We could already see it at the IFA in Berlin in September of last year. But now it officially arrives in Europe. Philips held an event in Amsterdam to present its new televisions for 2018. At the top of the range, we have the Philips OLED 973, a 65-inch TV with 4K resolution. The flagship of Philips equips the new image processor P5 Engine, an Ambilight system on three sides and the Android operating system. Also, that comes with HDR10 + support.
But Philips wanted to go a little beyond the image quality, providing the TV with a complete sound system. At the base of the TV, we have a sound bar with a power of 60 watts and 6.1 channels. The Philips OLED 973 is already on sale in some shops, with a price of 6,000 euros. We will know its characteristics.
Philips OLED 973 data sheet
| Diagonal | 65 inches | |
| Resolution and technology | 4K Ultra HD, P5 Perfect Picture | |
| Type of panel | OLED | |
| Support | Support base with built-in speaker | |
| OS | Android TV | |
| Apps | Netflix, YouTube, Play Store | |
| Control | Remote control with QWERTY keyboard and voice control, Philips TV Remote Application | |
| Sound | Built-in soundbar, 60W, 6.1 | |
| Connections | 4 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, RJ45, Digital audio output (optical) | |
| Wireless connectivity | Wi-Fi 11ac 2 × 2 | |
| Others | Ambilight on 3 sides | |
| Dimensions | 146.2 x 84.9 x 4.76 centimeters | |
| Weight | 31.5 kg | |
| Release date | Available | |
| Price | 6,000 euros |
New image processor
One of the critical innovations of the new Philips OLED models compared to last year is its image processor. The new P5 Perfect Picture offers 50% more power compared to its predecessor. The new P5 processor works the five main points that define the image quality. Thus, it corrects noise, and blurry images provide an excellent scaling system and improve color reproduction.
Philips has combined its new image processor with OLED technology. Thanks to the well-known advantages of these panels, the Philips OLED 973 achieves deep blacks, excellent contrast, and unique viewing angles.
On the other hand, the TV is capable of reproducing 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. It also has a maximum brightness of 900 nits, which is perfect for dealing with HDR images. And speaking of HDR, Philips also supports the HDR10 + system, which will arrive in an update that will be released during the year.
Sound base, Ambilight and Android system
Philips wanted to equip its flagship with an audio system according to the image. The Philips OLED 973 includes a sound base of 6.1 channels, which gets up to 60 watts of power. The front part contains acoustic fabric manufactured by the company Kvadrat. The design of this sound bar reminds us a lot of the Sonos Playbase.
However, if we want to hang up the TV, we will not have a problem. The included sound bar can be folded inwards, leaving the sound bar in a vertical position and slightly hidden.
Completing the set, we have two of the features that accompany the Philips high-end TVs for some years. On the one hand, the Philips OLED 973 has an Ambilight Spectra XL system on three sides. On the other hand, we also have the Android operating system.
Specifically, the OLED Philips 973 comes with Android M. To move the system; the TV has a Quad-core processor and 16 GB of internal storage. It also includes the advanced control with QWERTY keyboard, sliding keyboard and voice recognition technology.
Price and availability
In summary, and in the absence of proof, everything seems to indicate that we are facing one of the most compelling television sets of the year. Of course, the Philips OLED 973 is not precisely commercial television. Only sold with a size of 65 inches and its current price is 6,000 euros.