Philips PUS7009 (VA) vs Sony Bravia 3 50' (VA)

In terms of HDR effect quality, Philips PUS7009 performs very poorly. A brightness level of 250 nits does not allow for an enjoyable HDR experience, and the image resembles more of a standard SDR. There’s no mention of dynamic effects or vivid bursts of light. The coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut is only 75%, which is definitely insufficient. The lack of full colour coverage means that the colours are not as vibrant as they should be, resulting in a flat and unconvincing image. There are no aspects of this model that could be praised in the context of HDR.

Interestingly, in the 50-inch version, the Bravia 3 performs slightly better in terms of brightness than its larger variants. In measurements, it achieved around 370 nits, which still aren’t values that can compete with top-tier TVs, but are sufficient to speak of a semblance of HDR effect. For some users, this level will be acceptable; others will consider it typical for SDR content, where striking highlights or strong contrasts are not expected. So it must be clearly stated that the Bravia 3 is not a TV for those who want to squeeze maximum quality from the most challenging film materials.

However, this doesn’t mean that everything is average. Sony has equipped this model with an additional PFS filter, which works similarly to the solutions used in QLED TVs. As a result, the coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut has increased to over 91 percent. In everyday use, this means livelier, more saturated colours and a more pleasant image quality. Even if it lacks strong lighting effects, movies and series can look significantly more appealing than in its predecessor, the X75WL.

The television was tested in movie mode, which - despite its name - does not provide correct image display. The white balance in both 4K HDR and HD/SDR content shows drops in the red color, making the image cooler and the colors lose their natural warmth. The gamma brightness characteristic and EOTF curve confirm that the television struggles to maintain appropriate brightness - it excessively boosts it, resulting in an unnaturally washed-out image. This effect can be seen in the comparisons below, where everything looks as if a milky filter has been applied. Additionally, the limited coverage of a wide color gamut does not contribute positively to quality - color checker tests indicate significant color fluctuations, making it difficult to achieve faithful image reproduction.

Sony Bravia 3 was primarily tested in movie mode, which immediately turned out to be the best choice among the factory settings. It's not a perfect picture, but compared to the eco mode that the TV suggests right out of the box, the difference is clear and positive. In movie mode, one can notice a certain issue: the image appears too warm, which stems from a lack of blue in the white balance. Nevertheless, in SDR content, the final effect can still be considered quite decent and satisfactory for everyday viewing. Much more serious errors emerge in HDR materials. The Color Checker analysis showed significant deviations, and poor brightness management combined with limited colour gamut coverage further exposes the shortcomings of the picture in this mode. All of this makes HDR on the Bravia 3 seem unconvincing and can spoil the impression left by the quite decent SDR content settings. Fortunately, this is not a hopeless situation. Various errors can be somewhat mitigated, and some can even be completely corrected through professional calibration. That's why we decided to check how the TV would perform after such adjustments.

After calibration, the image significantly improved, especially in terms of white balance, which is now more stable, and the hues have gained a natural quality, eliminating the previous impression of an overly cool image. The calibration brought noticeable benefits in tonal quality – shadows and midtones are now more realistic, and the overall appearance seems more harmonious. Unfortunately, hardware limitations still affect image quality. Brightness characteristics remain problematic, despite our efforts, and due to poor coverage of the DCI-P3 and BT.2020 colour gamut, delta E errors are still at a high level. Although calibration improved some aspects, the television still does not provide full satisfaction.

The calibration allowed us to extract significantly more from the ChooseTV 3 than we could have expected at the beginning. Firstly, we managed to correct the deficiency of blue, which previously caused a noticeable warming of the image. After a slight adjustment in the white balance, most of the errors in the Color Checker measurements for SDR content practically disappeared. The shades of white gained a natural quality, and brightness management in gamma stabilised to an almost ideal level, not exceeding the threshold of human eye perception. Therefore, it can be confidently said that in SDR content, after a few tweaks in the settings, ChooseTV 3 performs really remarkably. Much worse, although still decidedly better than before calibration, are HDR contents. The white balance was managed to be sorted out, however, the limitations of the IPS panel are insurmountable. The lack of local dimming means that even the smallest elements can be overexposed, which is immediately noticeable. Colour-wise, the effect has also improved, although it is far from perfect – many errors still exceed the threshold of four, and even five delta E units, which means they remain visible to the human eye. It was already clear earlier that ChooseTV 3 is not a television designed to impress with HDR quality. Nevertheless, it is pleasing that in SDR content, after calibration, the image can look really great, and in this category, the television has positively surprised us.

When it comes to tonal transitions in low-quality material, the function called "Distortion Reduction" (setting “minimum”) effectively improves the gradation, eliminating unsightly tonal transitions. However, this setting on Philips televisions is quite aggressive – while it does not blur grain or good quality material, it can introduce unwanted effects and blur elements that should remain clear with a poorer signal.

In terms of image scaling, Philips PUS7009 performs reasonably well. A major advantage is the lack of cropped edges of the image, meaning no overscan, which allows for displaying the full frame without losses. The image is noticeably enhanced, making characters and backgrounds, such as the model or branches in the background, appear quite detailed and natural, even with lower quality signals. Although scaling is not perfect, as it can remove desired details in the distance, the results are good enough to satisfy most users.

Bravia 3 brings more to the Sony TV family than just a shared name. It stands out primarily with its ability to enhance the quality of weaker materials thanks to the processor used. Of course, we won't find the advanced XR chip known from more expensive models here, but even so, it's fair to say that the image in lower resolutions looked surprisingly good. Scaling worked effectively, and most parts of the screen were devoid of the typical excessive edge tearing found in budget constructions. The feature that improves the fluidity of tonal transitions is also noteworthy. At the high setting, it performs quite well, effectively masking gradient imperfections without a significant loss of detail. It does occasionally happen that the algorithm smoothingly blurs elements that should remain sharp – for example, faces – however, in the overall assessment, the effect is beneficial. The best results were achieved precisely at the highest setting, and this option could be recommended to those watching lower quality content.

Philips PUS7009 does not have motion smoothing features, which means there's no option to adjust the picture for a choppier or smoother, theatrical effect. Such features could positively affect the viewing of dynamic scenes. In terms of motion blur, this model is equipped with a 60 Hz VA panel, which delivers slightly worse results than the IPS panel variant. The VA panel introduces minimally greater motion blur, although the differences are not significant and should not pose a problem for most viewers.

The fluidity of motion has never been a strong point of televisions equipped with 60 Hz panels, and the Bravia 3 is no exception. Nevertheless, Sony has added something that might appeal to those who are more sensitive to the way images are displayed. This refers to the proprietary motion smoother, Motion Flow, which offers users a lot of adjustment options. With it, you can make the picture smoother, almost theatrical, or stick to a more cinematic style with the characteristic judder, which many people simply associate with a filmic vibe. These functions work for content with lower frame rates, such as movies and series recorded at 24 or 30 frames per second, which is the type of material we encounter on a daily basis. It is precisely in this area that the motion smoother proves to be one of the most important features for everyday use of the television, and here the Bravia 3 performs really well.

In terms of compatibility with consoles, Philips PUS7009 is likely to satisfy casual gamers. Although equipped with HDMI 2.0, it offers features such as ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and Game Bar. ALLM automatically switches the TV to low latency mode, which speeds up responses during gaming, and VRR adjusts the refresh rate to minimise screen tearing. The Game Bar provides quick access to game settings and monitors key parameters, although visually it falls short compared to competing solutions. However, more demanding gamers may feel underwhelmed. Philips PUS7009 does not support advanced HDR formats in games, and the 60 Hz panel limits its ability to display smooth and detailed images in dynamic scenes, which may not satisfy fans of fast-paced action games.

Bravia 3 isn't gear for eSports enthusiasts or fans of late-night marathons with a controller in hand. The lack of 120 Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 ports closes the topic before it even has a chance to develop. This is a TV for the casual gamer who, after work, fires up FIFA or racing games, not for someone who measures every frame in a spreadsheet. Nonetheless, Sony has added a few nice extras to ensure it’s not too bare. ALLM works as it should, automatically switching the TV to game mode (low latency). We even find a simple Game Bar here, which is clear and straightforward. However, the biggest curiosity is the PlayStation Portal app. Thanks to it, you can launch games from your PS5 wirelessly and see them on the TV screen straight away. Sounds great, but it only takes a few minutes to feel significant delays. In our opinion, it’s more of a showcase of capabilities than something that can be used on a daily basis. If someone really wants to play, it’s better to plug the console in with an HDMI cable and forget about wireless issues.