Premium news: TOP-5 55-inch TVs

The TV was the debut Philips solution, which uses a new technology — Quantum Dot. It is an analogue and competitor of the QLED backlight offered by Samsung.

Quantum dot technology provides a rich colour palette, the accuracy of its transmission, as well as high peak brightness parameters (700 cd/m2). You can count on an even more impressive picture when playing content shot in the extended dynamic range (HDR).

The appearance of the Philips 55PUS8602 is emphasized by the minimum thickness of the panel itself, which is less than 5 cm, as well as a thin metal rim around the 55-inch screen. But the main feature is the background three-way illumination Ambilight. From above, to the left and to the right of the screen, it projects a halo of light in the tones of the currently playing content.

Philips 55PUS8602 is equipped with a 10-bit VA matrix and supports Ultra HD resolution. The powerful P5 Perfect Picture processor is designed to improve the contrast and brightness of the picture, as well as to ensure the smoothness of the video sequence, which is helped by proprietary technologies: Micro Dimming Pro and 3200 PPI, respectively. The shortcomings include a decrease in the quality of colour rendering and other image parameters at large angles.

There is a soundbar under the screen. The audio system is represented by a pair of speakers of 25 watts each. They will take care of a loud and rather deep sound.

To play digital quality TV channels, the model received the main TV tuners, including those receiving a satellite signal. The TV is equipped with popular interfaces, including 4 HDMI, 2 USB, network port, mini-Jack. You can also connect Philips 55PUS8602 to the Internet via Wi-Fi.

Smart features are revealed by the Android TV 6.0 platform. It provides access to the widest range of Google Play applications and services. But in terms of interface convenience and overall performance, the OS of competitors (LG and Samsung) is still losing. A multimedia remote control with a QWERTY layout on the back of the case, quick access buttons to Netflix and voice control support is designed to partially offset this disadvantage.

Philips 55PUS8602 is able to compete on equal terms with popular QLED models, for example, Samsung QE-55Q7FAM 55 " , having important advantages in the form of Ambilight backlight and affordable price.

Released in 2018, the 55-inch TV differs from the model Samsung UE-55NU8000 55 " first of all, a curved screen. Otherwise, they are very similar: there is a T-shaped stand, inside which it is easy to hide the connection wires, a thin framing frame and a smooth plastic back panel.

The Samsung UN-55NU8500 matrix is characterized not only by a clear (thanks to 4K resolution), but also by a bright, saturated image with HDR support. The picture looks convincing in a dark room, where black looks very plausible. The reproduction of content in a well-lit room also does not cause complaints, which is facilitated by both the matte surface of the panel, which suppresses glare, and high brightness and contrast values.

The situation worsens somewhat when the position in front of the display changes. Firstly, the colours at large angles do not look so bright, and secondly, the curved screen slightly distorts the picture when positioned not exactly in the centre in front of the TV. Therefore, Samsung UN-55NU8500 is not the best choice for watching videos by a large company of people.

The TV is not deprived of multimedia functionality. The Tizen operating system allows you to open it. Simple and convenient navigation in the Smart Hub interface, good performance and an abundance of applications for installation are the features that make this shell one of the best today. A multimedia remote control with voice control and a built-in Bixby virtual assistant are responsible for convenient use of Smart TV.

In addition to entertainment functions, Tizen OS provides support for advanced SmartThings technologies. When installing the application of the same name, the TV becomes the control centre of the ecosystem of the "smart" home. To communicate with external devices or simply output content from them, Samsung UN-55NU8500 has various interfaces and wireless communication modules Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The TV received a 2.1-format speaker system. In addition to two speakers, a 20-watt low-frequency speaker is provided, designed to improve the sound of bass. The total power of the acoustics is 40 watts.

If we consider traditional LED TVs (not OLED and QLED), then Samsung UN-55NU8500 offers almost the best image quality. However, the curved shape of the screen imposes certain limitations in terms of visibility.

The representative of LG's 2018 premium line, like all OLED TVs on the market, is among the cohort of the best TVs of our time.

LG OLED55C8 is equipped with a wide stand, which is responsible for the stable position of the panel, and also helps to distribute sound around the room. The aluminium frame around the 55-inch display is almost invisible. At the top, the TV is as thin as possible: this is the display itself and nothing more. But also at the base, where the electronics and interfaces are located, the total thickness of the case does not exceed 4.7 cm, which gives the model elegance.

The 4K screen with organic LEDs reproduces the perfect black colour, which guarantees the highest image contrast, tending to an infinite level. The 55-inch panel supports a wide range of colours and accurately displays the smallest shades of colour. When showing HDR content, the TV shows a higher peak brightness compared to its predecessor LG OLED55E7N 55 " . And with less high-quality content, the powerful a9 processor improves the colour gamut and image clarity.

The overall high picture parameters do not decrease when viewing angles change, which makes the LG OLED55C8 an excellent choice for spacious rooms with numerous viewers and various lighting scenarios.

The frame rate of the TV is 120 Hz, so that the movement on the screen looks smooth, detailed and without flickering, characteristic of traditional models with LED backlight.

The sound also matches the picture: the LG OLED55C8 has a 2.2 format audio system, where two traditional 10-watt speakers are complemented by a pair of subwoofers. The total power of the acoustics is 40 watts.

The TV is paired with an updated version of the "smart" webOS 4.0 platform. It offers a large selection of applications, a fast and responsive interface, a convenient search system for services and content. The Magic Remote multimedia console, which acts as a pointer and supports voice and gesture control, is designed to help with the development of the shell.

LG OLED55C8 is one of the best TVs on the market. But he still has competitors who, although inferior in image quality, are cheaper. Among them, for example, is the predecessor of the 2017 release — LG OLED55C7V 55 " .

Samsung's flagship has an appearance corresponding to its status. It is characterized by a thin frame, a T-shaped stand in which you can hide the network cable, a minimum thickness of the case (less than 4 cm), a perfectly smooth back surface and the proprietary solution of the manufacturer One Connect — a remote unit with interface openings, which avoids a situation with an abundance of wires and their confusion in a prominent place..

Samsung QE-55Q9FN received a 55-inch UltraHD screen with QLED backlight. The "quantum dots" technology provides good contrast and a uniform, deep black colour. The picture has a high level of brightness, and regardless of the source of the incoming signal.

The TV boasts a wide colour coverage, supports HDR 10+ technology, but in general the colour accuracy is not perfect, which is corrected by changing the image parameters in the settings menu. Also, the traditional shortcomings of QLED displays include limited viewing angles, so that the best viewing experience awaits those who are right in front of the screen.

Dynamic scenes look very convincing on the Samsung QE-55Q9FN. A smooth video sequence is provided by a hardware refresh rate of 120 Hz with the possibility of acceleration up to 200 frames /sec due to Motion Rate technology.

The TV is equipped with a 60-watt audio system. It is represented by four high-frequency speakers and two subwoofers, so in most cases you can refuse to purchase additional acoustics.

The "smart" functionality of Samsung QE-55Q9FN reveals the Tizen OS. To take advantage of the variety of shell applications and services, you need to connect your TV to the Internet (wire or Wi-Fi). A convenient multimedia One Remote Control and an intuitive interface will help you quickly get used to the menu.

The TV is integrated into the SmartThings smart home system, and also offers a new Ambient mode. In it, instead of a black screen in the off state, the panel shows uploaded photos (for example, landscapes, paintings, just wallpaper of the room so that the display "merges" with the interior) or acts as an informer of weather and news. The power consumption will be about 40% of the standard operating mode.

The only drawback of Samsung QE-55Q9FN is the high price. But the proposed set of advantages makes it very justified.

The new senior model in the line of a well-known Japanese company is designed to eventually replace its predecessor Sony KD-55A1 55 " . In comparison with it, the TV looks neater, takes up less space, and its screen is not tilted so much, which is primarily due to the replacement of the stand.

Sony KD-55AF8 received a 55-inch OLED screen that reproduces natural black colour and has an infinite level of contrast. The brightness of the screen is inferior to QLED models, but the peak values of 300 cd/m2 are enough to cope with glare in well-lit rooms.

Factory calibration assumes accurate colour reproduction, which, together with a wide colour gamut and HDR support, will provide the viewer with a natural and saturated picture with the finest shades.

The image quality practically does not depend on the viewing angles, so it is not necessary to select a place strictly in the centre of the screen.

The Sony KD-55AF8 matrix supports a frame rate of 120 Hz, so the TV instantly reacts to any movement, ensuring smoothness of the video sequence without jerks and flickers. The X1 Extreme processor also contributes to performance™, which also improves the colour rendering (Live Colour technology) and the clarity of the SD image, "tightening" the image to the standards of HDR and Ultra HD 4K.

Sony KD-55AF8 is equipped with a 5-channel audio system with a subwoofer, with a total power of 50 watts. An additional effect of volume sound is created by DTS Digital Surround technology.

The model also received 4 digital TV tuners for playing terrestrial, cable and satellite television. Popular interfaces and wireless technologies, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, are provided for displaying content from third-party devices.

The TV is running Android TV. A wide range of applications is available to the user, the menu is conveniently grouped, but delays and freezes still happen. A multimedia remote control with support for Google Assistant voice search helps to control the device.

In general, Sony KD-55AF8 is a universal OLED TV with high image quality and performance, as well as an appropriate price. From the manufacturer's solutions that are close in terms of image level and more affordable in terms of cost, one more novelty of 2018 can be distinguished — Sony KD-55XF9005 55 " Price from 49 259 up to 52 571 ₴.