Compare: Philips The One (PUS8959 / PUS8919 / PUS8909 / PUS8949 vs Philips PML8709

Philips PUS8959, also known by other designations under the abbreviation PUS89 (depending on the sales network), is a model from the popular series The One. Its biggest distinguishing feature is the Ambilight system, which continues to make a great impression. The three-sided lighting adapts to the picture on the screen, making films, series, or games literally spill over the edges of the television. The One is also a good option for gamers. The 120 Hz matrix and low input lag ensure that games run smoothly, and motion on the screen is clear. We tested several dynamic titles on the console, and the television handled them without any issues – no stutters or delays. Additionally, support for HGiG allows for better reproduction of HDR effects in games. This is an excellent solution if we care about consistency of the image with what the creators intended. The picture quality is at a good level, especially during the day. With a brightness of 550 nits, The One performs well even in well-lit rooms, and Dolby Vision in HDR films delivers vibrant colours and sharp details. However, the ADS matrix has its limitations – the black in dark scenes resembles a grey shade more, which can be noticeable when watching in a darkened room. When we watched films with the lights off, the lack of depth in the blacks was somewhat striking. The operating system Titan OS is something that still requires refinement. It is fast, but the limited number of applications can be frustrating for those accustomed to more robust platforms, such as GoogleTV. For daily use of Netflix or YouTube, it works flawlessly, but if we expect more advanced features, the system may not meet our expectations. Generally, Philips The One is a good choice in its price class. The Ambilight system impresses and significantly enhances the viewing experience, especially in the evening. It is also a solid option for gamers, thanks to the fluidity of the image and low input lag. While the black isn't perfect, and the operating system needs improvement, the television performs well in everyday use. For fans of unique solutions, such as Ambilight, it is a proposal that definitely deserves attention.

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.

The Philips PUS8959 television is based on ADS technology, which offers slightly different parameters compared to popular VA matrices. In the tested images, the contrast measured around 2000:1, making the black levels far from ideal. ADS panels are known for their weaker contrast compared to VA matrices, which in practice means that instead of deep blacks, we see more navy or grey shades. However, the ADS panel is still better than a standard IPS panel, which cannot achieve such a level of contrast. Additionally, the Philips PUS8959 is not equipped with local dimming technology, which could improve these parameters. The absence of this function exacerbates the effect of shallow blacks, particularly noticeable in dark scenes, like those in the film "Sicario 2". Instead of intense blacks, the screen produces a silvery glow, which can be bothersome, especially when watching in darker conditions. All of this causes the visual experience to lose depth, and details in dark scenes are not as well visible as one might expect from higher-end screens. Despite the lack of local dimming, the television is equipped with something called Global Dimming. The television is capable of completely dimming the panel to achieve higher contrast, but at the cost of details that may blend together, for example, lights in the test image from the film Oblivion. It is worth mentioning that the model we received for testing has quite significant patches resulting from uneven backlighting, although this is not a rule, one must consider that we may receive a unit like this when purchasing.

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.

The luminance chart for Philips PUS8959 shows that the television is capable of achieving around 550 nits of brightness, which can be considered a satisfactory level. This brightness allows for the effects of HDR to be experienced, particularly standing out in more demanding scenes. In the tested test patterns, the television performed quite well, even in challenging sequences such as those from "Sicario 2". Due to the lack of local dimming, the television does not dim small bright elements, and they shine with the full "power" of the television but at the expense of the silvery blacks mentioned in the paragraph about black levels. It is also worth praising Philips PUS8959 for its good coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette, which amounts to approximately 94.5%. As a result, colours are vivid and close to the creators' intentions, which further enhances the quality of HDR effects and the experience of watching high dynamic range content.

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 television Philips PUS8959 has been tested in the best, theoretically most precise picture mode – Filmmaker. Although the name suggests cinematic quality, it unfortunately falls short of perfection. The biggest problem in this mode is the white balance, both in HD and 4K content. It is characterised by a significant dominance of red colour and drops in green levels, resulting in unnatural colour reproduction. For example, white elements in the image have a noticeable pink hue, and the green is less vibrant, causing the overall image to lose its naturalness and colour balance. The ColorChecker test confirms these errors – it is clearly visible how the colour samples "deviate" from the correct values, which can be best observed on the sample squares that should accurately reproduce the colours. The lack of accuracy in this regard affects the realism and fidelity of the image, which is particularly undesirable in Filmmaker mode.

As for the brightness characteristics, the gamma chart resembles a true roller coaster – with small elements displayed on the screen, the brightness is excessive, causing details to become overly exposed. Conversely, at higher gamma values, the image loses contrast and becomes too dark, making the overall appearance lack dynamism. Similar problems can be observed in the EOTF characteristics – the television is unable to accurately reproduce brightness levels, negatively impacting the overall picture quality.

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 television Philips PUS8959 shows a significant improvement in colour reproduction, especially in HD content. The white balance is exceptionally even, and the Delta E error values are below 1, which can be considered a remarkable result. Additionally, the gamma, responsible for brightness in lower-quality materials, performs very well, maintaining a stable level at 2.4, leading to an appropriate balance between bright and dark areas of the image.

As for 4K HDR materials, a significant improvement is also visible. The white balance, although not as perfect as with HD content, no longer exhibits issues with excessive red exposure, resulting in a more natural and harmonious image. Unfortunately, regarding the EOTF characteristic, it is difficult to speak of any significant improvement, which stems from the structural limitations of the television that prevent any substantial enhancement in this aspect.

Nevertheless, the overall performance is significantly better after calibration, making the Philips PUS8959 one of those televisions where it is truly worth dedicating time to precise calibration to achieve satisfactory picture quality.

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 on the Philips PUS8959 television looks very good, offering smooth tonal transitions in most scenes. Sometimes minor issues can be observed, especially during transitions between certain colours, where slight unevenness is noticeable. However, these imperfections are subtle enough that they do not significantly impact the overall viewing experience and can be considered completely acceptable. In everyday use, the television provides sufficiently good gradation quality to satisfy even more demanding users, maintaining the naturalness of the image and a lack of glaring tonal distortions.

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 smoothing tonal transitions, the "Distortion Reduction" function at its minimum setting performs quite well, effectively smoothing tonal transitions without excessive impact on other elements of the image. In tests, I did not notice that the reduction negatively affected the image structure, such as film grain or object details – everything remains in its place, which is a significant plus for users who appreciate the natural look of film materials.

As for digital processing, the image looks quite good, although it features very softened contours, giving it an almost "misty" character. This effect can evoke mixed feelings – some users will appreciate the fluidity and delicacy of this type of presentation, while others may find it too gentle, losing detail. It is a matter of individual preference, but it must be said that the Philips PUS8959 provides fairly subtle yet effective tools for improving tonal transitions without excessive interference in the natural character of the image.

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.

Philips PUS8959 TV is equipped with a 120 Hz panel, which should satisfy more demanding users, especially those who love watching dynamic sports broadcasts or playing games. Such a high refresh rate allows for significantly smoother images, being a key aspect during dynamic scenes and fast actions.

For those who prefer watching movies, the television offers an additional motion smoother that allows adjusting the film's frame rate according to personal preferences. The Philips PUS8959 features a 10-step adjustment for functions called "Smoothness" and "Motion Blur Reduction." The "Smoothness" function is responsible for increasing the number of frames through interpolation, making the motion on the screen smoother, resembling the effect of so-called "soap opera." Meanwhile, "Motion Blur Reduction" focuses on minimising ghosting and improving motion clarity, which is particularly noticeable in dynamic sequences, such as action scenes or fast-paced sports shots.

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.

Philips PUS8959 is a television that will certainly satisfy gaming enthusiasts. It supports most modern technologies useful during gameplay, such as HGiG, allowing for better reproduction of HDR effects in games. As a result, the image is closer to what the game creators intended to achieve.

The television also supports displaying images at 120 Hz, ensuring smoothness and dynamism, which is especially important during action games and sports broadcasts. The Game Bar feature allows for quick access to game settings, making it easier to adjust the image according to user preferences without interrupting gameplay.

Unfortunately, the Dolby Vision mode does not offer low input lag, which may be noticeable during dynamic scenes. Nevertheless, thanks to the HGiG feature and high refresh rate, the Philips PUS8959 remains an attractive choice for gamers, providing good image quality and adequate smoothness during gameplay.

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.

Philips PUS8959 TV offers impressive results in terms of input lag, making it an excellent choice for gamers. For content at 120 Hz, the lag is less than 6 ms, which is an absolutely outstanding result and allows for instantaneous reactions in games, especially in dynamic titles. For content at 60 Hz, the input lag is 15 ms, which is also an excellent result and ensures comfortable gameplay in most cases.

Unfortunately, the Dolby Vision mode does not perform as well, as the input lag increases to 31 ms. While this result may be acceptable for less dynamic content, it may be insufficient for demanding gamers, affecting precision and responsiveness. Nevertheless, in standard modes, Philips PUS8959 still offers remarkable performance, making it a competitive choice in the market for gaming TVs.

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.

Philips PUS8959 is excellent as a monitor for use with a PC. With support for chroma 4:4:4, it provides full colour clarity, which is crucial for working with text – fonts are sharp and legible, regardless of the background they are on. This makes using office applications, browsing the internet, and graphic editing comfortable and precise.

Additionally, the low input lag offered by the television ensures smooth and responsive operation, which is important both for everyday tasks and for more dynamic uses, such as gaming or media editing. Philips PUS8959 is an excellent choice for users looking for a television that will also serve as a PC monitor, offering high image quality and user comfort.

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.

Philips PUS8959, equipped with an ADS panel, offers quite good viewing angles, definitely better than those found in VA panels. The image maintains its quality even when viewed from a greater angle – colours are clear, and the contrast does not deteriorate as much as with televisions featuring VA panels. As a result, watching the television from different spots in the room still allows you to enjoy well-saturated colours and overall image quality, making the Philips PUS8959 perfect for larger rooms and for watching together with family or friends.

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.

Philips PUS8959 features a satin finish on the screen that effectively reduces light reflections, which is beneficial when using the television in bright daytime conditions. However, such a finish causes blacks to take on shades of grey during the day, losing their depth and intensity, which affects the perception of image in darker scenes.

With a brightness level of 562 cd/m², it allows for comfortable viewing of the television during the day, even in well-lit rooms. The image is bright enough to cut through daylight, and the reduction of reflections provides decent visibility of content, making Philips PUS8959 a good choice for rooms where the lighting level cannot always be controlled.

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.

Philips PUS8959 is equipped with a three-sided Ambilight system – the flagship patent of this brand, which has enjoyed a devoted fan base for years. Ambilight consists of dynamic backlighting of the wall behind the television, adapting to the content displayed on the screen, significantly enhancing the viewing experience, especially in a darkened room. This effect is unique and adds a certain kind of "magic" to watching, making many users choose Philips specifically for this feature.

As for the operating system, Philips PUS8959 uses Titan OS – a system that is still in its early stages of development. Here, we can see the issues of growing pains, especially since Philips has moved away from Android in most of its models. Titan OS has a limited number of available applications. This is frustrating for those accustomed to a broader ecosystem like GoogleTV. Additionally, the television lacks AirPlay functionality, which limits its compatibility with Apple devices and may be a drawback for users seeking a flexible way to stream content.

The usability features of Philips PUS8959 are a mix of advantages and disadvantages. The remote control that comes with the television is quite annoying – it requires aiming directly at the screen, which can be inconvenient. On the other hand, the voice function works without the need to aim, but it only supports the English language. On the plus side, the remote is backlit, making it easier to use in the dark. The television does not have Picture-in-Picture (PiP) functionality or the ability to record programmes, which is a significant drawback. However, the television is equipped with Bluetooth, allowing for the connection of headphones or a keyboard, which can be useful – especially due to the limited number of available applications, which may encourage use of the built-in web browser.

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.

Despite the fact that the Titan OS system in the Philips PUS8959 television is still in its infancy, it deserves praise for supporting Polish subtitles embedded in films, which is a significant convenience for users relying on external files. If we want to play a film from a connected USB device, the television will do so without major issues, providing comfortable viewing without the need for additional subtitle configuration.

When it comes to photos, the television should have no major difficulties playing them. It supports most popular formats, although there is a lack of support for less common standards, such as HEIC used in Apple devices. This means that some photos, particularly from newer Apple devices, may require prior conversion to a more standard format for them to be played on the Philips screen.

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.

The sound in Philips PUS8959 unfortunately leaves much to be desired. Although low tones can be heard in the playback, the bass is very weak, which translates to an overall unsatisfactory sound quality. The television plays at an average level, especially when compared to more advanced sound systems available on the market.

Despite the average quality of the speakers, the television supports all essential audio codecs, which may please users using external home theatre systems. Thanks to compatibility with various audio formats, the Philips PUS8959 is able to provide good audio experiences if connected to the right external speakers or receiver, delivering a fuller, more cinematic sound.

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.

Philips The One (PUS8959 / PUS8919 / PUS8909 / PUS8949 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