Philips The One PUS8818 55"

Design & Build The PUS8818 features a sleek, modern aesthetic with slim bezels and a minimalist stand design that provides stable support. The three-sided Ambilight system integrates seamlessly into the TV's chassis, creating an immersive viewing experience through ambient lighting that matches on-screen content. Build quality is solid, with a mix of metal and plastic components that feel durable without being premium. Connection ports are easily accessible and well-organized on the back panel.

Performance The TV's performance shines brightest with SDR content, delivering natural colors and good brightness levels for everyday viewing. The 120Hz panel handles motion smoothly, while the direct LED backlighting provides decent uniformity across the screen. Gaming performance is noteworthy, with HDMI 2.1 features supporting 4K/120Hz gameplay and variable refresh rate. However, HDR content reveals the TV's limitations - peak brightness falls short of what's needed for truly impactful HDR, and the lack of local dimming impacts contrast performance in dark scenes.

User Experience Google TV serves as the smart platform, offering a polished and responsive interface with extensive app support. The system feels snappy during navigation, and content discovery features work well. Ambilight integration adds another dimension to the viewing experience, with customizable settings that enhance immersion. The remote control is well-designed and includes convenient shortcut buttons, though the voice control implementation could be more refined.

Value Positioned in the mid-range segment, the PUS8818 offers strong value for its feature set. While it costs less than premium OLED and Mini-LED models, it still delivers key features like Ambilight, 120Hz gaming support, and a comprehensive smart platform. The price-to-performance ratio is particularly appealing for users who prioritize everyday viewing and gaming over premium HDR experiences.