Philips PUS8359 (IPS) vs LG UT8100 (IPS)

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

Unfortunately, the LG UT8100 television does not meet expectations in the HDR effect category. With a peak brightness of only 300 nits on the luminance chart, it is well below the required value to fully enjoy the HDR effects. In practice, the image resembles SDR quality more than true HDR, which is particularly evident in demanding high-contrast scenes. The coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette is only 82%, further limiting the ability to present vibrant and rich colours. Instead of impressive visual experiences, we receive a muted and lacklustre image. For those looking for a television to fully utilise HDR content, the LG UT8100 model proves to be quite disappointing.

The most faithful factory mode in terms of compliance with the source material turned out to be "Film", which was used in our tests. Nevertheless, like other factory modes, it also had its flaws. 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 noticeable in the form of yellowed whites and unnatural skin tones. The "ColourChecker" palette test showed that every colour had shifted to warmer tones, affecting colour reproduction accuracy. A key aspect of the image is also contrast and brightness, which can be assessed by analysing gamma charts and the EOTF curve. On the gamma chart, we noticed significant deviations – both excessively high values, which caused loss of detail in the shadows, and excessively low values, which led to a drastic drop 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 Filmmaker Mode in LG UT8100, although theoretically the best for watching films, has significant flaws. The biggest problem is the white balance – drops in blue colour cause a noticeable yellowing of the image, evident in both HD and 4K content. These errors are confirmed by the measurement results in the Colour Checker test, which indicate significant deviations in colour reproduction.

Regarding brightness characteristics, both HD and 4K content feature a substantial tonal boost. The gamma curve in both cases remains significantly below the reference value of 2.4, leading to excessive brightening of darker elements of the image. A similar issue is noticeable in the EOTF curve – for 4K content, the television struggles with properly managing brightness, which results in problems with screen brightness. This means that the factory settings of this model require significant adjustments to achieve better image quality.

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 straightforward as it might seem. We managed to adjust the white balance, improve the gamma, and fine-tune the EOTF curve, but despite these efforts, the deltaE errors were still at a very high level. The main causes were limited coverage of the DCI-P3 palette and low maximum brightness, which significantly affected the final result. Although the overall presentation is much better, the design features of the television did not allow us to achieve spectacular results.

After calibrating the Filmmaker Mode, the gamma has been aligned to practically ideal, reference values, which has significantly improved the overall tonal characteristics of HD content. 4K HDR content also looks better, although certain issues are still visible at the extreme ends of the graph, where the curve deviates from perfection. The EOTF curve performs worse, as the television has difficulty maintaining appropriate brightness values. As a result, the image in some scenes may be overly bright or slightly dimmed, which is due to the very design of the device. Nevertheless, the calibration has brought considerable improvement, especially for HD content, where tonal balance and colour reproduction are now at a much higher level.

In this paragraph, we will take a look at two functionalities. Once again, we will examine the feature responsible for tonal transitions, but we will also check how the television handles image scaling. The option responsible for smooth gradation is called "Distortion Reduction". As we have established, it quite effectively smooths out irregularities. However, we must point out two things: we are unable to enable it for HDR materials, and that it blurs details in films.

The tested television cannot boast the best image scaling. The overall blurriness of the image is quite noticeable, but worse still, it blurs details. This is particularly evident on the branches and the model's hair. A characteristic white halo around the figures is also visible.

The fluidity of tonal transitions is also correct, although the effect depends on the settings. The update has improved the performance of the smooth gradation function, smoothing transitions better than before, but it has introduced minor issues with detail loss, e.g. on textures.

The image scaling on LG UT8100 performs very well. The image looks decent, without significant issues with edge aliasing. Details are preserved at a satisfactory level, which makes lower resolution materials look truly solid on this television. This allows users to enjoy watching older content without noticeable flaws in quality.

Philips PUS8359 is not the best choice for watching sport. The lack of even basic motion smoothing functionality means that the image during fast-moving scenes is not adequately clear. Despite the use of an IPS panel (43 and 55'), which theoretically should offer better sharpness than VA panel variants, there is no noticeable improvement regarding blurring. In pictures with fast movement, the figure of the alien is clearly blurry, indicating that the television struggles to maintain sharpness in dynamic shots.

LG UT8100, equipped with a 60 Hz panel, is particularly suited for those watching films. The television offers the TruMotion system with de-judder effect adjustment, allowing you to customise the smoothness of the image – from more choppy to exceptionally smooth, resembling a soap opera effect, depending on the user's preferences.

In terms of compatibility with consoles, Philips PUS8359 is mainly suited for occasional gamers. Although the television 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 television to low latency mode, making quicker reactions easier during gameplay, while VRR smoothly adjusts the refresh rate, eliminating screen tearing issues. The Game Bar provides quick access to game settings and real-time monitoring of parameters; however, in our opinion, it performs worse compared to the competition's solutions.

However, more demanding gamers may feel unsatisfied. 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 television's capabilities in delivering smooth and detailed experiences during fast, dynamic gameplay.

LG UT8100 offers basic features for gamers, such as ALLM and Game Bar, which makes access to settings easier. The television also supports HGiG, which improves image quality in HDR games. Unfortunately, the lack of support for Dolby Vision and VRR limits the capabilities of the device, as does the 60 Hz panel, which excludes support for 120 Hz resolution. This model is more suitable for less demanding gaming applications.