Compare: LG QNED87T6B vs Philips PML8709

LG QNED87T is a television that definitely stands out. It is somewhat unconventional – it doesn’t forcefully compete with top OLED models, but it makes up for that with modern features and user-friendly operation. This is a device that works wonderfully for those who value convenience and versatility. The 120 Hz panel, VRR, and ALLM ensure that the television handles dynamic content well. Games run smoothly, the picture is sharp, and the responses are quick. If we spend time on a console, we will appreciate the lack of delays or blurring. When watching sports, fast actions are clear, without stuttering. On a daily basis, LG QNED87T is simply comfortable. WebOS operates intuitively, applications launch quickly, and the Magic Remote significantly simplifies control. Voice control saves time, especially when searching for films or series. Features such as USB recording and Bluetooth offer more options, increasing its versatility. The IPS panel is a significant advantage when it comes to viewing angles. Regardless of where we sit in the room, the picture looks good. It’s an excellent solution in larger spaces, where not everyone has a direct view of the screen. Older films or standard television from built-in tuners also look decent – the improvement in the quality of lower resolution materials works surprisingly well. However, there are certain things that may stand out. The contrast is simply tragic. In dark scenes, there are no details at all. In the evening, in a dimmed room, this is very noticeable. During the day, these imperfections are less felt, so LG QNED87T is better suited for well-lit places. LG QNED87T is a television that has its strengths. It handles dynamic materials well, is comfortable to use, and is perfect for bright rooms. It is not an ideal model for evening screenings in darkness, but in everyday use, it certainly stands out. It is a versatile device that is worth considering when choosing a new television.

The Philips PML8709 is a model that stands out in the offerings of the Chinese-Dutch manufacturer due to its uniqueness. Instead of the classic Philips operating system - TitanOS, we find the already well-known Google TV here, which provides extensive personalisation options and access to a vast library of applications. This television tempts us with very good contrast on one hand, while on the other hand, it surprises with a few unusual design decisions. In terms of picture quality, the PML8709 offers very good contrast, which, combined with wide colour gamut coverage, ensures excellent colour reproduction – especially after calibration. Despite a 60 Hz panel, the television is also suitable for occasional gaming thanks to support for features such as ALLM, VRR, and a low input lag of around 13 ms. On the other hand, Philips has deprived this model of one of the greatest advantages of its televisions – the Ambilight system. This unexpected move may disappoint many brand fans. Another weak point is performance in HDR – despite promising contrast results, the television performs averagely in this category. The average brightness and issues with details in brighter scenes give the impression that something has evidently gone wrong in the implementation of this feature. The Philips PML8709 is a television full of contrasts. On one hand, it offers solid black quality and interesting solutions for gamers, while on the other hand, some limitations, such as the lack of Ambilight and average brightness, mean that it is not a model without flaws. It is a good choice for those who value the versatility of Google TV and are looking for a television for everyday use.

In the category of black levels and contrast, the television LG QNED87T6B has certain challenges to overcome. Equipped with an IPS panel, it does not match models with VA panels in terms of performance in this area. Additionally, the edge-lit dimming affects its poor results in this category. It is worth mentioning that the exception here is the 50-inch variant, which has a VA panel, and is not subject to this test.

Although the manufacturer offers a dimming control option, the effects remain relatively weak. Test patterns show that the contrast is truly miserable, and in the test scene from the film "Sicario 2," it is clearly visible how the television struggles with uneven backlighting, illuminating a large portion of the screen from below. This demonstrates that in more demanding scenes, the television has difficulties maintaining an appropriate level of contrast and black levels, which negatively impacts the overall visual experience.

The model name 8709 "PML" refers to Philips mini-LED technology, but can we really call its backlighting that? In the 65-inch version, we counted only 96 local dimming zones. For mini-LED standards, this number seems too low, which raises questions as to whether we are actually dealing with a true mini-LED here. However, if we look at the black quality, the television performs quite well. On the first two test patterns, as well as in less demanding scenes, the picture is quite decent – blacks are deep and contrast is satisfactory. Problems begin, however, in more complex scenes, such as the last three test patterns, where small light elements appear on the screen. The local dimming algorithm seems to "get lost," unable to decide whether to brighten or darken a given area. The result is visible errors – reduced black quality and unevenness of the picture. An example of the local dimming zones' operation can be seen in a scene from the film Sicario 2. You can see how the dimming zones try to reproduce details, but at the same time, this leads to a slight brightening around the helicopter lights. However, despite these shortcomings, the black level in the Philips PML8709 is quite good, especially considering its price class.

LG QNED87T6B delivers truly decent visual experiences when it comes to HDR. During our tests on test patterns, the television achieved brightness close to 500 nits, which is a satisfactory result and allows for good visibility of details in high dynamic scenes. Support for basic HDR formats, such as HDR10 and HLG, ensures appropriate image quality. Unfortunately, the television does not support more advanced standards, such as Dolby Vision or HDR10+, which are particularly important at this screen brightness. The lack of support for dynamic metadata means that in certain scenes, the television may struggle to fully reproduce details, especially in very bright areas – precisely when dynamic metadata could significantly improve image quality. Nevertheless, it is worth noting the excellent coverage of the wide DCI-P3 colour gamut, reaching as high as 96.4%. This ensures that the colours displayed by the QNED87T6B model are more vibrant and natural, enhancing the quality of 4K content with a wide colour palette.

Looking at the results of the contrast, we expected that the algorithms responsible for the operation of zones in the Philips PML8709 would be at least decent. However, what we encountered during testing is difficult to explain. The average brightness we managed to achieve was only 350 nits, which is definitely too little to fully enjoy the effects of HDR. In practice, the television barely stands out against the backdrop of an average SDR. The situation becomes even more surprising for test scenes, such as the second one from the film Life of Pi or Sicario 2. Small light elements reach only 120 nits there, making them practically imperceptible. Such a level of brightness is completely at odds with contemporary HDR standards and significantly diminishes the experience of watching high-quality content. The only bright spot in this category is the very good coverage of wide colour gamuts – DCI-P3 at 97% and BT.2020 at 83%. This means that the colours are saturated and well-reproduced, which may improve the overall experience of watching HDR materials, if only a little. However, the lack of adequate brightness means that even this cannot save the Philips PML8709 in this category.

The colour reproduction in the LG QNED, even in Filmmaker Mode, which is the best factory setting, is not without flaws. The main issue is the white balance – we noticed that the level of blue on the graph tends to decrease. This results in a shift towards yellow tones, making the image appear warmer than it should. This deviation affects the naturalness of colour reproduction, especially in scenes with a white or neutral background. The Color Checker test confirmed that some colours are distorted and deviate from reality. Such distortion can make cinematic scenes seem less realistic, and details are represented in incorrect colours, which negatively impacts the overall picture quality.

In terms of contrast, the analysis of the gamma graph revealed significant drops, while the optimal value should be 2.4. This means that the television may display darker parts of the image brighter in certain scenes, which reduces their depth and dynamism. Additionally, on the EOTF curve, which is responsible for brightness reproduction, an unnatural drop was noted at the beginning. This phenomenon may result in less accuracy in reproducing dark scenes, which in turn affects the overall picture quality. The television may not convey the full depth of black, causing more demanding scenes to lose realism and detail. As a result, viewers may notice that details in the darker areas of the image become less distinct.

Although theoretically the Filmmaker mode on the Philips PML8709 should provide natural colour reproduction, in reality it resembles store mode more closely. In the white balance, both for HD and 4K content, there is a clear dominance of the blue colour. This causes the image to appear washed out and cold, which is particularly noticeable in the comparative photo below.

The brightness characteristics also leave much to be desired. Both the gamma and EOTF curve show excessive screen brightening. As a result, there is a loss of detail in both the brighter and darker areas of the image, which further diminishes its credibility and naturalness. Bright elements appear unnaturally flat and lacking in variety.

These significant issues in white balance and brightness characteristics lead to noticeable errors in colour reproduction, which can be easily seen in films as well as in the Colour Checker test. The colours are inaccurate, impacting the overall image quality and visual experience. The factory settings require significant improvement in order to fully enjoy the potential of this television.

After calibration, the colours in SDR content look very good. The improved white balance translates to natural and harmonious shades in various scenes. Thanks to the precise adjustment of the gamma, details in shadows and bright areas of the image are accurately reproduced. The television performs excellently in everyday use, offering vivid, well-balanced images and solid colour quality in HD quality. The greatest beneficiary here is also the contrast. The gamma chart has been freed from very large errors, so here the television has gained a second face.

As for the white balance in 4K HDR, it has also been significantly improved. However, certain errors still appear at the end of the chart. This could be due to the overly aggressive operation of the television's local dimming, which affects the accurate reproduction of colour in certain scenes. It is difficult to speak here of an improvement in brightness represented by the EOTF curve. Due to its construction limitations, the television has certain disadvantages and we are not able to overcome them. The Color Checker test confirms the issue with colour saturation – despite the television offering a wide colour palette, it is not able to fully convey what the director intended.

Despite these shortcomings, the overall picture quality after calibration is significantly better than before. Improvements in white balance and gamma adjustment make images more vivid, and colours closer to reality.

Philips offers advanced image calibration tools in its televisions, which we decided to fully utilise. The results? Although we managed to improve many aspects, it was not without difficulties. White balance was one of the biggest challenges – despite our efforts, this can be described as a fight against windmills. We managed to correct it significantly, resulting in the image now looking much better than in the factory settings, but it is still far from perfect. Particularly in some scenes, a subtle dominance of blue is visible, although not as intense as before. We achieved a substantial improvement in brightness characteristics – gamma now appears much more stable. The EOTF curve initially looks correct, however, when analysing film content, it is evident that the television struggles to maintain the appropriate characteristics. The algorithms are "battling," trying to adjust brightness, which may stem from the limited number of dimming zones that do not always cope with more complex scenes. Overall, the image after calibration looks much more pleasing to the eye – colours are more natural, and errors in colour reproduction have been minimised. Although it is still not perfect, the Philips PML8709 now performs significantly better than in the factory settings.

The gradation in LG QNED is quite good, despite minor issues on the colourful dark sky. These slight flaws do not detract from the fact that the gradation is one of the positive aspects of this model. Overall, the television performs well with smooth transitions of colours.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in the Philips PML8709 is at a very high level. The colour gradation is incredibly smooth, and the transitions between shades appear natural and detailed. Even in more demanding scenes, the television performs excellently. Minor issues may arise with bright elements, where the gradation may be slightly less precise. However, these are such subtle differences that only the most discerning purists will notice them. For most users, the effects will be fully satisfying, and the image will maintain its impressive quality.

When it comes to lower quality materials, the gradation looks really good. A feature called "Smooth Gradation" effectively smooths out the most problematic areas of the image without negatively affecting the film grain. For the best effect, it’s worth setting it to a low level. This solution significantly improves the quality of the displayed content and makes watching lower resolution materials more enjoyable and smoother.

In terms of digital processing, the image is displayed without cropping, known as overscanning. Although slight fringing of the branches against the model’s background can be noticed, the overall presentation is very good. Users should be satisfied with the image quality when watching low-quality materials, such as standard television. The television handles this task exceptionally well, providing a satisfying visual experience even with lower quality content.

The distortion reduction function in the Philips PML8709 smooths tonal transitions, but its effectiveness leaves much to be desired. We recommend setting this option to "Medium" – at this level, the effect is noticeable but not excessive. Unfortunately, compared to other Philips models, the smoothing effect is less effective, which means that certain tonal transitions may still appear a bit uneven. An additional drawback is that this function also smooths out other details, such as the textures of materials like a shirt, which can affect the sharpness of the image.

When it comes to image scaling, the television performs very well. The image appears plastic and free of noticeable "jaggedness." This effect may appeal to many users, although some may prefer a more pronounced appearance. Fortunately, the television allows for sharpness adjustment, and this enables us to tailor the image to individual preferences.

The television provides decent smoothness when watching films, thanks to the "Tru Motion" feature that allows for adjustment of the motion smoothing level on a scale from 0 to 10. De-Judder adjusts motion smoothness, while De-Blur regulates motion sharpness. The user has the option to choose between a traditional, cinematic effect with slight judder (lower settings) and a smoother, theatrical image. Although the latter slightly deviates from the cinematic standard, it may be appealing to many viewers.

As for gamers and sports fans, the LG QNED87 television with a 120Hz panel will certainly not disappoint them. And with the use of an IPS panel, the response time is generally better than that of VA panels available at a similar price. This guarantees smoother gameplay and dynamic experiences when watching sports events.

The Philips PML8709 is one of the few models with mini-LED technology on the market, offering a refresh rate of 60 Hz. Although it is not a panel for the most demanding gamers, it should satisfy those who mainly watch films. The television is equipped with the "Motion Style" function, which is a motion smoother that allows you to adjust the smoothness of motion according to preferences – from a more "plastic" look to a cinematic aesthetic with clearly visible frames.

LG QNED offers a range of features that make it an excellent choice for gamers looking for a high-performance television. The television is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports, allowing for connection to the latest consoles, such as PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and taking full advantage of features including Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). With the Game Bar feature, gamers can quickly and easily manage all their game settings without having to navigate through complicated menus. It is possible to adjust parameters such as VRR, ALLM, Multi View, and monitor frame rates. The television also supports G-Sync and FreeSync technologies, which is particularly important for owners of Nvidia and AMD graphics cards. G-Sync and FreeSync synchronise the television's refresh rate with the graphics card. The 120Hz panel ensures incredible motion smoothness and image clarity. Combined with the Black Frame Insertion (BFI) feature, available at 60Hz and 120Hz, gamers can enjoy an even clearer and smoother picture. LG QNED87 is a television that will meet the expectations of even the most demanding gamers, offering modern technologies and features that significantly enhance comfort and satisfaction in gaming.

Philips PML8709 is a television aimed more at casual gamers, primarily due to its 60 Hz panel, which may not meet the expectations of the most demanding users. However, for those who appreciate gaming at a more measured pace, this model may prove sufficient.

The television offers several gamer-friendly features, such as ALLM (automatic switching to game mode) and VRR (variable refresh rate), which help deliver smoother visuals without annoying stutters. Furthermore, in terms of HDR, it includes an HGiG implementation that adjusts HDR effects to the specifics of games, providing a more natural image in properly optimised titles. Unfortunately, it lacks support for Dolby Vision mode, which may be noticeable in games that utilise this format.

A nice addition is the presence of a basic "Game Bar," which allows for quick viewing and modification of the most important gaming-related settings. This is a simple but useful feature, especially for those who often switch configurations between different types of gameplay. Despite some limitations, Philips PML8709 offers a solid set of features for less demanding gamers.

LG QNED stands out with an extremely low input lag, which is crucial for smooth and responsive gameplay. For a refresh rate of 120Hz, input lag values do not exceed 6 ms, whereas at 60Hz, the input lag reaches a maximum of 15 ms. These are truly impressive results that ensure player reactions are almost instantly reflected on the screen.

Philips PML8709 performs very well in terms of input lag. At the supported resolutions, results around 13 ms are more than sufficient to ensure comfortable gameplay. Such a response time means that even more dynamic games do not cause annoying delays. As a result, players can enjoy smooth gameplay without unnecessary stress.

The LG QNED television works excellently with a computer, offering very good font readability. As a result, working and browsing content is exceptionally comfortable. The high refresh rate of 120Hz ensures a smooth and vivid image. It combines a large workspace with efficiency, making it a real pleasure to use. However, for more demanding users, the disappointing fact may be that the television has issues displaying fonts on a dark background. Instead of white letters, they take on a greenish hue.

The Philips PML8709 offers a dedicated mode for PC, but its capabilities are quite limited. The television does not support chroma 4:4:4, which significantly affects the readability of fonts – text appears blurred and is difficult to read, disqualifying this model for those planning to use it as a monitor for work or document viewing. Additionally, although in G-Sync tests the television showed compatibility, the image when using this function is very unstable, with frequent stuttering. Such unpredictability eliminates the benefits that adaptive sync support should provide.

The only positive aspect in the context of working with a PC is the low input lag, which may be an advantage for those using the television mainly for gaming. Nevertheless, the limitations in chroma support and issues with G-Sync make the PML8709 less than ideal for PC users.

When it comes to viewing angles, LG QNED87 performs really well. Thanks to the use of an IPS panel, it offers wide viewing angles compared to VA panels. This means that the image remains clear and does not lose quality even at an angle. Although it may not achieve results as perfect as OLED televisions, which maintain colours and brightness regardless of the viewing angle, in the context of LCD QNED87 screens, it stands out positively. This makes it an excellent choice for larger rooms where viewers often watch from an angle.

The Philips PML8709, equipped with a VA panel, offers average viewing angles typical for this type of display. The image deteriorates in quality when viewed from a sharper angle – colours wash out and contrast significantly decreases. This is a characteristic feature of VA panels and it is worth keeping in mind, especially if we plan to watch the television from different positions in the room. However, for viewers sitting directly in front, the picture remains clear and well-reproduced.

During the day, the LG QNED television performs acceptably. It has a satin finish panel that doesn't suppress reflections very well, which can be noticeable in bright rooms. Nevertheless, thanks to quite good brightness of 430 nits, the picture remains visible and readable. Although reflections can be somewhat distracting, the television's brightness allows for comfortable use during the day.

The Philips PML8709 is equipped with a satin matrix, which performs moderately well in reducing reflections. In moderately lit rooms, reflections will not be too bothersome; however, in heavily sunlit conditions, the situation can become problematic. An additional challenge is the relatively low screen brightness, measuring around 330 cd/m². This level may prove insufficient to ensure comfortable viewing in bright rooms, where the image may appear too dark and unclear. The television will perform better under controlled lighting conditions, but for those looking for a model that handles daytime viewing well, this may be a significant limitation.

LG QNED87 Television offers a multitude of features that significantly enhance user comfort. Let's start with the WebOS system, which we believe has the most user-friendly interface among all televisions available on the market. One of its greatest assets is the remote control with an integrated gyroscope, known as the Magic Remote. Thanks to this, navigation is intuitive and fast, making the use of the television a pleasure. WebOS also supports a number of smart features that greatly simplify daily use of the television. Among them, we find AirPlay, which allows easy content streaming from Apple devices such as iPhone or iPad. Additionally, the television supports a wide range of streaming applications, such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and many others, providing access to favourite films and series in one place. When it comes to daily usage, LG QNED87 does not disappoint. The television offers a USB recording function, which is increasingly rare in today's models. This allows for recording favourite programmes and watching them at any time. Furthermore, the television has a PIP (Picture-in-Picture) function, although only for one tuner, enabling the viewing of two programmes simultaneously. Connecting additional devices via Bluetooth is simple and hassle-free. The television supports various Bluetooth devices, such as mice, keyboards, or headphones, increasing its versatility and allowing easy personalisation of the user experience. With all these features, the LG QNED87 television is a versatile and convenient device that meets the expectations of even the most demanding users.

Philips PML8709 runs on the Google TV operating system. This is quite a surprising choice, considering that it is not a flagship model of the brand. Fortunately, it has avoided the implementation of the less popular TitanOS, which can be seen as a plus. Google TV offers a well-known, clear interface and wide possibilities for app installation, making the television more versatile.

In terms of usability, the television performs solidly. Daily use of the device is pleasant, thanks to support for voice search in Polish. The ability to connect peripheral devices such as keyboards, mice or headphones via Bluetooth increases its functionality. Unfortunately, the PML8709 does not offer more advanced options like USB recording or PiP (picture-in-picture) functionality, which may disappoint more demanding users.

An interesting fact, and quite a surprise, is the absence of the Ambilight system, for which Philips is widely known. The decision to omit this technology in the PML8709 model seems inexplicable, especially since Ambilight is often cited as one of the greatest advantages of televisions from this brand.

The built-in media player in the LG QNED87 television should not disappoint anyone. It offers rich capabilities when it comes to playing video and audio files. It supports many popular formats, providing versatility and user convenience. The only criticism that could be made is the limited number of supported image formats. However, this mainly concerns those less popular formats, so most users should be satisfied with the player's functionality. For everyday use and typical multimedia formats, the player performs very well.

Philips PML8709 performs well in playing multimedia files from USB. The television should not have problems with handling most popular video, audio, and photo formats, making it a versatile tool for home entertainment. Files are read smoothly, and the interface of the built-in player is simple and intuitive.

However, a significant drawback is the lack of support for Polish characters in subtitles, stemming from the incomplete implementation of the UTF-8 standard. Subtitles with Polish characters are displayed incorrectly, which can be frustrating for those watching films in their native language. This shortcoming means that users seeking full compatibility with subtitles may be forced to resort to external multimedia players.

When it comes to sound, one could say it is moderately pleasant. There is a lack of pronounced bass, and the mid-tones seem somewhat unclean. This is not an ideal situation for audiophiles, but it is worth noting that the television has no trouble playing DTS files. This is a feature that is lacking in many other televisions, so the LG QNED87 deserves praise for this support.

The sound quality of the Philips PML8709 is average and standard for a television equipped with speakers rated at 2 x 10 W. The sound is sufficient for everyday viewing, but it is difficult to expect depth in the bass or clear details in more demanding scenes. On the plus side, it does support Dolby Atmos and DTS.

LG QNED87T6B vs Philips PML8709

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