Verdict

Philips ’s latest 48OLED807 is an first-class OLED , packed full of features for goggle box , film fans and avid gamers , delivering telling picture quality and proficient phone for its size .

Pros

Cons

Key Features

Introduction

While Philips may not have the clout of other stigma in the TV market – it mainly has a European presence – its OLED TVs have been rated as some of the secure for the past several age .

The 8 - series organic light-emitting diode is its midrange poser , making it the Philips OLED to get if you ’re a pic and play fan and have no need for the integrated strait systems that total with the more expensive 9 - series organic light-emitting diode .

We reviewed the55 - inch modeland hand it five stars . Now , after go over the 48 - column inch role model , it would seem the apple does n’t fall far from the tree .

Design

If you ’ve translate our inspection of the 55 - inch model , then this 48 - column inch has the same appearance but in smaller dimensions .

As is customary for Philips , this is a television set built to a gamey criterion , with a smart and thin alloy bezel encasing the screen . The gleaming aluminium - smooth stall is a stylish addition that can pivot to protect against glares or deflect light , while see angles are consistent with other OLEDs I ’ve test , although some colours ( like yellow ) can slur straightaway than others at wider angles .

set up the stand takes less than five minutes . Even though the aluminium finish can attract smudges , they ’re not viewable unless you ’re very close to it . On the TV ’s rear , there ’s a small section to pass cables through in ordination to keep the back area clear of clutter .

Around the back , you ’ll also find a few other adornments , such as an incorporate rear basso speaker system and , of course , Philips ’s patented Ambilight bias scheme . The latter ramble light onto the aerofoil behind that mirrors the colours on - screen , develop an effervescent glow . This version of Ambilight comes in its four - sided form , so there is n’t a gap at the bottom if you intend to wall - mount .

The bulk of the speakers , Ambilight , processors and connections does mean this fit juts out with a profundity of 68 mm . Few , I reckon , will be fussed by that if they ’re site this television on a wall .

The remote is another stylish effort , although I have an outlet with it . I do n’t get on with the D - pad , as I find its printing press softer than I ’d like , and my fingerbreadth on a regular basis slew off the grooved surfaces , which mean I often end up pressing the dwelling house or Back button . If you ’ve fuck off crowing figure like me , the buttons are also placed a picayune too close .

Interface

For apps and smarts , Philips still bangs the brake drum for Android tv set overGoogle TV . Android TV comes in for critique , but I find it soft and round-eyed to employ . If anything , updates to make it more like Google TV have confused Android TV ’s identity .

For example , Watchlist should be front and eye on the first page , but it ’s still buried within the Discover Sir Frederick Handley Page , where the recommendations are n’t the most useful , service up title I ’ve regard or others I ’m not keen on .

Discover uses the history of several apps ( Disney+ , Prime Video , Apple TV+ , Rakuten Viki , Discovery+ ) to push out recommendation , but it lacks the added info Google TV can offer with its Rotten Tomatoes ratings and pricing options . Neither is neat at serving up recommendation , but Google TV ply more options .

Apps are ample here , and most of the main streaming apps are catered for in theirDolby Visionand Atmos forms . Freeview Playbrings the UK stop - up and on - demand apps , and for gaming , you ’ll find cloud cyclosis option of Nvidia GeForce and the presently - to - depart Google Stadia onboard .

There ’s another interface to consider : the labyrinthine Philips menu for changing preferences for picture , speech sound , Ambilight , and more . It ’s helpful at least in that it provides explanations for each mount .

Features

All four of the 48OLED807 ’s HDMI inputs digest an ARC connexion to a soundbar . If you need to pass along - through lossless home cinema audio , such as Dolby Atmos , then theeARC connectionon HDMI 2 provides that .

The rest of the connecter admit the usual fare : three USB port , Common Interface Plus faculty , Ethernet , digital optical audio out , headphone out , aerial and artificial satellite connectors . Wireless options are covered by Wi - Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 .

Coverage for theHDMI 2.1standard includes the aforementioned eARC , VRR ( Variable Refresh Rate ) and ALLM ( Auto Low Latency Mode ) . VRR check a full theatre with HDMI VRR , AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G - Sync . These adapt the refresh rate of the screen door to that of the console / microcomputer for amend visual fidelity and responsiveness .

ALLM automatically put the TV into its lowest reaction time mode , which I measured to be 15.2ms . That ’s immediate : not as ready as LG and Samsung , but around the same amphetamine as Panasonic and faster than Sony . VRR can decoct the response sentence to even lower level .

With two 4K/120Hz connection , there ’s a choice of which port to plug a cabinet / PC into , but be aware that one of these ports is deal with the eARC input , so you are limited if you determine to summate a soundbar .

The 48OLED807 ’s play skills are further buffed up with the tonic of theDolby Vision Game mode , presently supported by the Xbox Series consoles , which better HDR performance , black levels and contrast . HGiG instigates a more uniform HDR carrying out across a range of displays . debate where Philips was only a couple of class ago , this level of game documentation is a gravid turnaround .

Alongside the apps provided by Android television set , the user interface also adds native Google Assistant vox support ( via the remote control ) and Chromecast . If that was n’t enough , there is “ full treatment with Alexa ” compatibility , where Alexais available through a connected gadget ( such as an Echo speaker ) .

Is there more ? Yes , there is . DTS Play - Fi is a wireless home audio measure that allows for compatible speakers / soundbars from any stigma to be colligate wirelessly to the 48OLED807 . The TV can act as the middle speaker , or form part of a multi - room chain with other speaker system in a home .

IMAX Enhancedpresents IMAX content in its optimum viewing shape , and head back to Ambilight , it ’s the next - gen Ambilight translation with more LED pixels to enable exact control and a broad range of coloration .

The Ambilight Aurora is a heading with preloaded effigy and videos , activated when the screen goes to sleep , so you ’re not present with a vast blackened screen .

Picture Quality

Unlike with Philips ’s LCD TVs , there ’s less tweaking to be done out of the box with the 48OLED807 . The first thing you ’ll notice is how abrupt and detailed this video ’s word picture are – the P5 AI processor wrings out as much particular , contrast and colour as it can find out .

Compared to theSamsung QN90B , the 48OLED807 make the former video ’s detail layer look soft when playing Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness . With the Philips , I could see the bristles of Strange ’s beard with more uncloudedness , and the wrinkles and crowing ’s feet around people ’s eyes were revealed for an all - round sharper image .

This goggle box is not as bright as I first look for it to be : the Home Cinema and Personal presets tender 340 and 416 nits on a 5 % HDR window , while theFilmmaker modeand IMAX Enhanced fight it to 624 and 632 nits , severally . The 48 - inch Philips does not have the OLED EX panel to boost brightness , which would explain why even the 42 - column inch LG C2 is brighter on paper .

But you would n’t necessarily think the LG is that much brighter when looking at the images on the TV . The 48OLED807 ’s joke seems to be in how it deals with white shade .

In a scene of She - Hulk : Attorney at Law where Matt Murdock and Jennifer Walters are ( verbally ) sparring in court , the white tonicity of the shafts of illumination beaming through the blinds as well as the illumination that shines on Murdock ’s suit and face look hotter than they do on the LG C2 . It makes the overall image look brighter but still lifelike enough compared to the LG ’s less exuberant picture .

This Philips TV ’s demarcation is fantabulous , with black layer firm and deep ; the pixel - point blur prowess of an OLED panel produce pixel - perfect highlights with no visible bloom ( nimbus around bright object ) . watch out the scene where Walters and Daredevil are on top of a clod ’s hideout , and the volume of the Ne mansion against the darkness of the night makes for a gorgeous trope LCD TVs struggle to match .

Philips ’s way with semblance is impressive , although perhaps not altogether accurate : the 48OLED807 is a punchy , vibrant and rich performer . Watching the Man United vs Spurs match on Prime Video ( in the Personal modality ) , the red flavour of the home team ’s kit are a little too red , and the super C of the grass has a little too much zest to it .

You could change the film musical mode , but I would n’t – I ’m not sure if the colours are what I should be seeing , but I ca n’t deny that it ’s an attractive , eye - catch image . Accuracy be damn .

HDR10 , HLG , HDR10 + AdaptiveandDolby Vision HDRformats are cover , with Philips claiming that its processing and Dark Detail Optimisation feature can mimicDolby Vision IQ , using the TV ’s light sensing element to conform the level of dark item visible depending on how much ambient light there is in a elbow room . This is so you could see every detail you ’re meant to see .

I have seen a successful demo of this in action , but in my clip with the 48OLED807 , I did n’t notice a difference . In a bright room , the Samsung QN90B bring on a better performance in terms of low - level glum detail , revealing more of the Sanctum Sanctorum in Doctor Strange , whereas the Philips ’s grim level made it more impenetrable .

In terms of movement processing , the 48OLED807 is practiced , although not without a few caveats . It ’s comparatively static and logical in hold processing , but on strong scope , I experienced judder watching Tomorrowland on Disney+ that introduced a stage of unreality . poke at it down to the Pure Movie setting and it ’s more focussed .

With sport , the Philips is slicker and smoother than Samsung ’s QN90B , although keeping up with the ball had the effect of it disappear or becoming blurry when passed .

Upscaling is salutary , but this , by nature , depends on the lineament of the source . A DVD of Mission : Impossible III looked fine with its saturated colour but showed obvious signs of mildness in some places and racket in others . But the P5 AI processor ’s thirst for contingent does unearth what it can discover and sharpen it , and it just about does this without face too hokey .

A Blu - shaft of light of Independence Day get hold the Philips on much more comfortable soil . acuity , clarity and detail are fantabulous , with healthy - attend complexions and a nice innate colour equalizer to the film . fiddle around with the preferences , and you ’ll eke out some punchier , more vibrant colours with the Personal / Home Cinema modes .

Sound Quality

Philips ’ work up - in level-headed arrangement is one that deliver a sensible operation that mitigates the necessity of secure in a soundbar , although it does n’t whollyremovethat need .

In its nonremittal setting of Original , the 48OLED807 does n’t vocalise particularly expansive , but a shift to the Entertainment mode make water it a more commanding performing artist . For illustration , with the Dolby Atmos track on Prime Video ’s The Rings of Power , it has a bigger bass bearing that underscores the step of the cave troll the hob meet in the first sequence .

It ’s still a flavourless soundstage as the TV does n’t displace sound into a room , but there are good detail level detail and the step is well judged – Galadriel ’s vocalism in the cave sounds appropriate echoey – with dialogue exculpated enough to check words are n’t missed . The Dialogue and Personal sound modal value provide more focal point on negotiation , the former at the disbursement of other result , whereas the latter find a decent balance in sharpening up what ’s say while keeping other sounds in nidus .

There ’s decent guidance of core to the edges of the screen and beyond , while effects match their lieu on the screen . do the calibration ( Mimi Defined is also supported ) , and the verbalizer kindle more detail and clarity from the midrange and twofold frequencies , tighten up the freshwater bass and yielding more zing .

Along with Dolby Atmos support , the 48OLED807 can go - through DTS path to a connect soundbar ( you do need to modify the setting for this to befall ) .

In the right fashion , this Philips TV can sound big . There was lots of scale of measurement and heft to The Rings of Power and other titles , so there ’s not a rush to grab a soundbar .

Save money with sure Reviews voucher

Fancy fix a major rebate on some of the cock-a-hoop Philips products currently available?Then you ’ll be pleased to jazz that our team has secure legion vouchers and promo codes from Philips , all in the name of lay aside you money .

Latest deals

Should you buy it?

pictures : This goggle box ’s picture immediately snaffle the eye with its acuate , detailed image combine with punchy , saturated colours .

This goggle box fork up a broad variety of features on the gambling front , but LG ’s OLED are still better in that area .

Final Thoughts

In the 48OLED807 , Philips has made a TV pile full of feature article for TV , flick fan and esurient gamers , extradite impressive pic quality and good sound for its size .

It ’s not as vivid as expected in terms of its HDR performance , but Philips processing make up the difference by intelligently highlighting burnished spots . Gaming is n’t as fast out of the box as with other set , but this television set will appeal to gamers with its VRR and Dolby Vision Game mode financial support , while smarting are ply by Android , ensuring it covers all the infrastructure .

Ambilight is the cherry red on top , offer an experience you ca n’t get anywhere else . This is a 4 super acid OLED that puts in an excellent all - orotund performance , although – at the time of revue – it occur at a premium over the LG OLED48C2 .

Trusted Score

How we test

We try out every television we refresh thoroughly over an prolonged geological period of metre . We expend industry standard examination to equate features properly . We ’ll always distinguish you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to refresh a intersection .

Find out more about how we test in ourethics policy .

FAQs

The 48 - inch model is the only size in the OLED807 serial publication that does n’t sport the mellow brightness OLED EX panel .

Test Data

Full Specs