Philips OLED769 vs Blaupunkt UGC5500S

The Philips OLED769 performs admirably in film scenes featuring small bright elements. With peak brightness reaching around 800 nits, the TV handles light sources like street lamps or stars with remarkable vividness and detail. However, its limitations become evident during scenes with full-screen brightness, such as sun glare, where brightness drops to approximately 250 nits. This is a common challenge for more affordable OLED models, which often struggle to sustain high brightness across the entire display.

Here, we won't beat around the bush either – if you're looking for a TV strictly for cinematic HDR experiences, you've come to the wrong address. The Blaupunkt UGC5500S unfortunately is not a machine designed for such challenges. This is primarily due to its very low brightness, which we measured during our tests. A result of around 250 nits on film screens speaks for itself. It's simply too little to even talk about any real HDR effect. To be honest, everything displayed here in this format can best be considered a slightly "boosted" SDR mode. We expected this because practically every device in this price range fails in this regard, but we feel obligated to warn you. Manufacturers love to boast about HDR compatibility stickers on the boxes, but in reality, this format simply doesn't exist here – it lacks the "fuel" of brightness.

The situation is made all the more difficult for Blaupunkt because we have a panel with a very basic DCI-P3 color gamut coverage of just around 80%. You won't find any advanced coatings that enhance these capabilities (like quantum dots), making scenes that are supposed to burst with richly saturated colors appear simply desaturated on this screen. Therefore, we have a concrete piece of advice for you: do not push the HDR mode on this model. If you have the option in the streaming app settings – just turn it off. Sticking with the classic SDR mode will ensure that the TV won't try to "enhance" something that it can't handle hardware-wise.

The "Film" mode on the Philips OLED769 proved to be the most faithful factory setting for preserving the source material, and it was the basis for our tests. However, like other factory presets, it has a few flaws. Let’s break down the key issues observed in SDR and HDR content.

In both formats, the white balance exhibited a noticeable dominance of green and red tones. This led to a yellowish tint across the image, resulting in yellowed whites and slightly unnatural skin tones. This was particularly evident in the "ColourChecker" palette, where colour samples leaned toward warmer shades.

In terms of contrast and brightness, two critical graphs tell the story: the Gamma curve for HD content and the EOTF curve for 4K HDR content. For SDR, the gamma value dips below the ideal 2.4 level, causing lighter parts of the image to appear overly bright. This overexposure reduces detail and depth in bright areas. In contrast, the EOTF curve for HDR content performed admirably, accurately maintaining details in both bright and dark regions. This ensures realistic, dynamic scene reproduction that enhances the overall viewing experience.

We also took a close look at how Blaupunkt handles colors in movie mode, and here the situation is, to put it briefly, twofold. We must clearly separate what we see in the standard SDR format from what happens when HDR is turned on, as these are two completely different worlds. Let’s start with the better side of the coin. If you plan to watch classic television, YouTube, or older movies on this TV, you can count on really well-tuned colors. In our test sample, the white balance in movie mode was exceptionally accurate, which honestly surprised us. Of course, to not make it too rosy, we noticed some flaws. Looking at the gamma charts, we observed that the processor struggles with properly dimming the image in its brightest parts. Additionally, there is quite strong, at times too aggressive, red saturation, which resulted in noticeable errors in reproducing certain shades. Nevertheless, in general terms, the image in SDR is simply solid and watchable without a grimace on your face. Unfortunately, the magic fades when we re-enter the world of HDR. Here, Blaupunkt behaves as if we suddenly switched it to store mode, and in its worst form. The excess blue in the white balance is so overwhelming that it literally clashes with the eyes, ruining any realism of the scene. Furthermore, the TV interprets brightness very loosely, which, when analyzing the EOTF curve, clearly showed that for most of the time the colors appear simply washed out and lacking depth. This is, by the way, perfectly visible in the color errors that become evident in this mode. Once again, we are left with the same conclusion: Blaupunkt in SDR mode looks significantly better and more natural than in HDR, which feels forced and not properly refined.

After professional calibration, the Philips OLED769 truly excels in colour accuracy. Any yellow tint previously seen in HD and 4K content is now eliminated. The Colour Checker test shows minimal deltaE errors, occasionally exceeding a value of 2, which indicates a nearly perfect representation of the director's intent.

When it comes to contrast, the results are equally impressive. For 4K materials, there was little room for improvement initially, but the gamma curve has been significantly refined. This leads to a more accurate rendering of dark and bright areas, resulting in a dynamic and realistic viewing experience.

Thanks to the calibration, the full potential of the television has been unlocked. The Philips OLED769 now delivers vibrant, natural, and high-quality images, making it an excellent choice for movie lovers and multimedia users.

It may sound like a joke – pulling out professional measurement equipment for a television costing around a thousand zlotys / 250 dollars – but we wouldn't be ourselves if we didn't check it out. The question is: does such cheap equipment give us any room for calibration? To your surprise, the answer is yes, and absolutely so. In the Blaupunkt UGC5500S menu, we found surprisingly many options that allowed us to really work on the picture. These are not just empty sliders; they are concrete tools that enabled us to make use of our measurement sensors and software. In SDR mode, the effects were noticeable to the naked eye. We successfully eliminated the issue we mentioned earlier – that excessive, almost artificial saturation of reds. We also fixed the problem of incorrect dimming of the brightest parts of the image. After calibration, the standard format picture became much more balanced and simply correct. As for HDR, the situation was again more complicated. Although we managed to "tame" that aggressive blue tint in the white balance, it was evident that we were fighting a bit in vain. Even after changing the settings, the television still tried to intervene in the image in its own way, as if the electronics knew better than we did how the scene should look. Additionally, there's a hardware barrier that no slider can overcome – colors in HDR still remain unsaturated. This simply results from the quality of the panel itself; it physically cannot produce the most vibrant colors. To summarize this point: if any of you ask whether it’s possible to calibrate a television for "a thousand," we respond with full conviction: it is possible.

When it comes to lower-quality materials, the distortion reduction in the Philips OLED769 does well in smoothing tonal transitions, especially at the minimum setting. It's worth noting that film grain is not blurred, which is a positive surprise, as such negative phenomena often occur with other manufacturers. Overall, this is quite a decent solution. However, it should be pointed out that this setting does not work in HDR mode, where gradation issues are much more pronounced. In HDR mode, the TV struggles with smoothing tonal transitions and may exhibit more noticeable distortions and noise, reducing image quality in dynamic scenes.

As for digital processing, the Philips OLED769 performs well. The model in the photo is not overly jagged, and the branches in the background lack characteristic jagged edges. The TV achieves this effect thanks to the absence of artificial sharpness, which may be an advantage for some users. However, others may find this less attractive as they prefer a more pronounced, sharper image instead of a subtle effect. This effect can be mitigated using a higher setting for the "Sharpness" parameter.

If you expect that the processor in this model will magically "fix" the poor quality signal from cable TV or old films from YouTube, we must disappoint you. The capabilities of this television end with absolutely basic upscaling, which is simply stretching the image to a higher resolution. It does this correctly in that the image is not blurry, but there is no talk of any intelligent sharpening or adding details. Worse still, Blaupunkt is completely devoid of any functions that reduce unwanted tonal transitions. If the material being viewed has so-called banding (ugly "steps" instead of a smooth transition of colors, e.g., in the sky), this television will display them in all their glory. Additionally, the television tends to slightly crop the edges of the image. Instead of displaying 100% of what the source sends, Blaupunkt slightly enlarges the frame, causing us to lose details located at the very edges of the screen. In summary: in the category of digital "enhancement" of the image, Blaupunkt simply performs poorly. We receive a raw, unprocessed signal with all its flaws.

The Philips OLED769 features a multi-stage motion smoother called "Motion Style," which will satisfy users who value the ability to customize motion fluidity in movies. Thanks to this function, the image can be set to be more frame-like or fluid, resembling a theatrical effect. This is a great solution for those who want to match the displayed content to their visual preferences. Gamers will also be pleased, as the TV, like most OLEDs, is equipped with a 120Hz panel. This provides extraordinary fluidity and image dynamics. Unfortunately, the Philips OLED769 lacks BFI (Black Frame Insertion) functionality, which could further improve motion fluidity and sharpness. Despite this limitation, it offers excellent visual experiences for cinema and gaming enthusiasts, one of its main strengths.

When it comes to motion fluidity, Blaupunkt has nothing to defend itself with. A 60 Hz panel at this price is standard, so none of us expected a perfectly sharp image during fast action scenes or while watching a game. However, the biggest drawback of this model is that you won't find any digital smoothers in the menu. The manufacturer did not give us any room to maneuver – there's no way to smooth anything out or adjust the image to our preferences. The image is always "raw" and we receive it exactly as the source transmits it. For fans of cinematic "motion jump," this might be fine, but everyone else just has to get used to the absence of any motion support.

The Philips OLED769 was created with gamers in mind, offering full compatibility with consoles and the highest-quality gameplay. The television received the maximum rating in this category, providing everything one could desire. With HDMI 2.1 ports fully supporting ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), the television ensures smooth and hassle-free gaming. ALLM automatically switches the TV to low latency mode, and VRR eliminates stuttering and screen tearing, resulting in fluidity and stability in gameplay. The Dolby Vision feature for gamers is another advantage, though it only works at 60 Hz. Most casual gamers are unlikely to feel the lack of a higher frequency, but more demanding users may have some reservations. This allows for enjoying a dynamic range of tones and realistic images, enhancing the gaming experience. PC gamers will also not be disappointed, as the Philips OLED769 offers full compatibility with Nvidia graphics cards, thanks to support for G-Sync. This technology synchronizes the TV's refresh rate with the graphics card, eliminating tearing and stuttering, translating to excellent image smoothness.

The Philips OLED769 is a television that perfectly meets the needs of gamers, offering a wide range of advanced features and technologies that significantly improve game quality and user comfort.

When it comes to gaming on the Blaupunkt, we didn’t expect miracles and indeed – the list of features is not very long. However, there are two interesting points worth mentioning, as they may be significant for some of you at this price. The first advantage is that the TV quite efficiently detects the connected console. Thanks to the ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature, the device automatically knows when you start gaming and switches to low latency mode. This is convenient because you don’t have to fiddle with the settings every time to prevent input lag from ruining the fun. The second point is a real curiosity that surprised us. Even though it’s a 60 Hz panel, the Blaupunkt can display images at 120 Hz at Full HD resolution. Sure, we lose 4K details then, but for those playing more dynamic, online shooters where fluidity is more important than resolution, it’s a really nice and unexpected addition in such an inexpensive piece of equipment. Besides these two points, however, you won’t find anything else here. There are no advanced systems for improving fluidity for gamers or extensive gaming menu bars. It’s a simple screen for occasional gaming.