Design and open experience
Unpacking the Philips QLED Roku TV was relatively painless. Like all medium to large sized LED TVs, you’ll find the unit encased in a protective Styrofoam material, with all parts included, including the legs, guide and remote, all safely tucked away from interfering with the TV during transport. . It’s worth noting that the Philips 4K Roku TV comes in sizes ranging from 50 inches to 75 inches, but we took a look at the 55-inch model for this review.
“The Philips QLED Roku TV has a sleek, premium aesthetic that blends easily into any living room or entertainment area.”
Setup is relatively simple, with the legs requiring two screws each, and then you just have to go through the Roku setup process, which should take no more than 15 minutes with the help of a smartphone or PC. It’s honestly painless, and the step-by-step instructions ensure all the necessary channels, inputs, and settings are set up correctly so you’re ready to enjoy your new TV when you’re done.
The Philips QLED Roku TV has a sleek, premium aesthetic that fits easily into any living room or entertainment area. Thin bezels around the 55-inch display maximize screen real estate, providing a nearly borderless viewing experience. The slim profile of the TV is not only for looks but also makes it easy to mount it on the wall or place it on different types of TV stands.
The build quality is solid, which is what you’d expect from a TV of this size, even when transporting it for setup or just adjusting your living room setup. The TV comes with a brushed metal stand and a borderless display on three sides, adding an extra layer of sophistication to its design. It’s relatively sturdy in its two-legged setup, and the minimalist design throughout ensures it won’t clash with any other decor.
For a mid-range TV, I have to say that the Philips QLED Roku TV offers more than I expected in terms of IO. The TV features four HDMI ports, including one that supports eARC for transmitting high-quality audio, making it ideal for various setups that include gaming consoles, Blu-ray players, or sound systems. USB inputs add another layer of versatility, allowing media to be played from external storage devices.
Since this is a modern TV, it has all the wireless connectivity we’ve come to expect. Ethernet and Wi-Fi options ensure a stable Internet connection for smooth streaming, and Bluetooth gives you the flexibility you need to connect a range of controllers and other communication devices. The TV also includes a digital (optical) audio output port for more flexibility in audio setup, something that many low- to mid-range TVs unfortunately lack.
Visuals and pictures
For its price, I was very impressed with the picture the Philips QLED Roku TV delivered in gaming and entertainment. Using Quantum Dot technology, the QLED panel ensures deeper blacks, brighter whites and a wider color gamut. This results in stunning images featuring enhanced contrast and rich, accurate colours. 4K resolution takes detail to the next level, making the TV ideal for a range of uses, from watching high-definition content and gaming to photo and video editing.
The TV also supports several HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+, which enrich the viewing experience by bringing out the full potential of compatible content. Whether you’re watching a visually captivating movie, an action-packed sporting event, or a game, the TV’s picture quality will impress with its clarity and immersive feel.
Gaming on the Philips QLED Roku TV was good, though this was hampered by the lack of high frame rates, which remained at the standard 60Hz level. I tested both the Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series The visuals in games like Elden Ring and Forza were strong, with colors popping even in dim environments.
Overall visual clarity and fidelity were on par with similar TVs in its price range, including those we tested from TCL. The lack of higher frame rates means testing is limited to basic gameplay, but the Philips QLED Roku TV passed it all with flying colors, and even HDR looked great, adding another layer to the visuals when enabled.
Smart features and interface
Love it or hate it, one of the standout features of this TV is the Roku smart platform integration. The Roku interface on this TV makes it easy to get started and enjoy your media without needing external boxes for most of the streaming services people use every day.
Although it hasn’t changed much over the years, Roku has one of the strongest selections of streaming channels on any platform and requires the least amount of resources to run and deliver a solid experience. Once connected to the Internet, users have access to a plethora of streaming services, including but not limited to Netflix, Roku Channel, Disney+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.
The remote is ergonomically designed with dedicated buttons for popular streaming services and voice control. Voice search is highly accurate and time-saving, making it easy to find the content you want. Navigating through the Roku interface is smooth, with minimal lag between different menus and apps. The home screen can be customized with your favorite channels, making it easier to access the content you love. I wish I could customize more aspects of the overall interface, but it does what it needs to do and does it well.
Vocal performance
As you’d expect if you’ve read any of my other reviews of mid-range smart TVs, while the TV excels in picture quality and smart features, its audio performance may not be quite as excellent. The built-in speakers provide decent sound but lack the depth and immersion required for a true home theater experience.
“The Philips QLED Roku TV 2023 is a feature-rich, visually impressive TV that delivers excellent performance and smart features at an affordable price.”
The sound you will get is flat and lifeless and feels inappropriate if you want to play any kind of game or immerse yourself in a movie for a night out with friends. It’s recommended to invest in high-quality speakers or a surround sound system to complement the stunning visuals, like the Sonos Beam or Arc. However, it is worth noting that the TV supports Dolby Atmos, which adds depth to the sound output.
Additional features
The TV comes with many additional features that enhance its overall value. It supports Apple AirPlay and HomeKit, seamlessly integrating other smart home devices. As I mentioned, this TV doesn’t support more than 60Hz but does include Perfect Motion Rate 120 technology, which aims to smooth out fast-paced movement in your content. Honestly, I think everyone should leave this setting. It doesn’t do enough to make anything better, and in some cases, it makes things significantly worse.
While it offers most of what a new TV buyer might want, especially for a second room or study, the price makes the Philips QLED Roku TV very exciting. At $649.99 for the 55-inch model, this TV offers unbeatable value and punches well above its weight class. When compared to other 55-inch QLED options on the market, it’s hard to find a TV that offers as much as the Philips QLED Roku TV at this price point, and the fact that it’s a pleasure to use makes it an even better deal.
The 2023 Philips QLED Roku TV is a feature-rich, visually impressive TV that offers excellent performance and smart features at an affordable price. It’s a testament to Philips’ ability to deliver high-quality products that offer great value for money, making them a worthwhile addition to any modern home entertainment setup.