55-inch TV with Ambilight for 8,444 CZK. You won't buy this feature from anyone else

There’s one feature you can’t buy from anyone other than Philips – and it’s also why people repeatedly choose this brand. You can now buy the Philips 55PUS8450 with Ambilight for 8,444 CZK instead of 12,990 CZK. Plus, a QLED panel with quantum dots, a technology that improves image color vibrancy.

👍 Consider it if you want a TV that turns evening viewing into an experience, and QLED colors for a reasonable price.
🤔 Hesitate if you play on a console and want 120 Hz – the panel runs at 60 Hz, and 400 nits brightness is rather average.
💰 Price tag: 8,444 CZK for a 55″ QLED with Ambilight is an amount for which competitors offer ordinary LED TVs.

Ambilight is not a gimmick, but a habit

Ambilight consists of LED diodes on the back of the TV that project colors from the screen onto the wall behind the TV in real-time. It sounds like a marketing gimmick, but it has two real effects: the image optically appears larger, and most importantly, eye strain is significantly reduced when watching in the dark, because there is no absolute darkness around the bright screen. Once you get used to it, you’ll miss it on other TVs – and it’s the only feature on the market that competitors cannot legally copy.

The panel is QLED with quantum dots, which expand the color range compared to standard LED TVs, supports HDR10+ and HLG, and the sound handles Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and DTS Digital Surround – a decent set of formats for 20W speakers. The Titan OS system is in Czech and includes Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Prime Video, Spotify, as well as Czech Oneplay, Prima+, and LepšíTV. It also features three HDMI ports with eARC and a gaming mode with VRR.

Where the TV falls short

Let’s be fair about the numbers. Maximum brightness of 400 nits is average by today’s standards, so in a sunlit living room, the picture will appear less vibrant, and HDR content won’t get as much impact as it deserves. A refresh rate of 50/60 Hz is sufficient for movies and regular TV, but PlayStation and Xbox owners won’t utilize 120 Hz here. And a glossy screen surface means reflections if you have a window behind you.

Is Ambilight a reason to buy for you, or an unnecessary gadget?