How Much Does it Cost?
At the time of writing, the Philips Momentum 558M1RY 55-Inch 4K, 120 Hz, FreeSync Console/PC Gaming Monitor was actually out of stock on Amazon. However, it’s showing as stock on the way, and the list price is still set at “£1199.99”. That puts it about the same price as a similarly sized Samsung QLED TV, or LG NanoCell ThinQ. However, Philips has them thrashed when it comes to refresh rate and most importantly, response time, and sound quality.
Overview
Compared to most TVs, this may seem expensive. However, if you’re picking through the latest models from 2020, and you want a 55″ panel, then £1000-1500 is easily spent in a hurry for a TV. However, Philips has really stepped up to make this a lean, mean, gaming focused machine, without compromising on anything else. The quality of the panel is by far the nicest I’ve tinkered with in years. If you want blacker black, OLED is the only next-step from this. That being said, hitting HDR1000 peak brightness, and having no burn-in risk while still having some of the best contrast on the market means Philips Momentum never feels like second best.
Gaming
I hate this monitor, I really do. Why? Because it’s too good. I may have to go back to my normal TV and it’ll takes ages to adjust again. The response times are just incredible, and while I know console games are often “inferior” to their PC counterparts, there’s more fault in the TV your using than I realised. Stick an Xbox One on a gaming monitor and the difference is night and day.
The HDR brings out the best in Forza Horizon and Gear of War Ultimate. The black levels are awesome, the brightness is dazzling, but the whole time everything maintains balance and superb colour reproduction. Having the future-proofing to game in 4K at up to 120 Hz is also a huge bonus. However, you get the added benefit of still being able to use 120 Hz modes at both 1080p and 1440p too. It would make a fine PC gaming monitor if you have the desk to accommodate it. However, it makes a truly remarkable console gaming monitor too.
Entertainment
Gaming was a breeze for the Momentum, it promised to take my gaming to the next level and it didn’t disappoint. However, it was everything else that impressed me most of all. It’s a fantastic panel for media consumption. If you love HDR movies, SDR movies, SD, HD, 4K, it doesn’t matter, the panel deals with them all really well right out of the box. The colour profiles, the contrast, the flawless motion processing, all of them add up to a great movie night. That being said, I’ve been watching old-school Simpsons all day between writing this review on Disney+, so it’s not just a great display for the big hitters, but also daily content and YouTube videos, etc.
Sound
The Bowers & Wilkins were like bringing a knife to a gunfight, as I’ve got a fairly decent 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos setup here, so compared to that, yeah it was a bit flat and lacking bass. However, compared to the pathetic speakers on my LG TV, it’s pretty ripping. I don’t know how loud it goes, I didn’t dare scare the neighbours. Playing Halo with the volume at 45/100 was LOOOUUUUUD! It’s not completely lacking bass either, it’s a good punchy sound, albeit a line out for a subwoofer channel would be a great upgrade on a future model.
Should I Buy One?
Do you want the absolute best gaming televi….urm, I mean monitor money can buy? Well, then this is certainly the option for you. It ticks all the right boxes for a great gaming display, but still packs enough features to make everything from Movie night to Halo night a great experience. It’s a little expensive, but good quality, low-latency, high-refresh rates and huge HDR 4K panels don’t come cheap. Trade the bloated firmware and processing and high input times of modern TVs for one of these! Worth every penny.
I’m generally a happy soul content with my lot and grateful for what little I have but when I see tech like this it makes me wish I was rich.
Can you tell me something? I Wan’t to know about blooming and local dimming tests
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3So8OFdqcdA I mean this.
On Philips? It’s bad.
I recommend the LG NANO 90 or 91. It has IPS panel, not VA! And has HDMI 2.1, not 2.0! And it’s even cheaper than this one. Or depending on the county, it might be the same price, so still a better deal.
But you do you. I have Philips with Ambilight, and I’m not using it anymore…
Please nobody buy this caca!!!!
Get the LG NANO 90 or 91 instead! Waaaay cheaper! And it has an IPS panel with full array local dimming, dolby vision, hdmi 2.1, etc, etc, etc.
Not to mention the NANO 99………. 💓😭😭😭😭😭😭
Pffffff, Philips coming out in 2020 with this………… I used to love them just because of the Ambilight… But it’s not worth it anymore!! A VA panel and HDMI 2.0 in this day and age????? Did you just wake up from cryosleep or something? 😐
You mean on this especifc model the local dimming is bad? and black uniformity?
This specific model I don’t know. But in general it’s bad with them.
The black uniformity is good. But on lighter scenes some back leds are flickering, they don’t know what to do……….. The halo is pretty big though. LG’s NANO panels have black inserts to reduce this as well. And I want one too! 😭
I get it, but is weird, they claim 144 local dimming zones, but you and the other telling me the sony XG/H has better local dimming even with less zones, around 64, I have the X9F and this is awesome, awesome picture but isn’t a monitor,
I really thinking about who wins philips momemtum 55 or my X9F.
But really weird how can sony beat it? cause they don’t have blooming around the subtitles,…
Wait philips has FALD 144 zones?
Sony is FALD
It’s about those black inserts I told you. They are physical filter sheets in the panel. Basically they reduce the blooming effect made by some other parts of the panel, taking away part of the TV’s max brightness as well.
“It isn’t a monitor”……… Nowadays that separation line is looong gone! TV? Monitor? It’s all the same! But now TVs do even more things than Monitors, making them BETTER in every way!
Of course, Monitors make for designing and video production, with close to perfect colour accuracy, that cost $10k+, are still a thing…. For now. 🙂
Do you recommends I Give a Try to this monitor? 55″ or leave behind and forget? Comparing with sony X9F
Your opinion,
My opinion…. You get “some” better improvements, but not much.
You only get FreeSync Premium Pro, VRR and 4K 120Hz…
If Gaming is all you care for and money is no issue, then follow your heart. If you care for more than Gaming, then you’re not making any “upgrade”.
But whatever you do wait for Reviews! Also see what is the input delay on it.