Compare: Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D vs Philips PML8709

Samsung Q70D performed in the test just as it should for its category – very well. The strongest points of the television are undoubtedly its efficiency when using a console and the colour reproduction after undergoing the calibration process. The former will certainly not allow gamers to remain indifferent to the range of benefits that Samsung Q70D can offer, and there are indeed many, including this almost exclusive feature for the manufacturer’s units – the ability to smooth out gameplay while maintaining a reasonable input lag, which allows titles running at 30 fps to perform like those at native 60 frames per second. In the context of gaming, one cannot forget the well-implemented HGIG mode, which, when correctly set up, is on par with games using Dolby Vision. One should also not overlook the ease of pairing the television with the Canal+ decoder, which is not such an obvious advantage, but we know that many people struggle with this issue. Staying on the topic of television, it must be acknowledged that the Samsung Q70D offers very good brightness in SDR materials for its price range, making daytime viewing more than comfortable. A downside for the tested television has to be the lack of Dolby Vision, which would have greatly enhanced the maximum brightness of the Samsung Q70D. One should also not overlook the construction flaws of the device, which may (though not necessarily) lead to light bleed, which can be noticed in dark conditions on less bright scenes. What cannot be taken away from Samsung Q70D is the fact that it features one of the better motion smoothing technologies in its price range, which works excellently in the context of sports events or fast-paced action scenes. The system that operates the television runs very smoothly, and the only complaint one might have is the lack of the Tidal app. In summary, the Samsung Q70D is a good continuation of the manufacturer's seventh series, which year after year gains – both in quality and popularity.

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.

Samsung Q70D and its related models, such as Q77D and Q74D, utilise a VA panel, which in itself should provide decent contrast. Typically, it is several times higher than in IPS/ADS screens that are not equipped with an advanced local dimming system. The contrast results, as you can see, are quite varied, which is caused by the non-uniformity of the panel. Therefore, at times we can achieve good contrast, whereas at other times it is significantly degraded, but generally fairly consistent, not counting light leakage. Let’s take a look at the film scenes we prepared from the films "Oblivion" and "Revenant". As we can see, in the first one, the lights are well separated from each other, which is a positive phenomenon, as visibility of details in the whites in further tests should be equally good. What stands out the most here is the unusual over-sharpening of smoke visible under the light and the navy black in the background. In the frame from the second film, the first thing that stands out is the uneven backlighting of our scene. It was quite significant and heavily affected the perceived image. Nevertheless, the details in the film were well visible.

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 brightness that the Samsung Q70D can offer is at a fairly average level, although it cannot be said that the HDR effect will be unnoticeable. Any brightness above 400 nits allows for a clear distinction between SDR and HDR materials. As was the case in the paragraph about contrast and black levels, this time we can observe that the first scene, featuring a bright sun and a dark foreground, possesses the lowest luminance among the measured ones. The result, which can be considered very good for this price range and class of display, is the latter. In a scene where we see a large light source filling a significant part of the frame, the brightness of the television is at its highest, reaching nearly 500 nits. It is worth noting the quite low coverage of the wide DCI-P3 colour gamut, which occasionally results in noticeable gaps in the colour palette. Additionally, users can enjoy rich colours and high precision in shade reproduction, making movie screenings a special experience. It is also worth noting that the Q70D Samsung panel performs excellently in eliminating blur during dynamic action scenes, which enhances the viewing comfort of sports broadcasts or games.

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 best factory mode on the Samsung Q70D is "Filmmaker," and it was this mode that we used during all our tests. Before calibration, it had several flaws that effectively prevented it from conveying the director's intentions. In both SDR and HDR materials, the white balance was dominated by red and green. As a result, there was a characteristic yellow tint on the image, causing white to appear yellowed and resulting in skin tones that were noticeably too warm. The lowered gamma in standard colour gamut materials resulted in a significant drop in contrast, which was already not the highest. This caused detail in the blacks to be accentuated but also led to overexposure in brighter scenes. The EOTF curve, in this case, proved to be much better and only brightened those scenes with relatively low luminance. This was perfectly evident in the section where we measured the television's maximum brightness in HDR materials. At that point, the frame from the film "Billy Lynn" was unnaturally bright and lacking in depth.

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.

Fortunately, Samsung provides a wide range of calibration tools in all its televisions, including 2-point and 20-point grey scale adjustment as well as advanced CMS. This allowed us to significantly improve the quality of SDR and HDR content. The vast majority of errors have been corrected, and the image that the Samsung Q70D now generates is definitely closer to the reference. Higher deltaE errors in wide dynamic range content are primarily due to the display's insufficient luminance.

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.

Considering how important lighting is in films and series, the overlapping structures and the fluidity of tonal transitions constitute an extremely significant element in assessing the quality of the image. The colour grading in the tested television stands at a fairly decent level. It cannot be said to be outstanding, but it is also not bad. We assess it as adequate. Brighter scenes perform best here, showing the least amount of stuttering. In scenes recorded in darker settings, slight deficiencies in grading can already be noticed, although this is not an issue that would cause discomfort while watching. This may be disrupted by the bleed of the backlighting, which is clearly visible in the last image.

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.

The function responsible for improving gradation has been named "Noise Reduction" in the menu. As we have confirmed, it is worth enabling, as it has a positive effect on tonal transitions. More importantly, it does not negatively affect the film grain or the fine details, which the competition sometimes "blesses" us with.

The image scaling on Samsung Q70D should be rated as average. The manufacturer does not intend to artificially sharpen the image, but rather to leave it naturally softened.

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.

Samsung Q70D is the first model in the manufacturer's portfolio featuring a 120Hz panel. Consequently, its motion smoothing functions are more advanced than those in lower-tier models. Within the menu, we find three functions responsible for improving smoothness: "Motion Blur Reduction," "Judder Reduction," and "Clear Motion (LED)." We will discuss the third one later. The first function is responsible for sharpness in motion, while the second adjusts the level of smoothing. The smoother in Samsung Q70D performs satisfactorily, and each setting brings noticeable changes. Therefore, those who dislike the characteristic juddering in films or are avid sports viewers will be able to achieve a personalised level of smoothing. In the picture, we present a setting with slight smoothing, without the soap opera effect.

The panel used in Samsung Q70D features a fairly good response time for this type of display. Of course, it won't be as sharp as a proverbial razor, but at this price, it is a recommendable choice for all kinds of sports.

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.

The tested television is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports. Interestingly, all of them have a bandwidth of 40 Gbps; however, during the conducted tests, we did not find any negative effects related to this state of affairs. Moreover, and more importantly, Samsung Q70D supports all functions resulting from the aforementioned standard. This news will surely please all gamers, as it means that whether using a console or a PC, we can count on the highest possible comfort during gameplay. Given the typical absence of HDR Dolby Vision for this manufacturer, it is significant that the HGIG mode has been correctly implemented and there is no issue with setting the calibration checkerboard. We particularly note that Samsung, as the only manufacturer, allows gameplay with the smoothener turned on, without significant degradation. This means that titles running at 30 fps will be perceived like those with native 60 frames per second.

Samsung, as one of the first manufacturers, introduced the Game Bar to its televisions, which it has consistently refined since then. It contains all the necessary information regarding gameplay parameters that we can change "on the fly".

To summarise: Samsung Q70D performs excellently both with a console and a computer. All functions worked perfectly and there were no issues with them. The ability to enable the smoothener without a significant increase in input lag is a true game changer.

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.

The latency results in Samsung Q70D are at a high level, regardless of the signal or resolution. All gamers will certainly appreciate the manufacturer's efforts, which allow for a game running in 4K 120 Hz with HDR to have a mere 7 ms latency, which is virtually unnoticeable even in online games. It is worth adding that the lag with the smoothness enhancer switched on increases by about twice, which still means very comfortable gaming in this case.

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.

After connecting the television to the computer and wanting to use it as a monitor, we can expect a low input lag of 13 ms, which is practically unnoticeable along the mouse-screen-eye line. Thanks to the correct implementation of chroma 4:4:4, the readability of fonts is at a high level, so one can confidently connect the Samsung Q70D to the computer as a monitor and anticipate comfortable work with text.

The subpixel arrangement is BGR, which does not negatively impact the use of the television as a monitor. However, since operating systems are not adapted to such a subpixel format, this may cause slightly less clear outlines. Nevertheless, this is practically negligible and only a handful of people may notice it.

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.

Due to the VA panel, the performance of the Samsung Q70D in terms of viewing angles is its Achilles' heel. Even a slight shift from the axis results in a significant loss of contrast and a substantial degradation of colours.

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.

The satin finish of the panel in the Q70D allows for quite good performance in a strongly sunlit room. It is worth noting that the reflections do not extend beyond their source, thus not spilling over onto the rest of the panel. We also commend the maximum brightness of the television in SDR materials, which is 450 nits, allowing for comfortable content consumption 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.

The operation of the Samsung Q70D is powered by the proprietary Tizen system. It is quite a well-known software, as the manufacturer has been developing it in its televisions for a really long time. Its main advantage is smooth performance and the absence of significant stutters, which we can confirm through conducted tests. The greatest downside, however, is its closed nature. Although the app store is quite extensive, we are still at the mercy of the manufacturer. Therefore, we will not be able to install missing items, even from a pendrive. A perfect example of this is this year's discontinuation of support for the Tidal app. On the other hand, a benefit, especially for users of Apple equipment, is the implementation of AirPlay, which allows for easy mirroring of content from a device to the television. Fortunately, Samsung has also provided the option to connect a keyboard and mouse for much quicker navigation through the television's menu. It is worth mentioning that the manufacturer has luckily included a remote that connects via Bluetooth this year, which often did not occur in the past. The Tizen system has one more advantage. It integrates very well with external devices such as the NC+ decoder or soundbars. The connection process is very quick and does not require any special skills.

In summary: The Tizen system is very smoothly functioning software, which is certainly a strong advantage of the television. Although more advanced users may complain about the lack of at least KODI, the rest will be satisfied.

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 player Samsung Q70D is one of its major advantages. It handled almost all video and audio files prepared for the testing process excellently. The only exceptions in this regard are, of course, the Dolby Vision format (which is not surprising) and less popular codecs. Additionally, credit should be given for the support of Polish characters and the ability to change font colours. However, it performs worse with photo formats, as it only supports JPEG among the popular ones. There is definitely a lack of formats such as PNG or Apple's HEIC.

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 built-in audio system Samsung Q70D, due to its slim design, is not among the most outstanding. The overall sound is fairly balanced, although we wouldn't advise increasing the volume above 2/4 of the scale. However, if we have a home cinema system, a number of codecs await us, notably featuring the most important ones, namely DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos.

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.

Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D 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