PQS9011 / PQS9001 / the one 2026
Available screen sizes:
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Panel type: LCD VA Refresh rate: 144Hz Brand: PHILIPS Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Titan OS Model year: 2026
This review is an English translation of the Polish original. Read the original on Wybierz.tv.
The One is one of Philips' most popular TV series. For years it has attracted people who want some of the features of higher-end models at a reasonable price, and to enjoy Ambilight. This year's Philips PQS9011 / PQS9001 continues that concept, but the competition isn't standing still. In 2026, is that formula still enough for The One to be a good value? We checked!
6.8
Overall rating
The idea behind The One series has remained practically unchanged for years, and with the Philips PQS9001 this is both an advantage and its biggest weakness. Once again, we get a versatile mid-range TV whose main distinguishing feature is Ambilight. The lighting that follows what is happening on the screen can completely change the atmosphere of an evening movie session, and for many people it will be the main reason to choose this TV. That is hardly surprising, because once you get used to the effect, it can be difficult to go back to watching without it. The picture quality itself is good, but we have already seen a very similar level from this series in previous years. The VA panel provides decent blacks, colours are nicely saturated, and the brightness is sufficient for comfortable viewing in a typical living room. It is a shame, however, that Philips did not take another step forward and introduce at least basic local dimming. In a dark room, blacks can look noticeably bluish, and HDR, while clearly visible, does not make as strong an impression as it could. After so many years of The One being on the market, we would have expected a little more progress here.
There has, however, been a noticeable improvement in Titan OS. Compared with last year, and especially with the version from two years ago, the system has become much more pleasant to use. There are more apps, many smaller functions have been improved, and a number of irritating bugs we previously complained about have been fixed. Overall, it works reasonably well, although we are once again frustrated by the remote control, which still requires you to point it directly at the TV. Philips continues to rely on infrared for regular navigation, even though voice control uses a wireless connection. That makes it even harder to understand why the same connection was not used for navigating the menus. The One also has quite a lot to offer gamers. Four HDMI 2.1 ports and a broad set of gaming features are one thing, but what impressed us most was the panel’s response time. Our unit showed practically no visible smearing, even on dark backgrounds, which is quite rare for an LCD TV with a VA panel. Philips deserves a lot of credit for that. The ability to play at 4K 144 Hz or Full HD 240 Hz also makes the TV an interesting option for PC users. Unfortunately, there is still one unfinished element: using Dolby Vision in games on Xbox results in very high input lag.
The PQS9000 therefore leaves us with mixed feelings. It can surprise with excellent motion handling and shows that Philips has clearly worked on its operating system, but we do not see a similar step forward in picture quality. This is a TV we can recommend primarily to fans of Ambilight. If that lighting system is the main reason you are considering a Philips, then buying The One makes a lot of sense. It is still worth checking, however, whether you can find a Mini LED model with good local dimming at a similar price. Such a TV may offer deeper blacks and more impressive HDR performance. In the end, the choice comes down to what matters more to you: the atmosphere created by Ambilight or better picture quality itself.
Ambilight, which gives evening viewing sessions a unique atmosphere and improves the perceived native contrast of the VA panel
Excellent panel response time: minimal motion blur of moving objects
Many gaming features: four HDMI 2.1 ports, VRR, ALLM, HGiG
144 Hz refresh rate at 4K and 240 Hz at Full HD from a PC
Good coverage of a wide color gamut (PFS LED)
Dolby Vision, which actually helps the TV with HDR content
Decent brightness of around 500 nits, useful for daytime viewing
Rotating stand
No local dimming: average black levels at night and limited HDR performance
Smaller app library than the competition
Poor viewing angles (can be helped with a swivel stand)
Very high input lag in games with Dolby Vision
Significant errors in HDR color reproduction (no CMS adjustment available)
Infrared remote that requires aiming
Movies and series in UHD quality
6.4
Classic TV, YouTube
6.3
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)
6.8
Gaming on console
7.4
TV as a computer monitor
8.6
Watching in bright light
6.1
Utility functions
7.6
Apps
7.2
Sound quality
6.9
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HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Good
Stand type: Central
Bezel color: Graphite
Stand: Fixed
Flat design: No
Accessories: Stand
The look of the The One series hasn't changed much over the years. The PQS9000 is simply a well-built LCD TV that looks good on a TV stand but doesn't try to pass for a high-end model. On the front there are fairly slim graphite bezels and a noticeably thicker bottom bezel. Most of its character comes from Ambilight. The light projected onto the wall follows the on-screen colors and, especially in the evening, can transform the look of the entire room.
An interesting addition is the center swivel stand. It lets you easily angle the screen toward a sofa or armchair, a solution that's becoming rarer in TVs. It's plastic, so it doesn't feel particularly luxurious, but it does the job and doesn't require a wide TV stand. However, we have one issue with our unit: the screen sat slightly tilted to one side on that stand. Overall the build quality is decent, although the plastics used and the finish of the base make it clear this is a mid-range model.
Select size:
5.8/10
Local dimming function: No
Result
5,500:1
Result
3,950:1
Result
5,600:1
Result
5,750:1
Result
4,500:1
The black levels and contrast on the Philips PQS9000 are decent for an LCD TV without local dimming. That's mainly down to the VA panel; in our movie scenes contrast often exceeded 5000:1, and in weaker results dropped to around 4000:1. That delivers an image with quite good depth and a clear advantage over typical IPS panels, where black more easily looks gray. Unfortunately, that's about where the panel's strengths end. The TV lacks local dimming, so it can't dim a dark background separately while keeping bright highlights elsewhere on the screen. It only has global dimming, meaning it brightens or dims the entire backlight at once. In a completely dark room you can see these limits: blacks take on a dark navy tint, and shadowy scenes don't have the same depth as on a good locally dimmed screen. Luckily Ambilight helps here. The light on the wall makes the blacks on screen appear deeper and slightly masks the panel's glow. It doesn't change the TV's actual contrast, but it affects how our eyes perceive it. In this case Ambilight is therefore not just decoration, because it can also make evening viewing more pleasant.
Halo effect and black detail visibility:
5.5/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
449 nit
Result
467 nit
Result
487 nit
Result
486 nit
Result
507 nit
Philips PQS9000 is a moderately bright TV; in our HDR scenes it reached roughly 450 to just over 500 nits. That's enough to notice a difference versus SDR. Sun reflections, lamps, and highlights have a bit more sparkle than on basic TVs, whose brightness often tops out around 300 nits. However, it’s not at a level where bright elements make a particularly strong impression. The biggest limitation remains contrast. Without local dimming, the TV raises the black level around a bright object when it brightens that object. That means there’s no clear separation between strong highlights and a dark background, and that contrast is what really shows off HDR. The PQS9000 offers more than the cheapest models, but despite decent brightness the effect stays fairly basic.
Philips deserves praise for the colors. Although the manufacturer labels this model QLED, a PFS phosphor is used here instead of quantum dots. That solution does not prevent good results, however. On test patterns and in measurements of film scenes we recorded about 94% DCI-P3 coverage and 75% BT.2020. For this class of TV that’s really good. In practice, it means the vast majority of colors used in HDR movies and series will have proper saturation. Lush greens and intense reds are not a major problem and add appeal to the picture. Limitations are easier to spot in some games and rarer content that uses the most saturated shades of the wide BT.2020 gamut. In those situations, displays with wider color coverage, such as SQD or RGB LED, can show more. In its price segment the PQS9000 has nothing to be ashamed of.
BT.2020 color gamut coverage and primary color luminance
| Data set | BT.2020 | P3 | R | G | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic patterns | 75.2% | 94.2% | 56% | 61% | 55% |
| Film measurements | 75.2% | 94.2% | 56% | 60% | 55% |
BT.2020 and P3 – average color gamut coverage (percent of the target gamut).
R, G, B – average primary color luminance relative to target (percent).
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
In film scenes the PQS9000 performs adequately, both with material around 1100 nits and in more demanding shots reaching 2800 nits. Compared with the reference monitor, the overall image appearance is preserved, although differences appear in the brightest parts. The sun in "Panie" or the fireworks in "Billy Lynn" sometimes bleed into bright blobs, causing a loss of some detail and subtle transitions in the highlights. That can give the impression those elements are being boosted, but it doesn't mean Philips is displaying them brighter than intended. At around 500 nits it has to fit much brighter material into the screen's limited capabilities and doesn't always manage to retain all the detail. Lifted blacks further reduce the scenes' depth, though they are not the reason for the loss of detail in the highlights. Overall it's still good to watch, but in those shots you can already see the difference compared with better TVs.
HDR luminance chart:
We tested earlier scenes from "Pana" and "Billy Lynn" in HDR10, so the good news is that the PQS9000 supports Dolby Vision. This format helps the TV better distribute image brightness and preserve details that can get lost in HDR10 when highlights blow out. In the shot with the horses the difference is clear: in Dolby Vision you can see more snow texture, blades of grass poking through it, and trees in the distance. In HDR10 much of that background washes out into a bright patch. Of course Dolby Vision won't increase the panel's brightness or contrast, but it allows the TV to make better use of its capabilities. On this Philips TV it's a useful addition that actually improves the look of demanding scenes.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
5.1/10
Unfortunately, the PQS9000’s factory picture settings for Film mode need some fine-tuning. In SDR the biggest issue is an excess of red in the white balance, which makes whites, grays, and skin tones too warm, sometimes even slightly pink. On top of that, the gamma runs below the target across most of its range. The TV therefore brightens midtones and highlights, making the overall image look flatter than it should.
In HDR the white balance itself is much better. Aside from minor deviations, the components stay close to each other, so there isn’t the pronounced tint seen in SDR. However, the EOTF curve shows a slight brightening of parts of the image, and the biggest issue appears in measurements of the wide color gamut. Many hues deviate significantly from the reference, with errors reaching 8–9. So the good gamut coverage we praised earlier doesn’t mean the TV hits specific colors accurately. It can display a wide color range, but out of the box it doesn’t use it very precisely.
7.7/10
Calibration brought a big improvement, especially in SDR material. We managed to even out the white balance and remove the previous color cast, and the Color Checker measurements now look really very good. Colors are much closer to what should be on the screen, so with regular TV or SDR movies we can be satisfied with the result. Unfortunately HDR somewhat spoils that outcome. On one hand it's limited by the panel's capabilities, since calibration won't improve contrast or replace local dimming. On the other hand there are color errors we couldn't correct because the CMS settings, that is color management, were grayed out and inactive. For that Philips loses points with us. White balance can be fine-tuned, but without access to wide color gamut controls you can't correct colors in HDR as effectively. It's a shame, because the SDR results show the potential is there, it's just not allowed to be fully used everywhere.
8.6/10
Philips PQS9000 handles tonal transitions very well. It’s especially noticeable in dark scenes, where shades blend smoothly into one another without visible banding or distinct borders between colors. As a result, even large uniform areas look smooth. Minor imperfections only appear in brighter tones, but you have to look closely to notice them. During normal viewing they are unlikely to distract from the movie. In this category Philips performs really well.
7/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
The digital image processing in the Philips PQS9000 performs well, though we have a few reservations. The "Distortion Reduction" function helps smooth tonal transitions in lower-quality material, but it works quite unevenly. It can improve a section of the picture, only to, moments later and still within the same scene, seem to lose effectiveness and reintroduce banding between shades. A plus is that it doesn't remove film grain or fine noise, so the image retains its texture. We found the "Medium" setting worked best, and that's the one we recommend. The 4K upscaling itself is acceptable, though the picture is very soft. Edges are heavily smoothed, which may make the image feel less crisp to some viewers. In that case, it's worth slightly increasing the sharpness in the TV's menu, as this will make edges stand out more. Don't overdo the sharpness slider, however, or you may introduce artificial halos instead of improving the picture.
8.1/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 144Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: No
BFI function 120Hz: No
Brightness drop with BFI: 0%
In terms of motion handling, the Philips PQS9000 performs outstandingly for an LCD TV. It's not just the 144 Hz refresh rate, but above all how quickly the panel itself responds. At 120 Hz you can hardly see the typical trailing smears behind moving objects. What's especially pleasing is that this also applies to darker backgrounds, where many VA panels clearly struggle. Here motion remains clear, and Philips pleasantly surprised us in that regard. To adjust how motion is displayed there is the "Motion Style" function. It includes two sliders: "Smoothness" and "Blur Reduction," which let you tailor the effect to the content you're watching and your personal preferences. Our suggested settings are shown in the photo. Treat them as a starting point and try different levels of smoothing to see which you prefer.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (1080p@240Hz):
An extra surprise awaits when you connect a PC. Lowering the resolution to Full HD lets you use a 240 Hz mode. Best of all, at such a high refresh rate motion blur doesn't increase dramatically, and with a sufficient frame rate motion is even smoother. You can already see some limitations of the LCD panel, but for this price range the result is excellent. For fast-paced games it's a really interesting option, provided you're willing to trade 4K detail for higher refresh rates.
9.5/10
When it comes to gaming features, the Philips PQS9000 really has a lot to offer. Four HDMI 2.1 ports let you connect multiple devices without having to decide which one gets the full-capability port. Consoles can use 120 Hz in Full HD, 1440p and 4K, and a PC can also take advantage of 144 Hz at 4K or 240 Hz if you drop down to Full HD. There's also VRR, which matches the refresh rate to the frame rate and prevents screen tearing. Its range goes from 48–240 Hz, with the upper limit applying to Full HD mode.
ALLM is included, so the TV automatically switches into game mode, and HGiG works correctly, which is useful when setting up HDR on a console. There's also a Game Bar for quick access to settings and signal information. The list even includes Dolby Vision gaming, but that option is hard to enjoy because of very high latency. Apart from that caveat, the feature set is really solid.
7.2/10
Input lag is already less impressive than the rest of the "gaming" gear. At 60 Hz we measured 32 ms, both in SDR and HDR. That's enough for more relaxed games, but in fast shooters you can feel a slight delay. At 120 Hz the lag drops to 16 ms and gameplay is noticeably more enjoyable, though the competition can respond even faster.
The biggest problem appears when Dolby Vision is enabled. At 60 Hz the delay is as much as 213 ms, and at 120 Hz it reaches 106 ms. The response to controller input is then clearly delayed, which significantly interferes with gameplay. That's why on the PQS9000 it's definitely better to stick with HDR10. Dolby Vision is supported for games, but its practical usefulness remains limited.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 32 ms | 2160p60: 32 ms | 2160p60 DV: 213 ms |
| 1080p120: 16 ms | 2160p120: 16 ms | 2160p120 DV: 106 ms |
| 2160p60: 32 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 16 ms |
8.6/10
Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Very Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Average
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate): 16ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR
Max refresh rate: 144Hz
G-Sync: Yes
PQS9000 owes its high score for computer use mainly to its gaming capabilities. A 144 Hz refresh rate at 4K and support for G-Sync Compatible and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro let you use frame synchronization on compatible NVIDIA and AMD cards. Working with text also fares well. Standard fonts are sharp and legible, and thanks to correct 4:4:4 chroma support, colored letters, icons, and small desktop elements do not lose clarity. The biggest drawback concerns very small, dark text, where the horizontal strokes of letters are noticeably darker than the vertical ones, making some characters look uneven. You probably won't notice this from the couch, but if someone plans to put The One on a desk and work up close, this flaw may become bothersome.
3.2/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 68%
Viewing angles are one of the weakest points of the Philips PQS9001. Move to the side and the colors noticeably lose saturation, and the image becomes washed out and lower in contrast. When watching with several people, seats directly in front of the screen are clearly the best. This is unfortunately a typical limitation of VA panels, where strong contrast head-on comes at the expense of poorer off-axis performance. Most TVs with this type of panel have the same problem, and The One is no exception. The swivel stand helps a bit by allowing you to angle the screen toward the viewer, but it won't solve the issue with widely spaced seats.
6.1/10
Panel finish: Satin
Reflection suppression: Decent
Black levels during daytime: Good
The Philips PQS9001 performs quite well for daytime viewing. Its biggest advantage is a stable brightness of around 500 nits, regardless of how many bright elements appear on the screen. Even when watching winter sports or a scene full of white, the picture doesn't dim. In a typical living room that level is more than enough to comfortably watch TV without having to cover the windows.
The satin finish does a decent job of suppressing reflections, though it doesn't eliminate them completely. a window opposite the screen will be visible and may be distracting, especially in darker scenes. Black levels hold up well in daylight, so the overall image doesn't become overly washed out. So it's pretty good for everyday viewing, provided the sun isn't shining directly on the screen.
Panel brightness
Philips PQS9011 / PQS9001 (The One 2026): 502 cd/m2
7.6/10
System: Titan OS
System performance: Decent
Titan OS in this year's The One shows that Philips has worked on its system. Compared with last year's version, many small issues and functions that previously didn't work as they should have been fixed. Now we can use AirPlay without problems, cast a computer screen via Miracast, or search by voice in Polish. The system itself runs decently, though it's definitely not among the fastest. The app library has also grown: Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, CANAL+, Apple TV, and YouTube are available. The selection is still smaller than on Google TV, but for popular services Titan gives fewer reasons to complain. Everyday usability has improved in the standard features as well. You can connect Bluetooth headphones and listen to audio through them at the same time as the TV speakers, and there's a mode that lets you turn off the screen and leave only the sound. USB recording and picture-in-picture (PiP) are missing. What's most disappointing is the remote: despite backlit buttons it still controls the TV via infrared, so you have to point it at the screen. The system has gained many useful tweaks, but that control element remains unchanged and can be irritating in daily use.
7.2/10
8.6/10
| Maximum photo resolution: | Supported photo formats: |
|---|---|
The built-in USB player works quickly and smoothly and handles most tested files without problems. It performs well with music, from common MP3s to FLAC files, including 96 kHz/24-bit. It's perfectly adequate for everyday media playback from a USB flash drive. However, once again our biggest reservations are about photo handling. The player treats resolutions rather selectively: it opened our 8 MP, 16 MP and 32 MP files, but failed with, among others, 4 MP, 12 MP and 24 MP. It's hard to find any logic in that, since a larger photo works while a smaller one does not. That can be annoying when browsing vacation photos.
6.9/10
96dB
Maximum volume
Supported codecs (TV speakers)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
The Philips PQS9001 has a 2.0 audio system with a total power of 40 W, that is, two 10 W speakers per side. It sounds quite good and definitely better than most budget TVs. There's plenty of volume, but the sound lacks depth. The biggest issue is a lack of deep bass, so explosions in movies and heavier parts of music don't have the proper weight. Higher frequencies are not reproduced evenly either. Measurements show a clear dip around 2 kHz, then a boost at 6–7 kHz and a drop-off above about 8 kHz. That can emphasize sibilance and add a bit of harshness to the sound, despite the recessed treble. It's adequate for everyday viewing, but for movies and music it's worth considering external audio. Especially since the TV supports surround sound formats, including Dolby Atmos and DTS. A compatible soundbar or AV receiver will make better use of those formats than the built-in speakers.
Sound Quality Test:
96dBC (Max)
75dBC
Software version during testing: TPM267E_V167.002.054.151
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: PFS LED
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Journalist, reviewer, and columnist for the "ChooseTV" portal
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