Philips BDM4065UC - 40" 4K 60Hz monitor thread

[Naujoks]

What model and generation of Mac? And what version of OS X? (Those are always helpful bits of information to include when you want people to help troubleshoot something for you. )

It's a Hackintosh, running Yosemite 10.10.2, using my GTX 970 with Nvidia's web drivers. All working fine. That problem is the only small hitch.

 

[Happy Hopping]

Nobody who knows for certain is on this thread. But for those just tuning in, here's what we do know:

1. A website claimed to have been tipped by a Philips Product Manager that this display would come to the US in Q1 2015, contrary to an earlier tweet from an official Philips account that this would be a Europe-only release.

2. Amazon US briefly listed the display on their website for $999. It was subsequently removed, I think a day or two later, but people who ordered it while it was available were able to keep their orders, though Amazon had no ETA for when they could expect delivery.

3. Shortly thereafter, Amazon gave delivery estimates of late February to mid-March. But then a while after that, Amazon cancelled those orders saying that they couldn't get information on when they would be able to fulfill them.

4. Someone in the Overclockers UK thread devoted to this display posted on Jan 29 that he's received confirmation from a Philips Product Manager (unknown if it's the same one who tipped the aforementioned website) that this display will release in the US (at some point).

Sadly there still hasn't been any official, public announcement from Philips about a US release, so this is basically all we have to go on at this point.

but the Seiki can be pre-order right now at amazon. Yet not the philip

 

[richardsim7]

It's a Hackintosh, running Yosemite 10.10.2, using my GTX 970 with Nvidia's web drivers. All working fine. That problem is the only small hitch.

Try one of these, see if you can set some sort of custom resolution: http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...na-display-hack-to-run-native-resolution.html

 

[Naujoks]

Try one of these, see if you can set some sort of custom resolution: http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...na-display-hack-to-run-native-resolution.html

Thank you, I found one app that worked.

 

[Rhuarc]

I really want to purchase one of these from TaoBao, but I'm little nervous about it. I've looked at yoybuy, but just haven't been able to pull the trigger yet. Unless I can get one of the ebay sellers to come down in price, Taobao is the best price. I can get the monitor to me for $820 shipped, and could then purchase a 3 yr Squaretrade warranty for $139, keeping the total under $1k. So my question is, for those that have made purchases using Taobao, is a seller with 3 diamonds relatively safe to use? Here's the link, I apologize if posting the link is against the forum rules: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.198.WVelno&id=43697317217&ns=1&abbucket=11#detail

 

[Lateralus]

Does that $820 shipped include the agent fees, etc.?

If not, I think the best option overall (aside from waiting for a US release...and I'm writing this with the assumption that you are in the US) is Overclockers UK. No agent needed, cheaper than eBay, and less of a language barrier if you ever need to contact them.

Another question I have is, would that SquareTrade warranty cover items purchased overseas? I'd be reading the fine print on that regarding coverage limitations, shipping responsibilities, etc. if you haven't already.

 

[Rhuarc]

Does that $820 shipped include the agent fees, etc.?

If not, I think the best option overall (aside from waiting for a US release...and I'm writing this with the assumption that you are in the US) is Overclockers UK. No agent needed, cheaper than eBay, and less of a language barrier if you ever need to contact them.

Another question I have is, would that SquareTrade warranty cover items purchased overseas? I'd be reading the fine print on that regarding coverage limitations, shipping responsibilities, etc. if you haven't already.

Yes, I am in the states.

I just spoke to Square Trade directly, and was told that as long as the item is brand new and I have the proof of purchase, it does not matter where it came from they will cover it.

Yes that $820 does include agent fees. So, I think I'm going to take a chance and purchase it. I'll be paying with paypal and I spoke with them regarding the purchase and was informed that I would be covered for up to 180 days after purchase if anything went wrong with it.

 

[Lateralus]

Yes, I am in the states.

I just spoke to Square Trade directly, and was told that as long as the item is brand new and I have the proof of purchase, it does not matter where it came from they will cover it.

Well if that's the case, that is awesome and clearly the way I'd go if ordering the unit overseas simply because of the crazy high costs involved in shipping the monitor back to that country for warranty service. It's my understanding that with SquareTrade, they pay for shipping to and from their repair center. I guess the only caveat would be if something happened during the manufacturer's warranty period, since I think the ST warranty only starts once the mfg's warranty period ends.

Yes that $820 does include agent fees. So, I think I'm going to take a chance and purchase it. I'll be paying with paypal and I spoke with them regarding the purchase and was informed that I would be covered for up to 180 days after purchase if anything went wrong with it.

Cool. You spoke with whom, exactly? PayPal, Yoybuy, or the vendor? Sorry I wasn't clear on that. Just trying to get more info. 180 day coverage is certainly nice for peace of mind. Between that and SquareTrade, you'd be pretty well covered.

Let us know how it works out!

 

[Martha Stewart]

FYI to anyone, Philips will repair the monitor if it breaks regardless of where you live or bought it from. (But it must be sent in and it probably takes for ever, I confirmed this via Philips email support before buying the monitor off eBay)

 

[aldoxzx]

Just to be clear - Philips will honor a gray market monitor warranty here in the US with no issues? Anything other than an email to confirm that?

 

[jphughan]

I really want to purchase one of these from TaoBao, but I'm little nervous about it. I've looked at yoybuy, but just haven't been able to pull the trigger yet. Unless I can get one of the ebay sellers to come down in price, Taobao is the best price. I can get the monitor to me for $820 shipped, and could then purchase a 3 yr Squaretrade warranty for $139, keeping the total under $1k. So my question is, for those that have made purchases using Taobao, is a seller with 3 diamonds relatively safe to use? Here's the link, I apologize if posting the link is against the forum rules: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.198.WVelno&id=43697317217&ns=1&abbucket=11#detail

Fyi, I originally ordered from Yoybuy but they cancelled my order saying it couldn't pass customs. That didn't make sense to me, so I sent them a message, and they replied saying that they cancelled it because they were too worried about shipping damage. I have no idea what Yoybuy is like as a company internally, so maybe it's approval luck of the draw and your Yoybuy order might be approved (and of course there are other Taobao agents), but just thought I'd share my experience.

Also, the SquareTrade warranty wouldn't insulate you from DOA issues, I assume.

FYI to anyone, Philips will repair the monitor if it breaks regardless of where you live or bought it from. (But it must be sent in and it probably takes for ever, I confirmed this via Philips email support before buying the monitor off eBay)

To be clear, can you send it to Philips US for repair even before this display releases in the US, regardless of where you purchased it from? Or would you have to send it to the Philips division in the country where you purchased it from?

 

[Lateralus]

Just to be clear - Philips will honor a gray market monitor warranty here in the US with no issues? Anything other than an email to confirm that?

To be clear, can you send it to Philips US for repair even before this display releases in the US, regardless of where you purchased it from? Or would you have to send it to the Philips division in the country where you purchased it from?

I think that this was touched on earlier in the thread, and for some reason I'm thinking that the consensus was that Philips USA would not provide warranty service for this monitor, if purchased from a different region, unless it did end up releasing in the US (at which point they'd service it).

Now, I don't know that that's the case with complete certainty, so I don't want to state it as fact and risk spreading misinformation. But if that was indeed their position before, maybe they've changed their stance since then, but I'd want more than a single email to confirm that just in case that particular rep was mistaken (happens often in large companies).

If they100% will provide warranty service for this monitor regardless of a US release, then I will buy it from Overclockers UK as soon as I can and not worry about a SquareTrade warranty OR waiting for this to come to the US.

 

[Micael]

So my question is, for those that have made purchases using Taobao, is a seller with 3 diamonds relatively safe to use

http://www.bhiner.com/js/js_combo/ueditor/php/upload/49001414203595.png that's how rating system works

 

[Rhuarc]

I think that this was touched on earlier in the thread, and for some reason I'm thinking that the consensus was that Philips USA would not provide warranty service for this monitor, if purchased from a different region, unless it did end up releasing in the US (at which point they'd service it).

Now, I don't know that that's the case with complete certainty, so I don't want to state it as fact and risk spreading misinformation. But if that was indeed their position before, maybe they've changed their stance since then, but I'd want more than a single email to confirm that just in case that particular rep was mistaken (happens often in large companies).

If they100% will provide warranty service for this monitor regardless of a US release, then I will buy it from Overclockers UK as soon as I can and not worry about a SquareTrade warranty OR waiting for this to come to the US.

I called yesterday and spoke with Philips US support, 1-877-835-1838 (US Monitor Support), and was told directly that Philips US WILL NOT provide warranty support. I believe that Philips UK WILL cover it, but shipping expenses will most likely be your responsibility, making the purchase of a 3 year ST warranty an easy sell, $139/3 years.

Regarding the Paypal 180 days, I spoke with Paypal directly about that, and that is the information I received; 180 days to file a dispute if something goes wrong in that time. I would also be able to file a dispute through Paypal against DOA, it may take awhile to resolve, but I would get my money back for sure.

Regarding SquareTrade warranties, they begin on the date of purchase, as long as the warranty was purchased within 30 days. They work in conjunction with manufacturers warranty, and if the manu warranty does not apply or will not cover it, SquareTrade warranty will. Again, I spoke with SquareTrade about this today and was told this exactly. The warranty has to be purchased from the SquareTrade website, and runs $139 for 3 years, and $189 for 4 years. http://www.squaretrade.com/desktop-warranty

Just to reiterate, if you choose this option be sure to:

1) KEEP ALL DOCUMENTATION! Including packing slips/anything that comes in the box

and

2) Take lots of pictures of the box before it is opened regardless of the condition!

Hopefully this is helpful info for someone.

 

[aldoxzx]

I figured warranty would not apply.

But I managed to find this page: https://www.facebook.com/Philips/posts/10152708024121317 that says it will be end of March / beginning of April for the US.

 

[qkslvr221]

Phillips is truly dropping the ball on this one. They've had a huge opportunity to catapult the US enthusiast market into 4k; yet between service refusal, miscommunication, and delays it's as if they beg for someone else to swoop in.

If the panel truly is a rebrand, I don't know why anyone would wait and see when the Seiki is already on the horizon.

 

[SuperMar1o]

I figured warranty would not apply.

But I managed to find this page: https://www.facebook.com/Philips/posts/10152708024121317 that says it will be end of March / beginning of April for the US.

Well, that's the first concrete proof of a release date we have has so far. Great news, now I just wish I could buy it now. I would of already spent the money. So many others look so good, but without 4:4:4 and 60fps@4k there is no way I am going to touch any of them.

Unless something else better comes out, they can count me in for buying one, but come on... Release it already!

 

[Micael]

Phillips is truly dropping the ball on this one. They've had a huge opportunity to catapult the US enthusiast market into 4k; yet between service refusal, miscommunication, and delays it's as if they beg for someone else to swoop in.

If the panel truly is a rebrand, I don't know why anyone would wait and see when the Seiki is already on the horizon.

If it is a rebrand, there is a chance that the price might not be as good and the availability could be worse (depending when it comes out), since the panel is made by philips (well company owned by philips or what ever) if I'm not mistaken, and if philips themselves are having availability issues, it is likely anyone else using the same panel is also going to have problems.
Also there is always the chance that seiki might screw up the electronics of it all (not saying it will mind you).

But yes assuming they do things right, it may very well end up being a better option than the philips monitor, at least in the US.

 

[SuperMar1o]

But yes assuming they do things right, it may very well end up being a better option than the philips monitor, at least in the US.

If you don't mind my asking, what model "may very well end up being a better option"? The Seiki? All I have read is bad reviews on Seiki's.

 

[Rhuarc]

If you don't mind my asking, what model "may very well end up being a better option"? The Seiki? All I have read is bad reviews on Seiki's.

The Seiki is supposedly going to use the same panel as the Philips, so hopefully will have similar QC. Crappy part is that they are going to be releasing an updated version, whether through firmware or a completely new unit, that will have HDMI 2.0 and DP 1.3, in Q2. Those updates won't have much affect on current hardware, but future wise they may be beneficial, i.e. 4k@120hz+ Just seems silly to do this if it can't be done via firmware update.

 

[jphughan]

I called yesterday and spoke with Philips US support, 1-877-835-1838 (US Monitor Support), and was told directly that Philips US WILL NOT provide warranty support. I believe that Philips UK WILL cover it, but shipping expenses will most likely be your responsibility, making the purchase of a 3 year ST warranty an easy sell, $139/3 years.

Regarding the Paypal 180 days, I spoke with Paypal directly about that, and that is the information I received; 180 days to file a dispute if something goes wrong in that time. I would also be able to file a dispute through Paypal against DOA, it may take awhile to resolve, but I would get my money back for sure.

You may not have been following this thread long, but I mentioned a while ago that I looked at what it would cost to ship this display from the US back to OCUK after I decided I didn't want to keep mine. I figured if OCUK charged me 77 GBP for shipping, it couldn't be TOO much more to send back even though I wasn't a frequent customer for the shipping companies like they are -- right?

Return shipping would have cost $600. So unless the SquareTrade warranty covers return shipping to the manufacturer even if international or you're willing to roll the dice on coverage being available through Philips US whenever the need might arise, I don't think it would be practical to get warranty service. As for DOA, make sure you wouldn't be on the hook for return shipping to the seller, otherwise PayPal's intervention wouldn't do much for you either because the return shipping would wipe out most of the amount of the refund.

If you do go the Taobao route though, I posted the link to the Taobao seller I originally used through Yoybuy, which someone else on this thread who actually understood Taobao's site said was a reputable seller.

 

[Micael]

If you don't mind my asking, what model "may very well end up being a better option"? The Seiki? All I have read is bad reviews on Seiki's.

The panel isn't made by Seiki, so as long as they don't screw up the easy part of a monitor, it could end up being a good option, considering that people currently in the US need to import the philips this monitor.

The Seiki is supposedly going to use the same panel as the Philips, so hopefully will have similar QC. Crappy part is that they are going to be releasing an updated version, whether through firmware or a completely new unit, that will have HDMI 2.0 and DP 1.3, in Q2. Those updates won't have much affect on current hardware, but future wise they may be beneficial, i.e. 4k@120hz+ Just seems silly to do this if it can't be done via firmware update.

Well this monitor is extremely unlikely to ever do 120hz, so the only benefit of having say something like HDMI 2.0 or DP 1.3 is if say you get another monitor which only handles the 4k@60hz through DP, in which case you can put this monitor in the HDMI 2.0 of your card, and the other in the DP 1.3, but considering the size of this monitor, and that I suspect most monitors in the future might come with both of these ports, this is a very unlikely scenario for most if not all users.
The only other advantage that I see to have DP 1.3 is that it could allow the monitor to have freesync/adaptive sync, although even this is arguable, since as far as I can tell it isn't just a question of having DP 1.2a or above, so even this is unlikely to happen (although it would be very nice if it did).

This from a consumer perspective, I can definitely see why a company would want to jump to the HDMI 2.0, and DP 1.3, they are selling points, that fool people into thinking the monitor is better than others, even if such things make no difference to the monitor itself.

 

[DefaultProfile]

There was a previous mention of the Surface Pro 3 and this monitor here :
http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1041364179&postcount=1119

What was the eventual outcome?

Can the Surface Pro 3 (i7) run 60Hz on this monitor with the latest intel drivers?

 

[jphughan]

Well this monitor is extremely unlikely to ever do 120hz, so the only benefit of having say something like HDMI 2.0 or DP 1.3 is if say you get another monitor which only handles the 4k@60hz through DP, in which case you can put this monitor in the HDMI 2.0 of your card, and the other in the DP 1.3, but considering the size of this monitor, and that I suspect most monitors in the future might come with both of these ports, this is a very unlikely scenario for most if not all users.
The only other advantage that I see to have DP 1.3 is that it could allow the monitor to have freesync/adaptive sync, although even this is arguable, since as far as I can tell it isn't just a question of having DP 1.2a or above, so even this is unlikely to happen (although it would be very nice if it did).

This from a consumer perspective, I can definitely see why a company would want to jump to the HDMI 2.0, and DP 1.3, they are selling points, that fool people into thinking the monitor is better than others, even if such things make no difference to the monitor itself.

(Correction: DP 1.3 does have enough bandwidth -- barely -- for 4K @ 120 Hz if it uses CVT-R2 blanking. But I still doubt we'd see it any time soon. HDMI 2.0 however does not have enough bandwidth unless you step down to 4:2:2, but even then it's not certain because of how HDMI encoding works.)

The only other advantage to having DP 1.3 that you didn't mention was the option to include a DisplayPort MST output on the display, since DP 1.3 would have enough bandwidth left over after driving this at 60 Hz to drive an additional display as well.

There was a previous mention of the Surface Pro 3 and this monitor here :
http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1041364179&postcount=1119

What was the eventual outcome?

Can the Surface Pro 3 (i7) run 60Hz on this monitor with the latest intel drivers?

No. The 4th gen U processors have a hardware limitation that prevents them from driving 3840x2160 @ 60 Hz out of a single channel. They can do it for MST displays since that display would use 2 out of their 3 display channels, but they can't do it for an SST display.

Reference: https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/quick-reference-guide-to-intel-processor-graphics

 

[Martha Stewart]

Fyi, I originally ordered from Yoybuy but they cancelled my order saying it couldn't pass customs. That didn't make sense to me, so I sent them a message, and they replied saying that they cancelled it because they were too worried about shipping damage. I have no idea what Yoybuy is like as a company internally, so maybe it's approval luck of the draw and your Yoybuy order might be approved (and of course there are other Taobao agents), but just thought I'd share my experience.

Also, the SquareTrade warranty wouldn't insulate you from DOA issues, I assume.



To be clear, can you send it to Philips US for repair even before this display releases in the US, regardless of where you purchased it from? Or would you have to send it to the Philips division in the country where you purchased it from?

All they told me was-
"We don't do replacements but they will fix it under warranty, but it would have to be sent into a repair center"

My email stated I was in the US and ordered it off ebay and they didn't seem to care.

 

[Micael]

(Correction: DP 1.3 does have enough bandwidth -- barely -- for 4K @ 120 Hz if it uses CVT-R2 blanking. But I still doubt we'd see it any time soon. HDMI 2.0 however does not have enough bandwidth unless you step down to 4:2:2, but even then it's not certain because of how HDMI encoding works.)

My point wasn't that the DP 1.3 couldn't do 120hz, is that the monitor itself wouldn't, there are very few monitors that can be clocked from 60hz to 120hz, and as far as I know the philips can barely do more than 60hz, so if that's any indication of what we can expect from the seiki, it having DP 1.3 is pointless (in that regard).

 

[jphughan]

All they told me was-
"We don't do replacements but they will fix it under warranty, but it would have to be sent into a repair center"

My email stated I was in the US and ordered it off ebay and they didn't seem to care.

Ok, so now you'd have to find out where the nearest repair center is. And if it's not somewhere in the US, it's probably not worth the cost to get the repair.

 

[Happy Hopping]

But the Seiki spec. shows it c/w DVI, in which Philips does not c/w DVI. So how can Seiki be a Philip OEM?

 

[jphughan]

But the Seiki spec. shows it c/w DVI, in which Philips does not c/w DVI. So how can Seiki be a Philip OEM?

Same panel doesn't mean same electronics. The backlight, I/O, design, etc can all be different even if the panel is the same, which is why even if they do share a panel the Seiki could still end up being a 6-bit panel as the current information suggests.

 

[flash0110]

Thanks to the lots of posts on here I decided to get myself one of these as well.
I finally got it yesterday and set it up as soon as possible. Besides being all awesome (coming from a 7 year old screen with TN-Panel) I sadly noticed a little black dot in the center of the screen.
After trying to get rid of it with a microfiber cloth I soon realized it's not something on the surface of the display.
Next I thought it might be a pixel error and did all the checks I could find online I realized something really weird as someone who never had a pixel error before. It seems like the black spot is actually behind the pixels, kind of like a 3D feeling when moving my head around, looking at it from a different angles the spot seems to move.

I took two pictures with my DSLR, one at 90° and one at about 35°:

When zooming into the image it appears that all subpixels are working and also testing with solid red, green and blue images it looked like all the pixels were working just fine. It doesn't seem so troubling on these images but it's like a magnet to my eyes when working with imagery or just browsing the internet.

To me it appears that it's some sort of problem with the backlight in that place? I have never had this kind of problem and couldn't find any help online. I am very grateful for any advice given.

 

[neojam]

@flash0110
reminds me on dust/dirt particle behind the anti-glare coating I had on my BenQ BL3200PT...

 

[igluk]

Yes, probably something got caught between the coating and the panel during assembly, or maybe even inside the coating - dirt or a spec of dust.
I had something similar on a different monitor, also close to the center and it covered 2 pixels. (it drove me insane, I could not "unsee" and always went looking for it)
Still have the photos I sent to service before I RMA'd it
http://i.imgur.com/ALxLbq3.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/EyINO7i.jpg

 

[Micael]

It would appear that germany got their stock of this monitor, since there is now quite a few stores with it in stock.

 

[croc_]

Well I just sold my three Asus 144hz 24" monitors, leaving eyefinity behind. I can't decide on what to buy, this or the LG 34UM95. The LG is a good $300 cheaper and on Amazon prime, but .... 4k ...

 

[dpoverlord]

Hey guys! saw you see that MaximumPc reviewed this monitor in their latest issue got a 8/10 and put it as "killer" made me come back to considering it, whats the general view after 40 pages.

 

[General Lee]

I've had my order from Jan 15. and the delivery date just jumped to 3/16.

 

[munkle]

Thanks to the lots of posts on here I decided to get myself one of these as well.
I finally got it yesterday and set it up as soon as possible. Besides being all awesome (coming from a 7 year old screen with TN-Panel) I sadly noticed a little black dot in the center of the screen.
After trying to get rid of it with a microfiber cloth I soon realized it's not something on the surface of the display.
To me it appears that it's some sort of problem with the backlight in that place? I have never had this kind of problem and couldn't find any help online. I am very grateful for any advice given.

@flash0110
reminds me on dust/dirt particle behind the anti-glare coating I had on my BenQ BL3200PT...

Yes, probably something got caught between the coating and the panel during assembly, or maybe even inside the coating - dirt or a spec of dust.
I had something similar on a different monitor, also close to the center and it covered 2 pixels. (it drove me insane, I could not "unsee" and always went looking for it)
Still have the photos I sent to service before I RMA'd it

This is not stuck between the coating and panel, otherwise you wouldn't see the pixels and there would be a bump in the coating. The coating is applied on top of the panel. The dark spot is clearly behind the panel. It is most likely dust stuck between the panel and polarizer and got there during assembly. My vizio tv had particles like that. One thing you can try to do is slightly flick the panel with your finger (put a cloth where you will flick if you are worried about scratching the panel) and you may be able to get it to move to the bottom of the screen, was able to do this with a the vizio I bought.

 

[Seyumi]

This is not stuck between the coating and panel, otherwise you wouldn't see the pixels and there would be a bump in the coating. The coating is applied on top of the panel. The dark spot is clearly behind the panel. It is most likely dust stuck between the panel and polarizer and got there during assembly. My vizio tv had particles like that. One thing you can try to do is slightly flick the panel with your finger (put a cloth where you will flick if you are worried about scratching the panel) and you may be able to get it to move to the bottom of the screen, was able to do this with a the vizio I bought.

The problem with dust behind the screen is that it's literally "energized" and sticks to your screen like a magnet even if the monitor has been turned off for days. I'm not sure if it would even be possible to move dust on this screen. Apple Cinema Displays were prone to dust since there was an actual physical space between the glass panel and the screen itself. I don't see that with this screen it's literally just the panel itself with the extremely light AG so there's a chance the dust is glued/wedged between the panel and the AG (my best guess) and cannot be moved/removed.

 

[Barry1972]

The problem with dust behind the screen is that it's literally "energized" and sticks to your screen like a magnet even if the monitor has been turned off for days. I'm not sure if it would even be possible to move dust on this screen. Apple Cinema Displays were prone to dust since there was an actual physical space between the glass panel and the screen itself. I don't see that with this screen it's literally just the panel itself with the extremely light AG so there's a chance the dust is glued/wedged between the panel and the AG (my best guess) and cannot be moved/removed.

If its just energized and not jammed between layers then maybe you can use static from a balloon or something to attract it towards the edge.

 

[Barry1972]

I received the monitor a few days ago from AmazonUK and so have had some time to play with it and share my first impressions. It was to replace a 3008wfp (30" Dell IPS panel). I've been waiting a year for this as all the previous 4k models were too small. It came well padded with some sort of stiff sponge, so for people who were receiving these with broken screens then they must have really been thrown about or pierced. For size you can see below the 15" laptop 30" and 40".

There were no dead pixels though I did notice a slight horizontal unevenness in the backlight and I can make out the position of the LEDs but normally you would not notice this. It is just noticeable on some plain colours like grey. Below is a photo with WordPad.

I did notice it slightly dimmer in the corners due the VA cone effect people were discussing so a curved screen would have helped.
When first using it I thought this is going to be a pain in the neck being so high, but just like when I went from 15" to 21" and 21" to 30" they all initially seemed too large, but like those you get used to it and then can't go back.
I thought one advantage of a 4K screen would be I could get two windows side by side but now I seem to be more comfortable with three windows focusing mainly on the middle window and the width of one of these windows is 6 pixels wider than the 30" with 2 windows (3860/3 Vs 2560/2)

One of the big topics here was PWM. But Philips supplies this with software called SmartControl. It does seem to operate a bit slow but I think it may have to do with it communicating with screen. Anyway, what I found is you can keep the screen on max brightness and reduce the brightness by the colour calibration which is very effective.

I carried out PWM tests on all screens for comparison. This is the black line test with shutter set at 1/25

From XPS L521x laptop - not sure what panel it is.

From DELL IPS 30" - You can see the less dramatic PWM effect of the CFL backlight

This is the Philips with the backlight dimmed. It's interesting to see how sharp the light goes on-off compared the other screens

The Philips shown here is dimmed with the colours set at about 30% and backlight 100%. So PWM is not a problem if you tackle it this way. The only thing I found however is that once the colours are reduced like this, changing the contrast doesn't seem to have much effect in the calibration area. But this doesn't matter as the contrast seems to be best left at 50%


You can save several presets. To help control circadian rhythm I have it bright in the morning and dim at night.

You can then switch between the presets from the desktop which is a lot easier than trying to navigate with the joystick behind the screen.

SmartControl also allows splitting the screen in various ways like DisplayFusion though I haven't tried DisplayFusion on this so don't know how it compares. But the way this works is it highlights areas to snap into as you move your window around. Strangely it works for all browsers but not Firefox.

You can also calibrate as shown below, by making the square blend in but this depends on the vertical angle it is viewed at, so not sure how helpful it is.

It also came with a factory calibration results sheet below.

SmartControl doesn't seem to control everything. Sharpness for example is not included so you have to use the rear joystick. But I found it not worth changing the sharpness from 50% as it just got very blurry setting it any lower.
Regarding reflectivity of the screen I have the 3 screens below with the Philips in the middle all reflecting the same object. Though the object may appear slightly more blurry than it is, due to the bokeh effect as I forgot to change aperture setting.

I thought the reflections were going to be a problem as when I switched it on the first time, the setting sun blasted through the window off the back wall and then I couldn't see a third of the screen. So you may have to close the curtains or put the blinds down in that situation. But generally it's not been a problem, and even with the 3008wfp matt screen, there would still be a glow from reflections that made it harder to see anyway.

Some unexpected things occur with such a high resolution screen such as I noticed when playing HD quality video that it looked a bit grainy on this screen compared to the normal HD screen I suppose just because it is so much sharper. I also need to upgrade the mouse(1000dpi) to a higher dpi but have got used to using the existing one anyway until the new one arrives. Also finding the pointer on the screen is a bit harder.

Depending on which country supplies it, you get a different set of cables. None of which were useful as mine, from Italy, didn't come with USB 3.0 cable or Mini DP to DP cable.
One thing I was a bit bothered about, is the test seems a bit like it has a halo around the sides. Maybe it's a characteristic of VA panels, but I'm not sure its normal. I think I have got used to it or my calibrating has reduced it.

This is the Philips screen showing mor red or yellow on the left and blue on the right

This is the laptop screen L521x showing much less colour bleed.

This is a close up of the Philips showing the pixels



What do you think? Is this normal for VA panels? Maybe the only way to avoid this is to get an 8K screen with windows scaling in future.

One other question. Does anyone know if it is possible to use the headphone output of this to drive subwoofer and centre speakers only, and use the screens built in speakers for the left and right? I would like to get rid of the other surround speakers floating around the desktop.