Compare: TCL C8K vs Philips OLED770

The C8K is proof that premium Mini LED technology does not have to cost as much as a premium product. With a high number of dimming zones and a new WHVA panel, the television offers excellent contrast, deep blacks, and very high brightness – everything we expect from a good viewing experience in the living room. The improved viewing angles are also surprising, finally allowing us to enjoy watching even when sitting outside the centre of the frame. The C8K also excels in the gaming world – 144 Hz, support for 288 Hz in Full HD, a complete set of gaming features, very low input lag, and sensible compatibility with PCs make it hard to tear ourselves away from it with a controller or keyboard in hand. Onboard, we also have Google TV – currently the most advanced and versatile Smart TV platform. There is access to all key applications, excellent voice control, and an intuitive interface. It may lack some classic TV features like USB recording from built-in tuners or picture-in-picture (PiP), but most users won't even notice that. On top of all this, there is very decent sound – a new collaboration with Bang & Olufsen.

Of course, it is not a screen without flaws. HDR, although impressive, still carries some 'mini LED' traits – bright scenes can be overly bright or dimmed, and the system lacks a few classic features known from other brands. But when we look at its price compared to the competition, it’s hard not to ask ourselves – why pay more?

Philips OLED770 is a television that stands out primarily due to the quality of its picture – the characteristic perfect black and infinite contrast typical of OLEDs make even the most ordinary evening of watching a series feel like a small cinematic experience. After calibration, the colours gain naturalness and coherence, and details in dark scenes are separated from the lights with surgical precision. It is a screen that gives the impression of engaging with premium-class technology, even though formally it is a budget OLED in Philips' portfolio. The second pillar on which the OLED770 stands very firmly is gaming. Here, the manufacturer has really done their homework. VRR works up to 120 Hz, and we have an automatic game mode (ALLM), while input lag in standard HDR10 or SDR modes at 120 Hz can drop to 5 ms – results that will easily satisfy even the most demanding gamers. And finally, the Ambilight system – for many, it is just a gadget, but during longer sessions, it really makes a difference. The colourful LEDs behind the screen dynamically respond to what is happening in the game and can immerse you even further into the virtual world. This is precisely why one could risk stating that the OLED770 is one of the more interesting budget gaming televisions on the market.

However, not everything shines so brightly when it comes to Smart TV... TitanOS is the biggest drawback of this model. Theoretically, it has everything needed: access to applications, AirPlay support, and voice commands. In practice, however, the app list is limited, screen mirroring often does not work at all, and voice search does not support the Polish language. Additionally, the remote control, although well-designed and backlit – works via infrared, which sounds downright anachronistic in 2025. The system is supposedly fast, but it can be irritating due to errors, and instead of encouraging usage, at times it rather encourages us to turn it off. And here we come to the crux: the OLED770 is a television that works great as a screen for films and games, but not necessarily as a multimedia centre for the home. For someone who primarily uses a console, home cinema, or operator's decoder – this will be a well-chosen option. We get a fantastic picture, a full set of modern gaming functions, and of course, the proprietary AmbilightTV lighting system! But if someone is looking for a television that is meant to replace everything and be a multimedia powerhouse, it is better to look towards more expensive Philips models that offer more refined system solutions like GoogleTV.

TCL C8K is a representative of Mini LED televisions and – importantly – uses a VA panel. This means high native contrast right from the start, but the true strength of this model reveals itself only when we combine it with an impressive number of dimming zones. In the 75-inch version we tested, we counted nearly 1700 independent zones – and you can feel it. In many scenes, the effect of black levels and contrast is nothing short of phenomenal. In less demanding scenes – where the dimming algorithms do not have to 'struggle' much – the screen can resemble OLEDs. The contrast can be almost infinite, and the separation of bright and dark elements leaves an excellent impression.

However – as is often the case with Mini LEDs – it is not an organic screen and some compromises must be accepted. Brightness is a significant advantage, but also a factor that can reveal the weaknesses of this solution – especially in dark scenes. In particularly challenging scenes to display – such as those famous ones with a starry sky or sequences from the iconic Pioneer Kuro – the so-called halo becomes noticeable, which is a glow around small bright details. Sometimes the entire screen also slightly brightens when the system tries to balance contrast with extreme luminance. However, this is a feature of the technology, not a flaw of the specific model. And although these types of compromises can slightly diminish the overall impression in certain scenes, TCL C8K is among the very best when it comes to contrast among Mini LED televisions.

In terms of black levels and contrast, the Philips OLED770 does not introduce any revolution – but with OLEDs, it would be difficult to expect one. The organic matrix allows for the complete dimming of individual pixels, which in practice gives us almost perfect black and contrast that reaches infinity. Whether we are watching night scenes in films or scenes full of small bright points, the television precisely separates details from the background. There are no halo effects or other artifacts typical of LCD televisions with local dimming. Choosing an OLED – including the 770 model – provides assurance that in this category, the picture will look stunning.

The TCL C8K is a truly bright television. In synthetic conditions – that is, during brightness test patterns – it was able to achieve even 3500 nits of peak brightness in movie mode. This is an impressive result that brings the C8K close to the market leaders, at least in terms of panel brightness. More importantly – these are not just numbers on paper. In films with a lot of bright scenes, such as Life of Pi or The Meg, the brightness clearly exceeds 1000 nits, providing a real sense of HDR effect. The picture in such moments looks very dynamic, colours are vibrant thanks to excellent colour gamut coverage, and lights are spot-on and intense. Just as it should be.

However, this does not mean that everything is perfect. Similar to the contrast tests, compromises also arise here in more demanding scenes. In sequences with very fine light elements – such as stars in the night sky or reflections in dark rooms – the local dimming algorithm can… get confused. Instead of bringing those details up, the television sometimes decides to significantly dim them – to a level of around 300 nits – to maintain blacks. On one hand, this is quite a reasonable approach (better deep blacks than a grey/blue screen), but on the other hand – there may be moments when certain elements of the picture become hardly visible or even disappear into darkness.

TEST UPDATE (20/08/2025) : The brightness control algorithm in this model is quite problematic – an attempt to calibrate the picture so that it does not drastically overexpose the brightest scenes results in unnatural shifts: an improvement in one area of the picture leads to a deterioration in another. The television may achieve slightly higher brightness measurements, but in practice, this comes with a highly oversaturated image that looks very unnatural!

For the sake of order, we provide the brightness values without this adjustment:

1463 nits
640 nits
1368 nits
468 nits
1025 nits

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.

In the C8K, a new picture mode has appeared: Filmmaker Mode. This is something we have known for years from televisions of other brands – a mode designed to deliver the director's vision as faithfully as possible, without unnecessary image enhancements. Unfortunately, with TCL, this still seems to be at a stage 'in need of improvement'. At first glance, the screen appears too warm – the image leans towards reds, which may not appeal to everyone. The white balance was significantly skewed – the screen looked distinctly warm, and the red colour dominated almost every scene. There was a lack of blue, which resulted in an unpleasant yellowing and distortion of the image. But that’s not all. Regardless of whether we were watching regular television, YouTube, or films in HDR – the television had a clear tendency to excessively brighten the image. In the gamma and EOTF graph tests, the lines, instead of sticking to the pattern, strayed, which in practice translates to an overly bright and less contrasty image. Additionally, in the colour reproduction tests, there were noticeable deviations – on the colour wheel, certain points were even 'off the mark'. It must be said plainly: Filmmaker Mode in the C8K in its current form is not very filmic.

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.

After professional calibration, the TCL C8K has made a huge step forward. In SDR content, we managed to almost perfectly set the white balance – the screen has finally stopped being too warm and has acquired a neutral character. The gamma curve, responsible for the way brightness is reproduced, also looks very good now – the image is more consistent and realistic. We also improved the white balance in HDR content – within the limits that the television itself allows. Unfortunately, the C8K still interprets brightness management somewhat "in its own way." When we look at the EOTF chart in films, it is clear that the television brightens entire scenes more than it should. Before calibration, this effect was really troublesome – now the situation looks much better, although it still falls a bit short of perfection. This, however, is a limitation of the device itself, which – despite our efforts – does not allow us to fully tame its nature.

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.

In this respect, the TCL C8K performs really well. Transitions between colours look natural and coherent – there are no strange bands or significant banding that could disrupt the viewing experience. Especially in bright scenes, everything appears very smooth. In the darkest parts of the image, particularly in shades of grey, one can sometimes notice slight unevenness, but they are subtle enough not to be distracting to anyone.

In this category, there is a clear improvement compared to last year's Philips models. The OLED770 handles colour gradation significantly better, and strongly visible transitions or artificial bands appear less frequently than before. Interestingly, we achieved the best results in dark scenes – where most televisions, especially those with WOLED panels, tend to struggle the most. A good example is the shot of an actor floating in red water – the transition from intense red to black looks nearly perfect here, without the typical "stair-stepping." The situation is somewhat worse in bright parts of the image. With extremely bright gradients, especially close to white, the television struggles to maintain smoothness. This can be observed in a scene from the film Kingsman, where subtle sunrise bands appear in the background of a bright sky with the sun instead of a smooth blur. Fortunately, these are relatively rare situations, and in everyday viewing, the OLED770 performs very solidly and does not disrupt immersion as was the case with last year's models.

How does the TCL C8K perform with lower quality content? One could say: reasonably well, though without much enthusiasm. The television offers a tonal transition enhancement feature, which aims to smooth out unwanted gradients. In practice, there is a slight improvement, but it is not at a level that will eliminate all imperfections. The feature subtly softens harsh transitions, but does not perform miracles. Film grain is not completely suppressed, and gentle banding on grey backgrounds can still be noticeable. But perhaps that is for the best? – at least the image does not lose its texture or depth, as can happen with televisions that overdo digital processing. When it comes to upscaling, or enhancing the quality of images from lower resolutions, the C8K performs quite well. The picture is sharp, and details – although sometimes slightly softened – remain readable. However, it is not at the level of the best image processors from the competition. On the plus side, it is worth noting the lack of overscan issues, which is the artificial trimming of the image that can still surprise in some models from other brands.

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.

If you are planning a weekend with the Champions League or a marathon of F1 races – the TCL C8K won't let you down. The television is equipped with a 144 Hz panel, which means it should handle fast motion well by definition. And indeed – it performs very well. The fluidity of motion is at a very good level here, and the "Motion Clarity" feature with two sliders (motion blur reduction and flicker reduction) makes it easy to adjust the effect to your own preferences. Want to smooth it out a bit – you can. Prefer a cinematic look – no problem.

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.

TCL C8K offers practically everything we could expect from a screen for gamers. It features variable refresh rate (VRR), automatic game mode (ALLM), Dolby Vision in games, and a correctly functioning implementation of HGiG, which helps preserve the creators' intentions in HDR titles. The television also supports 120 Hz at lower resolutions without any issues and can even display an astonishing 288 Hz in Full HD – a value that is sure to please fans of dynamic shooters and racing games on PC.

We also find the GameBar – a graphic interface reminiscent of an elongated Nintendo Switch console. It is thanks to this that we gain quick access to information about the current game mode, frame rate, HDR format, and other details that really make life easier for the gamer. Of course, we couldn't resist and launched a couple of races in Forza Horizon on the C8K – and we must admit, it looked and performed really well.

However, there is a slight drawback – in such a fast and evidently gaming device, it is somewhat disappointing that the manufacturer opted for the implementation of only two HDMI 2.1 ports. For some users who utilise several next-generation consoles and, for example, a soundbar with eARC, this might be a certain limitation that is hard to overlook.

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.

In terms of delays, the TCL C8K pleasantly surprised us. Whether we were playing in 4K at 60 Hz, 120 Hz, or even in Full HD with Dolby Vision – the input lag remained at a very low level. This is a rare sight, as many televisions lose their advantage here, especially with the more demanding Dolby Vision GAMING picture settings.

As we mentioned earlier, the only anomaly that was detected during testing is the Dolby Vision Gaming mode. In this setting, the delay can reach up to 30 ms. This is not particularly impressive, and more demanding gamers may wrinkle their noses, but in practice – during casual sessions – the difference will not be strongly noticeable. Standard HDR10 and SDR modes perform much better. For a 120 Hz signal, input lag drops here to a minimal 5 ms, which is an outstanding result and places the OLED770 among the top televisions suitable for fast-paced gaming. In other words, if someone is not insistent on using Dolby Vision on Xbox, the gaming experience will be quick, smooth, and free of unnecessary delays!

As we mentioned earlier, the C8K is a television designed with gamers in mind – and not just for console gaming. Connecting a PC is pure pleasure. The low input lag is practically unnoticeable, and the 4K panel at 144 Hz (or even 288 Hz in Full HD) makes gameplay exceptionally smooth. This is the kind of equipment that is really hard to tear yourself away from once you plug in a keyboard and mouse.

Office work and everyday use of the computer are equally impressive. Fonts – regardless of size – are readable and sharp thanks to Chroma 444. However, we have a small note: with very thin horizontal lines, slight imperfections can be noticed. We assume, though, that few will notice this, as hardly anyone plans to place the smallest 65-inch monster 50 cm from their face and use it like a regular monitor.

Philips has learned from previous models and has finally improved the implementation of chroma 4:4:4. This is important news for those planning to connect a television to a computer, as it means no issues with sharpness and readability of fonts. Text appears clear and transparent, so the OLED770 can aptly be called an excellent screen for office work or browsing the internet. Of course, very demanding users may notice some imperfections resulting from the WRGB pixel arrangement typical of WOLED panels, but in practice, this does not significantly impact comfort. The television also performs well in games run from a PC. The panel allows for real refresh rates up to 120 Hz, and with low input lag, it delivers a very smooth image without noticeable stuttering. The only missing features are support for G-Sync and – as we have mentioned – a proper 144 Hz mode, but despite this, the overall performance is really solid. For those looking for a versatile screen for both computer and console use, the OLED770 is a choice that is hard to overlook.

One of the novelties in this year's TCL series is the WHVA panel, which has finally made a significant advancement in viewing angles for the Chinese manufacturer. And although you can't completely cheat physics – brightness does indeed drop quite noticeably when viewed from the side – the image itself remains readable and does not drastically lose colours or contrast. This is a considerable change, as VA panels typically fall short compared to IPS panels in this category. Meanwhile, in the C8K, it is evident that TCL has made an effort to ensure that even viewers sitting slightly to the side can still enjoy the full depth of the image – something that will be appreciated by anyone who cannot sit 'in the perfect middle of the sofa'.

In terms of viewing angles, the Philips OLED770 presents a very high level typical of OLEDs. The image remains clear and vibrant even when viewing the screen from the side – there is virtually no noticeable drop in contrast or colour fading. In this category, it is only surpassed by QD-OLED panels, which can be found either in very expensive premium models or in one exceptional case – the 55-inch Samsung S85F. However, in everyday use, the differences are difficult to detect, and the OLED770 performs nearly perfectly anyway. It is only at truly extreme angles that a slight degradation of colours can be noticed.

C8K is truly a bright performer, and not just in theory. In SDR content, it can achieve an impressive 700 nits, which translates to very good image readability even in brightly sunlit rooms. So if you have a bright living room with large windows, this television won't have much trouble with that. However, it is worth mentioning one detail: the WHVA panel used here, with improved viewing angles, causes light reflections to be more diffused sideways. In practice, this means that, for example, wall sconces or floor lamps directly opposite the screen may reflect in a slightly more widespread manner than in typical glossy/satin panels.

OLED770 is not one of the brightest televisions, so it is hard to recommend it for very sunny living rooms. In a bright room, its limitations quickly become apparent – the screen reflects light and acts rather like a slightly dimmed mirror. The suppression of reflections is average, and in direct light, the screen performs poorly. Fortunately, the matrix coating does not distort colours, so even during the day, the hues remain natural, and blacks do not dramatically lose their depth. Nevertheless, it is difficult to say that the OLED770 is a television made for bright spaces – it will definitely perform better in a dimmed living room or a bedroom, where its strong points can fully resonate.

Classic Television Features

The TCL C8K offers the vast majority of features that we consider essential today. It has a classic and clear electronic programme guide (EPG), and teletext features are included, while connecting a keyboard, mouse, or Bluetooth headphones posed no problems at all. It's somewhat unfortunate that the Google TV system – like in many other TCL models – lacks more advanced options, such as programme recording or picture-in-picture (PiP). This may be a drawback for some users, especially if they are accustomed to using these options with other manufacturers. One might also have some reservations about the number of USB ports – there is only one. However, in practice, most people will find it sufficient to connect a drive with movies or a USB stick.

Smart Features

While classic television functions are not the strong suit of the C8K, in terms of smart features, this television truly shines. The Google TV system implemented is the largest and most popular platform on the market – and you can feel it at every turn. The availability of applications is phenomenal. Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime – all of these can be found here without the slightest problem. Only truly niche or closed ecosystems (e.g. Apple Music) may not be available. The built-in voice assistant works very efficiently – you can ask it to change the channel, launch an application, search for a film, or check the weather. The system responds naturally and quickly, giving a genuine sense of convenience and modernity. It is precisely here that the C8K definitely outpaces a large portion of the competition – after all, that's why we have smart TVs, so that the television does more than just display images.

User Functions

Let’s start with the basics, namely the classic functions of a television. The Philips OLED770 doesn’t rock the boat here; it has a standard EPG interface, the ability to connect devices via Bluetooth, and a few simple configuration options, including teletext. A curiosity is the presence of a jack connection, which has become quite rare these days. However, it will be appreciated by owners of older amplifiers or wired headphones. The remote control gives a good impression—it's ergonomic and has backlighting for the numeric keypad—but here too, there is a sense of a step back. It operates on infrared, so you have to aim at the television, and we would expect full wireless support by 2025. The exception is voice commands that use Bluetooth, but even here there is no cause for euphoria.

SmartTV Features – TitanOS

Speaking of voice, let’s move on to the Smart TV system, which largely defines the daily comfort of using a television today. Here, the OLED770 clearly falls behind the competition. TitanOS operates quickly enough that it’s hard to call it a disaster, but everyday use can be frustrating due to minor errors and shortcomings. Theoretically, we get support for AirPlay, but on the other hand, screen mirroring didn’t work at all in practice. Voice search? Yes, but only through Amazon Alexa and without support for the Polish language. In other words, the features exist, but when we try to use them, their utility turns out to be severely limited, even useless. And it is the Smart TV aspect that becomes the biggest hindrance for the OLED770. The picture can be breathtaking, gaming performs excellently, and Ambilight creates a unique atmosphere—yet when we move to everyday use of applications and services, we feel a sense of dissatisfaction.

Ambilight – Philips OLED770

While in terms of smart functionality, the Philips OLED770 is rather average, it has something in store that the competition genuinely envies. We are of course talking about the three-sided Ambilight system, which has been a hallmark of televisions from this brand for years. The LED lights positioned at the back of the casing dynamically illuminate the wall in colours matching what is currently happening on the screen. The effect is simple but very suggestive—the image seems to extend beyond the confines of the television, giving us the impression that the screen has suddenly grown by extra inches. During a film viewing, it can create an atmosphere, in games it enhances immersion, and during everyday television watching, it simply pleases the eye. It is this addition that makes, despite the limitations of TitanOS, the OLED770 have something that can attract attention and give it character.

We did not expect miracles, but... we got more than we anticipated. The TCL C8K handled most of the files we put on the USB stick without any issues. Movies in MKV, older AVI, audio tracks in DTS or AC3 – everything worked without a hitch. If we were to nitpick, it would be the usual lack of support for the HEIC format from Apple devices, but that is a standard shortcoming one can live with. The most important thing, however, is that if someone lacks anything, they can simply... install a better player. And this is where the advantage of Google TV is felt.

The built-in media player in the Philips OLED770 works quite well, especially when it comes to subtitles – practically every format we tried was handled correctly, which will certainly please those watching films from their own library. However, there are some reservations regarding photo support. Not all resolutions are recognised, which may surprise users accustomed to viewing photographs from classic cameras or older memory cards. Other than that, everything works properly – it’s just worth ensuring that the television can manage the files we actually want to play on it.

In the case of sound, we typically don't have high expectations. After all, a television is not a Hi-Fi system. But... the C8K pleasantly surprised us. A new feature in the latest top models from TCL is the collaboration with Bang & Olufsen and – most importantly – you can really hear that this isn't just a marketing gimmick. After just a few minutes with the TV, it was clear that it sounds different from a typical "flat screen." The sound is full with a slight but noticeable bass. Of course, we are still talking about sound from a television, so it won't compete with the cheapest soundbar with a subwoofer, but considering the standards of built-in speakers – it is very good.

*During testing at maximum volume, we noticed unusual behaviour in the audio system. With the slider set to 100%, the television reaches around 76–78 dB, but you can hear it trying to generate more power, after which the sound level is immediately adjusted back to the mentioned value. On the other hand, when we lower the volume to, for example, 70%, it initially drops as expected, but after a moment, it slowly rises back to the same level of 76 dB. This effect gives the impression of an aggressive limiter that always brings the volume down to a single level, regardless of the position of the slider. We checked this behaviour multiple times and in each case, the result was identical – no additional functions of "intelligent" volume adjustment or AI were active.

In terms of sound, the Philips OLED770 performs quite well, although one shouldn’t expect strong bass. For regular television watching, streaming services, or series, its capabilities are fully sufficient – dialogues are clear, and the overall tonal balance is at a decent level. However, when we want to feel a real impact in cinematic productions or games, it quickly becomes apparent that there is a lack of solid low-end frequencies. In such a situation, a natural complement is an additional soundbar or audio system that allows you to make the most of the excellent picture.

On the plus side, versatility in handling formats is noteworthy. The OLED770 handles practically all popular codecs, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Dolby TrueHD. This means that when connecting external audio equipment, you can expect a full audio experience, even if the built-in speakers in the television do not create a spectacular impression.

TCL C8K vs Philips OLED770

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

Classic features:

Smart features:

Classic Television Features

Smart Features

User Functions

SmartTV Features – TitanOS

Ambilight – Philips OLED770

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound

Acoustic Measurements