Compare: Philips PUS8500 vs TCL P7K / P79K

Ambilight, as this is what we need to start with, is the biggest reason why it's worth buying the PUS8500. The three-sided backlighting of the television looks fantastic, especially in the evening. It creates an atmosphere, masks contrast shortcomings, and makes watching a film simply more enjoyable. Even if the black levels aren't perfect, the native VA panel offers decent performance at high contrast. Additionally, there’s quite a good input lag and several features for gamers such as ALLM and VRR. Although HDMI 2.1 and a 120Hz panel are absent, playing casually should be a pleasure. Especially since it feels responsive and without delays. Let’s also mention the full support for audio formats – both Dolby Atmos and DTS are included, so soundbar owners can also rejoice.

However, we won't sugarcoat it – this is still a budget television, and at times it’s clearly evident. The brightness is average – not weak enough to prevent viewing, but on an exceptionally sunny day, watching without curtains can be problematic. Nevertheless, in our opinion, the biggest disappointment of the PUS8560 is the Titan OS operating system. Despite the fact that the system debuted some time ago, certain functions simply refused to work – for instance, screen mirroring from a phone despite the manufacturer claiming that such a feature is present. There are fewer apps than in the competition, and the system itself operates rather clumsily. Generally, while it does have some features, it evidently lacks refinement.

Of course, this isn’t a television meant to compete with top models. But if someone is looking for something simple, with a great atmosphere provided by the Ambilight system, it is quite a fair proposition. You just have to know what to expect and accept the numerous compromises present here.

The time has come to gather all observations. The TCL P7K / P79K is a television that cleverly juggles compromises, offering much more in its price range than we could have expected. Its undeniable asset is the VA panel, guaranteeing deep blacks and high contrast, and the surprisingly rich package for gamers (with VRR and support for 120 Hz at lower resolutions) makes it a phenomenal proposition for console owners. The whole is tied together by the functional Google TV system. Of course, the low peak brightness means that HDR content lacks spectacular bursts, and the TV's performance in sunlit rooms is limited. And although, at its relatively low price, the P7K / P79K is quite a decent option, its biggest rival turns out to be… its more refined sibling, the P8K. Often, FOR a small additional payment, we get a device of a higher class – with a native 4K 144 Hz panel, significantly better audio system, and generally higher quality of operation, which is reflected in its much higher rating on our portal. Therefore, the final verdict must be as follows: if your budget is absolutely non-negotiable, the P7K / P79K will be a good and cost-effective choice. However, if you can afford to add a small amount, the P8K model will offer significantly more and will ultimately be a more satisfying investment.

The Philips PUS8560 in the size we tested is equipped with a VA panel. As a result, black levels – as far as LCD televisions go – can be deemed decent. And that is exactly the case with this model. Both black levels and the overall impression of contrast in the film scenes we tested were really quite good – the image does not bleed, and details are visible even in challenging sections.

But the panel alone is not everything. Unfortunately, the PUS8500 does not come with local dimming (which is a given considering the television segment), so one must be aware that in completely dark conditions, the 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 genuinely affects the perception of contrast. Therefore, even if technically the black is not perfect, subjectively the viewing experience becomes much more pleasurable. For many people, this is enough to make an evening screening truly impressive.

In the discussion about image quality, the conversation almost always begins with the issue of black depth and contrast, which are parameters that define the plasticity and realism of the observed world. Here, the TCL P7k/P79k immediately lays its strongest asset on the table – a VA panel. Its construction is what makes the native relation between the brightest and darkest parts of the image more than satisfactory, especially in the context of the price segment that this model represents. In the majority of scenes, the black achieved has a noble depth, which allows for building an engaging spectacle for the viewer. To illustrate the scale, it is worth mentioning that competing constructions based on IPS panels often offer results that are even four times, and sometimes five times, lower, which in direct comparison represents a chasm. Of course, when entering the territory of models oriented towards affordability, we must be aware of certain compromises. Therefore, we will not find an advanced local dimming system in the discussed television, which could further enhance the sense of contrast. However, the absence of this feature is fully understandable and constitutes a logical consequence of positioning the product in the market – this technology in TCL's portfolio for 2025 has been reserved for higher positioned, more prestigious series marked with the letter "C".

When it comes to the HDR effect on the PUS8560, it can fairly confidently be stated that it is very average. The panel brightness is around 350 nits, which we consider to be the absolute minimum for watching content in this format. However, this is not a result that will astonish a viewer searching for the best possible picture.

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

When turning to the assessment of HDR performance, we must be clear and without marketing embellishments: the P7K/P79K is not, and was never intended to be, a master in this field. The maximum peak brightness that this panel can generate hovers around a mere 300 nits. This represents a threshold, a kind of thin red line between what can be considered a barely satisfactory HDR signal and what is, in fact, not much different from standard dynamic range (SDR), unfortunately leaning towards the latter. Synthetic tests found brutal confirmation in reality – our measurements taken during movie screenings showed that luminance in key bright portions of the scenes rarely exceeded the ceiling of 200-250 nits. Thus, this is not a television that would allow content realised in a wide tonal range to spread its wings, and this must be openly admitted.

Unfortunately, the issue of colour reproduction is presented with equal restraint. Although the manufacturer positions this model within the "QLED" family, thanks to the use of a PFS LED filter, the results do not match the heightened expectations. The coverage of the wide DCI-P3 colour gamut reaches only 86%. In the context of the market, this is at best an average result, as most devices that employ additional layers to expand the colour spectrum easily achieve values at a minimum level of 90-92%.

We tested the television with the best available factory settings, namely in Film/Filmmaker mode – this is the mode we recommend for everyday viewing. Unfortunately, it is not without its flaws. Both in HD and HDR content, the image had a noticeable tendency to a pink tint, caused by an excessive amount of red and blue in the white balance. Another issue turned out to be excessive brightness in the image, which was confirmed by both the gamma chart and the EOTF curve. This feature was responsible for loss of detail and washed-out colours in more challenging HDR scenes that we mentioned earlier. The overall result led to significant colour reproduction errors – in extreme cases, the delta E value exceeded 7, while the threshold for visible errors for the human eye is around 3. This situation can be improved with calibration, and you can read about its effects below.

Every accurate assessment of image quality must begin with selection of the most optimal factory mode. In the case of the tested model P7K/P79K, the choice was made without hesitation for the "Film" mode. It is this mode that presents an image closest to the intentions of the creators, avoiding both the exaggerated brightness of the dynamic mode and the excessive dimming known from eco settings. And it must be admitted that, for a device in this price range, the factory calibration is surprisingly decent, although it has not escaped a few missteps. The most noticeable flaw turned out to be the not completely correctly set white balance. A slight dominance of the blue component gives the image a subtly cool, cold character, thus deviating from the exemplary neutrality that the director wanted to show us. The television performs much better in reproducing the greyscale in the standard dynamic range – the gamma curve is nearly exemplary. The only minor reservation could be made regarding the darkest parts of the image, where a slight deviation from the norm causes a loss of some detail in the shadows. The most serious challenge for the TCL software, however, was interpreting the HDR signal, as illustrated by the course of the EOTF curve. The television follows its own, quite free path here – the darkest details are disproportionately brightened, after which there is a noticeable slowdown in the increase of brightness for midtones. Fortunately, most of these imperfections are software-related issues that can be eliminated. With this thought in mind, we began the process of professional calibration.

The Dutch manufacturer offers quite a sizable amount of settings in its products, so as usual, we decided to tinker with them a bit. The effects are immediately noticeable – we managed to correct the white balance, which made the image stop appearing excessively pink. The brightness characteristic has also been partially evened out, of course, within the limits set by the television itself. The image is no longer overly exaggerated, and the overall reception after calibration is definitely better than in the factory settings of the Filmmaker mode.

One could only critique the EOTF curve characteristic, which still indicates that the image has a tendency to brighten HDR materials. Despite our efforts, the darkest parts of scenes are still sometimes too bright, and the brightest ones do not always achieve their full contrast potential. However, it must be clearly stated that we are dealing with a typically budget construction – one cannot expect reference-level reproduction of HDR content from it.

Calibration has definitely helped this model – it improved the balance, toned down the aggressive colour palette, and brought the image closer to what one might expect from a well-configured movie mode. However, there are certain limitations that cannot be overcome.

The calibration process turned out to be spot on, particularly in the context of standard dynamic range (SDR) content. We successfully mitigated the television's tendency to emphasize cool tones, restoring the whiteness to its natural neutrality. Moreover, precise adjustments allowed us to correct a slight error in the gamma curve, ensuring that the darkest parts of the image regained their proper depth, without any trace of unnatural brightness. The effects are measurable and impressive – in the ColorChecker test, the overwhelming majority of colour reproduction errors fell below the perceptual threshold, achieving a deltaE value of under 2. This is a result that pricier models would not be ashamed of. Unfortunately, when it comes to HDR content, we encounter a barrier in the form of the inherent limitations of the panel itself. And although we managed to bring the colours into line, the software's characteristics mean that the television still adapts brightness in its own way, as evidenced by the persistent, non-standard EOTF curve. In summary, calibration adds immense value, but one must be aware that it cannot overcome certain physical barriers. The slightly elevated black level, due to the lack of local dimming, along with limited peak brightness, means that HDR content may not always be able to showcase its full potential. This is simply not the primary task of this display; its true strength, especially after professional tuning, lies in the viewing of SDR material.

The PUS8560 handles colour transitions into smooth gradients very well. During tests, the image appeared coherent and natural, and serious issues with tonal transitions occurred only in very dark scenes – for example, in a shot with red water, where subtle cuts between colours could be noticed. However, these are rather exceptions that do not spoil the reception of most content. It is worth mentioning another phenomenon that more significantly affects the quality of the image – the so-called dithering, which refers to a slight "tingling" visible on uniform backgrounds. This effect can be particularly noticeable in high-quality materials and can somewhat spoil the impression of image clarity. It is for this flaw that we deducted some points in our evaluation.

The issue of the fluidity of tonal transitions, or popular grading, is another area where the P7K / P79K evokes mixed feelings and surprises with its dual nature. If we were to evaluate solely its ability to render smooth colour gradients, we would undoubtedly give it a solid score of 8/10. Unfortunately, this positive image is marred by the use of very aggressive and unpleasant dithering. This artefact is particularly noticeable on demanding test patterns – such as the one depicting an actor submerged in red water – where rough, unnatural texture appears on uniform colour surfaces, betraying the digital nature of the image. This is all the more disappointing, as it is not a new issue. It seems to be a sort of inheritance from previous generations of budget TCL models, which is a pity, as it represents a flaw on what is fundamentally a quite competent image and is a mistake that could have been avoided.

Philips PUS8560 offers a function for reducing posterization, hidden under the name "distortion reduction". And although it indeed fulfills its role by smoothing out problematic tonal transitions, it works a bit too broadly. In practice, it affects not only colourful gradients but also softens faces, the textures of clothing, and the surfaces of furniture. This compromises the authenticity of the image – especially in films where natural texture is very important. However, if someone is looking for smoothing at all costs, it's best to set this option to "Low". For cinema image enthusiasts – we definitely do not recommend it.

On the positive side, the quality of upscaling older materials is noteworthy – the PUS8560 model handles them surprisingly well. The image retains its natural softness, without artificially boosted sharpness. It is also worth mentioning that the television correctly displays content with very low resolution, avoiding issues with image edge cutting (so-called overscan).

After a series of harsh evaluations, fortunately, the time comes for praise, and this is due to the TCL AiPQ image processor for its work in the field of digital processing and content scaling. It should be noted right away that we are not talking about the level known from flagship designs; however, in the price segment represented by the P7K/P79K, the results achieved are more than solid. The feature for smoothing tonal transitions performs particularly well, effectively eliminating posterisation, which are the characteristic bands often visible in highly compressed materials, for example, from the ChooseTV service. The algorithm adeptly removes unwanted gradients, which ultimately looks really good. The television also handles upscaling competently, which is the task of elevating low-resolution materials to 4K standard. The resulting image, although it may initially seem a bit too sharp, fortunately, is not a problem. The software allows for free adjustment of this parameter using a sharpness slider, making it easy to customise the final appearance to personal preferences.

The Philips PUS8560 is a television equipped with a panel featuring a refresh rate of 60 Hz, which immediately limits its capabilities in terms of displaying dynamic content. Watching sports or playing on a console is not particularly enjoyable. The situation is further worsened by the lack of any option to improve the smoothness of films. In the menu, we won't find settings that would allow us to enable a motion smoother or even a slight motion smoothing for films recorded at 24 frames per second. You can imagine the effect. The image can appear jerky, especially in shots with panoramic camera movements.

The issue of fluidity and sharpness of the image in motion is inextricably linked to a fundamental parameter of the matrix, and in the case of the TCL P7K/P79K, we are dealing with a panel with a native refresh rate of 60 Hz. This specification defines its capabilities from the outset and makes it difficult to unequivocally recommend it to enthusiasts of dynamic sports broadcasts. During fast camera movements, the image loses sharpness, and the panel also shows a slight tendency to smearing, which may be noticeable to more sensitive viewers. Fortunately, not everything in this aspect has been left to chance. The manufacturer has implemented a simple motion smoothing system, which is primarily used in film material recorded at 24 or 30 frames per second. Thanks to a dedicated slider, users can decide for themselves the final character of the motion – from maintaining a fully cinematic, slightly juddery image to achieving a very smooth, almost theatrical effect. It is a simple but effective tool that allows users to tailor the viewing experience to their own preferences.

Although the Philips PUS8560 is not designed with gamers in mind, the manufacturer has decided to equip it with a few features that may prove useful when connecting a console. On board, we find automatic switching to game mode (ALLM), as well as a simple connection status information bar – the so-called Game Bar. It does not make a particularly strong 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. While this is not a wide range, in the case of less demanding games or titles with unstable frame rates, VRR can help reduce screen tearing. However, this is the only element that could be considered beyond the minimum.

It must be made clear 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 response time of the panel is not among the fastest. This model may be suitable at most for casual gamers who want to enjoy the Ambilight system.

Although on paper the native 4K@60Hz panel might suggest that the TCL P7K/P79K is not a television tailored for gamers, the reality is surprisingly different. On the contrary, the manufacturer has ensured a rich package of features that make it a very friendly companion for next-generation consoles. Onboard, we find key technologies such as ALLM, which provides automatic switching to low latency mode, and VRR, or variable refresh rate, which eliminates screen tearing. The list is complemented by support for Dolby Vision Gaming and a simple yet functional Game Bar. However, the real and extremely pleasant surprise is something else. It turns out that the television easily supports a high refresh rate signal of 120 Hz but at lower resolutions – 1080p and 1440p. This is fantastic news for console owners, who know well how rarely games run in native 4K at a full 120 frames per second. The ability to choose between higher resolution and doubled smoothness is therefore an extremely sensible compromise.

In summary, although the P7K/P79K may not be the target screen for the most passionate tournament players, for the casual or occasional console user, it offers a package of options that is hard to find among many competitors at this price.

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

Complementing this rich package for gamers is a parameter that has a direct impact on comfort and performance in gameplay – input lag. Already in native 60 Hz mode, the television boasts an excellent result of just 15 ms. However, the real magic happens when switching to 120 Hz mode, where the lag drops nearly by half, reaching values below 10 ms. Such responsiveness ensures that every command from the controller is translated to the screen in the blink of an eye, which will be appreciated not only by professionals but by anyone who values smooth and direct interaction with the game.

When it comes to working with a PC on the PUS8560, it looks... quite strange. Chroma 4:4:4 is present in "Monitor" mode, but there is a problem with grey fonts – not all subpixels are lit, which results in the text appearing jagged. On the other hand, 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 at all times. And what about gaming on the computer? Our opinion remains the same as for consoles – it is doable, but without fireworks. There is no variable refresh rate for G-SYNC graphics cards, and the refresh rate itself remains relatively low. However, we can once again highlight the very low input lag, which saves the situation in dynamic games.

We finally come to an area that can undoubtedly be described as the biggest Achilles' heel of the TCL P7K/P79K – its compatibility with PC. It is paradoxical in that, on paper, everything looks promising. The presence of G-Sync and support for high refresh rates at lower resolutions might suggest that it would also be a great monitor. Unfortunately, practice brutally verifies these assumptions. The key issue is the lack of support for full 4:4:4 chroma sampling. In everyday use, this translates to terrible font rendering quality – these, especially the coloured ones, become jagged, surrounded by artefacts, and simply poorly legible. This is not the end of the story, as in PC mode, the problem of aggressive dithering also becomes evident, giving the entire image an artificial, overly digital appearance. The only consolation in this situation is the fact that in games we can take advantage of the additional hertz and G-Sync technology, but these are not advantages that could compensate for the fundamental deficiencies in displaying a static interface. The verdict is therefore clear: while as a screen solely for gaming on PC it might still hold its own, as a monitor for work or browsing the internet, the P7K/P79K simply performs poorly.

The viewing angles on the PUS8560 are precisely what one would 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 black begins to resemble a dark navy. This is, of course, the price paid for the better contrast that VA offers when viewed directly. In the case of our 55-inch model, this is still acceptable, especially if the television is positioned perfectly opposite the sofa. However, with larger screen sizes or a less central placement in the living room – it could become a problem for comfortable viewing.

When it comes to viewing angles, we enter the territory where VA panel technology dictates unavoidable conditions. As expected, this is the weak point of this model. It is enough to move away from the screen axis to observe a gradual degradation of the image: colours begin to fade, contrast noticeably drops, and black loses its depth. In direct comparison with IPS panels, which are renowned for their generosity in this aspect, the VA panel must concede superiority to its competitor. Is there any upside to this? Paradoxically, yes. Poor viewing angles are, after all, the price we consciously pay for the fundamental advantage of this technology – a significantly higher native contrast and deeper blacks when viewed head-on. Thus, it can be said that this is a television that favours viewers sitting in the 'ideal' spot, offering them a maximally vibrant image at the cost of versatility.

The PUS8560 performs moderately during the day. The satin matrix coating quite effectively dampens reflections, which means that light from windows or lamps does not interfere too much. The blacks also look decent for a VA panel – even in daylight, there are no significant losses in contrast. However, all the charm 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 lit room. In such conditions, the PUS8560 simply needs to be aided by blinds – otherwise, the image begins to look rather pale.

The final practical test for any television is its daily performance in daytime conditions when it has to compete with ambient light. In this competition, the TCL P7K / P79K starts with a certain advantage in the form of a satin finish on the screen. Its structure handles direct reflections quite decently, diffusing them and protecting the image from excessive fading of colours or lightening of blacks. However, the passive struggle against reflections is one side of the coin. The other is the active ability to 'break through' bright surroundings, and here one of the model's key limitations comes to light. The previously mentioned peak brightness of around 300 nits is simply too low to ensure a fully comfortable and dynamic viewing experience in a brightly lit living room. In such conditions, the image may lack punch, and scenes with lower brightness can lose their clarity.

Classic TV Features:

If you are looking for a television that "works" in the most basic sense – the PUS8560 will fulfil that role. In terms of classic features, we have a rather minimalist set. On the plus side, there is an electronic programme guide (EPG), teletext, a backlit remote control with a classic numeric keypad, and a headphone jack input. It sounds a bit like a dream set for seniors – and there is some truth to that. However, it must be stated clearly: this is a television with very limited capabilities. We will not find recording functions from DVB tuners to USB here, nor is there a PiP mode or other conveniences known from more expensive models.

Smart TV:

How does the SmartTV perform on the PUS8560? Well, this is where it gets a bit more complicated. The PUS8560 runs on the Titan OS, which in this particular implementation posed significant problems. Some features, although present "on paper," simply did not work. For example: Wireless screen mirroring functions, such as Chromecast or Miracast – we tried to activate them from several different phones and laptops… without success. Perhaps this will be fixed in the future, but at the time of testing – it did not work. Additionally, the system's speed left much to be desired – switching between applications or home screens was simply slow. A considerable portion of the menu functions seems to be well hidden in the depths of a poorly organised system. To make matters worse, the library of available applications is quite limited. Even though the situation with applications is better than last year, it is still far from ideal. The situation tries to be salvaged by a modern remote – 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 that it doesn’t support Polish.

Smart Features – the Power of Google TV

The heart and operating brain of the TCL P7K / P79K is the Google TV system, which is a significant advantage in itself. This platform opens access to an almost limitless library of applications from the Play Store, ensuring that we won't miss any key streaming service. Integration with other devices is exemplary – Apple users will appreciate the seamless collaboration thanks to AirPlay, and Windows and Android users can easily utilise screen mirroring features. One should also highlight Google Assistant, which performs exceptionally well with voice search in Polish, remaining one of the most effective and convenient solutions of its kind on the market. The system’s performance on the tested model can be described as "above average." The interface is mostly smooth, but during tests, there were occasional slowdowns and even sporadic "freezes" that required a moment of patience. Minor glitches can also be seen in the translation of some system messages, which can be clumsy – however, these are minor oversights on TCL's part that do not affect overall functionality.

Classic Features

In the era of smart systems, traditional television functions often take a back seat, and this is also the case here. A significant advantage is the inclusion of a classic remote control with a numeric keypad, which does not require precise aiming at the screen for communication, significantly enhancing user comfort. The presence of Bluetooth technology for connecting external devices, such as headphones or speakers, should also be regarded positively. However, this is essentially where the list of conveniences ends. It is evident that TCL has almost put everything on the Google TV card, treating classic functions as an absolute minimum. Therefore, we will not find options to record programmes from built-in tuners to a USB drive or the once-popular PiP (Picture-in-Picture) feature. This is, therefore, a basic package that simply works but does not offer anything beyond what is essential.

The PUS8560 handles the playback of most popular video and audio formats from a USB memory stick without any major issues, so there’s no point in detailing the compatibilities one by one. In everyday use, it should simply work – and it does. The only thing worth noting is the handling of images. Although the television easily recognises popular file extensions, there are instances when some images simply do not display when the graphic files have very high resolutions. This may not be a huge problem, but it’s good to keep it in mind, especially if we want to view photographs straight from the camera. Apart from that, the PUS8560 shouldn’t pose any significant issues with playing files from USB.

The built-in media player in the P7k/P79k model is quite a puzzling case, placing us in a rather unusual situation. On one hand, its engine manages to decode most popular video formats, which is obviously good news. On the other hand, we encountered a surprising and frustrating flaw – the default app has a fundamental issue with correctly displaying Polish diacritical characters in subtitle files. Instead of letters like "ą," "ę," or "ż," empty squares or random, unreadable symbols appeared on the screen. Fortunately, thanks to the flexibility of the Google TV system, this issue can be easily circumvented. Installing an alternative, advanced player, such as the tried and tested VLC or KODI, fully resolves this inconvenience. The situation is particularly odd since we didn't encounter such a flaw in other TCL models we tested previously. We are therefore dealing with an obvious software oversight, which we hope will be fixed in a future update.

The television sounds quite pleasant and can confidently be regarded as having sufficient sound levels for most users – both for watching everyday programmes and for an evening viewing of a series. Moreover, a pleasant surprise is that even in this budget-friendly series, Philips has chosen to acquire licenses for full audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS. This is great news for owners of home cinemas and soundbars, as it means full compatibility and no need to "fiddle around" with connecting external devices.

In terms of the built-in audio system, the TCL P7k/P79k presents a level that can be described as functional and correct, but lacking audiophile ambitions. The speakers play quite loudly, and the dialogues in films and television programmes are delivered clearly and without distortion, which is crucial in everyday use. However, the soundstage definitely lacks a foundation in the form of low tones. This is a direct consequence of the absence of a dedicated subwoofer – an element that in the higher P8K series, represented by a large Onkyo subwoofer at the back of the cabinet, constituted the strength of its sound. Here, that element is simply missing, which makes the sound seem flatter and devoid of the depth that creates a cinematic atmosphere. We also noticed a peculiar aspect in the software – when attempting to set the maximum volume, the television automatically reduces it. It is difficult to determine definitively whether this is a form of protection against distortion or a minor software glitch; nonetheless, it’s a shame because the power reserves seem to be slightly greater.

Philips PUS8500 vs TCL P7K / P79K

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

Daytime performance

Panel details

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

Classic TV Features:

Smart TV:

Smart Features – the Power of Google TV

Classic Features

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound