Compare Philips The One (PUS8959 / PUS8919 / PUS8909 / PUS8949 vs LG 55 B4

Philips PUS8959, also known by other designations under the PUS89 abbreviation (depending on the sales network), is a model from the popular series The One. Its biggest distinguishing feature is the Ambilight system, which still makes a great impression. The three-sided backlighting adapts to the picture on the screen, making movies, series, or games literally extend beyond the edges of the TV. The One is also a good option for gamers. The 120 Hz panel and low input lag ensure that games run smoothly, and the motion on the screen is clear. On the console, we tested several dynamic titles, and the TV handled them without any problems – no stutters or delays. Additionally, HGiG support allows for better reproduction of HDR effects in games. This is a great solution if we care about the image matching what the creators intended. The picture quality is at a good level, especially during the day. With a brightness of 550 nits, The One performs well even in well-lit rooms, and Dolby Vision in HDR films delivers vivid colors and sharp details. However, the ADS panel has its limitations – the blacks in dark scenes resemble a gray shade more, which can be noticeable when watching in a dimly lit room. When we watched movies with the lights off, the lack of depth in the blacks was somewhat evident. The Titan OS operating system is something that still needs refinement. It is fast, but the limited number of applications, such as the lack of Spotify or TVN Player, can be frustrating for those used to more advanced platforms like GoogleTV. When daily using Netflix or YouTube, it works flawlessly, but if we expect more advanced features, the system may not meet expectations. Overall, Philips The One is a good choice in its price category. The Ambilight system impresses and significantly enhances the viewing experience, especially in the evening. It is also a solid option for gamers, thanks to smooth image and low input lag. Although the blacks are not perfect and the operating system needs refinement, the TV performs well in everyday use. For fans of unique solutions like Ambilight, this is a proposition that definitely deserves attention.

The LG OLED B4 is an exceptionally versatile television within the semi-premium category. Given its impressive features and competitive pricing—set to drop further as history suggests—it offers outstanding value. The hypnotic combination of perfect black levels and high contrast will captivate anyone familiar with OLED technology, making a return to LCD screens almost unthinkable. While its peak brightness in HDR content might seem modest on paper, the visual experience is enhanced by the panel’s inherent strengths, making the brightness appear far more impactful. It’s also worth highlighting the stability and uniformity of brightness across most scenes. The slight drawback is the reduced brightness in full-frame white scenes, though these are relatively rare and thus not a major concern.

Factory colour reproduction is commendable, offering a good baseline that benefits significantly from calibration, fully realising the director’s vision. The LG B4 is particularly well-suited for gamers and sports enthusiasts alike. Gamers will appreciate the comprehensive HDMI 2.1 support and associated features, while sports fans will enjoy the advanced motion smoothing with its extensive adjustment options. The remote control, equipped with a gyroscope, allows for intuitive navigation akin to using a mouse, making the experience even more seamless.

The WebOS system is another highlight, offering a smooth, responsive interface with a vast array of applications, meeting the needs of most users. At the core of the LG B4 is its advanced Alpha processor, responsible for enhancing image smoothness and conducting detailed signal analysis. The processor’s ability to optimise the darkest and brightest areas of the image significantly improves the viewing and gaming experience. Furthermore, it effectively reduces noise and elevates the overall content quality, especially when viewing 4K material, placing the LG B4 ahead of many competitors in its price bracket.

The growing popularity of OLED technology is well-reflected in the LG B4, which excels in handling dynamic action scenes, offering seamless transitions without blurring. This makes it particularly appealing to discerning users prioritising high image quality and cutting-edge technology. All essential applications are present, ensuring a comprehensive user experience.

In summary, who is the LG OLED B4 for? It’s the perfect choice for those seeking top-tier image quality within a set budget, yet it offers more than just value for money. The LG B4 stands out distinctly in its price range, offering superior image quality that many competitors cannot match.

The television Philips PUS8959 is based on an ADS panel, which offers slightly different parameters compared to the popular VA panels. In the tested scenes, the contrast was around 2000:1, making the black level far from ideal. ADS panels are known for their weaker contrast compared to VA panels, which in practice means that instead of deep black, we see more navy or gray shades. However, the ADS panel is still better than the standard IPS panel, which cannot achieve such a level of contrast. Additionally, the Philips PUS8959 is not equipped with local dimming technology that could improve these parameters. The lack of this feature amplifies the effect of shallow black, particularly noticeable in dark scenes, like those in the movie "Sicario 2." Instead of intense black, the screen generates a silvery glow, which can be bothersome, especially when watching in darker conditions. All of this makes the visual experience lose depth, and details in dark scenes are not as well visible as one might expect from higher-class screens. Despite the lack of local dimming, the television is equipped with something called Global Dimming. The television is capable of completely dimming the panel to achieve higher contrast, but at the expense of details that may blend together, for example, lights in the test scene from the movie Oblivion. It is worth adding that the model we received for testing has quite large spots resulting from uneven backlighting, although this is not an exception, and one should take into account that we might also receive such a unit when purchasing.

The LG B4 employs OLED panels produced by LG Displays, offering perfect contrast and true black levels. This results in an image so vivid and dynamic that it can appear almost three-dimensional. The "B" series has consistently been an ideal choice for those seeking excellent image quality without the premium price tag associated with higher-tier models. Thanks to competitive pricing, the B series often rivals Mini LED televisions, frequently emerging victorious. Unlike LCD TVs with local dimming, the LG B4 avoids common issues like blooming, halo effects, or dimming of fine bright details.

This superiority is particularly evident in challenging test scenes, such as those from Oblivion and Sicario 2. The LG B4 handles these with impressive finesse, delivering a high level of visual depth. In Oblivion, the bright lights are distinctly separated, maintaining clarity and precision without blending into each other. Similarly, in The Sicario 2, scenes featuring heli highlight the B4's ability to render intricate details and preserve the film’s unique colour grading, even in darker, more demanding moments. This exceptional performance in both contrast and detail demonstrates the LG B4’s capability to bring cinematic experiences to life.

The luminance chart for Philips PUS8959 shows that the television can achieve around 550 nits of brightness, which can be considered a satisfactory level. This brightness allows the effects of HDR to be felt, particularly standing out in more demanding scenes. In the tested patterns, the television performed quite well, even in challenging sequences like those from "Sicario 2". Due to the lack of local dimming, the television does not dim small bright elements, and they shine with the full "power" of the television but at the cost of the silverish blacks we mentioned in the paragraph about blacks. It is also worth praising Philips PUS8959 for its good coverage of the DCI-P3 color palette, which amounts to around 94.5%. This makes the colors vivid and close to the creators' intentions, further enhancing the quality of HDR effects and the viewing experience of high dynamic range content.

The HDR brightness performance of the LG B4 is impressive, even though it doesn't surpass 1000 nits. Its luminance stability is consistently strong across various scenarios, delivering a reliable viewing experience. The only instance where the TV shows slight weakness is in scenes with large areas of bright white, which has long been a challenge for OLED technology. However, perfect contrast, deep blacks, and excellent brightness ensure a fully immersive HDR experience. Furthermore, the TV’s remarkable 99% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut enhances its colour vibrancy, making images appear rich and visually striking. This level of colour accuracy and brightness balance firmly places the LG B4 among the top choices for HDR content.

The Philips PUS8959 television was tested in the best, theoretically most precise picture mode – Filmmaker. Although the name suggests cinematic quality, it unfortunately falls far short of the ideal. The biggest issue in this mode is white balance, both in HD and 4K content. It is characterized by a significant dominance of the red color and dips in the green level, resulting in an unnatural color reproduction. For example, white elements of the image have a distinctly pinkish hue, and the green is less intense, causing the overall image to lose its naturalness and color balance. The ColorChecker test confirms these errors – it is clearly visible how the color samples "deviate" from the correct values, which can be best observed on the sample squares that should accurately reproduce colors. The lack of accuracy in this regard affects the realism and fidelity of the image, which is particularly undesirable in Filmmaker mode.

Regarding brightness characteristics, the gamma chart resembles a real roller coaster – with small elements displayed on the screen, the brightness is excessive, causing details to become overly highlighted. Meanwhile, at higher gamma values, the image loses contrast and becomes too dark, making the overall appearance look less dynamic. Similar issues can be noticed in the EOTF characteristics – the television is unable to correctly reproduce the brightness level, negatively affecting the overall image quality.

The best factory preset offered by LG B4 is the "Filmmaker" mode, which we used throughout our testing. Straight out of the box, the TV delivered fairly accurate colour reproduction. However, the most significant issue in both SDR and HDR content was the white balance. In SDR, there was a noticeable red dominance, giving the image a distinct yellow tint, particularly evident in skin tones and whites. In HDR, this red hue persisted, but the lack of blue also introduced a greenish tint in certain scenes. Additionally, we observed some inconsistencies in grayscale and colour accuracy. Despite these shortcomings, the overall picture quality was still solid for most viewing scenarios.

After calibration, the Philips PUS8959 television shows a significant improvement in color reproduction, especially in HD content. The white balance is exceptionally even, and the Delta E error values are below 1, which can be considered an outstanding result. Additionally, the gamma, which is responsible for brightness in lower-quality materials, performs very well, maintaining a stable level at 2.4, leading to an appropriate balance between bright and dark areas of the image.

Regarding 4K HDR materials, a significant improvement is also noticeable. The white balance, although not as perfect as in HD content, no longer shows issues with excessive red exposure, making the image appear more natural and harmonious. Unfortunately, in the EOTF characteristics, it is difficult to speak of any significant improvement, due to the design limitations of the television that prevent significant enhancement in this aspect.

Nevertheless, the overall performance is much better after calibration, making the Philips PUS8959 one of those televisions where it is truly worth spending time on precise calibration to achieve satisfactory image quality.

LG B4 has long been known for offering advanced calibration tools, and it remains one of the few manufacturers that allows such in-depth image adjustments. Thanks to these tools, we calibrated the device to an exceptional standard. The result was incredibly low deltaE errors, considered at a reference level. Both SDR and HDR content now display exactly as the filmmaker intended. This level of precision is one of the reasons LG TVs are frequently used as preview monitors in graphic design and post-production studios.

The gradation on the Philips PUS8959 television looks very good, offering smooth tonal transitions in most scenes. Occasionally, minor issues can be noticed, especially during transitions between certain colors, where subtle unevenness is apparent. However, these imperfections are subtle enough that they do not significantly impact the overall viewing experience and can be considered completely acceptable. In everyday use, the television provides sufficiently good gradation quality to satisfy even more demanding users, maintaining the naturalness of the image and avoiding glaring tonal distortions.

The smoothness of tonal transitions, often overlooked in tests of competing platforms, is a crucial aspect of image quality, especially when watching content with a rich colour palette and complex effects, where textures overlap. This can sometimes result in colour banding or a lack of smooth gradation. The LG B4 performs quite well in terms of smoothing these tonal transitions. However, it has weaker moments, such as bright coloured skies in films like Kingsman and The Martian. Despite these minor issues, they do not significantly detract from the viewing experience. Therefore, we positively assess the quality of tonal transitions in the LG B4.

When it comes to smoothing tonal transitions, the "Distortion Reduction" function at the minimal setting performs quite well, effectively smoothing tonal transitions without excessive influence on other elements of the image. In tests, I did not notice that the reduction negatively affected the image structure, such as film grain or object details – everything remains in place, which is a big plus for users who appreciate the natural look of film materials.

On the other hand, regarding digital processing, the image looks quite good, although it is characterized by very softened contours, giving it an almost "misty" quality. This effect can evoke mixed feelings – some users may enjoy the fluidity and delicacy of this type of presentation, while others may find it too gentle, losing detail. It is a matter of individual preferences, but it must be admitted that the Philips PUS8959 provides quite subtle yet effective tools for improving tonal transitions without excessive interference in the natural character of the image.

In this section, we will revisit the smooth transition function while also examining how the TV handles lower-quality content. As we’ve found, the setting responsible for smooth gradation is generally effective, though it does have its drawbacks. While the function works well in SDR content, it becomes less useful in HDR content. Even at the lowest setting, it can blur important details, so we advise against using it in such cases.

The image scaling on the LG B4 is assessed moderately positively. While there is no noticeable edge doubling, the image tends to be somewhat "soft." This can be adjusted by tweaking the sharpness slider to improve the clarity.

Philips TV PUS8959 is equipped with a 120 Hz panel, which should satisfy more demanding users, especially those who love watching dynamic sports broadcasts or playing games. Such a high refresh rate allows for a significantly smoother image, being a key aspect during dynamic scenes and fast actions.

For those who prefer watching movies, the TV offers an additional motion smoother that allows adjusting the frame rate of the film according to personal preferences. The Philips PUS8959 has a 10-step adjustment for the functions called "Smoothness" and "Motion Blur Reduction." The "Smoothness" function is responsible for increasing the number of frames through interpolation, making motion on the screen smoother, resembling the effect of so-called "soap opera." Meanwhile, "Motion Blur Reduction" focuses on minimizing blurring and improving motion sharpness, which is particularly noticeable in dynamic sequences, such as action scenes or fast sports shots.

The maximum refresh rate on the LG B4 is 120 Hz, the bare minimum for those requiring high image fluidity. The manufacturer has equipped the TV with a multi-stage motion smoother called "TruMotion." This feature is split into two sliders: one controls the sharpness of moving images (De-Blur) and the other adjusts judder (De-Judder). Both sliders can be set between 0 and 10, with each level affecting the smoothness, so users can easily find their preferred setting.

The LG OLED B4 panel boasts an impressive average response time of 0.1 ms (based on our measurements), delivering an exceptionally clear image that surpasses the capabilities of LCD TVs, which often have response times of several milliseconds. This is particularly noticeable in the "UFO Test" images, where no trailing blur is visible behind moving objects.

Philips PUS8959 is a television that will certainly satisfy gaming enthusiasts. It supports most modern technologies useful during gameplay, such as HGiG, allowing for better HDR effect reproduction in games. As a result, the image is closer to what the game developers intended to achieve.

The television also supports 120 Hz image display, ensuring smoothness and dynamism, which is particularly important during action games and sports broadcasts. The Game Bar feature provides quick access to game settings, making it easier to adjust the image according to user preferences without interrupting gameplay.

Unfortunately, the Dolby Vision mode does not offer low input lag, which may be noticeable during dynamic scenes. Nevertheless, thanks to the HGiG feature and high refresh rate, the Philips PUS8959 remains an attractive choice for gamers, offering good image quality and appropriate smoothness during gameplay.

The LG B4 has four full HDMI 2.1 ports, each providing 48Gbps bandwidth. This ensures smooth activation of all relevant features without issues, making the television highly suitable for gaming. With its low input lag and extensive functionality, including well-implemented HGIG mode and Dolby Vision gaming with low latency, the B4 is a strong contender for gamers who demand high quality.

A standout feature is GameBar, which allows for on-the-fly adjustments without interrupting gameplay, as well as image adaptations for those with visual impairments. Another key point is that when VRR technology is enabled, the television maintains its contrast, thanks to the OLED panel's structure, though slight flickering in grey shades is to be expected.

In conclusion, the LG B4 is an ideal choice for gamers, seamlessly combining high performance with excellent gaming features. Its 120Hz panel and HDMI 2.1 ports make it a standout option for those seeking top-tier gaming experiences.

Philips PUS8959 TV offers impressive results in terms of input lag, making it an excellent choice for gamers. For 120 Hz content, the lag is less than 6 ms, which is an absolutely outstanding result and allows for immediate reactions in games, especially in fast-paced titles. For 60 Hz content, the input lag is 15 ms, which is also a remarkable result and provides comfortable gameplay in most cases.

Unfortunately, the Dolby Vision mode does not perform as well, as the input lag increases to 31 ms. While this result may be acceptable for less dynamic content, it may prove insufficient for demanding gamers, affecting precision and reaction speed. Nevertheless, in standard modes, Philips PUS8959 still offers outstanding performance, making it a competitive choice in the gaming TV market.

The LG B4 boasts incredibly low latency across all scenarios. Even the most dedicated gamers will appreciate the exceptionally low input lag, which remains at just 5 ms, even during demanding 4K 120 Hz settings with HDR. Notably, latencies are unchanged when Dolby Vision HDR is enabled, a feature that is not always guaranteed by competitors. This consistent performance deserves the highest praise and a strong recommendation.

Philips PUS8959 performs excellently as a monitor for use with a PC. With support for chroma 4:4:4, it provides full color clarity, which is crucial for working with text – fonts are sharp and legible, regardless of the background they are on. This makes using office applications, browsing the internet, and graphic editing comfortable and precise.

Additionally, the low input lag offered by the television guarantees smooth and responsive operation, which is important for both everyday tasks and more dynamic applications, such as gaming or multimedia editing. Philips PUS8959 is an excellent choice for users seeking a television that will also serve as a PC monitor, providing high image quality and user convenience.

The LG B4 performs excellently when paired with a PC, thanks to its incredibly low latency of just 13.5 ms, providing near-instantaneous response between the mouse, eye, and screen. Text readability is very good on this television, with sharp fonts achievable by enabling the passthrough option in the settings. The RWBG pixel arrangement has no significant impact on font or letter display, offering a clear advantage over Samsung’s QD-OLED panels. Users of both Windows and macOS-equipped computers will appreciate the solid performance of the LG B4 screen.

Philips PUS8959, equipped with an ADS panel, offers quite good viewing angles, definitely better than those found in VA panels. The image retains its quality even when viewed from a greater angle – colors are vivid, and contrast does not deteriorate as much as in televisions with VA panels. As a result, when watching television from different spots in the room, one can still enjoy well-saturated colors and overall image quality, making Philips PUS8959 a perfect choice for larger spaces and for watching together with family or friends.

One of the undeniable advantages of OLED panels, including the LG B4, is their excellent performance during group viewing, maintaining good contrast, colour saturation, and fidelity from different angles. While it doesn’t benefit from MLA technology like other OLED models, the overall performance remains impressive, and owners are unlikely to be dissatisfied. However, it’s worth noting that at sharp angles, a slight greenish tint can be observed. This is a characteristic of WRGB panels from LG that lack micro-lens technology, and unfortunately, this issue cannot be mitigated.

Philips PUS8959 has a satin coating on the screen that effectively reduces light reflections, which is advantageous when using the television in bright daylight conditions. However, such a coating causes blacks to take on shades of gray during the day, losing their depth and intensity, which affects the perception of the image in darker scenes.

A brightness level of 562 cd/m² allows for comfortable television viewing during the day, even in well-lit rooms. The image is bright enough to stand out against daylight, and the reduction of reflections ensures decent visibility of content, making Philips PUS8959 a good choice for rooms where lighting levels cannot always be controlled.

The maximum brightness of the LG B4 in SDR content reaches 370 nits, which is a commendable result for an OLED television, providing comfortable viewing even in well-lit environments. However, there are two important considerations. First, the television's ability to manage reflections is somewhat average, primarily due to the satin finish of the panel. This means that direct light hitting the screen may cause noticeable reflections. Secondly, the screen's brightness when displaying 100% white fill is around 260 nits. This is a noteworthy improvement, as OLED televisions in this price range previously achieved only half that brightness. This enhancement makes the LG B4 well-suited for watching high-brightness content, such as winter sports.

Philips PUS8959 is equipped with a three-sided Ambilight system – the flagship patent of this brand, which has delighted a dedicated group of fans for years. Ambilight relies on dynamic backlighting of the wall behind the TV, matching the content displayed on the screen, which significantly enhances the viewing experience, especially in dimly lit rooms. This effect is unique and adds a certain kind of "magic" to watching, causing many users to choose Philips specifically for this feature.

As for the operating system, Philips PUS8959 uses Titan OS – a system that is still in its early stages of development. Here, you can see growing pains, especially since Philips has moved away from Android in most of its models. Titan OS has a limited number of available apps. This is frustrating for those accustomed to a broader ecosystem like GoogleTV. Additionally, the TV does not have AirPlay functionality, which limits its compatibility with Apple devices and may be a drawback for users looking for a flexible way to stream content.

The user features of Philips PUS8959 are a mix of pros and cons. The remote control included with the TV is quite annoying – it requires direct aiming at the screen, which can be inconvenient. On the other hand, the voice function works without the need to aim, but it only supports English. On the plus side, the remote is backlit, making it easier to use in the dark. The TV does not have PiP (Picture-in-Picture) functionality or the ability to record programs, which is a significant drawback. However, the TV is equipped with Bluetooth, allowing connection to headphones or a keyboard, which can be useful – especially due to the limited number of available apps, which may encourage the use of the built-in web browser.

The LG B4 uses the well-established WebOS system, a staple in LG's smart TVs for many years. This system offers a wide range of essential applications, with only a few notable omissions, such as CDA and KODI. One of WebOS's standout features is its cursor functionality, which activates when the remote control is moved, making it especially convenient for entering search queries or passwords on websites.

In addition, WebOS supports various features such as screen mirroring, AirPlay, voice search in Polish, and Bluetooth headphone connectivity. An added bonus is the ability to use the television’s speakers and headphones simultaneously, which is particularly beneficial for individuals with hearing impairments. For sports enthusiasts, the system also includes alerts for upcoming matches, ensuring you never miss a broadcast.

The home panel in WebOS is another strength, offering seamless control of all smart devices connected to the home network. For example, users receive notifications when a laundry cycle is completed, enhancing the overall convenience of the system.

In conclusion, while WebOS may have some limitations compared to Android TV, it provides stable and fast performance, supporting most key functions users expect. It's a reliable and straightforward operating system for those looking for an easy-to-use interface for their television.

Although the Titan OS system on the Philips PUS8959 TV is still in its infancy, it deserves praise for supporting Polish subtitles embedded in movies, which is a significant convenience for users dealing with external files. If we want to play a movie from a connected USB device, the TV will do so without major issues, providing comfortable viewing without the need for additional subtitle configuration.

When it comes to photos, the TV should have no significant difficulties in playing them. It supports most popular formats, although it lacks support for less common standards such as HEIC used in Apple devices. This means that some photos, especially from newer Apple devices, may require prior conversion to a more standard format in order to be played on the Philips screen.

The default file player in the LG B4 performs well with most photo and video formats, supporting a wide range of popular codecs, including Dolby Vision. However, there are a few limitations that may disappoint some users. For example, the TV only supports two photo formats: JPEG and PNG, which could be a downside for those accustomed to the HEIC format used by Apple devices. Unfortunately, there is no native support for HEIC files, but the built-in AirPlay feature can serve as a workaround for Apple users. Additionally, while the TV can handle most video formats, it does not support the H.266 VVC codec, which is currently not widely used.

Another limitation is the lack of support for TXT subtitles, which may be an issue for users who rely on these for certain content. Despite these minor drawbacks, the LG B4 offers a solid file playback experience overall.

The sound of the Philips PUS8959 unfortunately leaves a lot to be desired. Although the low frequencies can be heard in the playback, the bass is very weak, which results in an overall unsatisfactory sound quality. The TV plays average, especially when compared to more advanced audio systems available on the market.

Despite the average quality of the speakers, the TV supports all the essential audio codecs, which may please users using external home theater systems. Thanks to compatibility with various audio formats, the Philips PUS8959 can offer good audio experiences when connected to appropriate external speakers or a receiver, providing a fuller, more cinematic sound.

The audio system in the LG OLED B4 is quite decent and performs well within its price range. The bass is noticeable but does not overwhelm the other frequencies, resulting in a balanced sound overall. While the built-in speakers are adequate for casual viewing, it is likely that most users opting for a high-quality OLED display will already have an external audio system to enhance their experience. However, the inclusion of DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos codecs adds value, offering more advanced audio support for those who connect external sound systems. This makes the B4 a solid choice for users prioritising image and sound quality.

Philips The One (PUS8959 / PUS8919 / PUS8909 / PUS8949 vs LG 55 B4

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

TV appearance

Where to buy

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

TV efficiency during daytime

Details about the matrix

TV features

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound