{"id":172642,"date":"2023-10-20T03:55:19","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T03:55:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techweekmag.com\/?p=172642"},"modified":"2025-05-07T08:02:01","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T08:02:01","slug":"philips-pus8848-review-feature-packed-tv-that-delivers-on-all-aspects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/tv\/philips-pus8848-review-feature-packed-tv-that-delivers-on-all-aspects\/","title":{"rendered":"Philips PUS8848: Feature-Packed TV that delivers on all aspects"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The name of the Philips 55PUS8848 TV \u201cThe One\u201d is no coincidence.\u00a0The manufacturer is trying to emphasize that this TV is designed to be a well-rounded presentation and will definitely have a place within the four walls of your home.\u00a0If you take a closer look at the price classification, it becomes clear why this is not a \u201cjack of all trades.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-172645\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Pasted-21.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1384\" height=\"1532\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In terms of quality, the 55-inch TV with model code 55PUS8848\/12 comes from the manufacturer in good build quality and has no visible manufacturing defects.\u00a0In this review of the Philips 55PUS8848 \/ 12 4K HDR with Ambilight, using a 55-inch diagonal model as an example, we\u2019ll find out how good this TV is and whether the PUS8848 is worth buying.<\/p>\n<h2>Philips PUS8848 review<\/h2>\n<h3>Design<\/h3>\n<p>The procedure for unpacking and installing the Philips UHD TV 55PUS8848\/12 is not quite complicated.\u00a0A uniform silver color adorns the front of the case and makes a good impression right from the start.\u00a0The narrow aluminum frame flows smoothly down into a flat stand located in the middle of the panel.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-172643\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Pasted-19.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1392\" height=\"888\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The stand gives the structure enough stability to stand firmly on the cabinet and effectively prevent swaying.\u00a0If the need arises, you can attach the TV panel to the wall using a VESA 200 x 300 wall mount.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to four HDMI ports and a variety of other interfaces, the rear panel features built-in Ambilight LEDs.\u00a0Since this is a relatively inexpensive model, the illumination of the rear wall does not extend downward.<\/p>\n<p>The soundbar can be easily placed in front of the screen without worrying about it obstructing the bottom edge of the display.\u00a0There is a clip on the back of the stand for routing connecting cables.\u00a0Although the Philips 55PUS8848 TV is not particularly striking in its design, the overall build quality does not leave much to be desired.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-12489\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/208_techweek.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/208_techweek.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/210_techweek.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/211_techweek.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/212_techweek.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/213_techweek.jpg 1598w\" alt=\"Philips 55PUS8848 design\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Equipment<\/h3>\n<p>The menu structure of Google TV&#8217;s Android operating system can be easily navigated using the remote control, which, combined with the black-labeled buttons, is still easy to see even in the dark.\u00a0You can also use the built-in microphone to send voice commands to Alexa or Google Assistant.<\/p>\n<p>All relevant streaming apps are available on Google TV OS.\u00a0Since everything can be solved using built-in resources, the user can easily do without additionally purchased gadgets with a different operating system.\u00a0However, he will not find Apple support in Philips \u201cThe One\u201d.\u00a0You will also have to give up Watch &amp; Rekord due to the single tuner.<\/p>\n<p>The Phillips PUS8848 TV&#8217;s HDR performance is not 100% perfect when compared to top-end models.\u00a0Sometimes some details get lost in dark places.\u00a0However, such an image is enough for a full viewing.\u00a0It is also possible to use the game mode.\u00a0Ambilight in gaming mode does exactly what lighting was designed to do.\u00a0It enhances the already good images in games even better.<\/p>\n<h3>Sound quality<\/h3>\n<p>Unlike the two 10-watt speakers in our review unit that power low-end TVs, the 55PUS8848&#8217;s sound system has four 10-watt speakers.\u00a0On the one hand, this is vastly superior to a system with 2.0 sound, which is sufficient for simple everyday use.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, under no circumstances can you demand multi-channel sound from such a system.\u00a0The recommendation for choosing a reasonable soundbar for this TV comes based on your usage and budget.\u00a0To experience\u00a0Dolby Atmos\u00a0to its full potential, of course, you need a powerful home theater system.<\/p>\n<p>One such option could be the\u00a0Philips Fidelio FB1\u00a0soundbar with 15 speakers with an output power of 310 W.\u00a0This soundbar has\u00a07.1.2 audio\u00a0with support for Dolby Atmos and\u00a0DTS:X\u00a0.\u00a0If you connect this system via\u00a0HDMI eARC\u00a0, the user will receive the corresponding sound in uncompressed form.\u00a0Coming to features, the PUS8848\/12 definitely wins when it comes to connections.<\/p>\n<p>Audio playback can be easily transferred to an external speaker via the so-called DTS Play-Fi.\u00a0This way, you can simply transfer the sound to another room and continue listening there.\u00a0With The One Mimi Sound, you can customize the sound to suit your hearing.<\/p>\n<p>Using room calibration, the TV can compensate for the acoustic characteristics of the room where it is placed.\u00a0In addition, Philips is making its already well-known Mimi Sound models accessible to people with hearing impairments.\u00a0If necessary, you can use the appropriate application to create appropriate compensation sound profiles for people with hearing loss.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-172644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Pasted-20.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1296\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Image quality<\/h3>\n<p>The processing of image content in the Philips PUS8848 TV with\u00a0IPS panel\u00a0and\u00a0Direct LED backlight\u00a0has certain optical advantages.\u00a0At the same time, this configuration also carries certain disadvantages.\u00a0Before proceeding, it is worth noting that Philips installs the above-mentioned display type from the 55-inch version onwards.<\/p>\n<p>Versions with diagonals of 43 and 55 inches are equipped with VA high contrast technology.\u00a0However, the disadvantage here is the relatively weak viewing angle and poor color rendition.\u00a0Returning to the model under consideration, it should be noted that the positive aspect of IPS is good color rendering quality.\u00a0Colorization looks natural.<\/p>\n<p>Transitions and contours appear sharp without causing too much impact on the retina.\u00a0If positioning at an angle to the screen cannot be avoided, then there is nothing to worry about.\u00a0After all, the impression of the image does not change significantly compared to the VA matrix.\u00a0However, these advantages are immediately offset by two significant disadvantages.<\/p>\n<p>This is the low contrast that screens with IPS technology have.\u00a0Additionally, the Philips 55PUS8848 TV has a peak brightness of around 520 nits.\u00a0Because of this, the highlights do not have enough peak brightness to make the image truly impressive to the viewer.\u00a0This is less noticeable in bright light.<\/p>\n<p>However, on a Philips TV, this flaw becomes noticeable in the dark, which can ruin your viewing pleasure.\u00a0Also, the contrast value is not really what we call ideal.\u00a0On the other hand, the gray color uniformity on this TV is excellent.\u00a0There is no dirty screen effect.<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to combating glare, the Philips 8848 TV shows quite satisfactory results.\u00a0The device does not like a lot of daylight and additional sun, so it has a hard time coping with the incoming light rays.\u00a0Since The One is not equipped with Mini-\u00a0LED backlighting\u00a0, you may sometimes experience blooming in dimly lit scenes.<\/p>\n<p>As usual, the soap opera effect isn&#8217;t far behind, but panning shots are rendered cleanly and there&#8217;s limited loss of detail.\u00a0This is ensured by fast response times at the level of top models.\u00a0The minimum latency in game mode is 4ms.<\/p>\n<h3>Ambilight<\/h3>\n<p>The highlight of the Philips PUS8848 is, of course, the intelligent Ambilight backlight, which has been around for many years and is still only found on Philips TVs.\u00a0In addition to synchronizing with the display on the screen, this function can work slightly differently as part of the additional Aurora function.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-172646\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Pasted-22.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1500\" \/><\/p>\n<p>If you wish, you can create your own atmosphere based on predefined images, videos and sounds.\u00a0You can also combine them into separate sequences &#8211; for example, for parties.\u00a0Ambilight music flickers in tune with background noise and envelops the room in a light show to the beat.\u00a0This system can be easily expanded with compatible\u00a0Philips Hue bulbs\u00a0.<\/p>\n<p>Three-sided Ambilight immerses the background in colors that match the content.\u00a0In addition, it indirectly gives the viewer the impression of a larger screen surface.\u00a0It is also possible to adjust the strength of the effect and match the color to the wall.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks to the additional lighting distributed throughout the room, your eyes won&#8217;t have to strain as much, which is a positive side effect.\u00a0In fact, this feature is actually more impressive than you might think.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, it is rightly considered a strong selling point.\u00a0When Natural Motion is turned on, P5 Perfect Picture Engine Gen 7 makes the necessary calculations and delivers a smoother visual experience.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-12491\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/209_techweek.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/209_techweek.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/214_techweek.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/215_techweek.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/216_techweek.jpg 1257w\" alt=\"Philips 55PUS8848 interfaces\" width=\"700\" height=\"334\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Connections<\/h3>\n<p>To ensure adequate data transfer rates, Phillips has equipped the first two HDMI ports with the 2.1 standard.\u00a0Other features such as variable frame rate support via AMD\u00a0FreeSync\u00a0Premium, Dolby Vision games for Xbox gamers, and a low-latency input mode for faster command transfer are also available.<\/p>\n<p>All these functions are clearly presented on the Philips PUS8848 game panel and can be changed directly during the game.\u00a0Cloud gaming rounds out the list of features and lets you have fun even without a console or PC by directly streaming your favorite games when paired with a compatible Bluetooth controller.<\/p>\n<p>The device is also equipped with two USB ports, CI+ and Ethernet-LAN \u200b\u200bRJ-45 interfaces, a 3.5 mm audio output for linear headphone connection, antenna inputs and a digital optical audio output.\u00a0Wireless connections include Bluetooth 5.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac.<\/p>\n<h3>Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p>To conclude the review of the PUS8848 from Philips, it remains to add that color rendering and viewing angle stability meet expectations. However, HDR brightness and contrast range are the Achilles heel.<\/p>\n<p>With a built-in 120Hz panel and HDMI 2.1 interfaces, gamers can take advantage of next-generation features including Dolby Vision Gaming on today&#8217;s Sony and Microsoft consoles.\u00a0Another plus is the extensive equipment package, which includes the popular, albeit three-sided, Ambilight.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, the consumer gets a wide range of DTS Play-Fi features, Mimi audio personalization, Hue support, Ambilight features and much more.\u00a0If you&#8217;re looking for a relatively inexpensive model with Ambilight and good features and are willing to compromise on picture quality, this TV could be a great option for you.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Philips PUS8848 Specifications:<\/h3>\n<table width=\"589\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Brand<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">Philips<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Series<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">PUS8848<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Line\/options<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">43PUS8848, 50PUS8848, 55PUS8848, 65PUS8848, 75PUS8848<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Image<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Standard<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">Ultra HD (UHD) \/ 4K \/ 2160p<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Matrix type<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">IPS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Aspect Ratio<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">16:9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Permission<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">3840 x 2160<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Matrix width<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">10 bits (8 bits + FRC)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Backlight<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">Direct LED<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Frame interpolation<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">PPI 2000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Brightness<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">520 nits<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Contrast<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">1600:1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Update frequency<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">100 \/ 120 Hz<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Latency\/input lag<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">4 ms *<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">HDR standards<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">3D\/Up-Scaling<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">No Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Video<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Standard TV tuner (analog)<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">NTSC, PAL, SECAM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Standard TV tuner (digital)<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">DVB-T\/T2, C, S\/S2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Video codecs<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">AVI, WMV, MP4, MOV, 3GP, MKV, MPG, MPEG, VOB, FLV, WebM, OGM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Connections<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">HDMI<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">2 x HDMI 2.0 (ARC) + 2 x HDMI 2.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">USB<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">2 x USB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Reception of TV signals<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">1 x RF (terrestrial antenna), 1 x F-Type (satellite antenna)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">WiFi<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">802.11\/b\/g\/n\/ac<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Audio output<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">Optical (audio)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Internet<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">Ethernet RJ-45\/LAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Additionally<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.0, CI+, 3.5 mm headphone output<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Sound<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Power<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">40 W<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">System<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">4 speakers x 10 W<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Support<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">Dolby Digital MS12 V2.6.1, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Smart TV<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">OS<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">Google TV<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">CPU<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">P5 Perfect Picture Engine Gen 7, ARM Cortex-A73, ARM Mali-G57 MC2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Voice assistant<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">Google Assistant and Alexa<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Memory<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">4 GB \/ 16 GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Remote controller<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">voice control remote<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Additionally<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">Micro Dimming Pro, CalMAN support<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\">Other<\/td>\n<td width=\"533\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\"><\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">Front panel &#8211; silver color<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"226\"><\/td>\n<td width=\"533\">VESA 200 x 300 mm (55&#8243;)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The name of the Philips 55PUS8848 TV \u201cThe One\u201d is no coincidence.\u00a0The manufacturer is trying to emphasize that this TV is designed to be a well-rounded presentation and will definitely have a place within the four walls of your home.\u00a0If you take a closer look at the price classification, it becomes clear why this is [&hellip;] <a class=\"g1-link g1-link-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/tv\/philips-pus8848-review-feature-packed-tv-that-delivers-on-all-aspects\/\">More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10404,"featured_media":172942,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[641],"tags":[778],"class_list":{"0":"post-172642","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tv","8":"tag-reviews"},"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10404"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=172642"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":465651,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172642\/revisions\/465651"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/172942"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=172642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=172642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoindex.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=172642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}