Philips OLED809/819 vs XIAOMI A PRO 2025

Philips OLED 809 delivers a more than satisfying HDR effect. The television is capable of generating brightness exceeding 900 nits in almost every scene, and sometimes even over 1000. This result allows for a full experience of content with a wide tonal range. The only moment when Philips OLED 809 is unable to generate higher brightness is in a scene from the movie “The Meg,” which features a large amount of bright white across a significant portion of the screen. However, this cannot be regarded as a poor result, as it represents a considerable improvement over its predecessor. Generally speaking, such values for OLED panels produced by LG Display, which do not feature MLA technology, are very, very good. When combined with high coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, they allow for an exceptional HDR experience. The Philips OLED 809 test showed that this television supports popular HDR formats such as Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

In the HDR category, the television Xiaomi A Pro is, to put it plainly, lacking. Under ideal conditions, it offers brightness at around 250 nits. This is a poor result; however, in this price range, many competing models offer similar or lower values. Such brightness is too low to fully realise the potential of HDR content. In practice, this means that the image does not gain the appropriate depth and intensity expected from high-quality HDR. These values are more characteristic of standard dynamic range (SDR), which means that the true HDR effect remains beyond the reach of this model, and scenes that should stand out with spectacular brightness and contrast seem flat and lacklustre. However, for its price, the television offers good coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut at 92%, thanks to the use of quantum dot technology (specifically PFS LED). This results in vibrant and saturated colours, which will appeal particularly to gamers and film enthusiasts who appreciate richer shades and better colour reproduction compared to traditional televisions without this technology.

The best factory mode in which we conducted all our tests was "Filmmaker", which has become rather standard in televisions from this manufacturer. However, let's check what its characteristics were before we began the calibration process. The first aspect we will examine is white balance, as despite appearing unassuming, it determines whether the image will be free from any kind of tint. The graph clearly shows that both in SDR and HDR materials, there was a dominant presence of two colours: red and green, which resulted in a strong yellow tint that was ubiquitous across the entire image. This is perfectly visible on the "ColourChecker" palette, where all hues shifted towards their warmer counterparts. The second thing we will scrutinise is, in our opinion, the two most important graphs regarding image quality assessment: gamma and the EOTF curve. Both aim to maintain adequate brightness and contrast. The first one serves to describe the brightness level in SDR materials, while the second shows the rate of luminance increase. Analyzing the first one, we can observe that it was extremely lowered compared to the reference value marked by the orange line. This situation resulted primarily in a sharp increase in brightness and a significant reduction in contrast, almost reminiscent of that in OLED televisions. The EOTF curve exhibited greater "moderation" and only slightly brightened the entire image to 50% of the maximum brightness.

The Xiaomi A Pro 2025 television has been tested in movie mode, which offers the best colour reproduction straight out of the box. However, it is worth noting that it is not free from flaws. Analysing the white balance, it can be observed that the values for green are in the negative. This phenomenon leads to some distortions in the shades of white, and with pure white, the graph shows clear deviations. The over-contrasted image results in inappropriate tonal transitions in red, negatively affecting the quality of colour display. Generally, in the image below, it can be seen that the overall scenery before calibration acquires pink hues. Additionally, when analysing gamma contrast, the graph is significantly below the 2.4 value, suggesting that the television overly emphasises dark tones, and the brighter areas of the image may be less vivid. Furthermore, the EOTF curve shows a strong peak at the beginning, which can lead to a loss of detail in bright scenes and an unpleasant feeling of over-drawing. These aspects indicate a need for further calibration to achieve a more balanced colour reproduction and improve the overall image quality. Users who expect precise colour reproduction may be forced to take measures to adjust the television settings to achieve more realistic and natural visual results. In the xiaomi tv a pro 2025, the factory colour settings in Xiaomi are average and may require calibration. After proper colour adjustment, the image gains a natural and vibrant colour palette, much closer to cinematic standards. It is worth adding that the issue of inaccurate colour reproduction is typical for many televisions in this class, meaning it is not a flaw unique to the Xiaomi A Pro 2025 TV. For those who value perfect colour reproduction, professional calibration will prove to be a key element that enhances the overall image quality.

Philips, like most leading manufacturers, has been providing advanced tools for calibration processes for years. Here we will find both 2- and 20-point grey scale adjustments, as well as an advanced CMS (Colour Management System). As you can observe, this has brought about extremely beneficial results and profoundly changed the perceived image. Practically every one of the elements mentioned above has undergone a transformation and has been brought back to its natural state. This is particularly evident on the "ColourChecker" palette, where the measured samples are harmoniously in place. It must be said that the white balance has turned out exceptionally well, allowing us to enjoy a clean image free from any tint in both SDR and HDR materials. The biggest issue of OLED809, namely gamma, has been properly modelled and only shows minor errors here and there, which will not affect the overall picture. The EOTF curve, on the other hand, has been rid of that subtle brightening and now presents itself as reference-level.

Now it's time to check how the Xiaomi A Pro 2025 television has performed after calibration. The biggest beneficiary of this process is the white balance. After the calibration was conducted, all previous errors were corrected in both HD and 4K content, and most errors no longer fall significantly outside the value of "2". This means a much more balanced and natural colour representation, which certainly affects the viewing comfort. In terms of gamma, the drop was significantly reduced, resulting in a more consistent tonal representation across various scenes. Nevertheless, the EOTF curve has not been significantly improved due to a lack of effective control over dynamic tone mapping. This limitation means that there are still some issues with detail reproduction in bright scenes, which may affect the perception of certain materials. However, despite these minor shortcomings, the overall shape of the image is definitely better after calibration. The television has gained in quality, and the improved white balance along with reduced gamma issues allows users to enjoy a more realistic and pleasant visual experience. Further adjustment of settings may enhance image quality even more, but even now the television demonstrates its capabilities, meeting the expectations of many users.

Philips OLED 809 did not perform particularly well in the test of tonal transition fluidity. Moving on to the part of the test where we assess the behaviour of the television's algorithms, we will once again check the function responsible for removing posterization. Indeed, such a function exists in the menu and has several available options. As you can see in the picture on the left, although its presence has been confirmed by us, it is not useful. Only at the highest setting does it effectively remove stuttering; however, it blurs the entire image in the process. Therefore, it is completely useless.

It happens more than once or twice that you and we watch lower quality materials. In this case, the quality of the image upscaling algorithms can have a beneficial effect. We must admit that those implemented in OLED 809 work quite efficiently and improve image quality without visible artifacts. You can only notice slight edge fringing; however, it is unlikely to be visible during normal viewing.

How does the Xiaomi A Pro 2025 television cope with tonal transitions, especially with lower-quality materials? Thanks to advanced digital processing, the colour contour removal function works surprisingly well. We recommend setting this option to "Medium" – the television significantly improves the fluidity of tonal transitions while avoiding excessive smoothing of other image elements, such as film grain.

In the case of the tested image featuring a model and numerous branches in the background, the Xiaomi A Pro 2025 showcased its capabilities in terms of digital processing. Adding artificial sharpness to this scene made the details of the model more pronounced, and her hair appeared more detailed. However, delicate contours appeared around the branches in the background, which were a result of digital interference. Although this enhances the overall impression of detail, excessive sharpness can make some elements of the image seem unnaturally emphasised.

The maximum refresh rate we can set on the tested television is 144 Hz. This value can be achieved by connecting it to a really powerful PC. In the case of consoles or television, everything remains the same. For those who require high smoothness of motion or dislike the characteristic stuttering of films recorded at 24 fps, the manufacturer has prepared a fairly extensive motion smoothing system. In the dedicated tab, we will find a slider for “Smoothness” that is responsible for eliminating stutter, and “Motion Blur Reduction,” which helps increase the sharpness of dynamic elements. The function works very well and granularly, meaning that each setting has a real impact on the perception of motion. We also mention that it works at a refresh rate of 120 Hz, as it operates on multiples of film or television materials. With such an extensive set of options, every user will find their golden mean. In the picture, we present our choice, which is slight smoothing without the soap opera effect.

Motion is influenced not only by settings on the television but also by the response time of the panel itself. OLED televisions feature the best response time on the market, which in the case of 809 is about 0.1 ms. There are no IPS/ADS or especially VA panels that come close to the results of organic panels.

Xiaomi A Pro 2025 offers a motion smoothing feature called "Motion Smoothing," which primarily works in films. It can be adjusted to prefer either a more cinematic, film-like effect with visible frames, or a smoother, theatre-like image. This function should satisfy those who intend to watch mainly films on it. However, gamers and sports fans may feel disappointed. The 60 Hz refresh rate panel, typical in this price range, does not impress. Our "Ufo" test revealed some motion blur. Those expecting better sharpness of moving objects may be slightly let down.

The Philips OLED 809 television supports all technologies included in the HDMI 2.1 standard, and during our testing, each one activated without any problems. Therefore, we must state that this television is perfectly suited for all gamers, whether they are using a console or a computer. It is worth mentioning that the manufacturer has opted to implement the HGIG mode, which provides a great alternative to Dolby Vision, which unfortunately in the OLED809 is unplayable due to very high input lag.

A nod to gamers is also the inclusion of a dedicated GameBar, which allows for monitoring current gameplay parameters and quick changes to settings. We will also find a function to enable a crosshair, which will be very useful when shooting with a sniper rifle, but from the so-called hip. Additionally, we can also find a shadow enhancement function for better visibility in shadows and a colour filter for gamers with visual impairments.

In summary, the OLED 809 is a very good and versatile device for gamers. Anyone who purchases this television for gaming does not need to worry about anything, as it is simply made for gaming. Especially since features such as VRR, ALLM, G-Sync, FreeSync, or HDR Dolby Vision gameplay will allow for an even greater immersion in their favourite title. Lastly, we will add that the only downside of the television in game mode is the artificial image sharpening, regardless of the settings, and it cannot be 'softened'.

Xiaomi A Pro 2025 offers several features useful for gamers, including Game Bar, which is different from the typical "dashboards" with interfaces found in other manufacturers' products. Thanks to this, users can quickly access game-related settings, which is convenient during intense sessions. The TV also supports Automatic Low Latency Mode (ALLM), meaning it automatically switches to a mode optimised for gaming, reducing signal latency. Unfortunately, it lacks support for HDMI 2.1, limiting its capabilities for connecting the latest gaming consoles that may require higher bandwidth. Additionally, the TV does not support features such as VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) or G-Sync, which are increasingly desired by gamers, as they allow for smoother visuals and eliminate tearing. For these reasons, although Xiaomi A Pro 2025 has some features for gamers, in this price range, better options can be found that offer more advanced solutions dedicated to gamers.