Philips has launched an attractive SuperWide 49-inch monitor. The new Philips 498P9Z is described as being "like two full-size high performance monitors in-one" and offers some interesting specs at its proposed £899 price point. It is essentially a fast refresh (165Hz) gaming version of the Philips 498P9 (70Hz max) which was released a year ago and retails for about £749.
The new Philips 498P9Z uses a VA panel with DisplayHDR 400 certification. The 5120 x 1440 pixels resolution in a 32:9 screen ratio 49-inch diagonal is equivalent to having twin 27-inch QHD monitors side by side – but in a seamless fashion. Its 1800R screen curvature promoted the perception of immersion for those creating or gaming on this monitor.
As I pointed out in the intro, the new 498P9Z pushes the boat out in gaming specs, compared with its older brother. Philips claims that the new 48-165Hz screen with Adaptive Sync will deliver "fluid, artefact-free performance at virtually any frame rate," as well as "ultra-fast response times". The quoted response time is 4ms GtG.
Colour reproduction and similar stats looks good, with this wide viewing angle display boasting DCI-P3 91 per cent, NTSC 100 per cent, sRGB 122 per cent, and Adobe RGB 89 per cent, with a Delta E <2. The max brightness of this display is 550 nits, and the contrast ratio is 3000:1. Various screen modes/corrections are on offer including; SmartImage enhancement, PBP 'MultiView' mode, Reading mode, Flicker Free, and LowBlue modes.
Other key features of this monitor are its built-in KVM switch, DisplayPort 1.4 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 3, USB Hub [USB 3.2 x 2 (upstream), USB 3.2 x 4 (downstream with x 1 fast charge B.C 1.2)], and Audio out. It offers built-in stereo 5W speakers, and comes with a stand which can be adjusted in height (130mm), swivel and tilt. Users can choose to mount this monitor on their own VESA 100x100 stands (monitor weighs 10.9kg without stand).
The Philips 498P9Z SuperWide monitor is expected to become available in August with an RRP of £899. Would you pay the £150 premium over the Philips 498P9 (70Hz max / 5ms)?
