Sony Bravia 9 (XR90) vs Philips OLED770

The results of brightness measurements on the Sony Bravia 9 are phenomenal. Each scene reaches well over 1500 nits, and when watching films, the television can sometimes shine even brighter. It goes without saying that such brightness allows for unprecedented experiences and engagement with video material at the highest possible quality. Thanks to the high coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette, the image is full of colours and, combined with such high luminance, it practically breathes. With high peak brightness, viewers can enjoy the full range of colours even in the most challenging scenes, such as those based on dynamic lighting changes. The Bravia 9 offers support for Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats, which further enhances the viewing experience.

The Philips OLED770 does not attempt to compete with the brightest OLEDs on the market, and it would be difficult to expect that, as it is the entry-level model in Philips' range for 2025. In our measurements, it reached a maximum of around 700 nits, which allows enjoyment of HDR effects in scenes where light appears sporadically – for example, in the flash of headlights or a starry sky. In such moments, the image can truly be stunning. However, it is different when there are more bright elements on the screen. The television, like many cheaper OLEDs, limits luminance in those situations, causing the entire image to noticeably dim. This was best observed in a scene from the film The Meg, where the sun comes out behind an oil rig – the brightness then dropped to around 250 nits, which is almost three times less. The HDR effect remains pleasant to the eye, but it is worth being aware that this model performs best in scenes with less intense light. Fortunately, the OLED770 has a trump card – the coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut is as high as 99%, so colours in films and games are vivid and very close to what the creator intended to convey.

The best factory mode in Sony televisions has consistently remained "IMAX Enhanced" for years. It was this mode that we used throughout the entire testing procedure. Although it is indeed the most similar to the standard compared to other predefined options, it has a number of aspects that can be improved to make viewing even more enjoyable. When we look at the gamma in SDR materials, we notice quite a significant boost that will be associated with image contrast. It is worth noting that the very beginning of the graph has an even greater rise compared to the reference, leading to a blending of details in the blacks, creating a uniform blot. The EOTF curve in HDR content looked quite correct and exhibited only minor deviations from the reference. However, a common feature for both was: a green colour dominance in white balance, issues with greys and overall colour misalignment. The aspect that stood out the most was related to the uneven distribution of hues in white balance. Due to the excess of the aforementioned colour, the image was covered with an unpleasant greenish tint.

The first measurements already show that the factory settings of the Philips OLED770 have quite a lot to improve even in Filmmaker mode. The white balance chart clearly shows a lack of blue, resulting in a slightly yellowish tint to the image. In practice, the white is not snowy but leans towards warmer tones – which some may even appreciate, but from the perspective of accuracy, this is a deviation from the norm. The gamma, on the other hand, tends to the darker side – the average value is around 2.6 instead of the reference 2.4. In the midtones, the image appears subdued and more saturated, which may seem too "filmic," but detracts somewhat from naturalness. However, the most issues are evident in colour reproduction. The average error is relatively high, and some colours – particularly shades of grey – deviate significantly from what one should see. In everyday viewing, this means that sometimes colours may look less natural than we would like.

The colour reproduction after the calibration process should be regarded as excellent. Regardless of the signal, whether SDR or HDR, we can expect an image that is remarkably close to what the film director saw. Virtually every flaw in the image has been modelled and maximally corrected. This was made possible thanks to the advanced tools used for the calibration process, which Sony has been providing in its televisions for years, including 2- and 20-point grey scale adjustment as well as a very comprehensive CMS.

The Philips OLED770 from the outset signalled that it harboured significant potential, but in its factory settings, it was difficult to see this fully. The picture was often too warm, and some colours appeared to have lost their naturalness along the way. Calibration, however, revealed that it is a very responsive television – it reacted to every adjustment and almost immediately unveiled another layer of its capabilities. The white balance could be set in both SDR and HDR to eliminate the yellowish tint and introduce a neutral, clear white. The gamma stabilised closer to perfection, allowing midtones to regain their naturalness, and shadows stopped being artificially darkened, perhaps even with a slight brightening effect. The result was obvious... Films were watched with greater ease; the picture had cinematic depth, but without the feeling that something was exaggeratedly darkened. However, the most interesting aspect was the work on colours. Factory errors were not dramatic but slightly noticeable – skin tones were sometimes too warm, and grey didn’t always have the shade we expected. After calibration, the error values dropped to around 2, and in many cases even below 1. This is certainly a level lower than the threshold of human perception. In other words, after correction, the colours finally "clicked" into place. Looking at the screen, we had the impression that the television had begun to speak with its full voice. Like an instrument that has finally been well tuned.

Let’s take another look at the quality of tonal transitions, but this time we will analyse the quality of image scaling, which will be significantly important when watching lower quality materials. For starters, we will take a look at the function responsible for the quality of tonal transitions. And while by default they are quite average, after activating the option, even at the lowest level, we can confidently say that these are among the best we have seen. You can confidently enable this feature, as it does not cause any negative phenomenon, such as film grain blurring.

Sony has been boasting for several years now that its "XR" processor is unmatched when it comes to image scaling. And we find it quite easy to believe, because in fact the image is extremely sharp, yet very natural.

The issue of the aforementioned colour banding can largely be mitigated thanks to the 'distortion reduction' feature, which is an algorithm for smoothing tonal transitions in Philips. It performs best at a low setting – effectively eliminating unwanted colour bands while not introducing strange artefacts or losing image detail. This is one of those features that is truly worth leaving switched on.

The situation is somewhat worse regarding upscaling. The image from a lower resolution can be too soft, while in some areas, characteristic 'jaggies' appear. The impression is that the algorithm is trying to reconcile two conflicting directions – smoothing and sharpening – and ultimately fails to find a happy medium. As a consolation, it can be added that the television has no issues with overscan, meaning it does not cut off the edges of the image, which sometimes occurs in other competing models.

The maximum refresh rate of the Sony Bravia 9 is 120 Hz. This is the essential minimum for watching primarily sports or materials with significant motion dynamics while maintaining a sharp and smooth image. For demanding users, the manufacturer has implemented a very comprehensive smoothing system, which has been divided into three segments: Smoothness (Film), Smoothness (Camera), and Clarity. The first two correspond to the degree of blurring and the degree of smoothing, respectively. The third option will be described in more detail below. Moreover, we can adjust all settings to various degrees, each of which will produce an effect, ensuring that we can find our own golden mean. In the picture, we present a setting with slight smoothing, without the soap opera effect.

The issue of the matrix in the Philips OLED770 is not entirely straightforward. The manufacturer claims a 120 Hz panel, but our measurements showed that the screen can accept a 4K signal even at 144 Hz. That sounds like great news – after all, who wouldn't want an additional mode for PC gamers at this price? However, the reality turned out to be more complex. With 120 Hz content, the television behaves like most OLEDs – the image is absolutely clear, with no trace of ghosting or blurring, making it perfect for both dynamic games and sports broadcasts. The problem only arises at 144 Hz. Unlike models with official support for this frequency, here you can observe the phenomenon known as frame skipping. This means that the television cannot display all the frames – some are skipped, causing motion to lose smoothness, and double contours appear on the screen. The effect resembles the operation of the BFI function, which Philips does not offer in this model anyway.

The Sony Bravia 9 television is equipped with four HDMI ports. However, somewhat inexplicably for a device of this class, only two of them operate in the 2.1 standard. That said, it should not be overlooked that almost all functions perform excellently and do not cause any negative feelings when being activated. Games running either in HDR10 or Dolby Vision have very low input lag, allowing for a very comfortable session with the title. A consolation remains in the form of a good implementation of the HGIG mode, which, after proper adjustment, does not differ significantly from Dolby Vision.

A year ago, Sony added to its televisions what has long been a standard for some manufacturers. This refers, of course, to the GameBar, enabling quick adjustment of settings without the need to exit the game. The implementation of this feature was successful and works very efficiently. We have been provided with conveniences such as: a crosshair grid, black level correction, and the option to reduce the screen to the proportions of gaming monitors.

The Sony Bravia 9 will undoubtedly find its fan base, most likely among PlayStation enthusiasts. Here, we must admit that it will be the most sensible choice, as in practice both the console and the television possess exactly the same capabilities. Looking at the bigger picture, while overlooking the issues with Dolby Vision in games, one cannot detract from the fact that the Bravia 9 is a very good television in the context of gaming.

If someone is looking for a television for gaming, the Philips OLED770 is a contender that is hard to ignore. The mere fact that we have an OLED here provides an excellent starting point – perfect black and infinite contrast make evening sessions in atmospheric games look as if they were lifted straight from the cinema. On top of that, there is the Ambilight system, which consists of LEDs on the back of the television that extend the image onto the wall behind the screen. The effect is such that even playing FIFA can look like a small spectacle, and in horror games the atmosphere becomes truly thick. From a technical standpoint, it's also quite decent. The Philips OLED770 supports variable refresh rate (VRR) up to 120 Hz, has an automatic mode for gamers (ALLM), and if someone is using an Xbox Series X, they can also count on Dolby Vision support in games. One must only know that in this mode the input lag is slightly higher than standard, though still at an acceptable level. As a bonus, we get the “Game Bar” panel, which is a special tool bar for gamers. It isn’t the most conveniently designed solution, but it allows you to check key parameters without leaving the game. Overall, this results in a television that, on one hand, has all the essential gaming features, and on the other, can add something unique – Ambilight. And it is this mix of technology and visual effect that makes the OLED770 one of the better screens for gaming at home.