Philips TVs priced and dated for 2013
TP Vision has revealed UK prices and availability for its entire 2013 Philips TV range, with the first sets due in March
The first 2013 Philips TVs will be on sale in the UK as early as March, parent company TP Vision has revealed. We were invited to the company’s Dutch headquarters yesterday to see the entire range, as well as learn expected RRP pricing and get a sneak peek at upcoming models.
The company, which formed from the merger of Philips and TPV in 2012, might have a new name but customers will still only see the Philips brand on shop shelves. It’s still the only way to get exclusive features such as AmbiLight, the colour-changing background LEDs which add a greater sense of immersion to films and games. For the first time, the range will include models to suit every budget, with entry-level sets right up to very high-end home cinema models.
PFL8008 – Launching in April from £1,799
The top-end PFL8008 will be leading the charge, with active 3D, a 200Hz refresh rate, Perfect Pixel HD and 1,400Hz Perfect Motion Rate image processing, 3-sided AmbiLight and a dark chrome finish bezel with U-frame stand. The integrated Wi-Fi adaptor provides access to Smart TV features including a full web browser, Twitter, BBC iPlayer catchup and LoveFilm movie rentals – we’ve been told to expect Netflix, ITV player, 4OD and Demand 5 from July onwards, dependent on content deals. The excellent Philips keyboard remote is included, which lets you control the on-screen pointer like a Nintendo Wii remote.
It will also connect to smartphones and tablets using the Philips MyRemote app, which lets you mirror your device on the TV’s screen, watch live TV in another room, push content from DLNA-compatible PCs or NAS devices and control the TV with a virtual remote control.
It has an integrated Skype camera (with privacy door for anyone worried about having a camera always pointed at them), support for USB hard disk recording and will ship with two pairs of active 3D glasses. Expect to pay £1,799 for a 46in model or £2,499 (RRP) for a 55in set when they go on sale in April.
PFL7008/PFL7108 – Launching in March from £1,199
The mainstream high-end 7000-series will be available in black (PFL7008) and white (PFL7108) variants, which will cost the same and are identical internally. They make the switch to passive 3D, with four pairs of glasses bundled in the box, and drop down to Pixel Precise HD image processing with a 700Hz Perfect Motion Rate. The minimal bezel is finished in polished steel and retains the same U-frame stand from the 8008.
It gains ISF video calibration settings, which were previously only available on the 8000- and 9000-series models, and keeps all the Smart TV, mobile app and keyboard remote from the 8008. It will ship as a 42in model for £1,199 (RRP), 47in for £1,499 and 55in for £1,999, from March onwards.
PFL6008 – Launching in March from £999
We were particularly taken with the PFL6008, which has a gorgeous brushed metal finish. It has an edgeless glass bezel on the top and side edges, along with an aluminium U-frame stand. It’s a passive 3D set and includes four pairs of 3D glasses, but drops to two-sided AmbiLight and a 500Hz PMR. Expect to pay roughly £999 for a 42in model, £1,199 for 47in, £1,499 for 55in and £1,999 for 60in, with each model going on sale in March.
Launching significantly earlier than last year’s range is a huge boon for TP Vision, as it left the company on the back foot compared to the competition – its TVs were only just arriving as other manufacturers were reducing the price of theirs ready for this year’s models.
PFL6008 – Launching in May from £599
Further down the range, the PFL5008 has Pixel Plus HD image processing and 300Hz PMR image processing. It has two-sided AmbiLight – a first for the 5000-series – and will ship in 32in, 42in, 47in and 50in models from May onwards. Expect to pay £599, £849, £999 and £1,299 (RRP) respectively.
3000-series, 4200-series – Launching From April
Rounding off the 2013 line-up are the 4000-series and 3000-series models. These entry-level sets are 2D-only, but still retain Smart TV features, Freeview HD tuners, USB video recording and either integrated Wi-Fi or USB dongle compatibility depending on the model. Exact model sizes and prices have yet to be confirmed for the 3000-series, which will be available in both black and white finishes, but the 4000-series should start appearing around May/June. Prices should start at around £499 for 32in, £649 for 42in, £799 for 46in and £999 for 50in (RRPs), with two samller 22in and 24in models to follow after.
TP Vision has confirmed the first of several retailers that will be stocking the new range, including Amazon, John Lewis and Richer Sounds, with others to follow later in the year. All the prices we’ve listed are RRPs, so it could still be worth shopping around once each model launches.
We’ll be taking a much closer look at each new model as it launches, with full reviews to follow.