Philips' cheap OLED TVs with HDMI 2.1 could be the 4K TV bargain of the year

Philips' 2021 range is shaping up to be especially interesting when it comes to OLED TVs. On top of the welcome news of a standard Philips OLED range with Ambilight and HDMI 2.1, the firm has revealed two new budget OLED TVs, one of which also has HDMI 2.1 functionality. 

The Philips OLED 705 and OLED 706 are on the way this year with the 706 fully supporting all of the much-coveted features of HDMI 2.1. With support for 4K video at 120fps, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), this is great news for new PS5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S owners who don't want to spend the earth on a new OLED to get the most from these consoles.

We don't have prices just yet but given the affordability and game-changing nature of the OLED 754 – yes, the one our Philips OLED 754 review calls "the cheap OLED TV of your dreams", and topped our list of the best TVs under £1000 – the OLED 706 could easily be hitting our list of the best gaming TVs for sheer bang for buck. Sadly, just like OLED 754, the new sets won't be available to buy in the US.

Both the Philips OLED 705 and 706 will run Android TV and will be available in 55-inch and 65-inch models. Unlike the higher-end Philips OLED 805 and OLED 856, the budget options will only have three sided Ambilight technology instead of four. Truthfully though, even if you are wall mounting it, the Amblight LEDs still look brilliant extending the action in three directions and it's what the previous generation had as standard. There's also a specific gaming Ambilight mode to truly bring things to life. Although, we won't judge you if you turn down the intensity. 

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And once again, Philips is managing to squeeze in compatibility for all major HDR formats. Both the OLED 705 and 706 have compatibility with HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. The new processor from the high end models is present here too. The P5 Processor is on hand for upscaling and uses an AI algorithm to process images in the perfect way for a human brain. Given that Sony's new processor professes to do the same thing, we're starting to worry who previous software was designed for. What do TV companies know?

Despite being in the budget category, the OLED 706 packs in a stack of nice bonus functionality. With a dedicated Google Assistant button on the remote, the 706 works with Google smart devices and Amazon's Alexa for any hands free TV control. There's also even a backlit Ambilight key on the remote to get quick access to LED lighting options. It's the little things, eh?    

If you’re looking for the best TVs and want to make sure you’re getting the best price, check out our constantly updated best TV deals. 

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