Philips PUS8506 review: Talented mid-range LED TV gets most things right

(Pocket-lint) - When Olivia Newton-John sang "You are the one which I would like" she may've had this Philips mid-ranger in thoughts (simply play together with our time-travel quips, eh?). Designed to tick the utmost variety of bins, the PUS8506 is an LED 4K flatscreen loaded with options.

For these trying to simplify their subsequent TV improve, Philips needs you to consider this selection as 'The One'. And it largely lives as much as such advertising and marketing promise. The 8506 places in a fantastic daytime viewing efficiency, nods appreciably to all key excessive dynamic vary (HDR) flavours, and comes with Philips' signature Ambilight lounge lighting system. It additionally places in an honest exhibiting for console house owners.

The 8506 is offered in a variety of display screen sizes too: 43-, 50-, 58-, 65-, 70- and 75-inches. On our take a look at bench is the 58-incher, so simply how nicely does it stand as much as day by day viewing?

Design 

  • Three-sided Ambilight
  • Wi-Fi & Bluetooth
  • 4x HDMI, 2x USB
  • 1x optical out

Slightly than go fundamental black, Philips has lightened the temper with a silver-grey body and central metallic stand within the 8506, and the outcomes are fairly swish. The silver trim is a bit of plasticky to be truthful, however that central foot - which is a two-part development - is substantial. 

The set is direct lit, its rear being edged with Ambilight LED bulbs from three sides to assist develop the image past the body. 

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Connectivity is headed up by 4 HDMI inputs, of which port quantity two is licensed eARC (the three remaining are all ARC enabled) for clever audio handover. There's additionally an optical digital audio out, two USB ports, and Ethernet for wired connectivity, becoming a member of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The panel itself is 60Hz, so there is no alternative for 4K 120fps playback - which some players could lament.

Options  

  • Android TV OS
  • DTS Play-Fi enabled
  • Google, Alexa and Siri help

Good connectivity comes by way of the usual Android TV platform, with catch-up TV providers delivered by way of Freeview Play (within the UK). This combo ensures a strong mixture of premium streaming apps - together with Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, Disney+, and Pluto TV - and on a regular basis programme gamers, together with BBC iPlayer, ITVHub, All4, My5 and UKTVPlay. The included distant management hosts devoted buttons for a lot of of these providers.

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Android has a rock strong interface, with copious programme suggestions and personalised curation, all accessed by way of devoted rails. We have been vital of it previously, however the system has developed nicely over time. 
Along with Google Assistant voice management, the set additionally works with Alexa. Or you should utilize Chromecast to solid straight out of your smartphone.
 
Whereas the display screen lacks Excessive Body Fee (HFR) help - which is unsurprising given its value level - sport latency is spectacular. With Sport Mode engaged, we measured enter lag at simply 10.9ms (1080/60). That is sufficient for unimpaired first particular person taking pictures.

Efficiency

  • P5 Image Processing Engine
  • Dolby Imaginative and prescient and HDR10+

  • Dolby Atmos audio

The PUS8506 utilises Philips P5 Good Image engine, right here in a pre-AI up to date guise, and does a wonderful job with 4K and HD sources. The typical image stage is brilliant sufficient for snug daytime viewing, and contrasty sufficient for low-light film nights.

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Image presets comprise Private, Vivid, Pure, Customary, Film, Sport, ISF Day/Night time and Knowledgeable. 

Pure trumps Customary, providing a carry in image brightness and color. We famous some black element crushing, however it's a fantastic daytime setting. Vivid is a predictable smack within the chops, and whereas we moderately like its impression, the oversaturated hues can provide stay motion a barely cartoonish look.

Enterprise past these presets and you will find loads of tweakable choices, together with Image Clear, which lets you tailor noise discount; HDR upscaling for traditional definition sources (really helpful), and a lightweight sensor, which right here is used largely to scale back energy consumption throughout darkish lighting circumstances.

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The display screen places in a creditable excessive dynamic vary efficiency, with help for Dolby Imaginative and prescient and HDR10+, in addition to HDR10 and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma). 
Of the unrelated varied HDR settings (Vivid, Private, Pure, Film and Sport), HDR Vivid is probably the most satisfying in our e book.

We measured peak brightness at round 420 nits, which is not particularly searing contemplating one of the best units on the market hit four-figure outcomes. Nonetheless, black stage efficiency is convincing for an LED display screen, suitably darkish when seen in a room with excessive ambient mild, and never punishingly gray when watched in full darkness. 


The set's audio efficiency is practical sufficient, too, its stereo sound system wonderful for informal viewing. The TV recognises Dolby Atmos, and whereas it will probably't do an excessive amount of natively with the sound format, you may bitstream Atmos out over ARC to a ready soundbar or AV receiver. 

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Apparently, the set can be appropriate with the DTS Play-Fi multiroom audio commonplace. So it may be grouped with another speaker that is appropriate with the platform.

Verdict

It is mission completed for the Philips PUS8506. This well-specified mid-range LED TV delivers a crowd-pleasing mixture of good expertise, picture high quality and normal usability. 

When you're after a giant telly for motion pictures, it scrapes a go. Black element is recognisable in low mild and excessive dynamic vary (HDR) punches by. On board audio is common, although, so you will need to funds for a Dolby Atmos soundbar as well as.

For daytime and brilliant room viewing, it is actually excellent certainly. Android TV and Freeview Play cowl all of your streaming app wants, and all the time look their greatest due to Philips' highly effective image processing instruments. The set has even obtained designer aptitude. Ambilight's inherent attraction as a temper setting lounge mild should not be under-estimated both. 

Maybe the largest shock provided by the 8506 is its gaming efficiency. This is not a game-centric show by any stretch, however its efficiency in Sport mode is a winner. Olivia Newton-John needs to be nicely comfortable anyway.

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