Like most TV manufacturers,Philipsrefreshes its TV line-up with new designs and updates annually, and of course, 2023 proved no different.
At its European press conference in Amsterdam, itannounced new editions to its OLED, Mini LED and LED ranges,with a slightly earlier-than-usual announcement of 2023’s flagship OLED range, the OLED+ 908.
While that gives us plenty to look forward to, it does leave TV buyers with a choice – do they hold out for this year’s newest TV, or take a punt on one of the sets from 2022, or even 2021?
It’s even trickier because Philips runs on a slightly different release schedule to many of its competitors, so some of these new releases won’t be out until the end of the year, while its 2022 TVs are only a few months old. So should you buy now or hold out?
To help you decide, we’ve pulled together all the details for Philips' top TVs, including the full range for 2023 as we know it right now, alongside some earlier models that are still available and offer great value.
Philips' 2023 TVs
Philips OLED+ 908
Available: October 2023
Sizes: 55, 65 and 77 inches
The flagship set for this year, so far at least, is the OLED+908, which is an OLED screen with Micro Lens Array technology. The main benefit of this technology is a brighter panel – brighter still than 2022’s OLED.EX panels, with a 70% jump in peak brightness to 2100 nits.
Philips has called this technology META, and alongside the improved brightness, it is promising wider viewing angles and improved energy efficiency to boot.
The TV is powered by Philips’ 7th generation P5 AI processor, which promises to improve on last year’s Ambient Intelligence system to push the picture quality even further. It uses an XYZ colour sensor to measure the colour temperature in your room to subtly adjust the white point of the picture you see on screen. Philips says this proprietary tech is in place of something like Dolby Vision IQ, which performs a similar function.
Philips’ Super Resolution picture processing tech has also been improved by the new generation P5 too, to create better edge sharpness and detail reproduction.
As we’ve come to expect from the OLED+ range, the OLED+908 includes an integrated 3.1-channel soundbar from Bowers & Wilkins that runs alongside the bottom of the TV. This promises 80W of sound from six front-mounted drivers and a rear-mounted subwoofer, and comes covered in Kvadrat Audiomix woollen fabric.
This nicely complements the super-slim dark metal bezel and new black sheen, metal open frame stand, plus a smaller, slicker remote that’s chargeable via USB-C.
Google TV is on board as the smart UI, having finally switched over from the less intuitive Android TV, with a simplified menu structure to make it less overwhelming to set up.
Gamers should be happy too, with the ability to support Dolby Vision with 4K/120Hz content at full 48Gbps bandwidth, and the fact it packs Auto Game and Auto Low Latency mode switching, alongside broad VRR support from 40Hz to 120Hz.
The OLED+908’s remote has been radically redesigned, too. It now features backlighting connected to a built in motion detector so that the buttons light up as soon as you pick it up, and switches to rechargeable (via USB-C) batteries.
Of course, there isAmbilighthere in its three-sided version. There are no four-sided Ambilight sets from 2023, so you’ll need to look to an older set from 2022 if this is what you want.
Philips OLED 808
Sizes: 42, 48, 55, 65 and 77 inches
The OLED that sits a step down from the 2023 flagship has something to shout about – it is the world’s first 42-inch Ambilight OLED. It’s a great size for a bedroom, kitchen or a living room short on space and means these spaces don’t have to scrimp on picture quality to get the size they need.
It’s of course joined by bigger sizes – 48, 55, 65 and 77 inches – though the sizes below 55in don’t benefit from the higher output 1000nit OLED EX panel.
The OLED808 will have the same 7th generation P5 processor of the flagship, with the same benefits of Ambient Intelligence V2 and Super Resolution.
It will also come with the sameHDR support–Dolby Vision, HDR 10+ Adaptive and HLG – plus all the gaming capabilities, and will pack improved Android TV as standard too.
The integrated soundbar isn’t designed by Bowers & Wilkins, but will offer a 2.1ch 70W sound system (50W for the 42in), and the new metal swivel stand will sit in the centre of the screen – except the 77in version, which will have feet at either edge.
Philips PML9308 (Xtra Series)
Sizes: 55 and 65 inches
The Mini LED Xtra Series is the middle ground in the line up, positioned just below the OLED ranges. This is the highest specified of the two models in it, and it comes in a choice of 55 and 65 inches only.
Details are fairly top level at the moment, but the 9308 will be the flagship Mini LED set for 2023. It still comes with the 7th Gen P5 processor of the OLED ranges, but offers a 120Hz, 98 per cent DCI panel that is capable of 1000 nits light output – though Dolby Vision 4K/120Hz won’t be supported on either Xtra Series sets.
Unlike the OLED and LCD ranges, the Mini LED will feature a Smart TV experience designed by Philips itself, rather than Android TV. Three-sided Ambilight will be on board though, as will feature an integrated soundbar designed by Bowers & Wilkins.
It offers 2.1 channels and 64W of sound, and will be covered in the same Kvadrat fabric as the OLED+908. This nicely complements the dark narrow metal bezel design and the brushed finish centralised open-frame stand.
Philips PML9008 (Xtra Series)
Sizes: 55, 65 and 75 inches
The entry level Mini LED set will be the 9008 series, and will come in an extra screen size – so will be available In 55, 65 and 75 inches.
Once again, you’ll get the 7th Gen P5 processor, a 120Hz 1000 nit panel, a powerful 40W 2.0 sound system and a slightly different design – still dark grey but with feet at either end of the panel. Three-sided will be present and correct, as you’d expect.
Philips The One PUS8808
Available: Second quarter
Sizes: 43, 50, 55, 65, 75 and 85 inches.
Perhaps a little confusingly, there are two “The One” models this year, which is the range where Philips believe a lot of customers will find the sweet spot between performance, features and price.
The 8808 sits at the top of the two, and will have a full-array local dimming 120Hz LCD panel (complete with Dolby Vision 4K/120Hz support), making it the choice of the two for gamers. Once again it will come with the 7th gen P5 picture processor, but will revert back to Android TV for its smart TV system.
As a broad appeal set, its available screen sizes is broad to match, with a choice of 43, 50, 55, 65, 75 and 85 inches.
Ambilight will be three-sided, like all of 2023’s sets, and the TV will sit on a centralised swivel stand in all but the 75- and 85- inch versions, which will have feet at either edge.
Philips The One PUS8508
Sizes: 43, 50, 55 and 65 inches.
The big difference between the 8508 and the 8808 is the fact it is a 60Hz panel and is available in fewer screen sizes. It is available in 43, 50, 55 and 65 inches, and comes with height adjustable feet – handy if you want to place a soundbar in front of it.
Otherwise you can expect the same things as you’ll find in the 8808, including full-array local dimming, the 7th generation P5 chip, Android TV for its smart TV system and three-sided Ambilight, but for a lower price.
Great Philips TVs you can still buy
Philips OLED+ 937 - released in 2022
Available: Now
Screen sizes: 65 and 77in
This is the TV we are currently “missing” from 2023’s OLED line up, but one Philips has said it won’t be replacing this year. And if you want four-sided Ambilight, this could be one to check out.
As with all of the OLED+ sets, the 937 comes with a Bowers & Wilkins sound system attached to the bottom of the set, and also utilises LG’s brighter OLED EX panel that we really liked in the OLED+ 907.
It uses Philips' excellent P5 AI Dual Picture Engine, which offers improvements like Advanced HDR Tone Mapping, but this is a TV for movie watchers rather than gamers. While it is capable of accepting 4K/120Hz images, this dual engine actually can’t support it at full resolution. You’ll need to look to the single-chip OLED+ 907 for that.
The sound bar features 5.1.2 channels, so is great for Dolby Atmos soundtracks, and has a combined power output of 95W.
HDMI ARC is featured on all ports, while HDMI eARC is supported through one of them, if you want to add a separate sound solution, for example.
Philips OLED+ 936 - released in 2021
Screen sizes: 48in, 55in and 65in
Also still available is the 2021936 model, which has many of the same benefits as the version above but with a slightly trimmed down Bowers & Wilkins sound system.
You get 3.1.2 channels in total, with upfiring speaker drivers for Dolby Atmos.
Gaming is a big focus for the 936 too, with VRR and ALLM (variable refresh rate and auto low-latency mode) being joined by Freesync and G-Sync support. HDMI 2.1 is on board, naturally, as well and HDMI eARC tech.
As we’ve come to expect from Philips TVs, HDR10+ Adaptive is supported, as well as Dolby Vision. That’s pretty much the case across the board, no matter which Philips TV you choose.
