Philips OLED809/819 vs Xiaomi S Pro 2026

The Philips OLED 809 delivers a highly satisfactory HDR effect. The television can reach luminance levels exceeding 900 nits in most scenes, and in some cases, even surpassing 1000 nits. This brightness ensures a rich and immersive experience for HDR content with a wide tonal range. The only exception occurs in a scene from the movie The Meg, where a large amount of bright white occupies most of the screen, preventing the TV from reaching higher brightness levels. However, this is not a significant issue, as the performance is still a considerable improvement over its predecessor.

Overall, these brightness levels, especially for an OLED panel not equipped with MLA technology, impress. Coupled with excellent coverage of the DCI-P3 colour spectrum, the Philips OLED 809 offers a truly spectacular HDR viewing experience.

When it comes to HDR quality, the Xiaomi S Pro 2026 is undoubtedly a really bright TV. On our synthetic measurement charts, we were able to generate a peak brightness of around 1400 nits. This is not only a very good result but even spectacular, considering the price of this model. However, as we always repeat, for our editorial team, measurements and experiences from the content we watch every day—movies and series—are more important. So let's analyze how Xiaomi handles film material. Unfortunately, the result is somewhat mixed. When very bright scenes appear on the screen, the S Pro 2026 truly shows its full potential and can achieve real brightness of 800-1000 nits on bright elements. Moreover, even smaller objects can "burn" the eyes— in scenes from the movie Sicario 2, small metallic elements of the helicopter were really bright. The problem is this—and here the story comes full circle back to our assessment of contrast—that in such scenes, we cannot count on absolutely cinematic black. In our opinion, this compromise is too significant; high visibility of details in bright areas should not come at the expense of such a substantial boost in black levels. And even though the HDR effect itself can be striking here, it is important to remember that when very difficult, mixed scenes appear on the screen, we may feel a slight disappointment. Exactly the one we mentioned in the previous paragraph regarding dimming issues in HDR mode. On a positive note, it is worth adding that the S Pro 2026 is equipped with an additional PFS filter (which works similarly to a QLED layer), effectively broadening the color palette coverage. As a result, measurements showed a DCI-P3 color gamut coverage of up to 94%. This gives us the confidence that in most colorful scenes, the image will look rich and appropriately saturated.

The best factory mode in which we performed all our tests was "Filmmaker," which is quite standard in televisions from this manufacturer. However, let’s first examine its characteristics before the calibration process. The first aspect we will focus on is white balance, as it is critical to ensuring the image remains free from any colour cast. The chart clearly shows that in both SDR and HDR materials, two colours dominated significantly: red and green, resulting in a strong yellow tint that affected the entire image. This was particularly noticeable on the "ColourChecker" palette, where all colours shifted towards their warmer counterparts.

The second aspect we will assess is what we consider to be the two most important charts for evaluating picture quality: gamma and the Electro-Optical Transfer Function (EOTF) curve. Both aim to maintain appropriate brightness and contrast. The first chart, which describes the brightness levels in SDR materials, shows that the brightness was significantly lower than the reference value marked by the orange line. This resulted in a sharp increase in brightness and a notable decrease in contrast, which was inconsistent with typical OLED television behaviour. The EOTF curve, on the other hand, showed greater "moderation," subtly brightening the overall image only up to 50% of the maximum brightness.

Of course, we conducted all our measurements in "Film" mode, which is usually the best and most accurate choice you get straight out of the box. And we have to say it bluntly: even though this is the best mode, it is still very far from ideal. First of all, the television has a clear tendency to give the image a cool, bluish tint – this is due to a poorly set white balance. Additionally, there is a problem with how the S Pro 2026 manages its brightness right after being taken out of the box, which results in an overly bright image. These two flaws contribute to really huge colorimetric errors (Delta E). In HDR content, they were able to exceed our expected error scale of "10" (meaning values close to 20). For reference – the threshold of perceivable error by the human eye is a Delta E value of around 3. Results at the level of 20 mean that the image significantly deviates from what the director intended.

Philips, like most leading manufacturers, has been providing advanced calibration tools for years. The inclusion of 2- and 20-point grayscale adjustments, along with an advanced CMS (Color Management System), has yielded extremely beneficial results and fundamentally improved the perceived image. Nearly every element previously mentioned has undergone a transformation and has been restored to its natural state. This is particularly noticeable in the "ColourChecker" palette, where the measured colour samples align harmoniously. Notably, the white balance has been excellently calibrated, ensuring a pure image free from unwanted tint in both SDR and HDR content. The previously problematic gamma has been well addressed, with only minor errors that do not impact the overall performance. Similarly, the EOTF curve has been refined, removing the subtle brightening effect, and now offers a truly reference-quality presentation.

So how does the S Pro 2026 perform after our calibration treatment? We must admit that after calibration, the television becomes a really pleasant device for watching everyday content. As you can see in the graphs, we managed to bring both white balance and gamma values to nearly perfection in HD (SDR) material. Most importantly, the colorimetric errors have become practically invisible to the human eye. In this scenario, the S Pro 2026 is simply a great television that, after professional calibration, can provide a lot of enjoyment while watching. However, it is worth noting clearly – our efforts helped little in 4K HDR mode. Despite calibration, the television still interprets the image rather strongly "in its own way," which is clearly seen in the measurement of the EOTF curve (luminance tracking). It's a bit of a shame, because this shows that the problem lies not in the panel itself, but in the software. Underdeveloped image management algorithms in HDR content can, unfortunately, disqualify this television for many more discerning users.

Philips OLED 809 struggled significantly in the smooth tonal transitions test. Focusing on the TV's algorithms, particularly the feature responsible for removing posterisation, the results were disappointing. This function, which offers several adjustable settings, proved ineffective in practice. The highest setting, while it does mitigate inconsistencies, it simultaneously blurs the entire image, rendering it virtually useless.

When dealing with lower-quality content, the performance of image upscaling algorithms becomes crucial. In this regard, the algorithms implemented in the OLED 809 perform admirably. They enhance image quality effectively, with minimal visible artefacts. Although slight edge fraying can occasionally be observed, it is unlikely to be noticeable during typical viewing sessions.

Let's start with the issue we addressed in the previous paragraph: can a TV even fix the problem of poor tonal transitions in dark scenes? Theoretically, yes – in the menu, we find a feature with the promising name "Color Contour Removal." Well, "theoretically." Unfortunately, in practice, this setting – regardless of which of the three power levels is selected – yielded absolutely no real results. So we have a feature that, in practice, only exists in the menu. Moving on to the quality of upscaling (scaling the image from a lower resolution to 4K), unfortunately, we have more bad news for you. The S Pro 2026 handles this task very poorly. Interestingly, the phenomenon of "overscan" (slight image cropping) is not a big issue here. The problem is that the TV simply displays a very raw, unprocessed image. Its attempt to upscale the signal to a higher resolution looks simply poor and lacks any "smart" enhancement. There is no denying it – the whole digital image processing is the true Achilles' heel of this model.

The maximum refresh rate achievable on the Philips OLED 809 is 144 Hz, a feature that can be fully utilised when connected to a high-performance PC. However, when connected to consoles or used for standard television viewing, the refresh rate remains at typical values. For users seeking enhanced motion fluidity or wishing to eliminate the characteristic choppiness of films shot at 24 fps, Philips provides a sophisticated motion-smoothing system.

In the settings menu, there is a "Smoothness" slider designed to reduce choppiness, along with a "Motion Blur Reduction" option to enhance the sharpness of fast-moving elements. These features perform impressively and allow for granular adjustments, ensuring that each setting has a tangible impact on motion perception. Notably, the system operates effectively at a refresh rate of 120 Hz, taking advantage of multiples of video frame rates. With this comprehensive range of options, users can easily fine-tune the settings to suit their preferences. For example, slight smoothing without inducing the soap opera effect offers a balanced viewing experience.

Motion clarity on the OLED 809 is further bolstered by the exceptional response time of the OLED panel, measured at approximately 0.1 ms. This surpasses the performance of IPS/ADS or VA panels, making OLED technology unrivalled in this area.

On paper, the specification of the S Pro 2026 looks impressive. The television is equipped with a native 144 Hz panel, capable of displaying images up to 288 Hz in a dedicated gaming mode. These are amazing results, but what interested us the most, in the context of everyday use, was how the television handles motion blur and how the image looks at 120 Hz. After all, this is the frequency used today by consoles like PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and it is desired by sports fans. Generally speaking, the panel "holds up." The matrix is fast enough to meet these challenges, and objects displayed at native 120Hz fluidity are shown correctly. As for the software, the television is equipped with a motion smoothing system, but with a key caveat – it only works for input signals up to 60 Hz. This means it is mainly suitable for classic television, movies, and series. Thanks to this, we can adjust the fluidity of the image to our own preferences – from a very smooth, "theatrical" approach to setting the slider to "zero" and maintaining a fully cinematic character.

The Philips OLED 809 fully supports all technologies included in the HDMI 2.1 standard, and during testing, each activated without issue. This makes the TV an excellent choice for gamers, whether on console or PC. Notably, it features HGIG mode as a strong alternative to Dolby Vision, which is less ideal for gaming on this model due to its high input lag.

The TV also includes a dedicated GameBar for monitoring gameplay parameters and adjusting settings quickly. Features like a crosshair overlay for sniper shots, shadow enhancement for better visibility, and a colour filter for gamers with visual impairments further enhance its gaming appeal.

In summary, the OLED 809 is a fantastic choice for gaming, equipped with VRR, ALLM, G-Sync, FreeSync, and HDR Dolby Vision gaming for a deeply immersive experience. The only drawback is the artificial sharpness in game mode, which cannot be fully softened, regardless of settings.

For gamers, the Xiaomi S Pro 2026 is, on paper, an almost ideal proposition. It is equipped with two HDMI 2.1 ports, allowing us to unlock (although these options are somewhat hidden in the menu) the full suite of features: ALLM, VRR, and, crucially, the ability to work in 4K at 144 Hz. This last feature should particularly please owners of powerful PCs. The TV also has something akin to a gaming panel – and while it’s hard to call it a full-fledged "Game Bar," it does its job by displaying key information. It’s just a shame that in its default form, it covers a relatively large part of the screen.

However, our biggest issue with this model concerns how the S Pro 2026 handles gaming in HDR mode. To put it bluntly: it doesn’t handle it well. Due to the poorly implemented HGiG function (the HDR tone mapping standard for games), during the initial HDR calibration on the console, it’s very easy to "blow out" the image. If someone is unaware of this software flaw and follows the on-screen instructions, they will simply set the image incorrectly, with burnt-out details in bright areas. Another major problem is the Dolby Vision mode for gaming. While it does work, it generates such a high input lag that it becomes noticeable in dynamic titles. (All our latency measurements can be checked in the paragraph below). In summary: generally, it’s a really good screen for gamers, but with one small caveat. We would rather avoid HDR mode on it – unless we decide to manually adjust the brightness bar on the console "by eye," completely ignoring the instructions from the console's pictogram.