Philips PUS8359 (IPS) vs IFFALCON U85X

The quality of HDR effect on the Philips PUS8359/12 television is also not impressive. A brightness level of 280 nits is too low, resembling standard SDR more than true HDR, which is clearly visible on the five tested images. Additionally, the television does not impress in terms of color gamut coverage – just 76% DCI-P3 is a result that can be considered weak, especially compared to other models in a similar price range.

iFFALCON U85 handles HDR in a rather dual manner – on one hand, it can surprise with a solid peak brightness of around 650 nits, which places it well above average in this price segment. This is particularly evident in full-screen, bright scenes. Examples from movies like Life of Pi or the final test sequences from The Meg prove that the TV can maintain the strength and essence of the HDR effect when the entire panel has to "light up," delivering truly satisfying experiences. However, problems begin in high-contrast scenes, where smaller, bright details appear on the screen; the dimming algorithms prioritize deep blacks to such an extent that they can suppress the brightness of small highlights to just 100 nits, drastically reducing the dynamism of the image and depriving us of the true "punch" we expect from HDR standards. However, the question of colors remains a sweetener; thanks to the use of the PFS phosphor filter (marketed as QLED by the manufacturer), they look very good, achieving nearly 94% coverage of the DCI-P3 color palette, allowing for a rich and vibrant image in most content.

The "Film" mode turned out to be the most faithful in terms of compliance with the source material used in our tests. However, like other factory modes, it also had its drawbacks. In both SDR and HDR materials, we noticed issues with white balance, where the dominance of green and red resulted in a yellowish tint. This effect was particularly visible in the form of yellowed whites and unnatural skin tones. The "ColourChecker" palette test showed that every color was shifted towards warmer tones, which affected color accuracy. A key aspect of the image is also contrast and brightness, which can be evaluated by analyzing gamma charts and the EOTF curve. On the gamma chart, we observed significant deviations – both too high values causing loss of detail in the shadows and too low values leading to a drastic decrease in contrast. Compared to gamma, the EOTF curve performed better, only slightly brightening the image, which had a less negative impact on overall quality.

We tested the factory colors in the iFFALCON U85X model in “Film” mode, which is definitely the most reliable among all available settings, although it is still far from perfect. The main problem that stands out in both SDR and HDR content is improper white balance - an excess of blue and red components gives the image a slight purple tint, which undermines the naturalness of film scenes. However, an even greater challenge is the way the television manages its brightness. Analyzing the gamma curve for the SDR signal, we noticed significant instability: instead of sticking to the reference value of 2.4, the device oscillates around 2.2, only to suddenly experience an unnatural jump to around 3.0. In practice, this leads to confusing effects - large bright areas on the screen appear too dark, while smaller elements are unnecessarily brightened. A similar feature can be found in the EOTF curve, which makes the image unpredictable and loses its cinematic authenticity.

Philips, both in its cheaper and more expensive models, offers a wide range of tools for image calibration. We used them to improve the quality of the displayed image, although it was not as simple as it might seem. We managed to adjust the white balance, improve the gamma, and tune the EOTF curve; however, despite these actions, the deltaE errors were still at a very high level. The main causes are limited coverage of the DCI-P3 color palette and low maximum brightness, which significantly affected the final result. Although the overall presentation looks much better, the design features of the TV did not allow us to achieve spectacular results.

After professional calibration of the movie mode, we must admit that the effect is more than satisfactory – the iFFALCON U85X undergoes a true transformation. Color errors in SDR content dropped to a level below 2, making them practically imperceptible to the human eye. We managed to set the white balance almost perfectly, and brightness management (gamma) became nearly exemplary. As a result, with standard quality materials, the television looks simply perfect, and it's hard to find any faults with it.

In the case of HDR signal, the situation has also improved significantly, although here the nature of the device is a bit more pronounced. Color errors have been reduced to around 3, which is an outstanding result in this price range. However, it is worth taking a look at the EOTF chart (available on the right side of the screen in the filters: 4K HDR, gamma / EOTF) to see what is not immediately visible regarding brightness management by the U85. Although the reference line looks decent, in actual film scenes, the television still interprets the signal "in its own way" due to very aggressive local dimming algorithms. Does this disqualify this model for watching HDR content? Absolutely not. It's simply a typical ailment of almost every Mini-LED that has to reconcile high brightness with an attempt to maintain deep black. One just has to be aware of these technical limitations, which are unavoidable in this segment.

In this paragraph, we will look at two functionalities. We will once again take a look at the function responsible for tonal transitions, but we will also check how the television handles image scaling. The option responsible for smooth gradation is the one called "Distortion Reduction." As we established, it quite effectively smooths out the choppiness. However, we must point out two things: we cannot enable it for HDR materials and that it blurs details in films. The tested television cannot boast the best image scaling. There is a noticeable overall blurriness of the image, but, worse, it blurs details. This is particularly visible on the branches and the hair of the model. A characteristic white halo around the character is also noticeable.

When it comes to scaling the image to 4K resolution, the iFFALCON U85X performs solidly. The device efficiently enhances low-quality signals, making even older materials look clean and clear on the 4K matrix. At extremely low resolutions, such as 480p, you can notice slightly jagged edges (especially on thin lines), but let's face it – this is a scenario you'll only encounter when watching very old footage, so it's not a real issue in everyday use.

However, the digital processing aimed at smoothing tonal transitions is significantly worse. Although the menu features a function called “Gradual Smoothing”, its effectiveness is at least debatable. In practice, it does not effectively reduce banding (color stepping), and worse, it can cause more harm than good. This filter can be too aggressive where it shouldn't be, artificially smoothing out details that should not be touched, such as the natural texture of the face or fine details of the skin's texture. Instead of improving quality, this feature can give the image an unnatural, “plastic” look, so it's best to use it with great caution or, better yet: leave it turned off.

Philips PUS8359 is not the best choice for watching sports. The lack of even basic motion enhancement features means that the picture in dynamic scenes is not suitably clear. Despite using an IPS panel (43 and 55'), which theoretically should offer better sharpness than VA panel variants, there is no noticeable improvement in terms of motion blur. In fast-moving images, it is clear that the UFO character is distinctly blurred, which indicates that the television does not cope well with maintaining sharpness in dynamic shots.

In contrast to budget constructions, which in dynamic sports scenes may resemble a slideshow, the iFFALCON U85X is a heavyweight contender equipped with a panel featuring a native refresh rate of 144Hz. However, it is worth remembering that in the world of movies, series, or sports, we will mostly operate at 120Hz due to the specifics of image enhancement systems. Such a fast panel is excellent news for gamers and sports fans, as it opens the door to advanced motion settings that simply don't exist in cheaper 60-Hz models.

We manage everything from the "Motion Clarity" menu, where instead of using pre-set, often too aggressive modes, we definitely recommend a custom configuration based on two sliders. The most important of them, reduction of flicker, is responsible for smoothness in films – here, it's best to aim for a value around 4, which will maintain a natural, cinematic character of motion without falling into the artificial "soap opera effect." On the other hand, the first slider, reduction of blur, is the key to success in sports broadcasts. In this case, it's worth going all out and setting it to maximum, ensuring that the image during fast actions on the field remains sharp, and annoying trailing is eliminated.

In terms of compatibility with consoles, the Philips PUS8359 is mainly suitable for casual gamers. Although the TV is equipped with an HDMI 2.0 port, it offers features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and Game Bar. ALLM automatically switches the TV to low latency mode, facilitating quicker reactions during gameplay, while VRR smoothly adjusts the refresh rate, eliminating the issue of screen tearing. Game Bar provides quick access to game settings and real-time monitoring of parameters; however, in our opinion, it performs worse compared to competitors' solutions.

However, more demanding gamers may feel underwhelmed. The Philips PUS8359 does not support advanced HDR formats in games or higher refresh rates, which is due to the use of a 60 Hz panel. These shortcomings limit the TV's capabilities in delivering smooth and detailed experiences during fast-paced, dynamic gameplay.

iFFALCON U85X is an exceptional device for gamers that has virtually everything you can expect from a modern screen for consoles or PCs. Here we find two fully-fledged HDMI 2.1 ports with full bandwidth of 48 Gbps, which opens the door to key technologies such as VRR and ALLM, ensuring smooth gameplay without tearing and with minimal latency. The TV handles high refresh rates at various resolutions without any problem, and a real curiosity is the mode that allows for up to 240Hz when dropping to Full HD quality. The entire system is managed by the Game Bar (a faithful copy from TCL), which allows for instant switching of picture modes, customization of the interface appearance, or even adding a virtual crosshair in the middle of the screen.