Compare: TCL C855 vs Philips OLED769

Once again, the manufacturer shows that despite being a relatively young player in Poland (but not globally) when it comes to the RTV market, it certainly cannot be said that it is a second-rate choice. The TCL C855 is an incredibly versatile device that performs well in various applications and excels in its price range. Thanks to Mini LED backlighting, the results for contrast and black levels are very solid, allowing for a deep and vivid image. It is worth noting that the television's algorithm effectively manages to maintain uniformity of blacks, and the blooming effect is rarely noticeable. This backlighting is also a strong point for the television in HDR content, although with some reservations. The TCL C855 can achieve brightness levels of up to 1800 nits, which is an impressive result; however, brightness can drastically drop, even to around 200 nits, when a bright but small element appears on the screen. Another drawback is the boosted mid-tones, which can lead to a loss of contrast and reduce the image's alignment with the director's vision. The television also performs excellently when connected to a console or a powerful PC. In this category, the TCL C855 truly shows its strength, offering extremely low latency and high-quality gameplay, thanks to the full implementation of HDMI 2.1 features. The Google TV operating system is another advantage, providing the user with nearly unlimited possibilities for installing applications, even those outside the official store, thanks to support for APK files.

In summary, the TCL C855 is the ideal choice for those who know what they expect from a television. It is a good, versatile piece of equipment that, although not perfect, offers great picture quality, low gaming latency, as well as a flexible and expanded operating system.

Philips OLED769 is the entry-level OLED model from the Dutch manufacturer for 2024, but don't let that mislead you. OLED769 surprises with its image quality and several interesting features. Thanks to OLED technology, the colours are truly vibrant, and the contrast is very good – deep blacks and bright lights displayed on this screen make a difference, especially when watching evening series. When it comes to motion fluidity, OLED769 performs really well. The 120 Hz panel handles dynamic scenes excellently, whether it's sports or gaming. When playing on consoles, the TV doesn’t disappoint either – 4 HDMI 2.1 ports support VRR and ALLM, and the fast response time ensures smooth and responsive gameplay. And what about Ambilight? It's a classic Philips feature and one of those functions that either gets loved or hated. In this model, it works very well – the backlighting responds to the content on the screen and adds ambience, especially in a dark room. It's not something everyone will consider essential, but it makes an impression in the evenings – at least on us. As for the new TitanOS operating system, it leaves us with mixed feelings. It runs quickly, but it lacks some popular applications. More demanding users may miss the flexibility that previous Philips systems (GoogleTV) offered. Philips OLED769 is a good choice for those looking for a TV with beautiful picture quality and the unique addition of Ambilight. The image quality and motion fluidity will satisfy most users, and the minor limitations of the operating system won't be a hurdle if you're focusing on basic apps. It's a solid option for both watching movies and playing games.

TCL C855 uses a high-contrast VA panel. The ANSI contrast (without dimming) reached a very respectable 5238:1, which allows for at least very good black levels. Additionally, the panel is equipped with multi-zone Mini LED backlighting, which is divided into 1344 independent dimming zones for the 65-inch model. This number allows for very good results in our tests. It is worth noting that TCL, as one of the few manufacturers, offers such a panel specification without spending excessively, unlike the classic big four manufacturers. As you can see, in the vast majority of scenes we've prepared, the results are impressive, particularly in the first three scenes, as even in the third, with a result of 54,000:1, it cannot be said that the black levels and contrast are weak, as they are more than satisfactory. These worsen in two scenarios: scenes with film strips and when there are many elements surrounded by black on the screen. And just as the last of the test scenes still has excellent contrast, in the final tested scenario, a slight blooming of blacks can be noticed. The frame from the film "Oblivion" performed excellently on TCL C855, and the level of black can even be compared to OLED screens, which is no small feat. It is also worth noting the good separation of lights, which is not an easy thing to achieve. Our flagship scene from "Sicario 2" also performed well in terms of contrast, but it is evident that details are lost in the blacks on the first, second, and third planes. The operation of the backlight control algorithm, which minimizes halo/blooming effects to an absolute minimum, deserves praise as well. However, it is worth noting that very small elements, such as stars, can sometimes be completely dimmed by the TCL C855.

Philips OLED769 amaze with its black and contrast quality. Thanks to OLED technology, each pixel in this television is self-illuminating, allowing for complete shutdown of individual pixels. This means that black areas of the image are perfectly black, and the contrast is infinite. The effect is incredibly realistic, with excellent clarity and detail in dark scenes. The OLED panel used in Philips OLED769 is produced by LG, known as WOLED, ensuring the highest quality in black reproduction. As a result, the television offers contrast that is unattainable for traditional LCD televisions - even the best ones on the market.

TCL C855 delivers a highly varied HDR effect. On one hand, the television truly shines, while on the other, it resembles a lower model with FALD backlighting. Such a state of affairs is regularly observed with this brand, so it was not a surprise for us. The first and last scene, which has large light elements, looks phenomenal, "shining" with brightness levels of 1470 and 1820 nits respectively. Such effects will certainly make many people squint, while simultaneously feeling the extraordinary dynamism of the scene itself. You can truly feel as if you were inside the movie. The situation drastically changes when small or minor elements with high luminance surrounded by black appear on the screen. The TCL C855, to avoid the halo effect, significantly reduces brightness to a level of even 240 nits, which is a disappointing outcome, causing the film to not look like it was shot in HDR. The HDR effect in TCL C855 makes watching dynamic scenes more engaging, and the viewer can feel like they are part of the action. Even with smaller elements of high luminance, the television manages to maintain details without excessive dimming. Moreover, the TCL C855 test shows that the brightness of the image is adapted to scenes with a large amount of detail, increasing viewing comfort.

Philips OLED769 performs quite well, especially in movie scenes with small light points. The television surprises with its brightness, reaching around 800 nits, which is an impressive result. This means that small light sources, like street lamps at night or stars in the sky, are vivid and full of detail. However, the biggest challenge for this model is the scene with a full-screen sun glare. In such moments, the brightness drops to around 250 nits, which isn’t very impressive. This is a typical issue with cheaper OLED displays, which struggle to maintain high brightness across the entire screen.

The best factory mode for the TCL C855 is "Film," and it is on this mode that we conducted all our tests. However, like every mode predefined by the manufacturer, it had flaws that are worth correcting to achieve an image that is as close as possible to what the film producer intended. We will look at the colour characteristics in both SDR and HDR materials. Taking the former into account, we see a clear dominance of green in the white balance, which, as you might guess, gave an unpleasant greenish tint to the entire image. Examining a very important gamma chart, responsible for the contrast of the image, we see a significant deviation from the reference line marked at 2.4. From the left, we can observe a strong spike in the measured value, which at this point caused contrast exaggeration and blending of details into a dark blob. This state of affairs persisted for quite a while, up to 20% of the chart’s value, before then diving below the reference. This, in turn, meant that the image was brightened and contrast decreased significantly. The factory mode performed somewhat better in HDR materials, as the white balance looked quite good, except for the second half, where green again took over. Looking at the EOTF curve, which, unlike gamma, shows the rate of brightness increase, we see primarily two errors: the darkest scenes were too dark, and the brightest ones were overexposed. This, by the way, could be observed in the scene from the film "Pan" in the check paragraph for the TV's HDR.

The "Film" mode turned out to be the best factory setting in terms of fidelity to the original material, and it was on this setting that we based our tests. However, like other factory modes, it was not without its flaws. Let’s take a closer look at what exactly went wrong in the SDR and HDR materials.

In both cases, the white balance was disturbed by excessive dominance of green and red colours. This phenomenon created a yellowish tint that spilled over the entire image, leading to issues such as yellowed whites and unnatural skin tones. These problems were clearly highlighted on the "ColourChecker" palette, where each of the samples was shifted towards warmer shades.

As for contrast and brightness, in the Philips OLED769, we can look at two key graphs: Gamma for HD content and the EOTF curve for 4K HDR content. In the case of the first graph, the gamma value is below the optimal level of 2.4, resulting in the bright parts of the image being lightened. This means that bright elements may be somewhat overexposed, losing detail and depth. Meanwhile, the EOTF curve for 4K HDR content performs really well. The graph shows that the television effectively reproduces details in both the brightest and darkest parts of the image, translating to a realistic and dynamic representation of scenes.

TCL, just like the vast majority of manufacturers, provides advanced calibration tools in its televisions. Here we find 2- and 20-point grey scale adjustments as well as an advanced colour management system. The results, as you can see, are very good and in SDR materials we have significantly approached the reference image. We eliminated both the green tint and the gamma issue, although there is still a slight "kink" at the very beginning. It went a bit worse with HDR materials, which the television ChooseTV C855 did not allow us to model properly. We only managed to slightly adjust the EOTF curve and significantly improve the colours themselves.

After professional calibration, Philips OLED769 truly shines in terms of colour accuracy. The television has been completely rid of any yellow tint in both HD and 4K content. The Colour Checker test confirms that deltaE errors are minimal, occasionally exceeding 2, which means we can talk about almost perfect renderings of the director's vision.

When it comes to contrast, the situation is equally impressive. For 4K materials, there wasn't much to improve from the start, while the gamma graph has been significantly enhanced. As a result, dark and bright parts of the image are represented with greater accuracy, leading to realistic and dynamic scene reproduction.

The calibration has unlocked the full potential of this television, both in terms of colour and contrast. Philips OLED769 now offers vivid, natural images of high quality that will delight any user, whether they're watching movies or using other multimedia.

Nevertheless, an important aspect in assessing image quality are tonal transitions. To achieve a clear image free from posterisation effects, the television must demonstrate very good algorithms for smoothing out colour gradation. We must admit that the applied feature in TCL C855 called "Gradual Smoothing" is one of the better ones we have had the opportunity to test. Practically every scene performs very well here, and nothing can be faulted. The best example of this is the scene from "The Green Knight", which is the most demanding due to the vast number of fine and subtle transitions in the fog. The C855 effectively smooths everything present in the scene and allows the viewer to experience its entire suspense. The only moment where a slight posterisation can be noticed is in a frame from the film "The Green Knight", where the reds in the top left section of the screen contrast against each other.

The gradation in Philips OLED769 unfortunately proves problematic in almost every scene from the test sequence. Particular difficulties arise in dark colours and around blacks. In these areas, in addition to the posterization effect, the image is accompanied by a solid amount of noise. The problem with tonal transitions is not limited to dark hues – it can also be seen in lighter elements, such as in a scene from the movie "Kingsman", where clear colour banding is visible around the sun. This phenomenon can significantly affect the visual experience, especially in scenes where black and dark shades play a crucial role. It's hard not to notice these imperfections, which can disrupt the viewing experience, particularly for viewers who value excellent image quality.

Once again, we will look at the function of smoothing tonal transitions, but this time also image scaling. The latter is particularly important when watching materials of lower quality, such as some TV programs or older films. We will focus on the function responsible for tonal transitions. Interestingly, just like in the scenes in the previous test, it performed splendidly and smoothed out practically all the choppiness, but here it had problems. Using the menu responsible for the operation of this function, we found that none - not even the strongest - setting helped.

The image scaling in TCL C855 is characterised as one of the best we have had the opportunity to test so far. The image is sharp, but in a way that could be described as natural to our eye. Even small, fine branches do not have jagged contours, and there is no white halo around figures, which is characteristic of weaker scaling systems.

When it comes to lower quality materials, the distortion reduction in the Philips OLED769 does well at smoothing tonal transitions, especially at the minimum setting. It's worth noting that at this setting, film grain isn't blurred, which is a pleasant surprise, as such negative phenomena often occur with other manufacturers. Overall, it's quite a decent solution. However, it should be noted that this setting doesn't work in HDR mode, where gradation issues are much more pronounced. In HDR mode, the television struggles with smoothing tonal transitions and may present more noticeable distortions and noise, reducing image quality in dynamic scenes.

As for digital processing, the Philips OLED769 performs well. The model in the picture isn’t overly jagged, and the branches in the background lack the characteristic artifacts. The television achieves this effect by avoiding artificial sharpening, which may be an advantage for some users. However, others may find this less appealing, as they prefer a more vivid, sharper image rather than a subtle effect. This effect can be mitigated by using a higher setting for the "Sharpness" parameter.

The maximum refresh rate that we can set on TCL C855 is 144 Hz. Naturally, this is only possible when connecting the TCL C855 TV to a very powerful PC. Otherwise, we will operate at a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, which is recommended if we primarily want to watch sports or content with a high level of motion dynamics. For those who require high fluidity of image, the manufacturer has implemented a multi-level motion smoother. It has been divided into two separate sliders that adjust the sharpness of moving images (Blur Reduction) and judder (Judder Reduction). Both sliders can be set in the range of 0 to 10, with each level affecting the degree of smoothing, so everyone can find their sweet spot. We present a setting that allows for slight smoothness without the soap opera effect.

The panel of TCL C855 features a very good response time. This is especially important, as VA panels often have issues with so-called ghosting, which is the effect where a black halo can be noticed behind a fast-moving object.

Philips OLED769 features a multi-level motion smoother called "Motion Style," which will please users who value the ability to adjust motion fluidity in films. With this function, the image can be set to appear more stuttery or fluid, reminiscent of a theatrical effect. It's a great solution for those who want to tailor the displayed content to their visual preferences. Gamers will also not be disappointed, as the television, like most OLEDs, is equipped with a 120Hz panel. This ensures extraordinary fluidity and dynamic imagery. Unfortunately, Philips OLED769 does not have the BFI (Black Frame Insertion) feature, which could further enhance the smoothness and clarity of motion. Despite this limitation, the television still offers excellent visual experiences for both cinema lovers and gamers. This is definitely one of its strong points.

The TCL C855 television is equipped with full HDMI 2.1 ports with a bandwidth of 48 Gb/s. During our tests, we confirmed the seamless operation of all functions that come with this standard. As you can see, all the checkboxes light up green, which will certainly be appreciated by gamers, both console and those using the television as a computer monitor. Additionally, the TCL C855 supports both AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA's G-Sync, which can be easily activated in the graphics card settings. Users with very powerful setups can provide a 144 Hz signal to the C855, which the television handles effortlessly. It's also worth mentioning the implementation of the HGIG mode, which, due to the shortcomings of the "Game" mode, is overly bright, making it difficult to configure properly on-screen. Fortunately, the television performs excellently with the Dolby Vision format.

The TCL C855, as one of the first manufacturers, has equipped its televisions with a special GameBar feature that allows extensive setting changes on the fly, without the need to exit the game. It includes functions such as an additional crosshair grid, black level correction, and settings for individuals with disabilities. In the photo, we see the next generation of this solution.

In summary, the TCL C855 television will be an ideal solution for those looking for a screen for any kind of electronic gaming. With all the features supporting such entertainment, it is incredibly engaging. It should also be emphasized that it has very low input lag, regardless of the selected settings, including with the Dolby Vision HDR format.

Philips OLED769 has been designed with gamers in mind, offering full compatibility with consoles and the highest quality gameplay. The television received the maximum rating in this category, providing everything your heart desires. With HDMI 2.1 ports fully supporting ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), the TV ensures smooth and hassle-free gaming. ALLM automatically switches the television to low latency mode, and VRR eliminates stuttering and screen tearing, resulting in smoothness and stability in gameplay. The Dolby Vision feature for gamers is another advantage, although it only works at 60 Hz. Most casual gamers will probably not feel the lack of a higher refresh rate, however, more demanding users may have some reservations. It allows for enjoying a dynamic range of tones and realistic images, enhancing the gaming experience. PC gamers will also not be disappointed, as the Philips OLED769 offers full compatibility with Nvidia graphics cards, thanks to support for G-Sync. This technology synchronizes the TV's refresh rate with the graphics card, eliminating tearing and stuttering, leading to excellent image smoothness.

Philips OLED769 is a television that perfectly meets the needs of gamers, offering a wide range of advanced features and technologies that significantly enhance game quality and user comfort.

The lag time of the TCL C855 is astonishingly low in every scenario. Even the most passionate gamers will surely appreciate the very low input lag at demanding 4K 120 Hz settings with HDR, clocking in at just 7 ms. Furthermore, the lag at these same settings, but with Dolby Vision HDR enabled, remains at the same level, which isn't so obvious with competing models. Therefore, the TCL C855 deserves the highest rating and recommendation.

The input lag of the Philips OLED769 is impressively low. At a refresh rate of 120Hz, values hovering around 5 ms are truly impressive, and at 60Hz, 13 ms is also an excellent result. Such low latencies provide a quick response to player movements, which is crucial for smooth and responsive gameplay. The only downside is the lack of support for Dolby Vision with content/games at a 120Hz refresh rate. Nevertheless, the TV still offers incredible visual experiences and excellent specifications that will satisfy any gamer.

TCL C855 when connected to a computer as a monitor performs very well. This is thanks to the very low latency between the mouse-eye-screen and the excellent readability of fonts, which comes from the proper implementation of chroma 4:4:4 at all resolutions, including 4K@144Hz. The subpixel layout is BGR, which does not negatively impact usage in Windows. However, the situation may change when using macOS or other software that may not be able to adjust fonts to this subpixel layout. Additionally, the TV has minor issues displaying fonts on a black background, for which we deducted some points.

OLED769 works perfectly with PC computers. The rating in this category is very good, mainly due to the excellent readability of fonts, regardless of the background colour. The support for chroma 4:4:4 further enhances the image quality, providing clear and sharp details. The low response time is another advantage of this model, translating into smoothness and responsiveness during work and gaming. All of this makes the Philips OLED769 an ideal choice for PC users looking for a large screen with high image quality and excellent parameters.

A widely known drawback of VA panels without an angle coating is their poor performance regarding viewing angles. The same is true for the TCL C855, where even a slight off-axis shift leads to significant image washout and colour degradation.

When it comes to viewing angles, Philips OLED769 performs exceptionally well, as is the case with all OLED TVs. The picture remains sharp and does not lose quality, regardless of the viewing angle. This means you can enjoy excellent picture quality, even when watching from the side or from more unconventional spots in the room. The only TVs that offer even better viewing angles are those equipped with QD-OLED and OLED MLA panels. These technologies can provide even greater stability and clarity of the image at various angles. However, compared to standard LCD TVs, Philips OLED769 still offers significantly better viewing angles, making it a great choice for large rooms and family movie nights.

The glossy finish of the panel on the TCL C855 prevented it from achieving the highest rating for TV performance during daytime viewing, although it is precisely due to this that the blacks during the day are very good. Thanks to the high brightness in SDR content, the actress's face strongly stands out through reflections. However, a downside of the panel is that light hitting directly on the TV "spills" out rather than being contained in one spot. Generally speaking, if sunlight doesn't hit the panel, the TCL C855 will be a very good choice for brightly lit rooms.

The performance of the Philips OLED769 TV during the day leaves a bit to be desired. The panel, despite being satin, reasonably suppresses reflections, which can be noticeable in bright rooms. The low rating is primarily due to the fairly mediocre brightness of the TV—250 nits is unimpressive and may not be sufficient to provide adequate image quality in strong daylight. This means watching on sunny days can be less comfortable, and image details may be harder to see.

TCL C855 operates on the Google TV system, which is a significant advantage compared to TVs equipped with proprietary systems from manufacturers, where installing applications from a USB drive can be challenging or often downright impossible. With Google TV, we have the option to install almost any application, both from the official store and directly from internet repositories via APK files.

This system also offers many conveniences in terms of control. We can connect a keyboard with a touchpad, which significantly simplifies entering queries. Additionally, thanks to integration with Google, we can utilise voice control features using the remote, which works very well, although there can be minor issues with translating functions and options. It’s worth mentioning that Google TV regularly receives updates that improve functionality and introduce new options. We can also confirm that according to reports from users of older models, the software can have its off days, and sometimes it does have its "bad day".

In summary: Google TV is currently one of the most popular systems on the market. Thanks to its powerful CPU, it runs very smoothly, does not freeze, and has no issues with stuttering for a significant part of its usage. This is definitely the best option for those who want to make the most of the TCL C855 TV’s capabilities and appreciate the openness of the system.

The biggest advantage of the Philips OLED769 television is undoubtedly the three-sided Ambilight system. This technology really makes a difference by extending the screen onto the walls around the TV and creating the illusion of a larger screen. It not only enhances the visual experience but also adds a unique atmosphere, whether we are watching a movie, playing games, or using other multimedia.

Interestingly, there is a new remote included with TVs featuring the TitanOS system. Thanks to its backlighting, it is very convenient to use; however, its wireless nature leaves something to be desired. The hybrid design means that sometimes you have to aim at the TV screen, while other times you don’t – depending on the button being used, which can be a bit annoying.

In the context of the operating system, Philips has introduced a new strategy for this year, replacing the previous open GoogleTV system with its own proprietary TitanOS. As with new technologies, TitanOS has its teething problems. It currently offers only a few basic applications, and the app store doesn't impress with its variety. This may disappoint some users who expect a wide range of available applications. Furthermore, the lack of support for AirPlay and the ability to record to USB are additional limitations that may be problematic.

The default media player on the TCL C855 handles practically all the media we've prepared for it very well. Almost every video format is supported. However, an important downside may be the lack of a font colour change feature. There are hardly any issues with photos and their maximum resolution. It's definitely worth noting the absence of support for Apple's HEIC and SVG files. On the other hand, we can play audio files without any problems, and we don't think many of you are using AIFF or DSD64. One undeniable advantage of the C855 and its operating system is that at any time we can download another player from the app store that will play anything.

The built-in player in Philips OLED769 generally performs well. Although it may lack support for non-standard formats, which could be an issue for specific users, most should be satisfied with the available options. The built-in player in the TitanOS system allows for the reading of Polish characters and changing the font colour, which additionally makes everyday usage easier. Thanks to these features, playing files from USB is comfortable and versatile.

When assessing the sound on the TCL C855, we pay attention to several key aspects, such as whether the tones are clearly audible and do not interfere with each other, as well as whether none of them dominates the others. In the case of the TCL C855, the sound performs well – it is balanced and does not evoke any negative feelings. Generally, the sound is simply good.

For those with a home theatre system, the TCL C855 offers a wide range of audio codecs, including the two most important ones: DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos. This ensures high sound quality that will satisfy users seeking better audio experiences.

In the sound category, Philips OLED769 may not offer super dynamic sound, using 2x10W speakers. However, it is worth noting the support for all Dolby and DTS audio formats. This allows users to enjoy high-quality sound with the help of external players, despite the power limitations.

TCL C855 vs Philips OLED769

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