Philips PML9009 / 9019 / 9059 vs TCL C7L

The Philips PML9009 struggles to deliver the highest HDR performance. Scenes with effects around 550 nits don’t provide particularly impressive lighting, though the effects remain stable, an improvement over SDR materials. A notable exception is in Gemini Man, where a flashlight as the sole light source stands out. This is likely due to the absence of large dark areas and the relatively small size of the light source compared to scenes with larger, brighter elements like the sun. While the brightness results in HDR content aren’t quite strong enough to recommend this TV for productions utilising a wide colour gamut, it’s worth mentioning that the model does achieve decent coverage, reaching 93% of the DCI-P3 spectrum.

TCL C7L is undoubtedly an extremely bright television. In synthetic tests on static images, it can achieve peak brightness levels of around 2800 nits. This is an absolutely phenomenal result, considering the price range it falls into. Unfortunately, the tests with real film scenes are not as spectacular as the measurements of white squares. The brightness in actual HDR shots drops to around 1200 nits in the C7L model. This is still a very good result, as the vast majority of contemporary films are mastered at such a value. However, when small, pinpoint elements appear on the screen, the brightness of those details drastically drops – even to about 400 nits – which diminishes the HDR effect somewhat. The television does this intentionally to maintain a better level of black and prevent a huge glare of light. This is somewhat explainable, but it also shows that Mini LED technology is not completely uncompromising in this regard. As for the HDR effect itself – alongside brightness, colors are obviously key here. And these, thanks to the use of new, "super" quantum dots, are simply outstanding and among the best on the market. The television can achieve around 90% coverage of the ultra-wide color gamut BT.2020 and 99% of the DCI-P3 gamut, easily matching the best RGB MINI-LED screens. Best of all, the C7L can maintain such high color saturation regardless of the scene being displayed, which is often problematic in competing RGB Mini-LED televisions.

During testing, the Philips PML9009 performed best in the factory "Filmmaker" mode, which we evaluated across both SDR and HDR content. A key characteristic observed in this mode is the EOTF curve’s behaviour in HDR content and gamma settings in SDR, designed to enhance image accuracy. However, the PML9009 presented noticeable issues, particularly with white balance, as a pronounced red dominance created a yellow tint across the entire image. This affected skin tones and white areas, with faces and whites appearing unnaturally warm. The colour shift was confirmed through the "ColourChecker" palette, where colours leaned towards warmer shades.

In the gamma analysis, responsible for image contrast, we noticed considerable inaccuracies early on. Our measured values spiked above the reference, causing dark scenes to lose detail and merge visually up to about 10% screen brightness. Following this, the values dropped below the target line, further degrading contrast—an area already challenging for this model.

In HDR content, the white balance remained similarly flawed, and the EOTF curve also restricted brightness levels, resulting in a dim, muted image. Colour inaccuracies were even more pronounced here, with lower luminance levels causing large deviations from accurate colours, which were clearly visible on the error graph, often exceeding acceptable limits. While aiming for cinematic quality, this mode ultimately fell short in delivering balanced colour and contrast fidelity.

When it comes to colors straight out of the box, a new feature in TCL televisions – including the C7L model – is the presence of a new picture mode called Filmmaker Mode. This is significant news, as such a mode was previously unavailable from this manufacturer. By design, as the name itself suggests, the image in this setting is intended to be presented with the full intent of the film's creator. After our tests, we can confirm that it is undoubtedly the best built-in mode on this television if you care about faithful color reproduction straight out of the box. However, we definitely wouldn't say that it is perfect. Like most devices on the market, this C7L also had its factory flaws. The white balance in Filmmaker Mode strayed into a slightly greenish-yellow hue, mainly due to an excess of green component and a noticeable lack of blue color. Of course, for the average viewer, this may not be a drastic flaw, but if you care about perfect whites, natural skin tones, and fully unlocking the potential of these new "super" quantum dots, this television is in need of professional calibration.

Philips has long provided sophisticated calibration tools, including 2-point and 20-point grayscale adjustments as well as an advanced CMS (Colour Management System). These allow users to make significant improvements, and even those less attentive to image quality will likely notice a positive difference post-calibration. Both SDR and HDR content benefit from this process, notably eliminating the prominent yellow tint caused by an overemphasis on red in the white balance.

For SDR content, although gamma adjustments don’t entirely resolve the loss of detail in dark areas, the overall improvements bring most content to an impressive standard, with minimal, hardly perceptible errors. Colour accuracy is notably enhanced, achieving nearly reference quality with low deltaE errors.

HDR content, however, remains somewhat limited due to the display’s lower brightness capability. While the white balance has largely been corrected, a slight blue tint can occasionally appear. The EOTF curve aligns very well, providing accurate geometry, though colour errors persist due to the limited luminance. This calibration offers a substantial improvement but may still fall short for viewers who expect high brightness levels in HDR.

After conducting a professional calibration, we managed to significantly improve the situation in the factory Filmmaker Mode. Following our adjustments, the errors in the ColorChecker test and across the entire wide color gamut dropped below the threshold of human perception – that is, below a value of 3, which is indeed a very good result. The TCL C7L definitely benefits from such an intervention in terms of color fidelity, and it's hard to dispute that. However, the management of brightness in HDR content post-calibration looks a bit worse. As I described earlier – even though we set up this model properly, when we turn on actual film scenes on the TV, it manages its brightness in a rather peculiar way. It often brightens certain elements on the screen contrary to the creator's intent, which is clearly visible in the EOTF graphs measured in specific films. Despite this defect – or rather a specific characteristic of this television – one cannot take away from it that after calibration, the C7L was able to reproduce the colors completely accurately.

Given the impressive handling of tonal transitions by the Philips PML9009, one might expect similar success in the image scaling test. However, the results were less than stellar. When upscaling lower-quality images, like those from certain TV programmes or older films, the Philips algorithm tended to blur fine details noticeably, especially in intricate elements like fine branches or a model's hair.

On the other hand, the tonal transition performance remains noteworthy, with the TV offering several levels of smoothing. Even at the lowest setting, it effectively addresses non-smooth transitions in most materials, and crucially, it preserves the film grain effect, maintaining fidelity to the director's vision. However, it’s worth noting that some fine details may still appear slightly softened.

This point can be, in a sense, called the Achilles' heel of the C7L model. Unfortunately, this TV uses an older MediaTek chipset – the Pentonic 700 – which has never been known for exceptional digital image processing. This is clearly evident in the operation of the gradual smoothing feature, which is responsible for reducing jagged edges and removing digital noise. It simply works very poorly – after setting it to low, its effectiveness is practically nonexistent. The only small plus here is that the algorithm doesn't spoil anything additional in the image and doesn’t forcibly blur details. The upscaling, that is, scaling the image from lower resolutions to 4K, performs a bit better. It is simply adequate and doesn’t stand out in any particular way compared to the competition. However, it cannot be denied that the C7L would gain significantly in this aspect if the manufacturer decided to use the newer Pentonic 800 processor, which is now increasingly found in many competitive models.

The Philips PML9009 has a 120 Hz native refresh rate, a baseline standard for watching sports and an ideal setting for gaming on consoles or PCs. Philips includes an effective motion-enhancement system for users who want to reduce the stutter of 24 fps content or need fluid motion for fast-paced scenes, like in football matches. The dedicated "Smoothness" slider effectively mitigates stuttering, while "Motion Blur Reduction" enhances the sharpness of dynamic content. Each setting produces a noticeable difference, so users can tailor the motion effects to their preferences. Our recommended setup achieves a moderate smoothing effect, avoiding the exaggerated “soap opera” appearance.

Regarding pixel response time, VA panels like this generally fall short compared to OLED or even IPS panels, which can lead to a slight "black halo" trailing behind fast-moving objects. Although not a frequent issue with this TV, the effect can be seen in certain scenes.

TCL C7L features a native 4K panel with a refresh rate of 144 Hz, which can even ramp up to 288 Hz at lower resolutions when using a PC. These are, of course, very high values and commendable on paper, but in everyday life, it's worth remembering that nearly all dynamic content you display on this television will still be running around a maximum of 120 Hz. To harness this dynamics, we find a motion smoothing system in the TV's menu called “Motion Clarity.” It offers several predefined modes, including a user mode, which we definitely recommend setting manually using our tried-and-true guides on our YouTube channel. There we have two key sliders at our disposal. The first one, “Blur Reduction,” is responsible for reducing blurring and improving sharpness in dynamic 60fps materials, such as sports broadcasts. The second slider, “Flicker Reduction,” allows for the addition of artificial frames in movies and series recorded at cinematic 24 or 30 frames per second. This, of course, completely eliminates the irritating stutter effect during camera movement shots.

The Philips PML9009, with HDMI 2.1 ports supporting full bandwidth, is thoroughly equipped with gamer-focused features. Core functions like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) are included, as well as the additional perks of G-Sync and FreeSync compatibility and low-lag HDR Dolby Vision support. All these gaming features activate seamlessly, proving this model’s suitability for gaming. The TV’s HGIG mode, particularly beneficial for gaming, adjusts HDR effects to the television’s capabilities to avoid image dimming and blooming, an advantage given the still limited number of games supporting Dolby Vision.

For added convenience, the PML9009 has a GameBar menu, allowing in-game setting adjustments without needing to exit. This menu includes features like a crosshair option and black level correction, which can enhance the visibility of shadowed areas—ideal for competitive play.

Overall, the Philips PML9009 offers a comprehensive setup for gamers, supporting VRR, ALLM, G-Sync, FreeSync, and HDR Dolby Vision to deliver immersive, high-quality gaming experiences across a wide range of titles.

When it comes to gaming, the TCL C7L is simply an outstanding television for gamers. With the presence of two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports at 48 Gbps, we have access to all the key features that console owners and powerful PC users require. It offers a well-functioning ALLM mode with very low input lag and VRR frame synchronization that operates impressively from 48 up to 288 Hz. Importantly, unlike some competitors, TCL has ensured proper implementation of the console HDR10 HGIG profile and support for Dolby Vision in games. This is complemented by a well-designed gaming panel, the Game Bar, which even allows for customization of its appearance and theme to perfectly match the aesthetics of your console.

The only thing that can – and indeed must – be criticized here is the fact that the television offers only two full HDMI 2.1 ports, while the other two are older HDMI 2.0. This creates quite a significant logistical problem. Why? Because one of those fast ports also supports the eARC audio return channel. In practice, this means that if you connect a soundbar or home theater system to the television, you will only have one free HDMI 2.1 port left. If you have two consoles or a console and a powerful computer at home, unfortunately, you will have to give up something or constantly juggle the cables at the back of the unit while maintaining convenient audio system control.