Ambilight because that's exactly where we need to start, it's the biggest reason to buy the PUS8500. The three-sided backlighting on the TV looks fantastic, especially in the evening. It creates atmosphere, masks contrast imperfections, and makes viewing simply more enjoyable. Even if the black isn’t perfect here, at high contrast the native VA panel is just good. On top of that, there’s really decent input lag and several gaming features like ALLM and VRR. Although there’s no HDMI 2.1 or 120Hz panel, casual gaming should be a pleasure. Especially since it plays responsively and without delays. Let’s add full support for audio formats – it includes both Dolby Atmos and DTS, so soundbar owners also have something to be happy about.
But let’s not kid ourselves – this is still a budget TV, and at times that’s quite obvious. Brightness is average – not so weak that you can't watch anything, but if you hit an exceptionally sunny day, watching under such conditions without blinds can be problematic. However, in our opinion, the biggest disappointment with the PUS8560 is the Titan OS operating system. Despite the fact that the system debuted some time ago, some things just didn’t work – for example, screen mirroring from a phone despite the manufacturer stating that this feature is present. There are fewer apps than the competition, and the system itself feels a bit clunky. Generally, it seems to do something already, but it clearly lacks refinement.
Of course, this isn’t a TV meant to compete with top models. But if someone is looking for something simple, with the cool atmosphere that the Ambilight system provides, it’s quite a fair proposition. You just need to know what to expect and accept the compromises, of which there are plenty here.
Samsung S90F is an excellent representative of the premium mid-range in the world of OLED TVs. We have an organic matrix here that guarantees perfect contrast – and no matter how much LCD manufacturers try with local dimming in Mini LEDs, this black simply cannot be replicated. The S90F shows its class without any compromises. Compared to last year's model, we get a slightly brighter WOLED panel, which in favourable conditions can reach up to 1200 nits. This is a result that suffices for comfortable viewing of HDR materials in most scenes at reference quality – especially on streaming platforms such as Netflix. The picture quality here is very high, regardless of whether we are watching a movie, playing on a console, or streaming a sports broadcast. By the way – versatility is one of the biggest advantages of this model. With 144 Hz refresh rate, very low input lag, and a full package of gaming features (including functional HGiG and the unique Game Motion Plus motion smoother), it's hard to complain about anything here. The Tizen system performed really well on the S90F. It has its limitations – primarily the closed ecosystem and a smaller selection of apps than Google TV – but if you mainly use the most popular services, this shouldn't be an issue. A big plus is also the remote, which can operate most connected devices – even despite the lack of a numeric keypad. There are downsides too. The built-in media player has issues with some formats, and the anti-reflective coating typical of WOLEDs doesn’t handle strong light very well – reflections can be noticeable. We also do not have support for DTS and Dolby Vision, but this is a standard at Samsung that's been expected for years. So is the S90F with a WOLED panel the perfect TV? No – but it really is very close. It is one of the most polished and complete OLEDs in this price range, which can easily handle any content, from a series on Netflix, to console gaming, to a Sunday match.