Compare: SONY BRAVIA 3 vs Philips OLED811

Sony Bravia 3 is a television that brings several important improvements over its predecessor while still staying true to its core. The biggest change is the design – slim bezels and sturdy metal legs make it look modern and fit much better in a living room than the X75WL. The improved colours thanks to the PFS filter and really good upscaling are also a plus. It is particularly with lower-quality content, especially in classic SDR, that the Bravia 3 can show its best side – colours look pleasant, the picture is clear, and thanks to the IPS panel, viewing angles are at a very good level. For a ‘classic’ TV, where comfort from various viewing positions in the room and decent quality of everyday content matter, it is perfectly suitable. A huge advantage remains the Google TV system. During our tests, there were times when the interface did not work as smoothly as we would have liked, and some features could freeze. However, despite these imperfections, the presence of Google TV is a huge plus – access to thousands of apps and a full streaming library compensates for minor shortcomings. Unfortunately, what was weak in the X75WL remains weak here as well. The IPS panel has very low contrast and does not offer local dimming, which means that watching movies in a dark room quickly loses its appeal – black resembles more of a grey, which effectively detracts from the enjoyment of viewing. Additionally, the option to record content to USB, which was available in the predecessor, has been removed. It is hard not to notice this and not to add it to the list of downsides.

So, who is the Bravia 3 for? Primarily for those who want to enter the world of Sony televisions at the most affordable price while valuing the Google TV system. However, it is not the most attractive option in its class – competition in this budget can offer models with Mini-LED backlighting, which outperform it significantly in terms of contrast and HDR. Therefore, the Bravia 3 is worth considering, but mainly when there is a solid discount. At regular price, it will be very difficult for it to stand out against its more cost-effective rivals.

Philips OLED811 is a mid-range OLED for 2026 that stands out from its biggest rivals mainly for one thing: Ambilight. The light that follows the picture and spreads across the wall can change the mood of the whole viewing experience. In the evening the screen seems to extend beyond its frame and watching gains an extra bit of charm. For some it will be a pleasant extra, for others a decisive reason to pick Philips again. The picture itself is very comparable to what models like the LG C6 or Samsung S90H offer when using the same panel type. You get deep, perfect blacks that make bright elements really pop. The OLED811 can deliver strong HDR and, importantly, after calibration the picture is close to the reference. There’s no big advantage over the competition, but there’s also no sense that by choosing Philips for Ambilight you’re sacrificing image quality.

Gamers also get a few solid upgrades over last year’s model. Thanks to the MediaTek Pentonic 800 chipset we finally have four HDMI 2.1 ports, so connecting several devices, for example consoles, a PC and a soundbar, no longer means you have to decide which one gets the full capabilities of the port. Gaming itself is very enjoyable — the TV responds quickly, supports variable refresh rate, and from a PC it allows gaming in 4K at 165 Hz. It’s a pity the new processor’s capabilities haven’t been put to equally good use when processing lower-quality sources. The biggest doubts, however, concern the operating system. Titan OS replaced the popular Google TV and, although it has clearly developed over the past year, it’s still hard to call the change a good one. True, the system runs more smoothly, has more useful features, and its library already includes most popular streaming services. Still, the choice of apps is much smaller than Google’s (or the competition’s), and in our view that remains the OLED811’s biggest drawback. People using less popular services may feel that difference particularly strongly.

Is it worth buying? Yes, if Titan OS meets your needs. In terms of picture and the gaming features, the OLED811 has as much to offer as its rivals, but Ambilight gives it something others don’t. Philips therefore gives and takes a bit. It adds a unique viewing atmosphere but limits freedom of app choice. If the services you use are available, this compromise may be worth accepting.

Bravia 3 in most variants, including the 65-inch model we tested, uses an IPS panel and unfortunately, this isn't the best news for those who value depth of image and truly velvety blacks. This technology has its advantages, offering decent viewing angles, but they come at the cost of very low contrast, which is particularly noticeable during evening viewing sessions when we expect the screen to go dark where it should. However, the list of problems doesn't end there. Our unit also showed noticeable imperfections in the blacks, which exacerbate the effect of their shallowness. For instance, in the scene with the helicopter, you can clearly see blooming in the corners of the screen and noticeable vignetting.

It's hard not to think that even a simple local dimming system could have salvaged the situation and added a bit of drama to the image, which is lacking here. Unfortunately, Sony has not opted for such a solution, and as a result, we have a repeat of last year's performance. So, Bravia 3 is not a television that will charm with cinematic depth of black. At night, instead of intense black, we are more likely to see grey pretending to be darkness, which may disappoint more discerning viewers.

Black levels and contrast are categories where the Philips OLED811 showcases all the advantages of OLED technology. Each pixel emits light independently and can be switched off completely, so black is simply black. No grey halo or blooming around bright objects. During evening viewings this creates a striking effect: stars in the night sky, city lights or text on a dark background remain clearly separated from a perfectly black surround.

So it's hard to expect any improvement over other OLEDs here, because in terms of black depth and contrast the result is already exemplary. The OLED811 doesn't need local dimming zones or a compromise between the brightness of a small object and the black around it. Even a single bright point can sit next to a completely switched-off pixel, giving the image excellent depth.

It's precisely in scenes with a lot of black that the advantage over Mini-LED TVs becomes apparent. Even the most advanced local dimming systems control larger areas of the picture, so in demanding shots they can produce a halo around bright elements or dim them to preserve the dark background. The Philips OLED811 doesn't have that problem.

Bravia 3 does not hide the fact that it belongs to a group of TVs that are rather modest in terms of brightness. Our measurements showed around 370 nits, which is a value balancing on the brink where any HDR effect can still be discussed. For some, this is an acceptable level, while for others it is more typical for SDR materials, where spectacular flashes or vivid contrasts are not expected. The impression is that this is not a TV for those focused on the highest image quality in demanding film content. However, this does not mean that there are no advantages to be found here. Compared to its predecessor, the X75WL, the Bravia 3 has gained an additional PFS filter, which works similarly to solutions known from QLED technology. Thanks to this, the DCI-P3 color gamut has been significantly expanded, reaching over 91 percent, which in practice results in more saturated colours and a more pleasing texture of the image. As a result, even everyday content looks a bit more vibrant, and films and series can surprise with their colourful presentation, despite limitations in brightness itself.

Philips OLED811 uses the new generation WOLED EX panels, also found in models like the LG C6 and Samsung S90H. After calibration we measured about 1500 nits, which is a very good result for an OLED TV. You can see that clearly in films and series. Flashes of light have the right punch, especially when they appear on a dark background. In those scenes the OLED811 can deliver really impressive HDR. Of course this doesn't mean you'll see that level of brightness in every shot. When the screen is filled with a large area of white or a wide explosion, brightness falls to around 600 nits. That's still a good result, but such scenes don't have the same impact as small bright elements on a dark background. That's a known limitation of OLEDs and the OLED811 is no exception.

Colours

Aside from HDR brightness, colours also matter and here Philips also performs very well. It covers almost the entire DCI-P3 gamut, which contains most of the colours used in HDR films and series. So you get rich reds and lush greens, and while watching it's hard to fault it in that regard. It looks a bit worse with the much wider BT.2020 gamut — its most saturated shades are already beyond the reach of this panel. There's also the issue of the white subpixel that the WOLED panel uses to help boost brightness. With very bright colours you can see a certain "washout": the colour is bright but loses some of its intensity. It's in exactly these situations that Samsung Display's QD-OLED panels have the advantage. In most films and series, though, this won't be something that immediately jumps out at you.

We primarily tested the Sony Bravia 3 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 straight out of the box, the difference is evident and definitely better. In movie mode, there is a noticeable issue: the picture seems too warm, which is due to the lack of blue colour 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 arise 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 look unconvincing and can ruin the impression left by the otherwise quite decent SDR content settings. Fortunately, it’s 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.

The film mode on the Philips OLED811 is sensibly set up straight out of the box. Most colour errors remain minor in both SDR and HDR, so you can comfortably sit down to watch without adjusting the settings first. There are no large inaccuracies that would immediately distract from the film.

It’s not quite perfect, though. The white balance shows a slight lack of red relative to green, so whites and greys can have a faint greenish tint. It’s not a strong colour cast, but measurements clearly show it. There are also small luminance deviations in SDR: some parts of the image are slightly brightened, and the deepest tones aren’t always reproduced evenly. In HDR the TV stays much closer to the reference, although it occasionally lifts detail from the shadows. These are generally things that can be refined. The factory film mode provides a good starting point, and calibration will reveal how much more you can get out of it.

Calibration allowed us to extract significantly more from ChooseTV 3 than we could have expected at the beginning. First and foremost, it managed to address the deficiency of blue, which previously caused a noticeable warming of the image. After a slight adjustment in white balance, most errors in the Color Checker measurements for SDR content practically disappeared. The whites took on a natural tone, and brightness management in gamma stabilised to an almost ideal level, not exceeding the threshold of what the human eye can perceive. So it is safe to say that in SDR content, after a few adjustments in the settings, ChooseTV 3 performs really well. It fares much worse, although still definitely better than before calibration, when it comes to HDR content. The white balance has been brought in line, but 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, remaining 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 picture can look really great and in this category, the television pleasantly surprised us.

After calibration the Philips OLED811 delivers an image very close to the reference. We managed to even out the white balance and remove the slight colour cast visible in the factory settings. ColorChecker errors for SDR and HDR fell to around 1 to 2, with many samples even below 1. That's a level at which differences from the reference are hard to spot with the naked eye. We also improved the gamma, with only a slight lift remaining in the brightest whites. In HDR the EOTF curve also stays close to the reference, although the TV still tends to slightly boost the brightness of small details, such as stars or subtitles. That gives the picture a bit of extra brightness that shouldn't be there, but otherwise it's hard to find fault. It was already good out of the box, and calibration allowed us to iron out most of the remaining issues.

In terms of the fluidity of tonal transitions, Bravia 3 performs really well. In brighter scenes, we didn't notice any serious errors – the screen handles colour blending almost perfectly and doesn’t create artificial contours that can spoil the viewing experience. Similarly, in darker segments, there are no major issues with colour gradation, although another problem arises here. Strong brightening and uneven backlighting of the panel in dark scenes make it difficult to definitively assess the gradation itself, because the effect is spoiled by the unevenness of the image. However, if we focus solely on colour blending, the result should be regarded as very good.

Compared with Philips' previous OLEDs, the smoothness of tonal transitions has clearly improved. The biggest difference is in the dark parts of the picture, which can cause WOLED panels quite a few problems. On the OLED811 they have been smoothed very well, with tones flowing smoothly from one to the next, without obvious banding or posterisation. That's a big plus, especially when watching dark scenes.

Unfortunately, it isn't as good in brighter shots. That's where we have the biggest reservations: instead of a gentle transition between tones you can sometimes see distinct boundaries, in other words posterisation. It can be noticeable, and it's a pity the improvement seen in dark scenes didn't extend to the brighter areas of the picture to the same degree.

Bravia 3 brings something more to the Sony television family than just a shared name. It stands out primarily for 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 nonetheless, it must be said that the image in lower resolution looked surprisingly good. The scaling worked effectively, and most areas of the screen were free from the typical excessive edge roughness found in budget constructions.

Also worthy of attention is the function that improves the smoothness of tonal transitions. In high setting, it works really well, effectively masking gradation imperfections without significant loss of detail. It does happen that the algorithm overzealously smooths 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 is the option we could recommend to those watching lower-quality content.

The OLED811 handles processing lower-quality material reasonably well, though it's far from perfect. The "Banding reduction" function helps smooth tonal transitions and on the low setting gives a pretty good effect. It doesn't remove banding between shades as effectively as similar solutions from some competitors, but at least it doesn't introduce new artefacts. It's a sensible setting for everyday viewing. Still, there's a bit of a letdown, because the MediaTek Pentonic 800 chipset used here can, in other manufacturers' hands, deal with the effects of heavy compression more effectively even at similarly low settings. A lot therefore depends on how a given manufacturer uses its capabilities.

We have a few more comments about the upscaling to 4K. There's plenty of detail, but overall the image looks rather soft. Edges are heavily smoothed, so the picture lacks some sharpness and clarity. You can partially correct this with the sharpness slider in the menu, though that will be extra edge enhancement rather than recovering detail. On the plus side, there's no overscan, and even with an SD signal the TV doesn't crop the edges of the picture.

Motion smoothness has never been a strong point of televisions equipped with 60 Hz panels, and the Bravia 3 is no exception. Nevertheless, Sony has included something that may appeal to those more sensitive to the way images are displayed. I'm talking about the proprietary motion smoother, Motion Flow, which gives the user plenty of adjustment options. With it, one can make the image smoother, almost theatrical, or stick to a more cinematic style with characteristic judder that many people simply associate with a filmic atmosphere. These functions work with content at lower frame rates, such as films and series recorded at 24 or 30 frames per second, which is the material we deal with on a daily basis. This is precisely where the motion smoother proves to be one of the most important features in everyday TV usage, and here, the Bravia 3 performs really decently.

In terms of motion handling the OLED811 performs superbly. At 120 Hz, which is useful for console gaming and watching sport, the image remains clear and moving objects don't leave noticeable trails. The OLED's fast pixel response helps here. You can see it clearly in the UFO test, even on a dark background. There are also controls for motion smoothing. In movies you can adjust the strength of smoothing to your taste, from preserving a cinematic feel to much smoother motion. A separate blur-reduction control is useful for fast-paced content like live sports broadcasts.

Bravia 3 is not gear for e-sports enthusiasts or fans of late-night marathons with a controller in hand. The lack of 120 Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 ports shuts down the conversation before it even gets started. This is a TV for casual gamers who, after work, will fire up FIFA or racing games, not for someone who measures every frame in a spreadsheet. Nonetheless, Sony has thrown in a few nice additions so it’s not completely sparse. 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 intuitive. However, the biggest curiosity here is the PlayStation Portal app. Thanks to this, you can launch PS5 games wirelessly and see them right on the TV screen. It sounds great, but it only takes a few minutes to feel significant lag. In our opinion, it's more of a showcase of capabilities than something that can be used day-to-day. If someone really wants to game, it's better to plug the console in with an HDMI cable and forget about wireless issues.

The OLED811 has almost everything you’d expect from a TV for gaming. It supports 120 Hz at Full HD, 1440p and 4K, and when connected to a PC it can reach up to 165 Hz. It also offers VRR to help avoid screen tearing when frame rates fluctuate, and ALLM, which automatically switches to game mode. So you don’t have to go into the settings every time you start your console.

Another plus is the properly working HGiG, which ensures that once HDR is set on the console the TV doesn’t apply its own changes to image brightness. The Game Bar is also available, letting you check signal parameters and quickly change settings useful while gaming. The list even includes Dolby Vision for games, but there’s a significant catch here, which you’ll read about below.

Here, the Bravia 3 shows its best side. Latency drops below 12 milliseconds in almost every resolution and mode, so the response to controller movements is instantaneous and there’s no sense of delay. It feels like the console and the television are speaking the same language, without unnecessary pauses and hesitations. The Dolby Vision Gaming mode deserves special attention. In its predecessor, the X75WL model, using this feature was simply a nightmare – input lag could reach over 100 milliseconds, which effectively ruined the enjoyment of gaming. In the Bravia 3, this issue has been completely eliminated.

OLED811 responds instantly. We measured 14 ms at 60 Hz and just 5 ms at 120 Hz, both in Full HD and 4K. Those are excellent results that let you comfortably play even fast online multiplayer games. Unfortunately, when Dolby Vision is enabled the situation changes dramatically: at 60 Hz latency rises to 157 ms, and at 120 Hz it’s 57 ms. The first result in particular already causes a clearly noticeable lag between a movement on the controller and the response on screen. For gaming it’s definitely better to stick with HDR10.

The IPS panel combined with properly functioning 4:4:4 chroma support means that the readability of fonts is at an excellent level. Letters appear sharp regardless of the background colour or content, so working with documents or browsing websites doesn't strain the eyes. In this role, the TV easily deserves a very good, if not excellent, rating, as few models in this price range perform as well. However, if we look at the Bravia 3 from a PC gamer’s perspective, the picture isn’t as rosy. We won't find G-SYNC or Free Sync frame syncing with graphics cards or high refresh rates, so the TV isn’t the best choice for dynamic computer games. However, as a monitor for work, whether in a home office or a student room, it performs excellently, and in that respect, it's really hard to criticize.

The Philips OLED811 works very well with a PC. The manufacturer has finally managed to correctly implement 4:4:4 chroma, even at maximum resolution and refresh rate. As a result, small text and coloured edges are readable, without the blurring or rainbow fringing that comes from loss of colour information. Dark text on dark backgrounds also holds up well, which TVs can struggle with. There are still minor imperfections related to the RGWB subpixel layout. Fonts are not as sharp as on a classic RGB monitor, and with white letters you can see faint red halos up close. From a normal viewing distance you barely notice it, though it’s easier to spot when sitting close at a desk.

Where it really shines is gaming from a PC. The combination of 4K at 165 Hz, working G-Sync and input lag around 5 ms makes the OLED811 excellent for that. If you have a computer that can take advantage of that refresh rate, it’s definitely worth plugging it into the Philips.

Thanks to the IPS matrix used, colours do not lose intensity as quickly as with screens based on VA panels. Even when watching television in larger groups, when some people sit at an angle, the image remains clear and does not appear washed out. Of course, it isn't at the level offered by OLED organic matrices, where the image looks nearly the same from almost any position, but for an LCD television, the viewing angles in the Bravia 3 are among the best. This provides a sense of comfort and freedom, especially in larger living rooms or during family screenings, where it's difficult for everyone to sit directly in front of the screen.

The viewing angles on the OLED811 are excellent and among the best on the market. Even when sitting well off to the side you still see an image with deep blacks and well-saturated colours. That's a big advantage over LCD screens. You don't have to sit exactly in front to enjoy good picture quality.

QD-OLED panels perform even better, keeping colours more faithful at off-axis angles. On the Philips, at wider off-axis angles the whites shift slightly towards greenish tones, but the effect is so small that it's hard to find it bothersome while watching. We'd even say that in this respect this is the best WOLED panel sample we've tested so far.

Bravia 3 performs quite well in daylight. The satin coating on the panel effectively reduces reflections, and the colours do not lose their vibrancy when stronger external light hits the screen. As a result, under typical home conditions, with blinds open or in a living room with a larger window, the picture maintains its clarity. However, it's important to remember that this is not a high-brightness TV. The Bravia 3 cannot compete with brighter models, so in very sunny rooms, there are moments when the screen simply doesn't stand out against the intense light. In normal conditions, it handles things without any issues, but in more challenging scenarios, don't expect miracles.

OLED811 copes with daytime viewing, although in a very bright living room it already has its limits. Peak brightness in SDR reaches about 600 nits, a level comparable with the LG C6 or Samsung S90H, which use the same panel. That’s noticeably more than basic OLEDs and will be plenty for most people. Bear in mind, though, that this brightness isn’t maintained across the whole screen — it falls with a lot of white, and the average from our measurements was around 392 nits.

A bigger issue can be direct reflections from windows or lamps. The glossy coating dampens them reasonably well, but they’re still clearly visible on the screen, especially in dark scenes. It doesn’t diffuse reflections as effectively as matte screens, so placing the TV opposite a large window isn’t the best idea. On the plus side, black levels remain very good even in daylight. In a typical living room the Philips will therefore perform without major problems, but with strong sunlight falling directly on the screen you’ll want blinds.

Smart TV Features

The biggest advantage of the Bravia 3 in everyday use is the presence of the Google TV system. Thanks to this, we have access to one of the largest libraries of apps and streaming services, so no matter if someone mainly uses Netflix, Disney+ or smaller platforms, everything is at their fingertips. The Google voice assistant also worked very well, able to respond to our commands quite "smartly". The Google TV system should, in theory, operate very smoothly, as Sony has been implementing it better than many cheaper competitors for years. Unfortunately, in the case of the Bravia 3, it isn't as nice as we would have hoped. During testing, we noticed some slight stutters in the interface, and some features, such as screen mirroring, simply refused to cooperate. One could get the impression that the processor in this model sometimes struggles to manage the demanding system, and not everything works as smoothly as we would expect.

Classic Features

Sony, even in its cheapest series, manages to remind us of its experience with various users. The set comes with two remotes. The first is modern and minimalist, with a small number of buttons, which works great when using apps and Google TV features. The second is a classic remote with a richer set of buttons and a numeric keypad, which will be appreciated especially by older individuals used to traditional solutions. This is a nice nod towards different user groups, and it must be said that Sony has solved it very practically. It’s a shame, however, that compared to the X75WL model, the ability to record content from TV tuners to USB memory has disappeared. The manufacturer has completely abandoned this feature, so if someone was attached to it, they unfortunately won't find it in the Bravia 3.

Smart features — Titan OS

The Smart TV system is the most controversial change in the OLED811. Philips has dropped the user-favourite Google TV in favour of its own Titan OS. For many people this may be a hard decision to accept, although Titan is getting noticeably better year on year and runs more smoothly. We have working AirPlay, screen mirroring from a computer and voice search in Polish. System responsiveness has improved too, though you can still notice small delays when navigating the menus. We have the impression the IR remote is partly to blame, as it doesn’t always pick up commands immediately. The biggest limitation compared with Google TV is the smaller selection of apps. That doesn’t mean it’s empty, however — you’ll find Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, CANAL+, and Apple TV has recently joined the library. If you mainly use popular services, Titan should be fine, but it’s worth checking availability of less well-known apps before buying (see the list at the bottom 😉).

Ambilight

Ambilight remains one of the best reasons to consider a Philips TV. On the OLED811 it’s three-sided — LEDs along the top and sides of the casing light the wall with colours matched to what’s happening on screen. In the evening this creates a great effect and can change the whole room’s atmosphere, so we awarded extra points for this feature. You don’t have to use the dynamic picture tracking though. If you prefer a calmer viewing environment you can set a static white light. It’s a pleasant option for evening sessions when you don’t want to sit in front of a bright screen in a completely dark room.

Classic features

For regular TV viewing the OLED811 performs well, though it lacks USB recording and picture-in-picture (PiP). You can connect Bluetooth headphones and use them alongside the TV’s speakers. What bothers us most, however, is the infrared control mentioned earlier. The remote itself is quite interestingly designed: it’s backlit and has a hybrid keyboard with a numeric section. It’s a shame you still have to point it at the TV like with old sets. With equipment at this level we’d prefer to just press buttons without worrying which way we’re holding the remote. Hopefully Philips will fix that in future models.

Here Sony has really done an excellent job. The built-in player works quickly and doesn't "fuss" when starting different formats. We didn't need to reach for external applications like VLC, as the TV handled even files that can cause a lot of problems on other models – such as HEIC photos from Apple devices. It's a small detail, but one that shows the manufacturer wanted the user to have a sense of complete convenience. By inserting a movie on a USB stick or photos from a holiday onto an external drive, you can simply plug them in and start watching on the big screen straight away. No fussing, no installing extra software, no searching for workarounds. This is really rare in televisions, and it's fair to say that in this respect, the Bravia 3 truly surprised us pleasantly.

The USB player in the OLED811 handles most of the audio and video formats we test, so it's perfectly adequate for watching a movie or playing music from a USB stick. Our main reservations are about photos, specifically the strangely selective handling of their resolutions. The TV opened 8, 16 and 32 Mpix files, but couldn't cope with the rest. So it's not that the photos are simply too large, because the player can display a higher-resolution image and refuse to open a smaller one. When browsing holiday photos this can be genuinely annoying, as some will need to be converted on a computer first... or you could just use remote screen mirroring...😉

Bravia 3 plays in a rather flat manner, but makes up for it with loudness. It will work flawlessly for watching classic television because the dialogues are clear, and the mid-tones are easily audible. This type of characteristic will be particularly appreciated by older users, who primarily care about speech intelligibility. However, if someone expects something more from the sound, like stronger bass or a wider soundstage, it’s worth reaching for a soundbar despite everything. The TV supports modern codecs, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, so an external sound system will easily leverage their potential. This ensures that with a relatively modest expense, one can achieve a much fuller and more engaging sound.

There have been a few concrete changes to the sound compared with last year’s OLED820. The rear subwoofer is gone and the 4.1 speaker layout has been replaced by a 2.2 configuration. Despite these changes the OLED811 still sounds good and fairly even. It can play louder, and the sound even seems a touch fuller than a year ago. The bass has suffered; although the sound has weight, the low end lacks the depth of its predecessor. You can hear this most clearly in films and music when you’re waiting for a stronger hit. That said, it’s still well above average for built-in TV speakers. If you want deeper bass and more distinct spatial effects, it’s worth considering a soundbar or a system with an AV receiver. Philips gives you plenty of flexibility: it supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS, and will pass Dolby TrueHD tracks over HDMI eARC to compatible equipment without any problems. So there’s room to upgrade later if you decide to expand the sound system.

SONY BRAVIA 3 vs Philips OLED811

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

TV appearance

Where to buy

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Colours

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

Daytime performance

Panel details

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

Sound connection options

Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):

Senior accessibility

Smart TV Features

Classic Features

Smart features — Titan OS

Ambilight

Classic features

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements