Compare: Philips PUS8209 vs Panasonic Z85A

The Philips PUS8209 is a model that stands out primarily due to its unique Ambilight system. The three-sided backlighting behind the television dynamically adjusts to the image, adding an exceptional atmosphere while watching movies or gaming. This solution, for which Philips is renowned, makes a difference and could be a great choice for those looking for something more unique for everyday use. In terms of picture quality, the television performs quite well, especially in this price range. The VA panel provides solid contrast and decent black levels, which is particularly effective in the evenings in dimly lit rooms. Watching movies in such conditions is truly enjoyable, although the screen brightness (280 nits) leaves much to be desired – in bright rooms, the picture can look washed out, and HDR content does not impress. When it comes to gaming, the PUS8209 also has a few advantages. Support for VRR, ALLM, and a low input lag of 13 ms makes gameplay smooth and responsive. Of course, this is not hardware for advanced gamers, but for those who occasionally pick up a controller, it should suffice. The biggest downside is the operating system, Titan OS. Many popular apps are missing, and the interface doesn't always run as smoothly as one would like. The remote control, which requires pointing at the television, can be frustrating, especially in situations where quick access is expected. In summary: the Philips PUS8209 is a television that works well for basic applications. Ambilight adds uniqueness and enhances the atmosphere while watching. In everyday use or occasional gaming, it does the job, but its limitations – particularly in screen brightness and operating system – may be problematic for more demanding users. If we are looking for straightforward equipment with an unusual visual addition, this model is worth considering.

The Panasonic Z85A is a basic OLED model from the Japanese manufacturer that fully utilises the potential of its panel. Thanks to OLED technology, we can expect phenomenal image quality in the highest resolution – perfect blacks, excellent contrast, and great HDR effect, especially after professional calibration. Additionally, it supports a full set of HDR formats, so we can easily choose a movie in the best possible quality. Although Panasonic is usually associated with home cinema equipment, the Z85A performs just as well with sports and games. The 120 Hz panel, support for VRR, ALLM, and even functional Dolby Vision in games ensure smooth gameplay without motion blur. The sound is also commendable – although there isn't an impressive soundbar like in the model Z95A, it is still quite pleasant with noticeable bass. Downsides? Primarily the Amazon Fire TV – the operating system that still has teething problems. Many popular apps are missing, and some features are either unavailable or poorly translated (e.g., lack of support for external subtitles). Another issue is the not-so-high brightness, typical of older WOLED panels – in a brightly lit room, this can be a problem. Despite these shortcomings, the Panasonic Z85A is a great option for movie enthusiasts and gamers looking for a versatile TV with outstanding image quality and solid sound. If we can overlook certain system limitations and the less-than-optimal brightness, the Z85A still has a lot to offer. However, if full comfort of use and a richer app ecosystem are crucial for us, then it's worth considering other OLED TVs from competitors as well.

Philips PUS8209 positively surprised us in terms of contrast, which is quite solid for its price class. Thanks to the use of a VA panel, it managed to achieve a contrast ratio of 8000:1, which is considered a very good result in this price category. In tests using scenes from the film Oblivion, the television performed well, offering visible light separation. Three independent light sources in the test scene were reproduced without major issues. Similarly, in the case of the film Sicario 2, the black levels, while not perfect, present reasonably well, allowing for the distinction of details in the darker areas of the image. The lack of local dimming technology is noticeable, however, the manufacturer has implemented a "global dimming" feature. This mechanism allows the television to automatically darken or brighten the entire screen depending on the content, which somewhat improves the perception of contrast. Philips PUS8209 offers solid contrast and decent results in tests. Although it lacks the precision of local dimming, its capabilities at this price point are satisfactory and will please most users.

The Panasonic Z85A uses a WOLED panel, and that means one thing – perfect blacks and infinite contrast. Each pixel lights up and turns off independently, so there’s no smudging or halo effect around bright objects on the screen. Even in the most demanding scenes, the picture looks simply exemplary. In this regard, there’s no room for compromises, which are still present even in the most expensive LCD televisions. Here, Panasonic shines, utilizing organic technology supplied by LG Displays, and does so in truly impressive style.

Unfortunately, this is where the problems start. A maximum brightness of 280 nits is definitely too low to experience the true effect of HDR. In practice, the image resembles standard SDR more, so it's hard to talk about deeper visual experiences. On the plus side, the colour gamut coverage is 91.4% DCI-P3, which will be sufficient for most films. It's also worth noting that the image is stable and there are no issues with sudden brightness or colour changes. Overall, HDR on this television is more of a formality than an actual added value. If we're looking for genuine HDR emotions, this model may not meet expectations.

The Panasonic Z85A is an OLED television, so you can immediately expect excellent effects in films. And indeed – our tests showed that the WOLED panel can achieve around 800 nits of peak brightness in optimal conditions. This is a solid result, performing well in most demanding HDR scenes, allowing viewers to enjoy a dynamic and detailed picture. However, like every OLED, the Z85A also has its limits. In very bright scenes that fill the entire screen – like the final sequence from the movie The Meg – the television reduces brightness to around 400 nits. This is standard behaviour for this technology, so if someone plans to watch films in a heavily sunlit living room, it is worth keeping this in mind. The coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut at 98% also deserves high praise. This allows the television to reproduce a wide range of colours that stand out with vibrancy and depth, while details in HDR scenes are sharp and precise. In short – the Panasonic Z85A delivers a solid HDR effect that will satisfy any film enthusiast.

Philips PUS8209 offers many picture modes, but the best of them, without a doubt, is the Filmmaker mode. Despite its proud name, it has its distinct problems. For HD content, the white balance is characterised by a strong dominance of red, causing the image to be significantly warmer than it should be in reality. The brightness characteristic (gamma), although correct in mid-tones, has serious issues at the beginning and end of the graph. Drops in shadows result in a loss of detail in dark areas, and spikes in bright areas make some elements look unnatural.

For high-quality content in 4K HDR, the situation reverses. In this case, blue dominates, leading to an artificial image boost effect, reminiscent of unnatural retail settings. Such an image looks unappealing and does not align with the creators' intentions. An additional problem is the EOTF curve, responsible for brightness in HDR materials. It deviates significantly from the reference graph, causing the image to appear too dark, stripping depth and detail from HDR content.

Against this backdrop, the errors in the Color Checker test and deviations in colour palette reproduction are exceptionally large, which further negatively affects the overall image quality. The Filmmaker mode, while the best among those available, requires substantial corrections to truly convey the full vision of the director.

The Panasonic Z85A offers many picture modes, but the Filmmaker mode definitely stands out from the rest. It's rare for a TV straight out of the box to be so well calibrated, and the unit we had the opportunity to test truly impressed us.

However, there were some minor shortcomings. In the SDR signal, we noticed a slight deficit of red and blue, which made the picture appear cooler than it should have been. This is particularly evident in the comparison image. In contrast, with 4K HDR material, the situation was the opposite – the surplus of red made the image seem warmer than intended by the creators. In terms of brightness characteristics (gamma) and maintaining an appropriate EOTF curve, it's hard to find faults. There are slight deviations, but they are so minimal that the average viewer is unlikely to notice them.

It's also worth highlighting that our observations relate to a specific unit of the TV. Two identical models may differ from each other due to natural production variances. Nevertheless, the piece we had in hand looks really solid and deserves praise. Now it's time for our calibration – we'll see if we can squeeze even more out of this screen!

After calibration, the white balance for HD and 4K content has significantly improved. While we haven't achieved a perfectly flat characteristic, the result is definitely better than before. The image on the television no longer appears either artificially warm or overly cold, which significantly enhances the naturalness of the displayed content. The brightness characteristic (gamma) has also been adjusted – the most significant issues at the beginning and end of the graph have been mitigated. The EOTF curve, which is responsible for brightness in 4K HDR materials, has been stabilised, eliminating problems with excessive dimming of the image. In the colour palette test, some imperfections can still be seen due to the average coverage of the wide colour gamut, which is a limitation of the hardware itself. Nevertheless, the final result is clearly better than pre-calibration – the image looks more natural and approaches the expectations for Filmmaker mode.

The Panasonic Z85A offers truly wide-ranging capabilities when it comes to picture settings, so we eagerly set about calibrating it. Although we mainly focused on adjusting the white balance, the final effect exceeded our expectations. Both HD and 4K HDR content now showcases nearly perfect colour reproduction, with minimal errors that are hard to catch with the naked eye. Well-calibrated TVs are a rarity, and we must admit – it’s truly satisfying. While the gamma and EOTF curve didn't require drastic adjustments, we managed to further stabilise their characteristics across the entire brightness scale. After calibration, the Panasonic Z85A is a true gem for home cinema enthusiasts. The picture is precise, the colours are natural, and every scene looks exactly as the director intended.

Philips PUS8209 presents a decent gradation in bright scenes, where the tonal transitions are smooth enough not to be jarring. Unfortunately, in darker scenes, such as red water, the TV struggles noticeably. Issues with blending shades and a lack of precision in reproducing subtle colour differences are very apparent here.

The Panasonic Z85A handles tonal transition fluidity really well. Colours blend naturally together without noticeable disruptions or visible bands. However, in brighter scenes, such as the opening sequence in the film Kingsman, slight imperfections can be seen. This is typical for WOLED panels, which have their limitations compared to Samsung Display's QD-OLED designs due to the use of white sub-pixels. The differences aren’t colossal, but a discerning eye will catch them, especially in more demanding scenes with subtle colour gradients. Despite these minor reservations, the Z85A presents a level that will satisfy the overwhelming majority of users. Tonal transitions are smooth, and the image maintains consistency even in complex scenes. This is a solid result that will rarely cause issues in everyday viewing of movies or series.

The television offers a “Distortion Reduction” feature that effectively improves the gradation of tonal transitions, particularly when set to the minimum level. Unfortunately, this comes at a cost – the feature also smooths out details like material textures. On the plus side, it’s worth noting that the operation of this option does not negatively affect the film grain, which remains intact.

As for image scaling (upscaling), the television generates a plastic, soft image that generally looks pleasant. However, in the background, issues with aliasing of certain elements, such as branches or small details, can sometimes be noticed, which may decrease the quality of the reception. Despite these minor imperfections, the overall experience of scaling is satisfactory.

Now that we know how the Panasonic Z85A handles tonal transitions in 4K material, it’s time to take a look at its "Gradation Smoothing" function. It works, but unfortunately not entirely effectively. Regardless of the chosen value – whether it’s low, medium, or high level – we couldn’t achieve perfectly smooth tonal transitions in our test sequence. We recommend setting this function to an intermediate level. While this may slightly blur fine details, at least it avoids the problem of losing film grain, which can be crucial for many viewers when watching classic productions.

When it comes to image scaling, the TV performs quite well. It’s noticeable that the image is slightly sharpened, and thin lines can sometimes appear a bit jagged. However, this is standard for most TVs, and fortunately, it can be adjusted using the sharpness slider. This gives us full control – we can achieve a more vivid, blurred image or a clearer one, although it may appear more "harsh" and artificially sharp. It all depends on the user's preferences and the type of content we’re watching. Overall, the scaling is at a solid level and should satisfy most users who are using lower resolution material.

The 60 Hz panel in the Philips PUS8209 is mainly suited for watching movies, but here you can also feel a certain shortcoming. The television does not offer any motion smoothing that would allow you to adjust the fluidity of the picture to individual preferences, which for some users may be disappointing.

The Panasonic Z85A features a 120 Hz panel, which will surely please both gamers and sports fans. Sure, it’s not 144 Hz like some gaming TVs, but in practice, the difference is really hard to notice. In games, the picture is stable and sharp, and during fast action, there’s no sign of any blurring. The same goes for sports – a player’s quick run or a car’s dynamic maneuver looks smooth and natural. The TV also has an “Intelligent Frame Creation” feature, which is a motion smoother. There are two sliders here – one controls motion blur reduction, while the other adjusts motion smoothness. With these, you can tailor the picture to your own preferences – whether you prefer a more cinematic effect with gentle transitions between frames or a maximally smooth image ideal for watching sport.

Philips PUS8209 offers basic features useful for gamers, such as variable refresh rate (VRR), automatic low latency mode (ALLM), and Game Bar, which makes managing settings easier.

Unfortunately, due to the 60 Hz panel, the TV will not meet the expectations of more demanding gamers who are looking for higher fluidity and precision of image. Additionally, this model does not support any HDR mode dedicated to gaming, such as HGiG or Dolby Vision, which further limits its capabilities in this regard.

Panasonic is mainly associated with home cinema televisions, but the Z85A shows that it can also step into the gaming world with a truly strong punch. It's a device that can easily be called a gaming beast – it has everything needed for comfortable gameplay.

Even though it has only two HDMI 2.1 ports, both operate at full bandwidth, so we can easily connect both a next-gen console and a gaming PC. All the key features are supported: ALLM automatically switches the television into game mode, VRR provides smooth visuals without stuttering and tearing, and with properly implemented HGIG and Dolby Vision, HDR games look really good – colours are vivid, details are sharp, and dark scenes are clear. We also find a Game Bar in the form of a transparent, circular menu. It may not look as impressive as the competition's, but it's intuitive and includes all the most important settings we’d want at hand during gameplay.

In summary – the Panasonic Z85A is a device that truly surprises with its gaming capabilities. It's a television where both console gamers and PC gamers will feel at home. It's smooth, dynamic, and just good.

Input lag in the Philips PUS8209 is one of its strongest points. With a value of around 13 ms, the TV provides a very quick response time, which should satisfy most gamers, both casual and more advanced. Such a result allows for comfortable gameplay even in dynamic games.

Since the Panasonic Z85A has also been designed with gamers in mind, the input lag had to be refined. And indeed – the results are really excellent. At 120 Hz, the lag is just 5 ms, and at 60 Hz it's 13 ms. These are values that will satisfy even the most demanding gamers, whether we're talking about fast-paced shooters or precise fighting games. The responses to our movements on the controller are practically instantaneous, and the gameplay is smooth and responsive. Importantly, the Dolby Vision mode also works perfectly here. Just a few years ago, using Dolby Vision in games often came with high input lag, but in the Z85A, this problem has been effectively eliminated.

On paper, collaboration with a PC seems promising, particularly due to support for 4:4:4 chroma, which should ensure good font readability and detail reproduction. In practice, however, the television has significant issues with displaying text, especially on dark backgrounds, where the so-called pixelation is clearly visible, negatively impacting work comfort.

Additionally, the lack of support for technologies like G-Sync means that gaming smoothness when connected to a PC leaves much to be desired, making this model less attractive for users looking for a television for gaming on a computer.

Using the Panasonic Z85A as a computer monitor performs really well. The text is readable and clear, making web browsing or working with documents not a major issue. However, one must keep in mind certain limitations of the WOLED panel – the characteristic way of displaying fonts may be bothersome for more demanding users, especially those who spend long hours working with text. In terms of gaming on PC, the television performs just as well as it does with consoles. Low input lag, 120 Hz refresh rate, and proper implementation of G-Sync and FreeSync ensure a smooth and responsive image without annoying stutters or tearing.

The viewing angles on the Philips PUS8209 are poor, which is typical for a VA panel. When watched at an angle, the brightness of the image drops significantly, and the colours lose their depth, which can greatly affect viewing comfort, especially in larger groups or in an unusual setup of the television in relation to the viewer.

The viewing angles on the Panasonic Z85A are really good – after all, it’s OLED. Whether we’re looking at the screen straight on or at a steep angle, the colours remain vibrant, and the contrast hardly loses quality. Of course, the Z85A falls slightly behind TVs with MLA micro-lenses or Samsung's QD-OLED panels, which currently set the highest standard in this respect. However, the differences are subtle enough that most users won’t notice them during regular viewing.

The Philips PUS8209 features a satin screen coating that only moderately suppresses reflections, which may be inadequate in bright room lighting. However, the biggest issue is the low brightness at just 280 nits. In practice, this means that watching content during the day, especially in strong sunlight, can be a challenge as the picture appears too dark to provide comfortable viewing.

The Panasonic Z85A leaves a bit to be desired during the day. The panel, although satin finish, mediocrely suppresses reflections, which can be noticeable in bright rooms. The reflections are not excessively visible, but there is one catch – they take on a bluish hue. In some situations, especially in strong daylight, this can be slightly annoying and distract from the content on the screen. On top of that, the maximum brightness is just under 280 cd/m². That’s simply not enough to comfortably watch TV in a heavily sunlit room. If you plan to watch in the middle of a sunny day, you’ll need to close the windows to ensure the picture looks good.

Philips PUS8209 uses the Titan OS operating system, which, while simple to use, remains limited in terms of functionality. The available number of applications is small compared to more developed ecosystems like Google TV, which may be disappointing for users accustomed to broader capabilities. Additionally, the lack of support for AirPlay restricts compatibility with Apple devices, reducing the flexibility of the television in streaming content. The remote, though interesting, requires aiming at the screen, which may not appeal to everyone.

The absence of more advanced features such as PiP (Picture-in-Picture) or program recording further limits the device's capabilities in everyday use.

Philips PUS8209 is a television that catches attention with its interesting feature of a three-sided Ambilight system, which is a dynamic backlighting of the wall behind the television that adjusts its colours and intensity to the content displayed on the screen. This effect creates the impression of greater image depth and enhances immersion, especially in darkened rooms. Unfortunately, its potential is limited by the Titan OS operating system, which leaves much to be desired. The limited number of applications and the lack of support for popular features such as AirPlay can be a significant drawback for more demanding users. While Ambilight distinguishes this model from the competition, shortcomings in the operating system significantly affect the overall functionality of the television.

The operating system in the Panasonic Z85A is Amazon Fire TV, which is still a relatively new solution in the Australian market. Until now, we mainly associated it with portable smart devices, and now it is also arriving on televisions – similar to the flagship model Z95A.

On the plus side, the system operates smoothly and responsively. It is also quite intuitive, so navigation poses no major problems. Unfortunately, when it comes to the availability of applications, it's somewhat lacking. While the Amazon store does have icons for popular services like SkyShowtime, Rakuten, or Viaplay, they cannot be downloaded. This is a significant disadvantage for those who use these platforms regularly. Additionally, some functions are poorly translated, meaning that in certain areas, you have to guess what they are referring to. However, we believe that these are just growing pains and that over time they will be improved – both in terms of translations and application availability.

As for user features, things are much better. The television supports USB recording and the PiP (picture-in-picture) function. There is also support for AirPlay, which will certainly please users of Apple devices. It also has Bluetooth, but unfortunately, you cannot connect headphones to it – it only works with a keyboard or other controlling devices. Fortunately, you can connect headphones or a home theatre system via wired connection, which resolves this issue.

In summary – the Panasonic Z85A offers a solid set of user features that will perform well in everyday use. The Amazon Fire TV system is a step in the right direction, especially when compared to Panasonic's old system. However, at this time, it is difficult to praise it unequivocally. There is potential, but the manufacturer still has a lot of work ahead to ensure everything functions as it should.

The built-in media player in the Philips PUS8209 performs well in everyday use. It smoothly handles Polish characters in subtitles and allows for adjustments to the colour and size of the font, which significantly enhances the comfort of using this feature. More demanding users may notice some limitations in the supported file formats, however, for most applications in everyday use, this player should be fully sufficient.

In terms of playback of files from USB, the Panasonic Z85A performs rather mediocrely. The built-in media player does handle most popular video formats, but it has one significant drawback – it does not support external subtitles. So, if we have older films on our drive or USB stick with separate subtitle files, we have to reckon with the fact that the television simply won't display them. This is quite a downside, especially for those who rely on their own media library rather than streaming services. Of course, this issue can be circumvented by using an external media player (e.g. via a console or Smart TV box), but it's an extra step that could be avoided if the built-in application were better developed.

The sound on the Philips PUS8209 can be described as average, typical for televisions in this price range. The 2x10 W speakers do not offer exceptional quality or depth; however, they are sufficient for everyday TV watching. On the plus side, it should be noted that there is a wide range of supported audio codecs, such as Dolby Atmos and DTS, which can significantly enhance audio quality when paired with external sound systems, like soundbars or home theatre setups.

In terms of sound, the Panasonic Z85A is pleasantly surprising. The television delivers enjoyable and clear audio, and can generate noticeable bass that adds depth to both movies and music. The surround effect is also quite well reproduced, making watching films or playing games more immersive. Unfortunately, there is one “but”. The television does not support the DTS:X format, which is quite popular among more advanced home theatre systems. So, if we plan to use this audio standard, it will be necessary to connect the audio equipment first to the amplifier or soundbar, and only then to the television.

Philips PUS8209 vs Panasonic Z85A

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