Philips' TV side will soon release its next set of OLED TVs, including an update to the phenomenal OLED+935 line that won our hearts last year. These TVs combine a fantastic TV with a Dolby Atmos sound system from Bowers & Wilkins that's as good as high-quality separate soundbar, but cost no more than other mid-range OLED sets.
Word on the Philips OLED+936 comes from FlatpanelsHD, though I should stress that Philips itself hasn't confirmed the launch of these TVs as yet. But the report is full of information, including that the next-gen models will have a dual-chip image processor, improved audio, and will include HDMI 2.1 functionality, which the previous model had lacked.
In our five-star Philips OLED+935 review, we raved about the 48-inch model in particular, because it brought the full cinematic experience – both for sound and video – to people without the space for giant TVs and sprawling sound systems. All you need is a single power socket on a single piece of furniture.
That also propelled it into our list of the best OLED TVs, and the best TVs overall. Despite that, these sets tend to fly a bit under the radar compared to the likes of the LG C1 or Sony A90J – but they shouldn't.
To be fair, if Philips sold TVs in the US and other big worldwide territories, they probably would make more of an impact, because they're pretty sensational. Philips tends to deliver really bold colours that are especially suited to OLED, and its image processing is really impressive for making things look pin-sharp in 4K without becoming artificial – and that’s before we get to this fancy dual-chip system.
The only big downside of Philips' TVs until this year was the lack of HDMI 2.1 support, which made them a weaker choice for PS5, Xbox Series X and PC gaming.
But the new models look set to fix this, with full HDMI 2.1 compatibility, including VRR, 4K 120Hz and ALLM.
Philips Ambilight is also here, of course – spreading the image out onto your walls using lights behind the panel, which also work together with Philips Hue smart lights.
The new model will apparently come in 48-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch sizes, though no 77-inch or 83-inch models still (but perhaps people buying at that size aren't so bothered about needing a built-in sound system, to be fair).
Hopefully we'll get our eyes on these sets soon to confirm all these details.
