TECHWEEK
Will Philips PML9008 Mini LED challenge OLED in 2023? The company follows the trend of not competing with its OLED TVs. Therefore, the new Philips The Xtra series has almost half the brightness compared to its predecessors. The new intelligent Philips Smart TV platform, which looks very similar to Android, is also being tested on the PML9008.
In general, the PML 9008 series is an affordable TV with mini-LED backlighting. For many years now, Philips TVs have been purchased, among other reasons, because they have additional Ambilight lighting. In 2023, the company downgraded, moving from 4-sided backlight to 3-sided, without integration with Philips Hue. Let’s review the Philips 65PML9008 / 12 4K Ambilight TV and discuss the main features of the new simplified series.
Philips PML9008 review
Design
We’re looking at the Philips 65PML9008/12 Mini LED TV (the 75-inch model is identical, just bigger) and it looks pretty well made. The flat rack style metal legs have, unlike the Philips PML9506 , only one position in width and are not height adjustable. They do a great job of keeping the TV from swaying.
Most low-profile soundbars won’t block the screen, but keep in mind that the IR controller is located under the bottom bezel. The power cable is on the back right and the ports are on the back left. And this arrangement does not prevent the TV from being mounted on a wall using a VESA 300 x 300 bracket and M6 threaded screws.
The design of the Philips PML9008 TV is traditionally frameless. The metallic frames are thin on three sides, while the bottom panel with the logo is quite wide. The thickness of the TV is about 85 mm, which is quite consistent with a direct-backlit design. Ambilight LEDs are located along the rear panel at the top and on both sides.
The remote control connects via both BT and IR. This is a regular Philips remote control, the same as the PUS8007 , for example. In 2023, the button layout has changed slightly, but in general the concept remains the same – several dedicated buttons for video services, number buttons and a four-way joystick with an OK button. The remote control also has a microphone for voice control.
Image quality
Unlike the 2022 model PML9507 with a VA matrix, the 65PML9008/12 TV already uses an IPS matrix of the ADS variety. What does this lead to? Firstly, to a decrease in contrast, and therefore a decrease in the depth of black. But this is a model with Mini LED backlighting, which has 144 zones for adjusting the brightness of miniature LEDs (for a 55″ diagonal – 80). Thus, the contrast is quite acceptable.
Secondly, the PML9008 has a good viewing angle. The image remains consistent in terms of color and contrast when viewed from the sides, making it ideal for wide seating. Plus, this 4K UHD Ambilight TV is compatible with all major HDR formats (including Dolby Vision), so you’ll see more detail even in dark and bright areas.
The Philips PML 9008 / 12 TV also offers HDR10+ Adaptive, which automatically turns on when any HDR format is detected. Here, it measures the ambient light level in the room and adjusts the brightness of HDR content on screen scene by scene. For Dolby Vision, there are Dolby Vision Bright (Philips native mode) and Dolby Vision Dark (Dolby Vision native mode) modes.
The peak brightness of 1000 nits, even if it is reduced compared to similar 2022 models, is enough to display HDR content normally. This is also due to the wide color gamut of the TV, which covers 98% of the DCI color space. The 7th generation Philips P5 processor in this model does not use artificial intelligence.
Image processing functionality is limited to the Ultra Resolution option, which increases the clarity of low-resolution content, as well as Dynamic Contrast and Picture Clean. The color rendition of the Philips PML9008 TV is very good, the colors are natural. The main thing here is to choose the most suitable image mode. Note that there is the possibility of additional calibration thanks to the CalMAN Ready option.
As for motion processing and gaming mode, it must be said that the TV panel has a refresh rate of 120 Hz, and two HDMI ports support 4K@120 mode. Image output latency is less than 15ms. Therefore, gamers can expect responsive gameplay with Auto Switch to Game Mode (ALLM) when connecting the console to the TV, as well as FreeSync Premium.
During competitive gaming, the visuals are smoother, with no noticeable lag or screen tearing. A high refresh rate also improves the viewing experience, creating a stunning on-screen video experience. The TV also has a gaming bar of sorts. It displays various game parameters – frame rate, input lag, content type, etc.
Smart TV
The new PML 9008 TV operating system is powered by a Novatek dual-core processor. This is what the manufacturer himself says about the new platform. “This is a very good system that Philips will probably offer to some other manufacturers. Because some brands are already waging a certain battle with Google over the imposition of their commercial policies, which, of course, does not suit them.
That is why Philips began developing a new system. Most of the apps available on Google TV (except Kodi) will also be available on PML9008 sometime in the first quarter of 2024. Everything is already in development.” For now, let’s say that the appearance of Philips Smart TV cannot be distinguished from Android. The same tabs with recommended content, applications, etc.
Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa voice assistants are supported. To broadcast content from smartphones and tablets, there is a Screen Mirroring function. In general, the intelligent platform has everything you need. Except that there is no function for recording TV shows on USB media (and with it, TimeShift delayed viewing).
Sound
The Philips PML9008 model does not boast impressive sound. As, indeed, are most modern flat-screen TVs. The TV’s sound system is two-channel, with four speakers. These are two broadband emitters of 10 W each and two high-frequency drivers, also of 10 W each. Dolby Digital MS12 V2.6.1 and DTS:X codecs are supported.
Options that improve sound include Clear Dialogue, Dolby Atmos and Dolby Bass Enhancement. But this does not add elastic, rich bass to the sound, which is so lacking when watching films with a combat plot and when listening to music. Therefore, to better immerse yourself in what is happening on the screen, you should think about purchasing a soundbar.
Connections
The list of ports on the PML9008 series TV includes 4 HDMI connectors, 2 of which are version 2.1 with a bandwidth of 48 Gbps, and one of them is with eARC . Next are two USB ports, one of version 3.0. There is a digital optical audio output and a headphone output. There are two antenna sockets to receive a TV signal, and you can connect to the Internet via the LAN connector. There is a CI port for pay channel cards. Wireless connectivity is Wi-Fi 802.11ac, 2 x 2, Dual band and Bluetooth 5.0.
Conclusion
The Philips Xtra 65PML9008/12 Smart 4K Ultra HD HDR Mini-LED offers excellent value for money. Not only does it have excellent performance and picture quality, but customer reviews also praise it. Three-sided Ambilight can complement the viewing experience in a dark room. The TV isn’t prone to much motion blur, and relatively high black levels aren’t an issue. Responsive operation of the intelligent platform does not require significant hardware resources; a dual-core processor is enough for all tasks. In general, for an entry-level TV it’s quite a decent option.
