Philips OLED+908 flagship TV dazzles in preview shootout

Philips has previewed its upcoming OLED+908 flagship TV, its first using an MLA (Micro Lens Array) panel with 7 Gen P5 AI processor, and confirmed prices, at a preview event held at FC Barcelona. The so-called Meta OLED panel screen will also offer a three-sided Next Gen Ambilight system.

The brand signed a multi-year contract with FC Barcelona this summer, becoming the club’s Main Partner for TV, Display and Audio devices. 

The OLED+908 will be available in 55-, 65- and 77-inch screen sizes, and will be available from October, priced at £2,999, £3,499, and £4,999 respectively.

The new META OLED panel, with a META brightness boosting algorithm, can deliver a peak light output of 2100 Nits, said to represent an increase of 70 per cent. It also offers a wider viewing angle.

I had an opportunity to view the new screen up close, and compare it to the rival LG G3 and Samsung S95C at the preview event, where it appeared demonstrably brighter, with both peak whites and full-screen average picture brightness. Of the three models, the Philips OLED+908 appeared to offer a more dyanmic, nuanced image.

Philips figure of 2100 nits has been measured using a 3 per cent patch, and the Crystal Clear (aka Dyamic/Vivid) setting, so we can expect a lower figure to be measured using 5 and 10 per cent patches, and other picture presets. However, its dynamic presentation was dramatic.

The 7th Gen P5 AI processor also offers an improved version of Ambient Intelligence, which offers real time adjustment of the brightness, gamma and colour response, matched to the ambient lighting conditions, all made possible by a new RGB light sensor.

Other refinements include a Super Resolution feature, said to offer exceptional edge clarity. To reduce banding artefacts, Smart Bit Enhancement functionality is applied to lower resolution sources, effectively delivering eight-bit video with 14-bit precision.

The OLED+908 features an integrated 3.1 Bowers & Wilkins sound system, with dedicated, front-firing, left, centre, right (L/C/R) speakers, each featuring two 30mm mid-range drivers plus a 19mm titanium dome tweeter.

At the rear of the TV is a dedicated bass enclosure, featuring a 75mm subwoofer supported by four 45 x 65mm passive radiators.

In total there are eight channels of amplification for a total power rating of 81W, with each channel having its own dedicated signal processing. A Dolby MS12 decoder offers Atmos Virtualiser.

The set is also DTS Play-Fi compliant and supports DTS:X over eARC.

As with all 2023 OLED Ambilight TVs, the OLED+908 will run the Google TV OS, although this does appear to mean they will be unable to offer viewers a Freeview Play tuner experience.

The OLED+908 isn’t just of interest to movie enthusiasts. The set also supports 4k 120Hz VRR, with Dolby Vision Game mode, plus FreeSync Premium and G-sync.

A new, smarter remote control, featuring ‘hidden’ number keys, backlight and a motion sensor.

The implementation of 7th Gen P5 AI processing utilises a single SoC, confirmed Danny Tack, Philips Senior Director of Product Strategy, and TV technology guru.

Tack did tease that 2024 would see the processing platform migrate to a two-chip solution, which would bring “huge advances” but declined to go into any more detail.

However, on the evidence of this latest OLED+908 demo, the brand is about to set a new high bar when it comes to picture quality and HDR presentation, one that rivals will find difficult to match.

At the Barcelona event, Philips also launched new Noise Cancelling headphones, the L4 over ears and T2 True Wireless earbuds.