Review: Philips OLED805

Philips OLED805 is the most affordable OLED TV from Philips in 2020, and comes in 55 “and 65” screen sizes. It has to do without a lavish sound system from Bowers & Wilkins, as you find on the more expensive models from Philips – but in return it has lots of goodies on the picture front!

Among the news on this year’s model is a new 4th generation Philips P5 video processor, which promises even sharper images and less noise. OLED805 also supports most things that can creep in and out of important video and audio formats, including HDR10 + Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos on the audio side. Yes, of course it also has Ambilight…

Ambilight colors the whole room

Philips has a special place in the hearts of many TV enthusiasts, and it is precisely thanks to Ambilight. Philips is still alone in offering this technology, which consists of tiny LEDs on the back of the screen. The lamps can illuminate the surroundings in all the colors of the rainbow, but change in step with the action on the TV screen. It helps to elevate empathy considerably.

Ambilight technology has been an important brand for Philips, not least after they introduced their first OLED TV with Ambilight a few years ago. The sparkling contrast from the OLED panel, surrounded by a pleasant contrast light on the sides, provides a picture experience that simply must be experienced.

Philips OLED805: Design

Philips 65OLED805 has a tight and cord-straight design that can be confusingly similar to its predecessor OLED804 from 2019. The slim OLED screen stands on two small chrome-plated feet, and hovers only a few millimeters above the table surface. It gives a stylish and exclusive look.

One thing you should be aware of, however: The low position of the screen makes it difficult to fit a soundboard at the bottom, without shading the image. To remedy this, Philips has added extra “spacers” that can be used to raise the screen about 7 centimeters up from the table. Smart!

Ease of use and features

Philips 65OLED805 comes loaded with the 9.0 version of Android. This version has become quicker and more TV-friendly: Both live TV channels and apps such as YouTube and Netflix are quickly accessible via the start menu, as is the recently launched Disney +. Voice control via Google Assistant is also possible, via a built-in microphone in the remote control.

The remote control is new this year: Philips has finally heard our prayers, and upgraded to a Bluetooth-based remote control! The new control has become far more responsive and above all less directional than the old trotter. From a purely ergonomic point of view, we could manage with fewer buttons, but puddle true.

OLED805 supports the HDR formats Dolby Vision and HDR10 +. Both of these video standards contain a stream of dynamic metadata, which allows for greater variation in contrast. This way you can be sure that all compatible content (whether it comes from Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney +) can be shown to its full potential. Philips, together with Panasonic and TCL, are among the few manufacturers that can offer “all” HDR formats, while, for example, Samsung has failed to support Dolby Vision.

Lacks HDMI 2.1

The Philips monitor has 4 2.0b HDMI inputs. With the exception of ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), none of the inputs are updated with the latest HDMI 2.1 features. Thus, the OLED805 is not the most obvious TV for the most gaming-savvy. That said, be aware that both the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 are likely to work well, with the exception of the most demanding game sequences.

Philips has included a separate game mode on the OLED805, but it is not among the fastest we have measured: With just over 30 milliseconds “input layer”, it is behind the OLED screens from Sony, LG and Panasonic. Philips also does not have the option of VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) or 4K / 120 fps which makes it a little less game console-friendly than, for example, LG’s 2020 OLED models. A pity, as gaming with Ambilight can be pretty cool!

Advanced image processing

Philips offers TVs in all price ranges, including some pretty cool LCD screens – but on the top models, they focus exclusively on OLED technology. The image panel was obtained from LG Display, but Philips itself is in charge of the image processing!

OLED805 uses 4th generation of the powerful P5 video processor. So why not just call it P8? The answer lies in the fact that the name P5 represents “5 pillars” with different types of image processing such as source analysis, sharpness, color enhancement, contrast and motion smoothing. The latest version promises even sharper images and less noise, and has also got an even smarter “AI” circuit.

We have previously been a bit critical of Philips’ slightly overzealous image processing, but on this year’s model they offer some far more sober and correct image modes. There is something for everyone here: Yes, even the standard setting actually looks surprisingly good: a little colder and fresher colors than neutral, but good contrast and plenty of brightness. We think many people will enjoy this mode for most of the TV content.

OLED805 also excels by having a neutral and nice Film setting. Philips has included the new Filmmaker mode that eliminates all “unnecessary” image processing, to achieve a clean and unaffected image – perfectly suited for discerning series and film enthusiasts, who want to see the content in a way that is true to the director’s intentions.

If you want full throttle from the OLED panel, you can select the AI ​​setting. Then the P5 processor runs at full machine, analyzes and optimizes the image according to all the rules of the art. It gives a slightly “supernatural” colorful, sharp and contrasting image, but it does not feel as exaggerated as the Vivid mode on previous Philips models. Here it may seem that Philips has listened a bit to the feedback and landed on a bit more sober video settings overall.

Great picture quality

No matter which picture setting you prefer, we must admit that the OLED805 looks cracking good. Here you get the many well-known OLED qualities, such as bottomless black level, high contrast and sparkling colors – interspersed with an extra “spice”.

Philips has a sharp and super-smooth image processing, which really manages to elevate the experience an extra notch. During the test period, we enjoyed almost all types of footage – everything from compressed TV recordings to crystal clear 4K Blu-ray – and everything looks really nice. The new P5 processor cleverly manages to create a sharp image with smooth movements and little noise, without it looking muddy and unnatural. Here, a clear improvement has been achieved from its predecessors.

The Philips screen excels above all with very smooth and seamless movements. Whether it’s fast camera pans or moving objects, the screen manages to maintain a sharp focus. OLED805 also has a “Pure Cinema” setting that reduces flicker without introducing artificial soap opera effect.

OLED805 really is at its ace on modern video content in HDR format. Thanks to the good format support, you can enjoy the latest content from Netflix, Apple, Amazon as well as Disney + in maximum available quality. The Philips screen has a juicy contrast and brightness that really brings out the intensity in the brightest parts of the image. In addition, it has a precise gray scale that brings out the details in dark areas as well. All in all, we must say we are very satisfied with the image quality.

Philips OLED805: Sound quality

As mentioned, the Philips OLED805 must do without sound assistance from Bowers & Wilkins: However, the TV comes with a pretty excellent 2.1 speaker system on board. Here there are two downturned speakers in addition to a dedicated bass unit (one active + two passive elements) on the back. The sound is relatively open, rich and clear – especially considering that the speakers are almost invisible!

Should you wish to upgrade with a separate soundbar, it’s good to know that the Philips monitor supports Dolby Atmos, also via the ARC output. On the other hand, the latest generation eARC with higher resolution is missing.

Conclusion

If you are looking for an OLED TV that stands out, the Philips OLED805 will be right up your alley. Here you get an Android TV with a sleek design, razor-sharp and contrast-rich picture quality and nice sound in one and the same package. At the same time, the colorful Ambilight light helps to bathe the surroundings in matching light: it gives a noticeable boost in the experience! Unfortunately, Philips lacks some of the latest HDMI 2.1 features, and will therefore not be the optimal screen for next-generation gaming fans. However, the wide format support, combined with good image processing, ensures that almost all content looks great via the Philips screen. In addition, it has a new and improved remote control, which ensures that the operation runs smoothly. Definitely worth recommending!