Philips 7000: Budget 4K Android TV with auto low latency for gaming

Philips has announced two new budget 4K Android TVs for the Malaysian market in the form of the 7000 series. The model range consists of 2 variants – the Philips 7906 and Philips 7406. For all intents and purposes, these two models are identical with some minor differences.

The 7000 series have a muted design, with slim bezels at the top and sides while the bottom has a relatively thick bezel. The stand does not lift the TV high off the ground, so placing a soundbar without blocking content at the bottom of the TV will be an issue. The Philips 7906 is available from 50” to 70”, while the Philips 7406 starts at 43” and maxes out at 65”.

Both TVs run Android 10 (Q) operating system out of the box, giving you access to the Google Play store and its large curation of video and music streaming apps. You can download mobile games, though I can’t vouch for the performance given that this is a budget TV. The TV remote has a built-in microphone for interacting with Google Assistant for voice commands.

On the front, there is a 4K LCD panel and Phillips did not mention the type of lighting system used, but if I had to guess, it would be a direct-lit system at best. Furthermore, unlike its bigger brother, the 8500 series, it uses a lower end Pixel Precise Ultra HD image processor, so manage your expectations for picture quality, black levels, and accurate colour reproduction.

That being said, both TVs support all major HDR standards like HDR10, HDR10+, HLG and Dolby Vision. Philips did not state the brightness values of these TVs, so it’s not possible to get an idea of the HDR quality. Specifically for gamers, you’ll be pleased to know both TVs support auto low latency mode (ALLM), which automatically switches to the picture preset with the lowest latency for better response during gaming. Now, in the press release, there is mention of variable refresh rate (VRR), however it is not listed under the TVs respective technical specification.

In terms of storage, the Philips 7906 comes with 8GB while the Philips 7406 has no detail on this spec, so expect it to be lower. Another difference is that only the Philips 7906 comes with Ambilight, which analyses the colours being displayed on the screen and duplicates it using the RGB lighting on the wall behind. To me, this is not a make-or-break feature for TVs, but rather something you will only show your mates once and forget about.

For audio, both TVs come with two, 10W speakers which Philips claims is capable of reproducing Dolby Atmos audio. This is just marketing fluff as I’ve seen soundbars with dedicated Atmos channels struggle to reproduce the sound. TV speakers are generally regarded as mediocre, therefore get yourself a good soundbar or a dedicated home theatre system if you want to experience Dolby Atmos audio. If you do plan on using the TV speakers anyway, do note that only the Philips 7906 allows for custom equaliser while you’re stuck with preset audio tuning on the Philips 7406.

Finally, let’s take a look at connectivity which is identical for both variants. There are 4 HDMI 2.0 ports with HDMI 1 being the dedicated audio return channel (ARC). There are 2 USB ports and since Philips does not explicitly say which version, it’s safe to assume they are USB 2.0 ports. You will also find a S/PDIF and ethernet port, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. An older Wi-Fi n and Bluetooth 5.0 radios are available for wireless connectivity.

As for pricing in Malaysia, the Philips 7906 has a launch promo price of:

50PUT7906 – RM2,999 RM2,799

55PUT7906 – RM3,299 RM2,999

65PUT7906 – RM4,699 RM4,299

70PUT7906 – RM5,499 RM4,999

If you’re not too keen on the Ambilight system, you can opt for the cheaper Philips 7406, which has a launch promo price of:

43PUT7406 – RM1,999 RM1,799

50PUT7406 – RM2,799 RM2,599

55PUT7406 – RM3,099 RM2,849

65PUT7406 – RM4,299 RM3,999

No details were shared on the timeframe of the promo so if you’re interested, you should act fast. For more information on the Philips 7000 series TVs, head on over to philips.com.my.