLED 809 is at quite a high level. The bass is well-defined, but at the same time, it does not overshadow the mid and high tones. Looking at it from another perspective, when choosing a TV in this price range, we are more likely to already have an additional audio system. In this context, the tested television will definitely not disappoint, as it supports practically every important standard, including Dolby Atmos and, more importantly, DTS-HD Master Audio.

In terms of audio, Blaupunkt performs really well, especially considering it's a typical budget television. You can see, or rather hear, that the brand hasn't forgotten its roots and for such an inexpensive build, the sound is actually superb. Of course, there's a noticeable lack of bass, but overall it's loud, and surprisingly clear. What matters most to us – even at higher volumes, the sound isn't heavily distorted, which is rare and a pleasant surprise at this price point.

Sound Quality Test

No sound test video

Acoustic Measurements

No acoustic data

85dBC (Max)

75dBC