The Philips PUS8909 series successfully addresses the company’s objective of creating a television that resonates with a broad audience for years to come. It is designed to be competitively priced while delivering excellent picture quality and essential features. In 2024, The One series, which encompasses the PUS8909, introduced several significant enhancements, including a revamped Smart TV operating system.
This year’s model continues to feature the highly regarded Ambilight backlighting. It also boasts a robust set of gaming capabilities, such as a panel refresh rate of up to 144 Hz and compatibility with the variable refresh rate technology FreeSync. The One PUS8909 supports all HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+. In this review, we will examine the Philips 65PUS8909 The One 4K HDR, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses.
Design
The design of the Philips 65PUS8909 TV appears to be deliberately understated. It has been quite some time since we have seen frames on televisions, with the exception of a slightly broader edge at the bottom where the Philips logo is positioned. The infrared receiver is prominently located in the bottom right corner. Along the side, there is an anthracite-gray frame that seamlessly transitions into a gently curved back.
This subtle curvature effectively conceals the unit’s considerable thickness, which measures approximately 8cm. The back features the signature three-sided Ambilight, a hallmark of Philips TVs that is hard to overlook. Unlike traditional models, the base of the 65PUS8909 (and PUS8919) does not consist of a solid metal plate; instead, it features a plastic cover over a metal frame, finished in a neat anthracite gray.
The trapezoidal shape of the base adds an elegant touch. Additionally, the screen can be tilted slightly in both directions relative to the stand, similar to the Philips PUS8818 TV. In contrast, the PUS8949 and PUS8959 series are equipped with a rectangular stand, while the 75-inch models in these series utilize V-shaped legs instead of a traditional stand.
The ports are organized into two groups, all oriented either sideways or downward, ensuring easy access even when the Philips PUS8909 TV is mounted on a wall. The One series also features a new remote control, which is a slightly less premium version compared to the one released with the OLED908.
The absence of dedicated number keys contributes to a contemporary aesthetic. Philips has effectively addressed this issue by assigning a secondary function to the d-pad. When the “123” number key is pressed, the corresponding numbers on the d-pad illuminate, showcasing a clever and practical design. Additionally, several other keys also feature backlighting. The overall design is notably streamlined, although the sharp edges can be somewhat uncomfortable to grip.
Philips has introduced left/right tilt buttons for adjusting volume and changing channels, which is a novel approach that may require some adjustment. At the bottom of the remote, there are dedicated keys for popular streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and YouTube, along with a button for FAST channels and another for quick access to apps. However, a drawback is that many of the buttons lack precision.
The 65PUS8909 is equipped with a single TV tuner and a CI+ slot. While it allows for recording to a USB hard drive, simultaneous viewing of another channel is not supported. The Titan OS platform includes Chromecast functionality but does not support Airplay 2, which would be a valuable enhancement. Additionally, it features DTS Play-Fi, enabling audio streaming to any room within the home.
Image processing
The latest chipset driving the P5 processor delivers impressive image processing capabilities. This television excels in deinterlacing, and the processor swiftly and accurately identifies all potential frame rates for films and videos. The noise reduction feature effectively addresses random noise, although it is less effective against noise from digital video compression.
Additionally, the processor has limited effectiveness in mitigating color banding in subtle gradients. The TV’s scaling performance is commendable, and the Texture Enhancement option allows for the addition of extra detail to the visuals. The screen demonstrates strong motion clarity, maintaining fine detail even in rapidly moving images.
Image quality
The 65PUS8909, referred to as The One, is a television designed to cater to a broad audience. To achieve this, Philips has chosen an ADS panel, a variant of IPS technology, which provides wider viewing angles but lower contrast. While there is a subtle “dirty screen effect” manifested as two vertical lines, it is not overly distracting.
Performance can differ between units. On lighter images, the uniformity is generally acceptable, but darker images reveal noticeable clouding, particularly at the screen’s edges. This issue may be attributed to the panel’s limited contrast, which measures at 1750:1. Although this is decent, it falls short compared to VA panels. Global dimming can enhance the contrast to 3100:1.
The Movie picture mode delivers good performance, though it is not perfectly calibrated. The gamma setting is low, which can render dark images somewhat flat and unexciting. Increasing the gamma slightly can mitigate the dark image uniformity issues, but it may sacrifice some highlight detail. On the positive side, color reproduction is outstanding, showcasing natural skin tones beautifully.
In HDR Film mode, the peak brightness reaches 430 nits, and the PUS8909 can sustain this brightness on a fully white screen. However, the ideal threshold for good HDR performance is at least 500 nits, indicating that this TV falls slightly short. The color gamut covers 92% of DCI-P3 and 66% of Rec.2020, which is fairly standard. A significant advantage of the Philips The One series is its support for HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+, in addition to HDR10.
Smart TV
In 2024, Philips has opted for a new operating system for its smart TVs—Titan OS. This modern OS aligns with the prevailing design trends observed in other smart TV platforms. To the casual observer, it may resemble the Google TV interface on the home screen.
The system operates smoothly, which is a positive aspect. However, the availability of applications raises some concerns. While essential services such as YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ are included, Apple TV remains absent. Titan OS shows promise for success, but it must broaden its app offerings.
The system does provide genre-based search functionality, yet the results appear somewhat limited. There are occasional freezing issues, and users may experience instances of a black screen with no further information. Additionally, the interface can unexpectedly lag. Overall, the smart platform requires updates to enhance its performance. Notably, Titan OS commits to providing security updates for a duration of seven years.
Games, reflections and viewing angles
The screen’s viewing angle is satisfactory, particularly for bright content, with good preservation of both color and contrast. However, when displaying dark images, a slight glow may be noticeable across the screen if viewed from an excessively wide angle. It is advisable to minimize reflections, as the Philips PUS8909 TV does not excel in this aspect.
Equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports and capable of supporting frame rates up to 144 Hz, The One is a compelling option for gamers. The output lag measures 15 ms at 4K60 and 6.5 ms at 2K120, with Dolby Vision available at 4K120. The Game Bar in-game menu provides insights into the game’s visual properties and allows for adjustments to various gaming settings.
Sound
The 4x10W audio setup is compatible with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Its performance aligns with The One’s intended market, making it adequate for typical users. There is a noticeable bass response, and the television offers satisfactory surround sound. Dialogue is rendered with clarity and precision. However, to fully experience Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, additional equipment will be necessary.
Connections
The latest chipset enables four HDMI 2.1 ports with a bandwidth of 48 Gbps, supporting features such as ALLM, 4K120, 4K144, and VRR (AMD FreeSync Premium). These ports can also be utilized for ARC/eARC functionality. Furthermore, the Philips PUS 8909 TV is equipped with two USB ports, a digital optical output, a headphone jack, and a LAN port. Additionally, it offers WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity for use with wireless keyboards, remote controls, and headphones.
Conclusion
The Philips PUS8909 excels in low-light environments, offering impressive brightness and contrast levels that result in a sharp, clear image. Its video processing capabilities are commendable, and the 120Hz refresh rate makes it an excellent option for gaming enthusiasts. However, the price point of this television may be considered somewhat steep, as there are rival models available at a similar cost that outperform it in terms of contrast and brightness while providing nearly identical features.