Philips has considerably upgraded the image processing energy of its 2018 OLED TVs, and the advantages of this new discovered brawn could be seen writ massive, with enhanced distinction and spectacular colors.
The model’s second era P5 Good Processing Engine provides twice the image processing energy of the unique, and that was a reasonably spectacular chip in its personal proper.
The 803 OLED TV reviewed right here is successfully second in command for the model, positioned just under the vary topping OLED 903, however past the latter’s Bowers & Wilkins sound system, there’s little to separate them. If you have already got a house cinema system prepared and ready, this might effectively be the smarter purchase.
The 803 is available in two display sizes: 65 and 55-inches (65OLED803 and 55OLED803).
Design
- Extremely skinny, minimalist look
- Three-sided Ambilight room lighting
- Solely two full-spec 4K HDMI inputs
Beauty design and high quality of end are actually excessive. The OLED 803 adopts a minimalist look, with a brushed metallic end. The panel itself is barely 4mm skinny, swelling out solely to include electronics and sound system.
The addition of three-sided Ambilight doesn’t add any additional width, whereas tiny LED lights run across the aspect and prime of the rear protrusion.
Connectivity consists of 4 4K succesful HDMI inputs with HDCP 2.2 help, though solely two are full specification 2160/60p. This shortcoming could also be a difficulty should you don’t intend to companion the set with an AV receiver, which might clearly open the door to far wider part hook-up.
There’s two USBs and an AV minijack for composite and part , whereas an optical audio output can be utilized with soundbars and audio programs. Ethernet is onboard to help the built-in Wi-Fi. There’s additionally a CI slot, for these searching for a set that may take an ESPN TV subscription card and the like.
The TV comes with two remotes. One is an unusually skinny Bluetooth management with thumb-sized touchpad, the opposite a extra typical pointer, with a keypad on the reverse. I usually gravitated towards the latter, however as a chunk of design the Bluetooth distant is de facto reasonably intelligent.
Sensible TV
- Improve to Android Oreo promised
- Restricted catch-up TV companies
- Netflix, Amazon prime and YouTube all 4K succesful
The good platform of selection right here is inventory Android N. It could be removed from our favorite smart TV platform, however at the very least Philips Android implementation appears extra steady than Sony’s.
It additionally comes with the promise of an replace to Oreo, the lengthy awaited refresh which mixes a extra intuitive interface with Google Assistant Constructed-in.
Sadly, a consequence of Android is that catch-up TV provision is proscribed. The set doesn’t use Freeview Play, so there’s no rollback TV information, that means no ITVHub, Demand5, UKPlay or All4. As a substitute the TV comes with a primary Freeview HD EPG.
Key apps embrace BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play and Rakuten TV. Each Netflix and Amazon are 4K HDR enabled, whereas VP9 help means YouTube is 4K succesful. It’s also possible to hyperlink up the set with Alexa gadgets in the home to manage the set remotely.
Image efficiency
- Shiny 2018 OLED panel
- HDR10+ improve promised
- Truthful gaming efficiency
Total picture high quality is superb. The panel spec is prime notch, that includes Philip’s new sub-pixel design, which boosts mild output by round 10 per cent.
In the case of HDR, the set complies with each HDR10 and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) requirements, and is be upgradable to HDR10+, the dynamic metadata normal jostling for place alongside rival Dolby Imaginative and prescient.
HDR10+ provides body by body HDR optimisation, which ought to result in higher shadow element and better color precision with HDR10+ mastered content material. Unsurprisingly, the set isn’t suitable with the competing Dolby Imaginative and prescient normal.
The OLED 803’s dealing with of on a regular basis HDR can be glorious. Element revealed by proprietary native distinction enhancement know-how provides appreciable depth to its photographs. Pores and skin tones, which regularly don’t look fairly actual with HDR content material, are tonally coherent, even towards overly saturated backgrounds.
The set’s gaming efficiency is strong, with out being spectacular. Play on the Customary picture preset and lag is a tardy 55.4ms. Go for the Sport setting and that is trimmed to a playable 38.8ms.
- HD/SDR efficiency
- Good Pure Actuality is a winner
- Wide selection of picture presets
Of all of the set’s image wizardry although, Good Pure Actuality is what warrants closest inspection, as a result of this actually makes a distinction with non-HDR content material (be it 4K or HD).
Unique to Philips’ second era P5 silicon, the Good Pure Actuality mode makes use of an clever distinction algorithm to dynamically optimize brightness, sharpness and – after all – distinction.
In apply, this implies greater definition photographs, with darker shadow and lighter highlights throughout the color spectrum – even a easy scene of rolling clouds turns into arresting and appears crammed with drama.
Picture presets comprise Private, Vivid, Pure, Customary, Film, Sport, Monitor mode, plus ISF Day and Night time – whereas all however Monitor mode and Day/Night time upscale to HDR when fed suitable content material.
For essentially the most half, Customary and Pure are essentially the most reliably entertaining, you could want to experiment with the others – some differ vastly and may actually have an effect on the visible efficiency.
- 4K HDR efficiency
- Excellent HDR Pure and Vivid modes
- HDR Film mode is subjectively smooth
- Movement dealing with a blended bag
Whereas the 803’s 4K HDR picture presets reveal 2160p readability, modes differ dramatically. The HDR Film setting has no drawback resolving 4K element, however appears subjectively smooth in comparison with HDR Pure or HDR Vivid.
The opening textual content crawl in Star Wars: The Final Jedi (UHD Blu-ray), when considered in HDR Film mode, loses half its stars. Watch in HDR Pure or HDR Vivid and so they snap again.
HDR Vivid is definitely an actual blast. When you like your UHD to pop with element and color, then this mode shouldn’t be shunned.
Brightness is on par and dynamics are glorious. I measured a peak luminance of simply over 830 cd/m2 (aka nits), with a 5 p.c HDR window. The 803 has no drawback depicting specular highlights, resembling glinting headlights, brilliant reflections and explosive sparks.
Movement dealing with is extra a blended bag. The Film movement fashion retains the panel wanting suitably cinematic, albeit with a low degree of judder. Different choices, resembling Sports activities, Customary, Clean and Clear, enhance panning smoothness however introduce halo artefacts round transferring objects. Choice is essentially a matter of non-public desire – whereas a selected ‘Private’ setting means that you can manually alter Good Pure Movement and Good Clear Movement settings.
- Sound efficiency
- Triple ring woofer
- Highly effective amplification
Whereas the 803 lacks the excessive constancy credentials of its 903 stablemate, it nonetheless provides some respectable built-in audio. An extended-throw, rear triple ring woofer, supported by two passive radiators, delivers an endearing degree of bass – whereas an oval mid-range driver, and smooth dome tweeter, reinforce stereo presentation.
There’s loads of quantity too, with complete output energy quoted at 50W: greater than sufficient to comfortably fill the common lounge.
Different screens to shortlist
The 55OLED803 is up towards some credible opposition. There’s no scarcity of selection with regards to high-performance 55-inch UHD screens.
The Sony KD-55AF8 is a powerful different, as a set with comparable panel efficiency, and is the one OLED rival to supply equally efficient SDR to HDR dealing with. It’s additionally Android-based, albeit with the bonus of YouView catch-up companies. You’ll pay barely extra for its superior Acoustic Floor Audio know-how although.
Alternatively, think about the 55-inch LG C8. This combines an important image efficiency with a 2018-fresh Alpha 9 picture processor and superior AI ThinQ webOS good platform.
Our verdict
The effectiveness of Philips second era P5 image engine could typically be delicate with real-world content material, nevertheless it offers this set an edge with regards to taking part in in SDR 4K or HD.
Consumers ought to weigh the visible advantages towards the minor irritations, like poor catch-up TV provision, simply two full-spec UHD HDMI inputs and the dearth of Dolby Imaginative and prescient. Philips Hue-compatible Ambilight room lighting system, and the promise of an early improve to the brand new Android Oreo TV OS, nonetheless, would possibly simply steadiness the books.
With a aggressive worth level for the know-how on provide, the 803 is arguably Philips most compelling OLED proposition so far.