Compare: Philips The One (PUS8959 / PUS8919 / PUS8909 / PUS8949 vs Sony X85L

Philips PUS8959, also known by other designations under the abbreviation PUS89 (depending on the retail network), is a model from the popular series The One. Its biggest standout feature is the Ambilight system, which continues to make a great impression. The three-sided backlighting adjusts to the image on the screen, making films, series or games literally extend beyond the edges of the TV. The One is also a good option for gamers. The 120 Hz panel and low input lag make games run smoothly, and the motion on screen is clear. We tested several dynamic titles on the console, and the TV handled them without any issues – no stuttering or delays. Additionally, support for HGiG allows for better rendering of HDR effects in games. This is a great solution if we care about matching the image with what the creators intended. The picture quality is good, particularly during the day. With a brightness level of 550 nits, The One performs well even in well-lit rooms, and Dolby Vision in HDR movies delivers vivid colours and sharp details. However, the ADS panel has its limitations – black in dark scenes more resembles a grey shade, which can be noticeable when watching in a darkened room. When we watched movies with the lights off, the lack of depth in the blacks was somewhat striking. The Titan OS operating system is something that still needs refinement. It’s fast, but the limited number of applications can be frustrating for those used to more extensive platforms like GoogleTV. In daily use of Netflix or YouTube, it works flawlessly, but if we're counting on more advanced features, the system may not meet expectations. Overall, the Philips The One is a good choice in its price range. The Ambilight system impresses and significantly enhances the viewing experience, especially in the evening. It’s also a solid option for gamers, thanks to the smooth image and low input lag. Although the black level isn't perfect, and the operating system needs improvement, the TV excels in everyday use. For fans of unique solutions like Ambilight, this is a proposal that definitely deserves attention.

Sony X85L is a model from 2023 that will continue to be available in the 2024 range from the Japanese manufacturer. Its biggest advantage is the Google TV system. It currently provides the greatest access to applications, so we don’t have to worry about missing any of our favourite apps. The intuitive interface and voice control feature using Google Assistant make daily use of the television convenient and modern. As for picture quality, Sony X85L performs well. Thanks to local dimming (albeit with a very mediocre number of zones), black levels look quite decent. Additionally, its fairly high brightness allows for comfortable TV viewing during the day, even in well-lit rooms. Moreover, the television offers a program recording feature from built-in tuners, which is a great convenience for those wanting to control what and when they watch. In terms of motion smoothness, X85L also does not disappoint. The 120 Hz panel and Motionflow system provide smooth display of dynamic scenes, which will satisfy both movie lovers and sports fans. The television is also equipped with a range of features for gamers, including VRR, Game Bar, and G-Sync support, making it an attractive choice for gaming enthusiasts. Of course, the television is not without its flaws. The lack of HGiG support and high input lag in Dolby Vision mode may be disappointing for more demanding gamers. Additionally, the compromise between font readability and smoothness of the image when connected to a PC may not appeal to everyone. Nevertheless, Sony X85L is a decent piece of equipment that is particularly worth considering if it can be purchased on sale.

The television Philips PUS8959 is based on an ADS panel, which offers slightly different parameters compared to the popular VA panels. In the tested screens, the contrast was around 2000:1, making the black level far from ideal. ADS panels are known for their weaker contrast compared to VA panels, which in practice means that instead of deep black, we see more navy or grey shades. However, the ADS panel is still better than the standard IPS panel, which cannot achieve such a level of contrast. Additionally, the Philips PUS8959 is not equipped with local dimming technology, which could improve these parameters. The absence of this function exacerbates the effect of shallow blacks, particularly noticeable in dark scenes, such as those in the movie "Sicario 2". Instead of intense black, the screen generates a silvery glow, which can be bothersome, especially when watching in darker conditions. All of this leads to a visual experience that lacks depth, and details in dark scenes are not as well visible as one might expect from higher-end screens. Despite the lack of local dimming, the television is equipped with what is known as Global Dimming. The television is capable of completely dimming the panel to achieve higher contrast, but at the cost of details that may blend together, for example, lights in the test screen from the movie Oblivion. It’s worth noting that the model we received for testing has quite noticeable blobs resulting from uneven backlighting, although this isn't a dealbreaker; one should consider when purchasing that we might receive a similar piece.

The Sony X85L television is equipped with a VA panel, which offers quite decent contrast on its own. Additionally, this model features local dimming technology – in the 55-inch version, it includes 24 zones. Although this number isn’t impressive, it naturally increases with the size of the television. The contrast in the X85L is good, though not the best, especially compared to other televisions also equipped with advanced local dimming technology. Results at a level of 8000:1 are satisfactory, but they average out against the competition. In some cases, such as the third scene from the movie Arrival, the contrast is promising and performs quite well. This is thanks to the very good dimming algorithm that Sony has been using in its televisions for years. Unfortunately, due to the limited number of local dimming zones, the television struggles with noticeable blooming, which can be seen in scenes with the helicopter from the movie Sicario 2.

The luminance graph for Philips PUS8959 shows that the television can achieve around 550 nits of brightness, which can be considered a satisfactory level. Such brightness allows you to feel the effects of HDR, which stand out particularly in more demanding scenes. In the tested patterns, the television performed quite well, even in challenging sequences like those from "Sicario 2". Due to the lack of local dimming, the television does not dim small bright elements, and they shine at the full "power" of the television but at the cost of silvery blacks, which we mentioned in the paragraph about black levels. It’s also worth praising Philips PUS8959 for its good coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette, which is around 94.5%. This ensures that the colours are vivid and close to the creators' intentions, which further enhances the quality of HDR effects and the experience of watching high dynamic range content.

The Sony X85L TV offers solid HDR performance with a brightness of 750 nits, which is sufficient to enjoy vibrant effects. In scenes of moderate difficulty, such as the first, third, or fifth test scenes, a brightness of around 600 nits allows you to fully experience the HDR effect. Unfortunately, in more demanding segments, like the scene from the film Sicario 2, the TV reveals its limitations. Drops in brightness to 250 nits make the HDR effect lose its impressive quality and resemble ordinary SDR. Nonetheless, it is worth highlighting the very good coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette at 95%, which definitely deserves praise and positively impacts the overall image quality.

The television Philips PUS8959 has been tested in the best, theoretically most precise picture mode – Filmmaker. Although the name suggests film quality, it unfortunately falls short of perfection. The biggest issue in this mode is the white balance, both in HD and 4K content. It is characterised by a significant dominance of the red colour and drops in the green levels, resulting in unnatural colour reproduction. For example, white elements of the image have a noticeable pink hue, and the green is less intense, which diminishes the overall naturalness and colour balance. The ColorChecker test confirms these errors – it is clearly visible how the colour samples "deviate" from the proper values, which can best be observed on the sample squares that should precisely reproduce the colours. The lack of accuracy in this regard affects the realism and fidelity of the image, which is particularly undesirable in Filmmaker mode.

As for the brightness characteristics, the gamma graph resembles a roller coaster – with small elements displayed on the screen, the brightness is excessive, causing details to become overly exposed. Conversely, at higher gamma values, the image loses contrast and becomes too dark, making the whole appear lacking in dynamism. Similar problems can be observed in the EOTF characteristics – the television is unable to accurately reproduce the brightness levels, negatively impacting the overall picture quality.

The television Sony X85L has been tested in IMAX Enhanced mode, which, while associated with world-class cinema, does not guarantee an image consistent with the director's intent. The main issue is the white balance – there is a noticeable strong dominance of blue and significant deficiencies in red. As a result, the image becomes unnaturally cool and looks artificial. Errors in colour reproduction were confirmed by the Colour Checker test, which showed significant discrepancies – colours were "scattered" like shots from a rifle, and only a few samples hit the target values. This clearly shows that the precision of colour reproduction leaves much to be desired.

The brightness of the image is one of the positive features of the television. The gamma for HD content is at an acceptable level, although minor errors occur, but generally it is quite good. However, the issue remains the brightness characteristic for 4K materials, controlled by the EOTF curve. It is evident here that very small, bright elements of the image are too dim, which is the result of the limited number of backlight zones due to the design of the television.

After calibration, the Philips PUS8959 shows a significant improvement in colour reproduction, especially in HD content. The white balance is exceptionally even, and the Delta E error values are below 1, which can be regarded as an outstanding result. Additionally, the gamma, which affects brightness in lower quality materials, performs very well, maintaining a stable level at 2.4, leading to an appropriate balance between bright and dark areas of the image.

When it comes to 4K HDR materials, there is also a noticeable improvement. The white balance, although not as perfect as in HD content, no longer suffers from excessive red exposure, making the image appear more natural and harmonious. Unfortunately, regarding the EOTF characteristic, it’s difficult to speak of any significant improvement, which stems from the structural limitations of the television that prevent substantial enhancement in this aspect.

Nevertheless, overall, it looks much better after calibration, making the Philips PUS8959 one of those televisions where it's truly worth investing time in precise calibration to achieve satisfactory image quality.

Thanks to the use of calibration tools offered by Sony X85L, it has been possible to significantly improve the image quality. After calibration, the white balance for HD content is much more stable, making colours look more natural and enhancing the authenticity of the image. Although it's not perfect, these changes allow viewers to enjoy a more realistic representation of colours, eliminating the earlier cool tone. The gamma, which already performed reasonably well, has been adjusted to an even better version. As a result, tonal transitions and brightness are more consistent, positively impacting the depth and detail of the image.

As for 4K content, despite efforts, the white balance still struggles with a lack of red, which can cause overly warm colours in some scenes. Synthetic tests showed that the EOTF curve in HDR is fairly stable, with a slight boost in mid-bright scenes. However, in actual film material, the TV can still be too bright with fine, light details, which is a result of the limitations of large local dimming technology.

Nonetheless, the calibration has brought significant benefits, particularly in terms of colour accuracy, improving overall image quality and providing a more natural and consistent directorial vision.

The gradation on the Philips PUS8959 television looks very good, offering smooth tonal transitions in most scenes. Occasionally, minor issues can be detected, especially in transitions between certain colours, where subtle inconsistencies are noticeable. However, these imperfections are subtle enough that they do not significantly impact the overall viewing experience and can be considered completely acceptable. In everyday use, the television provides good enough gradation quality to satisfy even more demanding users, maintaining the naturalness of the image and a lack of glaring tonal distortions.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in Sony X85L is at a good level – the colour gradation is smooth, even in more demanding areas, making the perception of scenes positive and natural. The biggest issues arise in shadow areas, where subtle colour joins can be visible. Despite this, the television performs well enough that most viewers should not notice these minor imperfections.

When it comes to smoothing tonal transitions, the "Distortion Reduction" function in the minimum position performs quite well, effectively smoothing tonal transitions without excessive impact on other elements of the image. In testing, I did not notice that the reduction negatively affected the structure of the image, such as film grain or details of objects – everything remains in its place, which is a big plus for users who value the natural look of film material.

As for digital processing, the image looks pretty good, although it features very softened contours, giving it an almost "leafy" character. This effect may evoke mixed feelings – some users will appreciate the fluidity and delicacy of this type of presentation, while others may find it too gentle, losing detail. It is a matter of individual preference, but it must be admitted that Philips PUS8959 provides quite subtle yet effective tools for improving tonal transitions without excessive interference with the natural character of the image.

In terms of smoothing tonal transitions, the Sony X85L television doesn’t offer any dedicated enhancement options, which is a bit of a downside. On the other hand, the image scaling performs quite well – the television adds a touch of artificial sharpness, which can make details such as tree branches more pronounced, although sometimes with visible jagged edges. This type of effect may appeal to some viewers who prefer a more detailed image.

Philips PUS8959 TV is equipped with a 120 Hz panel, which should satisfy more demanding users, especially those who love watching dynamic sports broadcasts or playing games. Such a high refresh rate allows for significantly smoother images, being a key aspect during dynamic scenes and fast actions.

For those who prefer watching movies, the TV offers an additional motion smoother that allows adjustment of the frame rate according to personal preferences. The Philips PUS8959 features a 10-step adjustment for functions called "Smoothness" and "Motion Blur Reduction". The "Smoothness" function increases the number of frames through interpolation, making movement on the screen smoother, reminiscent of the so-called "soap opera effect". Meanwhile, "Motion Blur Reduction" focuses on minimising streaking and improving motion clarity, which is particularly noticeable in dynamic sequences such as action scenes or fast sports shots.

Sony X85L, equipped with a 120 Hz panel, will meet the expectations of a wide range of users – from sports and gaming fans to movie enthusiasts. Movie lovers will surely appreciate the presence of one of the best motion smoothing systems, known as Motionflow. This system offers adjustment using smoothness and clarity sliders – smoothness is responsible for fluid motion, eliminating the stuttering effect, while clarity enhances the sharpness of fast scenes, reducing blur.

Philips PUS8959 is a television that will surely please gaming enthusiasts. It supports most modern technologies useful during gameplay, such as HGiG, allowing for better representation of HDR effects in games. As a result, the image is more aligned with what the game developers intended to achieve.

The television also supports displaying images at 120 Hz, ensuring smoothness and dynamism, particularly important during action games and sports broadcasts. The Game Bar feature provides quick access to game settings, making it easier to adjust the image according to user preferences without interrupting gameplay.

Unfortunately, the Dolby Vision mode does not offer low input lag, which may be noticeable during dynamic scenes. Nevertheless, thanks to the HGiG feature and high refresh rate, the Philips PUS8959 remains an attractive choice for gamers, offering good image quality and suitable smoothness during gameplay.

Sony X85L offers a fairly solid set of features for gamers, making it an attractive choice for gaming enthusiasts. First and foremost, the television has a 120 Hz panel, which translates to smooth and dynamic image display, ideal for both fast-paced action games and more demanding sports titles. It is equipped with two HDMI 2.1 ports with full bandwidth of 48 Gb/s, allowing for the full capabilities of next-generation consoles to be utilised. Additionally, Sony X85L supports VRR (variable refresh rate) technology, which helps reduce stuttering and artifacts during gameplay, ensuring a smooth experience. The television also supports G-Sync, which is particularly beneficial for gamers using NVIDIA graphics cards, allowing for screen refresh rate synchronization with GPU performance, eliminating screen tearing. It’s worth mentioning the Game Bar feature, which facilitates quick access to important game-related settings, such as VRR, brightness levels, or display modes, making it convenient and useful during gameplay.

However, there are some limitations. The television does not support HGiG, which may be a downside for some gamers, as HGiG optimises HDR effect rendering in games, providing a more authentic visual experience. Additionally, the Dolby Vision mode, although available, is not practical for gaming due to very high input lag.

Philips PUS8959 TV offers impressive results in terms of input lag, making it a great choice for gamers. For 120 Hz content, the lag is less than 6 ms, which is an absolutely excellent result and allows for immediate response in games, especially in dynamic titles. For 60 Hz content, the input lag is 15 ms, which is also an outstanding result and ensures comfortable gameplay in most cases.

Unfortunately, the Dolby Vision mode does not perform as well, as the input lag increases to 31 ms. While such a result may be acceptable for less dynamic content, for demanding gamers it may prove insufficient, impacting precision and reaction speed. Nonetheless, in standard modes, Philips PUS8959 still offers remarkable performance, making it a competitive choice in the TV market for gamers.

Generally speaking, the input lag on the Sony X85L is very good, which is crucial for smooth gameplay and quick reactions in games. In standard modes, particularly when using HDMI 2.1 and playing at 4K resolution at 120 Hz, the input lag is minimal.

Unfortunately, the Dolby Vision mode is an exception to this rule. In this case, the input lag reaches as high as 95 ms. Such a high level of latency makes the Dolby Vision mode practically unplayable, as responses to commands are noticeably delayed.

Philips PUS8959 works excellently as a monitor for use with a PC. With support for chroma 4:4:4, it provides full colour clarity, which is crucial for text work – fonts are sharp and readable, regardless of the background they are on. This makes using office applications, browsing the internet, and graphic editing comfortable and precise.

Additionally, the low input lag provided by the television ensures smooth and responsive operation, which is important both during everyday tasks and in more dynamic applications, such as gaming or multimedia editing. Philips PUS8959 is an excellent choice for users looking for a television that also functions as a PC monitor, offering high image quality and user comfort.

The collaboration of the television Sony X85L with a PC involves a bit of balancing between image quality and user comfort. If we want to use the TV for work, where clear fonts matter, we need to set the refresh rate to 60 Hz. In this mode, text looks good and doesn't strain the eyes, which is crucial if we plan to spend a longer time in front of the screen.

On the other hand, if the TV is intended for gaming, where we can take full advantage of its capabilities at 120 Hz, we must consider that the readability of the fonts noticeably decreases. The image becomes less sharp and the text harder to read, which can be frustrating. In short – Sony X85L works well for occasional connection to the computer, but if we need it daily for work and gaming, this compromise may not appeal to everyone.

Philips PUS8959, equipped with an ADS panel, offers quite decent viewing angles, definitely better than those found in VA panels. The image retains its quality even when viewing from a wider angle – colours are vivid, and contrast does not deteriorate as much as in VA panel televisions. Because of this, watching the television from different spots in the room still allows for enjoyment of well-saturated colours and overall image quality, which makes Philips PUS8959 perfect for larger rooms and during shared viewing with family or friends.

Viewing angles on the Sony X85L, as is often the case with VA panels, are not the best. The picture looks great when you’re watching the TV head-on, but all it takes is a slight shift to the side to notice that the colours lose their vibrancy and the contrast noticeably weakens. This could be a problem if the TV is meant for watching in larger groups, where viewers are seated at different angles. For those who typically watch solo or from one central spot, it won't be a major downside, but the picture quality unfortunately drops when watching from the side.

Philips PUS8959 features a satin finish on the panel that effectively dampens light reflections, which is beneficial when using the television in bright daytime conditions. However, such a finish causes blacks to take on shades of grey during the day, losing their depth and intensity, which impacts the perception of the image in darker scenes.

A brightness level of 562 cd/m² allows for comfortable television use during the day, even in well-lit rooms. The image is bright enough to cut through daylight, and the reduction of reflections ensures decent visibility of content, making Philips PUS8959 a good choice for rooms where the lighting level cannot always be controlled.

The performance of the television Sony X85L during the day is quite decent. Its satin screen coating handles light reflection moderately well, which means that in bright rooms there may be some glare, but it is not bothersome enough to significantly interfere. The brightness in SDR mode at 570 nits is sufficient for comfortably watching TV during the day, even with natural light coming in through the windows. This ensures that colours remain vibrant and the picture is clearly visible, making the television suitable for everyday use.

Philips PUS8959 is equipped with a three-sided Ambilight system – a flagship patent of this brand, which has been enjoyed by a dedicated group of fans for years. Ambilight is based on dynamic lighting of the wall behind the television, adapting to the content displayed on the screen, significantly enhancing the viewing experience, especially in a darkened room. This effect is unique and adds a certain kind of "magic" to watching, making many users choose Philips specifically for this feature.

When it comes to the operating system, Philips PUS8959 uses Titan OS – a system that is still in the early stages of development. There are visible growing pains, especially since Philips has moved away from Android in most of its models. Titan OS has a limited number of available applications. This is frustrating for those accustomed to a broader ecosystem like GoogleTV. Additionally, the television does not have AirPlay functionality, which limits its compatibility with Apple devices and may be a drawback for users looking for a flexible way to stream content.

The user features of Philips PUS8959 are a mix of pros and cons. The remote control that comes with the television is quite annoying – it requires aiming directly at the screen, which can be inconvenient. On the other hand, the voice function works without the need to aim, but it only supports English. On the plus side, the remote is backlit, making it easier to use in the dark. The television lacks PiP (Picture-in-Picture) functionality and the ability to record programs, which is a significant omission. However, the television is equipped with Bluetooth, allowing users to connect headphones or a keyboard, which can be useful – especially given the limited number of available applications, which may encourage the use of the built-in web browser.

Sony X85L operates on the Google TV system, which is a significant advantage for many users. The television offers wide access to apps, and using streaming platforms is smooth and user-friendly. The interface is intuitive and easy to master, allowing for quick switching between apps and searching for favourite content. Google TV allows for personalization of the home screen, enabling each user to tailor it to their preferences. Google Assistant further enriches the experience by offering voice control and quick changes to settings or searching for films without using the remote.

In terms of user features, Sony X85L offers many useful options. The television has the capability to record programs, which is a great convenience for those wanting to watch their favourite content at any time. AirPlay support allows seamless streaming of content from Apple devices, which iPhone and iPad owners will appreciate. In addition, with built-in Bluetooth, various devices such as headphones or keyboards can be connected. However, one drawback is the absence of the PiP (picture in picture) function, which may disappoint users who prefer multitasking on the screen.

The design of the Sony X85L TV, while perhaps not the slimmest, is sturdy and elegant. The metal base with adjustable legs is one of its strong points, allowing for the height and width of the television to be adjusted to fit various furniture and spaces. This practical solution enhances the interior and adds a modern character to it.

Although the Titan OS system on the Philips PUS8959 TV is still in its early stages, it deserves praise for supporting Polish subtitles embedded in films, which is a significant convenience for users dealing with external files. If we want to play a film from a connected USB device, the TV will do this without any major issues, providing a comfortable viewing experience without the need for additional subtitle configuration.

As for photos, the TV should have no major difficulties playing them. It supports most popular formats, although there is a lack of support for less common standards, such as HEIC used in Apple devices. This means that some photos, especially from newer Apple devices, may require prior conversion to a more standard format in order to be played on the Philips screen.

Sony X85L handles playback of most popular file formats from USB without any issues, which is a big plus for those who often access external content. However, it's worth mentioning a minor drawback – the built-in player does not allow for changing the font colour in subtitles, which may be troublesome for some. Fortunately, thanks to the extensive Google TV system, users have a wide range of options. Alternative media players can be easily installed, offering more personalisation options.

The sound on the Philips PUS8959 unfortunately leaves a lot to be desired. While you can hear low frequencies in the playback, the bass is very weak, which results in overall unsatisfactory sound quality. The television performs averagely, especially when compared to more advanced sound systems available on the market.

Despite the average quality of the speakers, the television supports all essential audio codecs, which may please users utilizing external home theatre systems. Thanks to compatibility with various audio formats, the Philips PUS8959 can offer a good audio experience when connected to the right external speakers or amplifier, providing a fuller, more cinematic sound.

The sound on the Sony X85L is good – it's clear across the entire scale, allowing enjoyment of both dialogue and music. The bass, though light, is noticeable and adds some depth to the overall sound. However, it should be emphasised that this is a subjective assessment – some may be satisfied with this sound profile, while others might require additional audio equipment to fully experience the stronger tones and a more spacious sound.

Philips The One (PUS8959 / PUS8919 / PUS8909 / PUS8949 vs Sony X85L

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