The Philips OLED706 is an entry-level OLED television made by Philips, launched in 2025, priced around £1099 for the 65-inch model, and available across Europe in 55-, 65-, and 77-inch sizes. What makes this budget OLED remarkable is not what it cuts—it’s what it refuses to compromise on.
Key Takeaways
- Philips OLED706 delivers true OLED blacks and infinite contrast at under £1100, undercutting LG and Samsung rivals by £400+.
- Three-sided Ambilight projects wall-matching colored light, creating immersion that competing budget OLEDs cannot replicate.
- Peak brightness reaches 665 nits with 131 nits fullscreen; sufficient for SDR and HDR but not flagship-tier.
- 7th Gen P5 AI processor handles upscaling and motion smoothly, though less advanced than flagship models.
- Four full HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K/120Hz support make it a serious gaming contender at the price.
OLED Performance Without the Premium Price Tag
At £1099 for a 65-inch OLED, the Philips OLED706 undercuts Samsung and LG’s entry-level OLED TVs by over £400. That price gap should trigger skepticism—and it should evaporate the moment you see the picture. This TV uses an affordable OLED panel with measured peak brightness of 665 nits and fullscreen brightness of 131 nits, delivering the core advantage that makes OLED the gold standard: perfect blacks, infinite contrast, and per-pixel light control. No backlight blooming. No clouding. No compromises on black levels because the panel itself is the light source.
The shadow detail is exceptional. Dark scenes reveal texture and depth that LCD TVs at this price simply cannot touch. Wide viewing angles mean the picture holds up even when you are sitting at an extreme side angle—a real advantage in rooms where seating is not centered on the screen. The Philips OLED706 proves that entry-level OLED does not mean entry-level picture quality. It means entry-level brightness and processing power, not entry-level fundamentals.
Ambilight: The Feature Rivals Cannot Match
Here is where Philips separates itself from LG and Samsung. The OLED706 features three-sided Ambilight—LEDs on the left, right, and top edges that project colored light onto your walls, matching the on-screen content in real time. It sounds gimmicky. It is not. Ambilight deepens immersion in a way that no other budget OLED can replicate. During a dark sci-fi scene, the walls glow in shades of blue and purple. During a sunset landscape, warm amber light bleeds onto the walls around the TV. This is not a subtle effect—it is a deliberate, eye-catching enhancement that transforms how you experience content.
LG and Samsung’s budget OLEDs offer no equivalent. They compete on picture processing, gaming features, and software. The OLED706 competes on those fronts too, but Ambilight is its calling card. For viewers who value immersion and atmosphere over raw brightness specs, this single feature justifies the choice.
Processor and Gaming Capabilities
The OLED706 runs Philips’ 7th Generation P5 AI Intelligent picture engine, which handles image optimization, upscaling of sub-4K content, detail enhancement, and motion processing. It is less advanced than the 9th Gen processor found in Philips’ flagship models like the OLED+910, but it is still capable. Upscaling of standard-definition and 1080p content looks clean and detailed. Motion handling is crisp and responsive, with no stuttering or judder at 120Hz.
For gaming, the OLED706 delivers what matters: four full HDMI 2.1 ports with support for 4K/120Hz, variable refresh rate (VRR), and auto low-latency mode (ALLM). Response times are sharp, and the OLED panel’s per-pixel control means zero motion blur. This is a TV that takes gaming seriously at a budget price point. It supports HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision, though not Dolby Vision 2 or Dolby Vision 2 Max—those remain reserved for flagships.
Picture Modes and SDR Handling
The OLED706 offers two distinct picture modes: Filmmaker Mode, which prioritizes accuracy and natural color with subtle contrast, and Crystal Clear, which cranks saturation and vibrancy for eye-catching, punchy images. Most users will prefer Filmmaker Mode for film and television, where the goal is to see what the director intended. Switch to Crystal Clear for sports and gaming, where impact matters more than precision.
SDR content—standard dynamic range material like broadcast television and older films—looks excellent. The TV’s infinite blacks and precise highlight handling give even low-contrast SDR a sense of depth and dimension that LCDs cannot match. This matters because most of what you watch is still SDR, not HDR.
Design and Build
The OLED706 has a slim, elegant front with narrow black bezels that disappear into the picture. The rear is bulkier—necessary to house the connection panel, speakers, and Ambilight electronics—but this is not a wall-mounted aesthetic compromise. The TV is designed to sit on a stand or mount flat, and either way, the front presence is clean and modern.
Brightness Limitations and Real-World Impact
Peak brightness of 665 nits is lower than flagship OLED TVs, which can exceed 2000 nits with advanced panel technologies. In bright rooms with direct sunlight, the OLED706 will struggle to punch through glare. Fullscreen brightness of just 131 nits means sustained bright images will be noticeably dimmer than on pricier models. But here is the catch: for most viewing—evening entertainment, gaming, streaming—brightness is not the limiting factor. The OLED706 handles HDR content well enough that the difference feels academic rather than painful.
How Does the Philips OLED706 Compare to LG and Samsung Entry-Level OLEDs?
LG and Samsung’s cheapest OLED TVs cost £1500 or more for a 65-inch model, making them £400+ more expensive than the OLED706. Picture quality is comparable—all three brands use high-quality OLED panels with excellent blacks and contrast. The real differences are in brightness (LG and Samsung flagships reach higher peak nits), processing power (LG’s newer AI upscaling may edge ahead), and software polish. But the OLED706’s Ambilight feature is unique to Philips and absent entirely from LG and Samsung’s lineup. For viewers prioritizing immersion and value, the OLED706 wins.
What Is the Successor to the Philips OLED706?
Philips has announced the OLED761 for 2026, which upgrades the panel to LG Display’s OLED SE technology with peak brightness up to 1000 nits—a significant jump from the OLED706’s 665 nits. The OLED761 retains the 7th Gen P5 processor and three-sided Ambilight, launching in 55-inch (June 2026), 65-inch (August 2026), and 77-inch (October 2026) sizes. Pricing has not been announced, but the brightness upgrade suggests a modest price increase.
Should You Buy the Philips OLED706 Now or Wait for the OLED761?
If you need a TV now, the OLED706 is an excellent choice. The brightness gap matters only if you sit in a very bright room or watch a lot of HDR sports and action films. For most viewers, 665 nits is sufficient, and the £1099 price is hard to beat. If you can wait until mid-2026 and have a bright room, the OLED761 is worth the delay for its brightness improvements.
Does the Philips OLED706 Support Gaming at 120Hz?
Yes. The OLED706 has four full HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K at 120Hz, variable refresh rate, and auto low-latency mode. Gaming performance is crisp and responsive, with no motion blur thanks to the OLED panel’s per-pixel control.
The Philips OLED706 rewrites the budget OLED playbook. It proves that entry-level pricing does not require entry-level picture fundamentals. True OLED blacks, infinite contrast, and immersive Ambilight come standard—and at a price that makes Samsung and LG’s rivals look overpriced by comparison. If you value atmosphere and picture quality over peak brightness, this TV is the best-value OLED on the market right now.
Where to Buy
Edited by the All Things Geek team.
Source: TechRadar
