Philips PUS8359 (IPS) vs Sony X90L

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.

HDR on the Sony X90L television looks promising. The luminance chart showed that the TV has a solid power reserve, reaching a maximum of 1000 nits in synthetic tests. But how does it perform in real scenarios? In scenes such as the first one from Life of Pi or the final sequence from The Meg, the TV can deliver this power on HDR content, achieving around 800 nits. Unfortunately, displaying small light elements on a black background, as in the scene from Sicario 2, poses greater challenges for the X90L – here the results reach about 600 nits. Despite this, when looking at competitive models with mini-LED technology, the effect looks very good and can shine enough to impress us. The color gamut coverage is also noteworthy, with a result of 96% for DCI-P3 and 76% for BT.2020, indicating good color reproduction in HDR 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.

The best mode in Sony televisions is the IMAX Enhanced mode. Although IMAX is mainly associated with the cinematic experience, here the color reproduction right out of the box is average. In the case of lower quality materials, such as HD – regular TV or YouTube – it is worth paying attention to the white balance. It is characterized by a deficit in red and an excessive dominance of blue, which gives the image a pinkish hue. The brightness characteristic, or gamma, for HD content is quite decent, but a slight boost may cause the image to become washed out and appear as if it is behind a light fog.

In 4K HDR content, the situation looks a bit different. The white balance shows a significant boost in blue, which makes the image appear unnaturally sharp and gives it an artificial feel. Such an exaggeration in color reproduction may not appeal to everyone, especially if one prefers more realistic shades. Additionally, the EOTF curve in Sony X90L looks quite decent at first glance. However, at the end of the graph, there are certain fluctuations that suggest the television is trying to maintain the appropriate brightness to avoid overexposing larger elements.

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.

Sony offers many tools to improve image quality, including two additional image modes that we decided to use during testing and apply calibration to them. This solution significantly facilitates the calibration work and is very effective, provided that the right tools are available. In the case of HD content, the white balance has been almost perfectly aligned – only one shade of gray exceeds the error value of "1", which is an excellent result. The same can be said about the brightness characteristic (gamma), which looks nearly perfect, with microscopic deviations of around 0.01.

In the case of 4K HDR content, the situation is not as ideal. Although the white balance has been significantly improved, it has not been possible to completely eliminate the dominance of blue color. Nonetheless, errors in the Colour Checker test only occasionally exceed the value of "2", which means that image distortions are practically unnoticeable. As for the EOTF curve, it is worth activating the filter in the upper right corner "EOTF in Movies" – the graph looks correct, but the television encounters difficulties illuminating very small elements, which results from the limited number of backlight zones. Despite these minor flaws, it is thanks to the calibration carried out that the IMAX Enhanced mode in the Sony X90L makes watching movies resemble a true cinema experience.

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.

The Sony X90L TV features a tone transition smoothing function known as Smooth Gradation, which is incredibly effective. Even at the "low" setting, the effects are satisfactory, but at the "medium" setting, it works like a dream – we recommend using this option for the best results. The image scaling on the Sony X90L is simply excellent. The image is not overly sharpened, which gives a natural effect and makes everything look cohesive. It is evident that the engineers really put effort into this aspect, creating a solution that impresses and works well in everyday use. Because of this, even when watching content like regular television or YouTube, where the image is not inherently stunning, one can enjoy a smooth, cohesive, and visually pleasing experience.

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.

Sony X90L with a 120 Hz panel is a great choice for both gamers and movie enthusiasts. The TV is equipped with the Motion Flow smoothness feature, which allows you to adjust motion smoothness using two sliders: "smoothness" and "clarity." The "smoothness" slider controls the level of motion fluidity, which helps reduce image stuttering, while "clarity" is used to reduce blurring and improve motion sharpness, which is especially useful in dynamic scenes.

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.

Sony X90L is a television that performs well in terms of compatibility with consoles and features for gamers. Its 120 Hz panel and two HDMI 2.1 ports with a bandwidth of 48 Gb/s allow for smooth play in high resolution and at a high frame rate. Gamers can also take advantage of the ALLM feature, which automatically switches the TV to low latency mode, and VRR, which provides smooth gameplay without screen tearing. Game Bar is an additional advantage – an intuitive tool that allows for quick access to the most important settings and gaming features, making it easier to control gameplay.

Unfortunately, in terms of HDR in games, the Sony X90L has its limitations. There is no support for HGiG, a standard that many gamers consider essential for precise HDR reproduction in games. Although the TV supports Dolby Vision, which theoretically could improve image quality in games, the practical application of this feature is problematic. Dolby Vision in game mode is associated with very high input lag, making gameplay less comfortable and precise movements more difficult. Additionally, it is not possible to enable Dolby Vision along with VRR. This means that despite numerous advantages, gamers seeking perfect HDR in games may feel a sense of disappointment.