Philips PUS8500 Review

PUS8500 / PUS8560 / PUS8510 / PUS8600

Available screen sizes: 43”50”55”65”75”85”

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This TV was tested by:

Maciej Koper

Paweł Koper

Last updated::

7/22/2025 8:22:29 AM

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Our verdict

5.6

Overall rating

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

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

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

Advantages

Ambilight System
High native contrast - VA panel
Low input lag
Basic gaming features: ALLM and VRR
Full support for audio formats: Dolby Atmos and DTS
Backlit remote control with numeric keypad

Disadvantages

Average panel brightness
The TitanOS system seems unfinished (some features do not work, missing applications)
Infrared remote control
Issues with font readability (PC)

Movies and series in UHD quality

5.4
Classic TV, YouTube

6.1
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

5.2
Gaming on console

6.7
TV as a computer monitor

5.6
Watching in bright light

4.9
Utility functions

4.9
Apps

4.6
Sound quality

6.2

PHILIPS PUS8500 - TV appearance

HDMI inputs: 3 x HDMI 2.0, 0 x HDMI 2.1 Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps

Build quality: Average

Stand type: Legs

Kolor ramki: Graphite

Review Philips PUS8500 Appearance of the TV

Regulacja podstawy: stand-Base Adjustment
Montaż na płasko: Nie
Akcesoria: accessories-Stand

The Philips PUS8560 is a basic model from the more budget-friendly range. The design of the television is robust, and it is not among the thinnest on the market. Additionally, the back panel has not been flush with the rest of the construction, which means that when mounted on the wall, the screen may protrude more than in other models. It is evident that the manufacturer envisaged this model mainly to be placed on feet. These are made of metal and appear solid. While one might think that stability of the base is a given, metal feet are rare these days, even in more expensive models, which is why their presence in a cheaper variant deserves attention. The bezel around the screen is relatively slim, with a characteristic black trim. It is worth noting that the PUS8560 is the cheapest Philips model with a 4K resolution that has been equipped with an Ambilight system. This solution can drastically change the atmosphere around the television itself!

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Philips PUS8500 (paid link)

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Contrast and black detail

Viewing mode Game mode

6.1/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Local dimming function: No

Review Philips PUS8500 Contrast and black detail

Result

6,000:1

Result

5,950:1

Result

6,250:1

Result

5,950:1

Result

5,750:1

Visibility of details in the lights:

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

But the panel alone is not everything. Unfortunately, the PUS8500 does not come with local dimming (which is a given considering the television segment), so one must be aware that in completely dark conditions, the black can resemble shades of navy more than true black. On the other hand – and here’s a plus for Philips – the Ambilight system does an excellent job. The backlighting genuinely affects the perception of contrast. Therefore, even if technically the black is not perfect, subjectively the viewing experience becomes much more pleasurable. For many people, this is enough to make an evening screening truly impressive.

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

PHILIPS PUS8500 - HDR effect quality

Viewing mode Game mode

4.1/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 90.4%, Bt.2020: 65.8%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Review Philips PUS8500 Brightness measurement

Result

273 nit

Result

300 nit

Result

324 nit

Result

343 nit

Result

334 nit

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

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

Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)

Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)

We tested the PUS8560 on several demanding film sequences to assess not only the dry numbers but, above all, how the television performs in practice. Overall impression? Not the worst – though it could certainly be better. The biggest problem is the incorrect brightness characteristic. In a scene from the film Mr (the one on the left), it is clearly visible that the television brightens the brightest parts of the image, causing details to be lost. We noticed a similar phenomenon in the less demanding sequence from Billy Lynn, where the fireworks were overexposed, and the entire image appeared washed out and lacking depth. Theoretically, the "HDR10 Effect" function is supposed to be responsible for dynamic tone mapping and improving such scenes, but in practice – even after activation – we did not notice any significant improvement.

HDR luminance chart:

Luminancja HDR

Luminance of RGB colors

Although the PUS8560 does not impress with the brightness of its panel, the manufacturer has equipped it with one tool that theoretically should improve the reception of HDR content – support for dynamic metadata in the HDR10+ format. In practice, such a measure often allows for better adjustment of brightness and contrast of the image to a specific scene, making the viewing experience more varied and enjoyable than in the case of standard HDR10. Unfortunately, in the case of this model, the differences between classic HDR and the version with dynamic metadata prove to be difficult to notice. The final effect remains almost the same – without a noticeable increase in image quality.

Static HDR10

Dynamic: HDR10+

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Smoothness of tonal transitions

6.3/10

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

Review Philips PUS8500 Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

6.1/10

Smooth transition function

Image without overscan on the SD signal

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

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

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Blur and motion smoothness

4/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 60Hz

Film motion smoothing option: No

Blur reduction option: No

BFI function 60Hz: No

BFI function 120Hz: No

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

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Console compatibility and gaming features

4.7/10

ALLM: Yes
VRR: Yes
VRR range: 48 - 60Hz
Dolby Vision Game Mode: No
Correct implementation of HGIG: No
1080p@120Hz: No
1440p@120Hz: No
4K@120Hz: No
Game bar: Yes

Although the Philips PUS8560 is not designed with gamers in mind, the manufacturer has decided to equip it with a few features that may prove useful when connecting a console. On board, we find automatic switching to game mode (ALLM), as well as a simple connection status information bar – the so-called Game Bar. It does not make a particularly strong visual impression, but it serves its purpose. The presence of variable refresh rate (VRR), operating in the range of 48 to 60 Hz, may come as a surprise. While this is not a wide range, in the case of less demanding games or titles with unstable frame rates, VRR can help reduce screen tearing. However, this is the only element that could be considered beyond the minimum.

It must be made clear that the PUS8560 is not equipment for gamers looking for a responsive screen and full support for modern console features. It lacks HDMI 2.1 ports, the refresh rate is limited to 60 Hz, and the response time of the panel is not among the fastest. This model may be suitable at most for casual gamers who want to enjoy the Ambilight system.

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Input lag

10/10

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

SDR	HDR	Dolby Vision
1080p60: 13 ms	2160p60: 12 ms
2160p60: 13 ms

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Compatibility with PC

5.6/10

Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes

Font clarity: Very Good

Readability of dark text and shapes: Poor

Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 13ms

Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR

Max refresh rate: 60Hz

G-Sync: No

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

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Viewing angles

3.3/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 68%

The viewing angles on the PUS8560 are precisely what one would expect from a VA panel - it's not the best. The image loses quality even with a slight shift off-axis – colours become washed out and black begins to resemble a dark navy. This is, of course, the price paid for the better contrast that VA offers when viewed directly. In the case of our 55-inch model, this is still acceptable, especially if the television is positioned perfectly opposite the sofa. However, with larger screen sizes or a less central placement in the living room – it could become a problem for comfortable viewing.

PHILIPS PUS8500 - TV efficiency during daytime

4.9/10

Matrix coating: Satin

Reflection suppression: Decent

Black levels during daytime: Good

The PUS8560 performs moderately during the day. The satin matrix coating quite effectively dampens reflections, which means that light from windows or lamps does not interfere too much. The blacks also look decent for a VA panel – even in daylight, there are no significant losses in contrast. However, all the charm fades when it gets really bright. The panel's brightness is around 300 nits, which is definitely too little to speak of full comfort in a heavily lit room. In such conditions, the PUS8560 simply needs to be aided by blinds – otherwise, the image begins to look rather pale.

Matrix brightness

Average luminance SDR

Philips PUS8500 : 331 cd/m2

PHILIPS PUS8500 - TV features

4.9/10

System: Titan OS
TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No
Recording programming: No
Picture in Picture (PiP): No
Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): No
AirPlay: No
Voice search in native language: No
Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: No
Audio only mode: Yes
RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): Infrared
Backlit remote control: Yes
Teletext: Yes

Classic TV Features:

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

Smart TV:

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

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Apps

4.6/10

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Playing files from USB

Video Photos Audio

8/10

Video Photos Audio

Maximum photo resolution:	Supported photo formats:
4 Mpix	JPEG
6 Mpix	HEIC
8 Mpix	PNG
10 Mpix	GIF
12 Mpix	WebP
16 Mpix	TIFF
20 Mpix	BMP
24 Mpix	SVG
28 Mpix
32 Mpix

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

PHILIPS PUS8500 - Sound

6.2/10

Subjective sound quality

Supported codecs

(TV speakers)

Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

Dolby True HD 7.1

Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

DTS-HD Master Audio

Supported codecs

(external HDMI eARC audio)

Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

Dolby True HD 7.1

Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

DTS-HD Master Audio

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