Are Philips TVs Good For Gaming? (We Checked)

Although Philips may not be the first brand you think of when TV shopping, Philips has some TVs with serious specs that should make heads turn.

That said, can it withstand the demands of fast-paced games with tons of detailed graphics?

Are Philips TVs good for gaming?

Philips TVs and Their Capacity for Video Games. 

Philips is known for offering good TVs that can be a good choice for video games. As long as you play games that don’t need low lag times and quick graphic changes, a Philips TV will work just fine. For the best performance and the lowest lag times you will need a regular computer monitor.

How Much Input Lag Do Philips TVs Have?

Philips TVs tend to have a higher than average input lag.

Most TVs of Philips have an input lag of 40ms, which is a tad high, based on standards. Some Philips TVs have an input lag of 100ms, which is unsatisfactory, based on gaming standards. 

However, new TVs are being released from Philips that have better input lags.

What Are The Refresh Rates On These Models?

Many TVs from Philips have a refresh rate of 60 Hz, which is typical for many entry-level TVs. 

The newer TVs, such as the 5700 series, have a refresh rate of 75 Hz, while the OLED+93 has a 120 Hz refresh rate. 

Philips has also announced that more TV models from the brand will sport a 120 Hz refresh rate and Variable Refresh Rate support. 

Do Philips TVs Have a Variable Refresh Rate? 

The TV models that Philips announced in the first quarter of 2021 will have a Variable Refresh Rate, among other powerful gaming features. 

So if those features are important to you, check out the latest from Philips.

Do Philips TVs Have a “Game Mode”?

Many Philips TVs have a Game Mode, which improves input lag.  

• Game Mode is a feature that helps TVs reduce their input lag for better gaming performance.
• The TV diverts some of its processing power dedicated to image quality toward reducing the time between your keystrokes or controller commands and the action reflected onscreen.
• Game mode usually results in a slight deterioration of image quality as a result.

Some TVs feature an Auto Low Latency Mode, which switches your TV to Game Mode when it detects a gaming device connected to the TV in use.

Can All Philips TVs Be Used As Computer Monitors?

You can use Philips TVs as a computer monitor, as they have the standard ports that computers can connect to.

But you may experience lags in the movement of the mouse or keyboard inputs, which is common for all TVs used as monitors, not just Philips. 

That is where Game Mode becomes useful. Since mouse and keyboards are considered input devices, Game Mode can help reduce the delay in cursor movement or keyboard text as you type. 

What About Philips PlayStation and Xbox Compatibility?

You won’t have any issues using a Philips TV with gaming consoles like the PlayStation and the Microsoft Xbox. 

But if your TV has a refresh rate below 120 Hz, you may encounter some graphic or clarity issues for high frame rate games. 

• TVs with a 60 Hz refresh rate work best when rendering games that have at most 60 frames per second. Games with this refresh rate are usually found on the Microsoft Xbox.
• Meanwhile, some of the popular games that need 120 Hz are found on the Sony PlayStation.

If you plan to buy games that work best with a 120 Hz refresh rate, you should consider getting the newer Philips TVs, which have higher refresh rates. 

You should also be reading our article which talks about Are Philips TVs Reliable?

Do People Generally Use Philips TVs For Gaming? 

Philips isn’t a common choice for gaming, as there are more popular options.  

One reason for that is that the input lag of Philips TVs isn’t as good as that of other brands on the market.

However, if you want to use Philips for gaming, your best option is to get their new OLED TVs.

How Good Is the Image Quality and Resolution? 

When it comes to image quality, the current line-up of Philips TVs is generally just okay.

Image quality and resolution on these TVs aren’t bad, but they could be better. 

However, the newer Philips TVs look promising, as they sport OLED displays. The resolution of the newer Philips TVs on the market is set to 4k, which is the new standard. 

Are Philips TVs Durable?

Philips TVs may not have as many fancy features as more expensive brands, but they get the job done. 

What it lacks in features, it makes up for in durability. If you are looking for a TV that’s good for long-term usage without the fancy bells and whistles, you can’t go wrong with Philips. 

What Features Should You Look for in a Gaming TV or Monitor? 

The most important feature to look out for in a Gaming TV or Monitor is a low input lag. 

• Input lag is defined as the measurement of time between pressing a button on your controller or keyboard and when the action is reflected on the screen.
• The lower the time, the better the input lag is.
• The benchmark for gaming TVs is that the input lag should be 30ms or below, or less than half a second.
• Factor in that higher resolutions can mean higher input lags.

The next thing to consider is the refresh rate. 

• If you are not playing intensive games, like First-Person Shooters, you can get away with 60 Hz.
• But if you are playing graphic-intensive games, you need to have a Refresh Rate of 120 Hz.
• You stand to get better performance when the TV you use has a Variable Refresh Rate. That will allow you to maintain clear images and prevent screen tearing during gameplay.

What Are the Best Philips TVs for Gaming? 

The most notable TVs from Philips are their OLED TVs because, like all OLED TVs, these TVs have a low input lag.

Philips OLED+935 

If your room isn’t big enough for a 55-inch TV, then you may want to take a look at the Philips OLED+935. 

• While this model has a 55 and 65-inch model, there is also a 48-inch screen, which is surprising for an OLED TV. 
• This TV has a built-in soundbar from Bowers & Wilkins, making this TV one of the better-sounding TVs on the market.
• Image quality is superb, like many other OLED TVs on the market. You can expect deep blacks and high-quality contrast ratios. The colors that this TV can churn out are quite impressive.
• Input lag is low, which is expected with OLED TVs. It also has a 120 Hz refresh rate and support for HDR10.
• And as expected, like all other OLED TVs, the OLED+935 is prone to burn-in, which can be solved by rotating content regularly and refraining from leaving static images on the screen.

Philips OLED 806 

The Philips OLED 806 is one of the newer TVs from Philips, and it will be released later in 2021. 

While yet to be released, this TV already boasts impressive features that should put you in your A-Game when playing video games. 

• This TV comes with an OLED panel, which means you get low input lag out of the box.
• You also won’t have a problem with high frame rates games, often found with the PlayStation 5, as this TV comes with a 120 Hz refresh rate.
• The OLED 806 also comes with HDMI 2.1, so you can expect to play games at 4k resolutions at a 120 Hz refresh rate.
• For its gaming features, you’ll be in for a treat. Aside from having a low input lag, the OLED 806 has FreeSync Premium Pro support and Auto Low Latency mode.
• The OLED 806 will come with Dolby Vision Bright Mode, which has a light sensor that allows the HDR10+ Adaptive system to activate and adjust the TV’s settings to ambient lighting.
• This TV will also come loaded with the Android 10 operating system. It also has four-sided Ambilight, which helps diffuse eyestrain.

Philips OLED 706 

The Philips OLED 706 doesn’t differ too much from the 806, although the former is a cheaper version. 

To give you an idea of how similar they are, aside from having OLED displays, the OLED 706 also has Auto Low Latency Mode, a Variable Refresh Rate through the FreeSync Premium Pro, HDMI 2.1, and HDMI eARC. 

Now, there are five differences between these TVs. 

• First on the list is the Ambilight. The OLED 706 only has a three-sided Ambilight. 
• The second difference is the remote control. The remote control of the 706 does not have a backlight and microphone, making Google Assistant unavailable for this unit. You may use a third-party device, like the Amazon Alexa for voice commands. 
• The OLED 706 does not have Dolby Vision, but it still has a light sensor. You may, however, use the Dolby Vision Bright mode when situated in well-lit environments.
• The processor on this TV isn’t as powerful as the 806.
• And lastly, this TV comes loaded with Android 9 instead of 10.  

Final Thoughts

Philips TVs are okay for gaming, and you stand to get better results when using their OLED TVs, as OLED TVs have better latency in general, which is important for gaming. 

For more gaming options, check out our articles Are Samsung TVs Good For Gaming?,  Are LG TVs Good For Gaming?.

If you’re particularly after a lower-priced gaming TV, check out these great options: Are Vizio TVs Good For Gaming?, Are Hisense TVs Good For Gaming?, Are TCL TVs Good For Gaming?. 

 

Sources:

Innovations in 2021 Philips Line-Up: Ambilight & HDMI 2.1

What is FreeSync?

The best 4K TVs for gaming, movies and more in 2021