Philips PUS8500 Review

PUS8500 / PUS8560 / PUS8510 / PUS8600

Available screen sizes: 43”50”55”65”75”85”

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This TV was tested by:

Maciej Koper

Paweł Koper

Last updated::

7/22/2025 8:22:29 AM

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Our verdict

5.6

Overall rating

Ambilight because that's exactly where we need to start, it's the biggest reason to buy the PUS8500. The three-sided backlighting on the TV looks fantastic, especially in the evening. It creates atmosphere, masks contrast imperfections, and makes viewing simply more enjoyable. Even if the black isn’t perfect here, at high contrast the native VA panel is just good. On top of that, there’s really decent input lag and several gaming features like ALLM and VRR. Although there’s no HDMI 2.1 or 120Hz panel, casual gaming should be a pleasure. Especially since it plays responsively and without delays. Let’s add full support for audio formats – it includes both Dolby Atmos and DTS, so soundbar owners also have something to be happy about.

But let’s not kid ourselves – this is still a budget TV, and at times that’s quite obvious. Brightness is average – not so weak that you can't watch anything, but if you hit an exceptionally sunny day, watching under such conditions without blinds can be problematic. However, in our opinion, the biggest disappointment with the PUS8560 is the Titan OS operating system. Despite the fact that the system debuted some time ago, some things just didn’t work – for example, screen mirroring from a phone despite the manufacturer stating that this feature is present. There are fewer apps than the competition, and the system itself feels a bit clunky. Generally, it seems to do something already, but it clearly lacks refinement.

Of course, this isn’t a TV meant to compete with top models. But if someone is looking for something simple, with the cool atmosphere that the Ambilight system provides, it’s quite a fair proposition. You just need to know what to expect and accept the compromises, of which there are plenty here.

Advantages

Ambilight System
High native contrast - VA panel
Low input lag
Essential features for gamers: ALLM and VRR
Full support for audio formats: Dolby Atmos and DTS
Backlit remote with numerical keypad

Disadvantages

Average panel brightness
The TitanOS system feels unfinished (some features don't work, gaps in applications)
Infrared remote control
Font readability issues (PC)

Movies and series in UHD quality

5.4
Classic TV, YouTube

6.1
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

5.2
Gaming on console

6.7
TV as a computer monitor

5.6
Watching in bright light

4.9
Utility functions

4.9
Apps

4.6
Sound quality

6.2

PHILIPS PUS8500 - TV appearance

HDMI inputs: 3 x HDMI 2.0, 0 x HDMI 2.1 Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps

Build quality: Average

Stand type: Legs

Kolor ramki: Graphite

Review Philips PUS8500 Appearance of the TV

Regulacja podstawy: stand-Base Adjustment
Montaż na płasko: Nie
Akcesoria: accessories-Stand

Philips PUS8560 is a basic model from the more budget-friendly range. The design of the television is hefty, and it isn't one of the thinnest on the market. Additionally, the back cover isn't flush with the rest of the structure, which means that when mounted on the wall, the screen may protrude more than in other models. It's clear that the manufacturer designed this model primarily for standing on feet. These are made of metal and feel sturdy. Although it may seem that the stability of the base is a given, metal feet are rare these days, even in more expensive models, which makes their presence in a cheaper variant noteworthy. The frame around the screen is relatively slim, with a distinctive black border. It's worth mentioning that the PUS8560 is Philips' cheapest model with a 4K resolution that comes equipped with the Ambilight system. This solution can drastically change the atmosphere around the television itself!

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Philips PUS8500 (paid link)

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Contrast and black detail

Viewing mode Game mode

6.1/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Local dimming function: No

Review Philips PUS8500 Contrast and black detail

Result

6,000:1

Result

5,950:1

Result

6,250:1

Result

5,950:1

Result

5,750:1

Visibility of details in the lights:

Philips PUS8560 in the size version we tested is equipped with a VA panel. This means that black levels – for an LCD TV – can be considered decent. And that is indeed the case with this model. Both blacks and the overall impression of contrast in the movie scenes we tested are really quite good – the image doesn't bleed, and details are visible even in more challenging segments.

But the panel alone is not everything. Unfortunately, the PUS8500 does not come with local dimming (which is a given looking at the TV segment), so one has to reckon with the fact that in completely dark conditions, black can resemble shades of navy more than true black. On the other hand – and here's a plus for Philips – the Ambilight system does an excellent job. The backlighting really affects the perception of contrast. As a result, even if technically the black isn't perfect, the subjective experience of the picture becomes much more enjoyable. For many people, that's enough to make an evening viewing really spectacular.

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

PHILIPS PUS8500 - HDR effect quality

Viewing mode Game mode

4.1/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 90.4%, Bt.2020: 65.8%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Review Philips PUS8500 Brightness measurement

Result

273 nit

Result

300 nit

Result

324 nit

Result

343 nit

Result

334 nit

When it comes to HDR performance on the PUS8560, it's safe to say that it's rather average. The brightness of the panel is around 350 nits, so we consider this to be the absolute minimum for watching content in this format. However, it’s not a result that will impress viewers looking for the best possible picture.

On the plus side, it's worth noting that the PUS8500 series – including the PUS8560/12 tested here – is marketed as a QLED television. And indeed, we can expect a wider colour gamut here. This model is equipped with an additional filter (PFS), and the DCI-P3 coverage of around 90% should suffice for most users. This filter operates very similarly to quantum dots. As a result, colours are quite well-saturated. It's not an outstanding result, but it's entirely sufficient for watching movies and series from streaming platforms.

Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)

Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)

We tested the PUS8560 on several demanding movie sequences to assess not only the dry numbers but, above all, how the television performs in practice. Overall impression? Not too bad – though it could certainly be better. The biggest problem is the incorrect brightness characteristic. In the scene from the movie Mr (the one on the left), it's clear that the television brightens the brightest parts of the image, causing details to be lost. We noticed a similar phenomenon in a less demanding sequence from Billy Lynn, where the fireworks were overexposed, and the entire image appeared washed out and lacking depth. Theoretically, the "HDR10 Effect" feature is supposed to be responsible for dynamic tone mapping and improving such scenes, but in practice – even after activating it – we did not notice a significant improvement.

HDR luminance chart:

Luminancja HDR

Luminance of RGB colors

Although the PUS8560 doesn't impress with its panel brightness, the manufacturer has equipped it with one tool that theoretically should improve the reception of HDR content – support for dynamic metadata in the HDR10+ format. In practice, such an approach often allows for better adjustment of brightness and contrast to specific scenes, making the viewing experience more varied and enjoyable than with standard HDR10. Unfortunately, in the case of this model, the differences between classic HDR and the version with dynamic metadata are hard to notice. The end result remains almost the same – without a noticeable increase in image quality.

Static HDR10

Dynamic: HDR10+

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Smoothness of tonal transitions

6.3/10

The PUS8560 handles colour blending into smooth gradients very well. During testing, the image appeared coherent and natural, with serious issues regarding tonal transitions occurring only in very dark scenes – for example, in a shot with red water, where subtle cut-offs between colours could be observed. However, these are rather exceptions that don’t spoil the perception of most content. It’s worth mentioning another phenomenon that has a greater impact on image quality – this relates to the so-called dithering, which is a slight “tingling” visible on solid backgrounds. This effect can be particularly noticeable in high-quality materials and may slightly detract from the impression of image clarity. It is for this fault that we deducted some points in the rating.

Review Philips PUS8500 Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

6.1/10

Smooth transition function

Image without overscan on the SD signal

Philips PUS8560 offers a deinterlacing function, hidden under the name “distortion reduction”. And while it indeed serves its purpose, smoothing out problematic tonal transitions, it operates a bit too broadly. In practice, it affects not just colourful gradients but also softens faces, clothing textures, and furniture surfaces. This undermines the authenticity of the image – especially in films where natural texture is of great importance. However, if someone is looking for smoothing at any cost, it’s best to set this option to “Low”. For cinema image enthusiasts – we definitely do not recommend it.

On the plus side, the quality of scaling older materials is worth noting – the PUS8560 model handles them surprisingly well. The image retains a natural softness without artificially boosted sharpness. It’s also worth mentioning that the TV correctly displays very low-resolution content, avoiding issues with image cropping (so-called overscan).

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Blur and motion smoothness

4/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 60Hz

Film motion smoothing option: No

Blur reduction option: No

BFI function 60Hz: No

BFI function 120Hz: No

The Philips PUS8560 is a television equipped with a 60 Hz refresh rate panel, which already limits its capabilities for displaying dynamic content right from the start. Watching sports or playing on a console is not one of the more enjoyable experiences. The situation is further worsened by the absence of any option to improve film fluidity. In the menu, you won’t find settings that would allow for the activation of motion smoothing or even a slight motion blur for films recorded at 24 frames per second. You can imagine the effect. The image can appear choppy, especially in shots with panoramic camera movements.

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Console compatibility and gaming features

4.7/10

ALLM: Yes
VRR: Yes
VRR range: 48 - 60Hz
Dolby Vision Game Mode: No
Correct implementation of HGIG: No
1080p@120Hz: No
1440p@120Hz: No
4K@120Hz: No
Game bar: Yes

Although the Philips PUS8560 is not designed with gamers in mind, the manufacturer has equipped it with a few features that may prove useful when connecting a console. Onboard, we find automatic switching to game mode (ALLM), as well as a simple connection status information bar – the so-called Game Bar. It doesn't make a particularly visual impression, but it serves its purpose. The presence of variable refresh rate (VRR), operating in the range of 48 to 60 Hz, may come as a surprise. This is not a wide range, but for less demanding games or titles with unstable frame rates, VRR can help reduce the tearing effect. However, this is the only element that can be considered beyond the minimum.

It must be clearly stated that the PUS8560 is not equipment for gamers looking for a responsive screen and full support for modern console features. It lacks HDMI 2.1 ports, the refresh rate is limited to 60 Hz, and the panel's response time is not among the fastest. This model may at best suit people who play occasionally and want to enjoy the Ambilight system.

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Input lag

10/10

The input lag on the PUS8560 is very good. When we previously mentioned that this screen is rather for the "casual gamer", there's nothing to be ashamed of in this regard – even compared to screens aimed at gamers. Results around 12 ms are truly remarkable, allowing for an enjoyable responsive gameplay experience. It doesn't matter whether we're playing in Full HD or 4K – the lag remains equally low, so if you're after a fast reaction time, the PUS8560 definitely won't disappoint in this area.

SDR	HDR	Dolby Vision
1080p60: 13 ms	2160p60: 12 ms
2160p60: 13 ms

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Compatibility with PC

5.6/10

Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes

Font clarity: Very Good

Readability of dark text and shapes: Poor

Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 13ms

Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR

Max refresh rate: 60Hz

G-Sync: No

If we're talking about working with a PC on the PUS8560, it looks… quite strange. Chroma 4:4:4 is present in “Monitor” mode, but there’s a problem with grey fonts – not all subpixels light up, which makes the text appear jagged. Meanwhile, in “Game” mode, chroma 4:4:4 disappears, but the grey fonts look correct. In practice, we are therefore forced to juggle settings if we want to have perfectly readable text all the time. And what about gaming on a computer? Here our opinion remains unchanged compared to consoles – it’s possible, but without fireworks. There’s no variable refresh rate for G-SYNC graphics cards, and the refresh rate itself remains relatively low. On the plus side, we can once again highlight the very low input lag, which saves the situation in fast-paced games.

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Viewing angles

3.3/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 68%

The viewing angles on the PUS8560 are exactly what you'd expect from a VA panel - it's not the best. The image loses quality even with a slight shift off-axis – colours become washed out, and blacks start to resemble a dark navy. This is, of course, the price for the better contrast that VA offers head-on. In the case of our 55-inch model, it can still be acceptable, especially if the TV is positioned perfectly in front of the couch. But with larger screens or a less central setup in the living room – it could be a problem for comfortable viewing.

PHILIPS PUS8500 - TV efficiency during daytime

4.9/10

Matrix coating: Satin

Reflection suppression: Decent

Black levels during daytime: Good

The PUS8560 performs reasonably well during the day... moderately. The satin finish of the panel does a pretty good job of reducing reflections, which means that light from windows or lamps doesn't interfere too much. The black levels also look decent for a VA panel – even in daylight, there aren't significant contrast losses. But the magic fades when it gets really bright. The panel's brightness is around 300 nits, which is definitely too little to speak of full comfort in a heavily sunlit room. In such conditions, the PUS8560 simply needs to be complemented with blinds – otherwise, the picture starts to look quite washed out.

Matrix brightness

Average luminance SDR

Philips PUS8500 : 331 cd/m2

PHILIPS PUS8500 - TV features

4.9/10

System: Titan OS
TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No
Recording programming: No
Picture in Picture (PiP): No
Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): No
AirPlay: No
Voice search in native language: No
Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: No
Audio only mode: Yes
RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): Infrared
Backlit remote control: Yes
Teletext: Yes

Classic TV Features:

If you’re looking for a TV that, in the basic sense, “works” – the PUS8560 will fill that role. In terms of classic features, we have a rather minimalist set. On the plus side, there’s an electronic program guide (EPG), teletext, a backlit remote with a classic numeric keypad, and a headphone jack input. It sounds a bit like a dream set for seniors – and there’s some truth to that. However, it must be said clearly: this is a TV with very limited capabilities. We won’t find USB recording from DVB tuners here, and there’s no Picture-in-Picture mode or other conveniences known from more expensive models.

Smart TV:

How does SmartTV fare on the PUS8560? Well, it gets a bit trickier here. The PUS8560 runs on the Titan OS, which in this particular implementation posed significant issues. Some functions, though present “on paper,” simply didn’t work. For example: Wireless screen mirroring features like Chromecast or Miracast – we tried to activate them with several different phones and laptops… without success. Perhaps this will be fixed in the future, but at the time of testing – it didn’t work. Also, the speed of the system left much to be desired – switching applications or home screens was simply slow. A substantial portion of the functions in the menu seem to be heavily hidden in the depths of a poorly organised system. To make matters worse, the library of available applications is quite limited. Although the situation with apps is better than last year, it’s still far from ideal. A modern remote tries to save the situation – slim, elegant, backlit and really well-made. Unfortunately, it operates on classic infrared, so you have to aim it at the screen. The only exception is voice control, which works via Bluetooth… it’s just a pity it doesn’t support Polish.

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Apps

4.6/10

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Playing files from USB

Video Photos Audio

8/10

Video Photos Audio

Maximum photo resolution:	Supported photo formats:
4 Mpix	JPEG
6 Mpix	HEIC
8 Mpix	PNG
10 Mpix	GIF
12 Mpix	WebP
16 Mpix	TIFF
20 Mpix	BMP
24 Mpix	SVG
28 Mpix
32 Mpix

PUS8560 handles most popular video and audio formats from USB memory without much hassle, so there's no need to elaborate on individual compatibilities. In everyday use, it should just work – and it does. The only thing worth noting is the handling of images. Although the television easily recognises popular extensions, with very high resolution graphic files, there are times when some images simply won't display. It might not be a major issue, but it's good to keep it in mind, especially if we want to view photographs straight from the camera. Besides that, PUS8560 shouldn't have any major problems playing files from USB.

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Sound

6.2/10

Subjective sound quality

Supported codecs

(TV speakers)

Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

Dolby True HD 7.1

Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

DTS-HD Master Audio

Supported codecs

(external HDMI eARC audio)

Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

Dolby True HD 7.1

Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

DTS-HD Master Audio

The television sounds quite pleasant, and it can confidently be said that the audio level will be fully adequate for most users – for both watching daily programs and enjoying an evening binge of a series. Moreover, it's a nice surprise that even in such an affordable Philips series, they decided to acquire licenses for full audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS. This is great news for home theatre and soundbar owners, as it means complete compatibility and no need to "fiddle around" with connecting external devices.