Philips 50PUS8546/12: The One Smart TV Review

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Philips 50PUS8546/12: The One Smart TV Review

Let's dive into the Philips 50PUS8546/12, also known as "The One" – a smart TV designed to be the all-rounder in your living room. We'll explore everything from its picture quality and sound to its smart features and overall design, giving you a comprehensive look at what this TV has to offer. If you're in the market for a new television that balances price and performance, this review is for you.

Design and Build Quality

The design of the Philips 50PUS8546/12 is sleek and modern, fitting seamlessly into most home décors. The TV features a slim bezel, which maximizes the screen real estate and provides an immersive viewing experience. The build quality feels sturdy, assuring you that this isn’t a flimsy piece of tech. The stand is a simple, central pedestal that provides good stability. One of the standout design elements is the Ambilight technology, which we'll discuss in more detail later. The overall aesthetic is clean and minimalist, ensuring that the TV itself doesn’t distract from what’s on the screen. The materials used feel premium, giving the TV a high-end look without an exorbitant price tag. Connecting your devices is straightforward, with easily accessible HDMI and USB ports located at the back. The remote control is intuitive and easy to use, with dedicated buttons for popular streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, making navigation a breeze. All in all, the Philips 50PUS8546/12 scores high in terms of design and build, providing a blend of elegance and functionality.

Picture Quality

When it comes to picture quality, the Philips 50PUS8546/12 truly shines. It boasts a 4K UHD resolution, ensuring that you get crisp, detailed images. The inclusion of Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support means that the TV dynamically adjusts the picture settings based on the content you're watching, optimizing contrast, color, and brightness for each scene. This results in vibrant and lifelike visuals that enhance your viewing experience. The TV also features Philips' P5 Perfect Picture Engine, which further enhances picture quality by improving sharpness, color accuracy, and motion handling. Whether you're watching fast-paced action movies or serene nature documentaries, the picture remains smooth and clear, with minimal motion blur. Color reproduction is excellent, with rich and accurate colors that make everything on screen pop. The contrast ratio is also impressive, providing deep blacks and bright whites for a more dynamic image. One of the standout features is the Ambilight technology, which projects colors from the screen onto the surrounding walls, creating an immersive and captivating viewing experience. This not only enhances the visual appeal but also reduces eye strain, making it more comfortable to watch TV for extended periods. The Philips 50PUS8546/12 delivers outstanding picture quality that will impress even the most discerning viewers.

Sound Quality

The sound quality of the Philips 50PUS8546/12 is surprisingly good for a TV in its class. It features a 20W audio system that delivers clear and balanced sound. While it may not rival a dedicated soundbar or home theater system, it's more than adequate for everyday viewing. The inclusion of Dolby Atmos support enhances the audio experience, creating a more immersive and three-dimensional soundstage. This means that you'll hear sounds coming from all directions, making you feel like you're right in the middle of the action. The TV also features various sound modes that allow you to customize the audio to your preferences. Whether you're watching movies, listening to music, or playing games, you can choose the appropriate mode to optimize the sound. Dialogue clarity is excellent, ensuring that you can hear every word clearly, even in noisy environments. The bass response is decent, providing enough punch to make action scenes and music sound impactful. While audiophiles may still prefer a separate audio system, the Philips 50PUS8546/12 offers a solid audio experience that complements its excellent picture quality. The integrated speakers are well-tuned, providing a balanced and enjoyable sound without the need for additional equipment. For most users, the sound quality will be more than sufficient for their needs.

Smart Features and Performance

The Philips 50PUS8546/12 runs on the Android TV operating system, providing access to a vast array of apps and services. You can easily stream content from popular platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and more. The interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it simple to find your favorite shows and movies. The TV also supports Google Assistant, allowing you to control it with your voice. You can ask Google to change the channel, adjust the volume, search for content, and more. The built-in Chromecast functionality makes it easy to cast content from your smartphone or tablet to the TV. Performance is generally smooth and responsive, with minimal lag or stuttering. The TV is powered by a quad-core processor that handles most tasks with ease. However, demanding applications and games may experience occasional slowdowns. The TV also supports Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to connect wireless headphones, speakers, and other devices. Software updates are automatically installed, ensuring that you always have the latest features and security patches. The Philips 50PUS8546/12 offers a comprehensive suite of smart features that enhance the overall user experience. Whether you're streaming content, using voice commands, or casting from your mobile devices, this TV has you covered. The Android TV platform is versatile and customizable, allowing you to tailor the experience to your specific needs.

Ambilight Technology

The Ambilight technology is one of the most unique and captivating features of the Philips 50PUS8546/12. It projects colors from the screen onto the surrounding walls, creating an immersive and dynamic viewing experience. The lights change in real-time to match the colors on the screen, making you feel like you're part of the action. Ambilight not only enhances the visual appeal but also reduces eye strain, making it more comfortable to watch TV for extended periods. You can customize the Ambilight settings to your preferences, choosing from various modes and colors. For example, you can set the lights to follow the audio, creating a synchronized light show that enhances the music. You can also set the lights to a static color or turn them off completely if you prefer. Ambilight adds a unique dimension to your viewing experience, making it more engaging and enjoyable. It's a feature that truly sets Philips TVs apart from the competition. The Ambilight technology is particularly effective when watching movies or playing games, creating a more immersive and cinematic experience. It's a feature that once you experience, you won't want to live without. The dynamic lighting adds depth and dimension to the visuals, making everything on screen come to life.

Connectivity

Regarding connectivity, the Philips 50PUS8546/12 offers a wide range of options to suit your needs. It features four HDMI ports, allowing you to connect multiple devices such as gaming consoles, Blu-ray players, and streaming devices. All HDMI ports support HDCP 2.3, ensuring compatibility with the latest 4K UHD content. There are also two USB ports, which you can use to connect external storage devices or charge your mobile devices. The TV supports Wi-Fi 802.11ac, providing fast and reliable wireless connectivity. It also has an Ethernet port for wired network connections. Bluetooth 5.0 is supported, allowing you to connect wireless headphones, speakers, and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. The TV also features a digital audio output (optical), which you can use to connect to a soundbar or home theater system. An antenna input is included for connecting to an over-the-air broadcast signal. The Philips 50PUS8546/12 offers a comprehensive set of connectivity options, ensuring that you can easily connect all your devices. The inclusion of multiple HDMI and USB ports is particularly useful for those with a lot of devices. The fast Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity ensures that you can stream content and connect wireless devices without any issues. The TV is well-equipped to handle all your connectivity needs.

Pros and Cons

To summarize, let's take a look at the pros and cons of the Philips 50PUS8546/12:

Pros:

  • Excellent picture quality with 4K UHD resolution and Dolby Vision/HDR10+ support
  • Immersive Ambilight technology
  • Good sound quality with Dolby Atmos support
  • Comprehensive smart features with Android TV and Google Assistant
  • Wide range of connectivity options
  • Sleek and modern design

Cons:

  • Performance can be occasionally slow with demanding applications
  • Sound quality may not satisfy audiophiles

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Philips 50PUS8546/12 is a fantastic all-around smart TV that offers a great balance of price and performance. Its excellent picture quality, immersive Ambilight technology, and comprehensive smart features make it a standout choice in its class. While it may not be perfect, its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. If you're looking for a TV that delivers a premium viewing experience without breaking the bank, the Philips 50PUS8546/12 is definitely worth considering. Whether you're a movie buff, a gamer, or just someone who enjoys watching TV, this TV will not disappoint. The combination of stunning visuals, immersive sound, and smart functionality makes it a great addition to any living room.