Compare: Philips OLED809/819 vs LG OLED C4

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".

LG C4 is a television that will likely have no competition in its price range for many users. Thanks to the wide options for purchase, it will appeal to those looking for a TV strictly for movies and series, as well as for gaming. The advanced WebOS system and a remote that works like a mouse will certainly make everyday use much easier and ensure that we will likely stick with this brand for a much longer time. The OLED panel implemented by the manufacturer, resulting from over 10 years of history, shows that it has not yet said its last word. Brightness results in HDR material are very solid and can display an incredibly dynamic and deep image. Here, it’s worth mentioning the excellently implemented dynamic tone mapping feature, which makes HDR10 images look almost as good as Dolby Vision. And if we’re talking about fidelity to artistic vision, we can't forget about how calibratable LG TVs are, allowing for a great deal of freedom for the calibrator and classic calibration for home users, as well as 3D LUT for professionals. However, if we are looking for a gaming TV, then the LG C4, like most of the manufacturer’s OLED TVs, will be the ideal choice. With the implementation of HDMI 2.1 ports and the full use of their potential, we can enjoy extremely smooth gameplay with all the benefits, such as VRR, ALLM, FreeSync, or G-Sync. Of course, the panel, which has a maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz and an advanced smoothing technology, will also allow for very smooth and sharp images during broadcasts of various sporting events. It’s hard not to give a high rating to LG OLED C4, as it's difficult to find a TV in a similar price range with such advanced features among the competition.

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.

LG OLED C4, as the name suggests, uses an organic panel of its own production. This series definitely belongs to one of the most recognisable on the market. Over 10 years of experience in building self-emissive panels has allowed for the refinement of each subsequent design, with the models from the 2024 range being the quintessence of this process. Of course, the use of this type of screen enables the achievement of flawless contrast and blacks, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in the world created by the director. This is possible thanks to the OLED panel, characterised by the absence of conventional backlighting, which instead allows current to pass through organic pixels. This permits super-accurate image control, thereby eliminating issues such as dimming of delicate fine details or the halo/blooming effect. Looking at both of our test scenes, we can notice two things: perfect light separation and a plethora of details in the movie "Sicario 2".

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+.

The results of HDR materials are definitely among the better ones. Practically every film significantly exceeds the 700 nits barrier, which allows for a very realistic image. Of course, none of them surpasses the magical thousand, however, the combination of such results along with unlimited contrast and black effectively boosts the visual outcome. The last of the scenes, featuring a fullscreen sun burst, is indeed less bright than the others, although it still represents a respectable level. It's also worth mentioning the excellent coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette, which will enable the achievement of exceptionally vivid colours.

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.

The best factory mode implemented in the tested television was "Filmmaker". That was the one we used during all tests. This mode, in terms of colour reproduction, turned out to be quite decent, although other flaws effectively detracted from the enjoyment of the viewing experience. Starting with the most basic one, which is white balance, it was easy to notice that this was marked by a dominance of red, which completely altered the characteristics of the picture. We could see a strong yellowing of the whites and a shift of all colours to warmer tones. The gamma, which is a graph as equally important, if not more so, was quite severely reduced, resulting in a significant drop in contrast, except for the start of the graph, where the television insidiously lost details. That’s all regarding SDR materials. Looking closely at films with a wide dynamic range, we can observe exactly the same phenomenon of white balance yellowing as in films with a standard colour palette. The EOTF curve, which replaces the gamma chart for us, is practically perfect and cannot be faulted.

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.

As we mentioned earlier, LG televisions are equipped with advanced tools for carrying out the calibration process. We used them to model the picture in line with what the director envisioned. And without modesty, we must admit that we achieved this phenomenally. Both SDR and HDR materials present a level that clearly indicates this is how a film should look. It's worth taking a look at the colour errors on the "ColorChecker" palette, where practically none of them exceed "1", except for two samples.

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.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in LG televisions has always been a rather sensitive issue, as the manufacturer, despite impeccable performance in other areas, has almost always struggled to get this right. The evaluation results for the fluidity of tonal transitions in the tested television were quite good, with issues mainly visible in darker scenes, such as the last two scenes. Interestingly, this is a significantly better result than the highest model from the manufacturer, namely the LG G4.

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.

Once again, we will take a look at the feature responsible for gentle gradation, but we will also address the one that aims to enhance the quality of lower-quality materials. The default smoothing of tonal transitions, as we could see, was not the worst, but it can be improved further. The function has a slider that allows us to adjust its intensity. We recommend using the former, as it produces very good results and does not blur important details.

Image scaling on LG C4 is quite good, however, it cannot be said to be without flaws. The image is slightly sharper by default, although not in a very noticeable way. While jagged edges of trees can be seen, it is not a major issue when compared to other manufacturers.

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.

The maximum refresh rate we can set on the LG G4 is 144 Hz. Naturally, this is only possible when connecting the TV to a very powerful PC. Otherwise, we will operate at a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, which is recommended if we primarily want to watch sports or content with a lot of motion dynamics. For those who require high fluidity of the image, the manufacturer has implemented a multi-level motion smoother called "TrueMotion". It has been divided into two separate sliders that adjust the sharpness of moving images (De-Blur) and judder (De-Judder). Both sliders can be set in the range of 0 to 10, with each degree affecting the level of smoothing, allowing everyone to find their sweet spot.

The panel of the LG OLED C4 features an average response time of less than 1 ms (which directly results from our measurements), enabling the achievement of an extremely clear image, unattainable for LCD TVs, which can have response times of up to several milliseconds. This is clearly evident in the images from the "UFO Test," which show no trailing blur behind the object.

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.'

We can now say that LG C4, like practically every OLED television from the manufacturer, is exceptionally good in terms of cooperation with consoles and PCs. Thanks to the implementation of four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports at 48 Gbps, the manufacturer has embedded all the features that enhance gaming comfort, including simultaneous support for FreeSync and G-Sync technologies. With such a tandem, players with graphics cards from AMD or nVidia can safely choose C4. However, what should please gamers demanding the highest possible quality the most is the simultaneous implementation of HDR Dolby Vision and HGIG mode. The former is particularly important as it operates with extremely low input lag in all settings.

A standard feature in televisions from the Korean manufacturer is also the implementation of GameBar, allowing for quick adjustments of settings "on the fly," without the need to exit the game. It also allows for image adjustments for people with visual impairments, which is an incredibly nice touch. Another important piece of information is that when VRR technology is enabled, we won’t experience a drop in contrast. This is, of course, due to the design of the panel and the absence of conventional backlighting. It is, however, normal for shades of grey to flicker slightly, although this is a characteristic feature of this function regardless of the manufacturer and television.

In summary: LG C4, just like all the manufacturer's OLEDs equipped with high-refresh-rate panels and HDMI 2.1 connections, creates a harmonious whole with consoles. In practice, it is a complete television, and if we expect the highest possible efficiency in gaming, C4 will be an ideal choice.

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.

The latency time of LG C4 is remarkably low in every scenario. Even the most avid gamers will surely appreciate the very low input lag at demanding 4K 120 Hz settings with HDR, which is only 5 ms. It's also worth noting that the lag at these same settings, but with Dolby Vision HDR enabled, remains unchanged, which is not so obvious with the competition. Therefore, it deserves the highest rating and recommendation.

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.

LG C4 combined with a PC works wonderfully, thanks to its very low latency of just 13.5 ms, which is practically instantaneous feedback between the mouse, eye, and screen. An extremely important aspect when working on a screen is the readability of text, which in the case of the tested TV is very good. However, it is worth noting that to achieve sharp fonts, you need to enable the passthrough option in the settings.

The RWBG pixel layout does not significantly affect the display of fonts or letters, which is a significant advantage over Samsung's QD-OLED panels. Users of both Windows-based PCs and macOS will surely be pleased with their experience on the tested TV screen.

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.

The undisputed advantage of OLED panels is their efficiency in the context of group viewing, meaning from various angles. LG C4 maintains very good contrast, colour saturation, and fidelity. Although this isn't a result of organic TVs supported by MLA technology, it's fair to say that anyone who purchased the device was satisfied with the results obtained. However, it should be noted that at sharp angles a slight greenish tint can be observed. This is a characteristic feature of WRGB panels from LG, without the aforementioned micro-lens technology, and unfortunately, there's nothing that can be done about it.

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.

The maximum brightness of the television in SDR materials is 367 nits. For an OLED television, this is a very good result and allows for quite comfortable viewing during the day. It's worth noting two things. Thanks to the glossy coating of the panel, the light reflections are well held in place and do not spill over the rest of the panel. The second issue is the brightness of the screen when fully filled with white, oscillating around 220 nits, which is a remarkable result, as until recently, OLED televisions in this category could only boast brightness half as much. As a result, the conditions for watching, for example, winter sports will be very good.

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.

LG uses the well-known proprietary WebOS system that has been around for many years. The system offers virtually all the major apps, and the few that are missing can be counted on one hand, such as CDA or KODI. It's also worth noting that the modern web browser and the remote with a built-in mouse allow for convenient access to streaming services in this way, if there isn't a built-in app.

WebOS also features a highly praised ability to perform operations using a cursor that appears when the remote is moved. The convenience of this function is invaluable when entering queries or passwords for portals. WebOS, like most systems, also supports features such as screen mirroring, AirPlay, voice searching in Polish, and the ability to connect headphones via Bluetooth. On a more practical note, WebOS allows simultaneous use of headphones and the television speaker, which will certainly be a significant help for those with hearing impairments. One of the more interesting features, particularly appreciated by sports fans, is the ability to turn on an alert for an upcoming match, ensuring that we never miss a broadcast. The home panel also deserves praise, allowing for control of all smart devices connected to the home network. For example, the end of a wash cycle will be signalled by a notification in the top right corner.

In summary, the WebOS system, although less known and with certain limitations compared to Android TV, offers stable and quick performance and supports most functions that users may need. It is a solid solution for those looking for a simple and effective operating system in their television.

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.

The default file player on LG C4 handles all photo resolutions exceptionally well. It successfully plays videos recorded in practically all the most popular formats, including Dolby Vision. The only codec that the C4 won't play is H.266 VVC, although this is currently rather uncommon. It's a pity that subtitles in .txt format are not supported. Attention should be paid to the supported photo formats, of which there are only three: JPEG, PNG, and, importantly for Apple phone users - HEIC. However, the tested television cannot be faulted for a lack of variety in audio files, which can be played without a compatibility warning.

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.

The audio system implemented in LG C4 is very well tuned, allowing us to experience strong bass as well as balanced mid and high tones. We can confidently say that in its price range, it's one of the better sounding televisions. However, we believe that those deciding to purchase the C4 will already have a dedicated audio set. The presence of DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos codecs will also be significant.

Philips OLED809/819 vs LG OLED C4

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