Philips OLED811 42" Ambilight (42OLED811) review

Full review

Philips is the only brand offering Ambilight, and the OLED811 is the first chance to get it on a 42-inch OLED from Philips' 2026 range. Ambilight uses LEDs on the back of the TV to cast colour onto the wall that follows the picture. It makes a small screen feel bigger and is easier on the eyes when you watch in the dark.

TP Vision, which makes Philips TVs, lists four HDMI 2.1 inputs with up to 165Hz, FreeSync Premium and G-Sync compatibility, so it is a capable gaming screen. It also supports Dolby Vision 2 Max as well as HDR10+, giving it wider HDR support than LG or Samsung.

The 42-inch has a 50W sound system, smaller than the 70W on larger OLED811 sizes, so a soundbar is still worth considering.

The smart platform is TitanOS. It covers Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and YouTube and supports Alexa, Google Assistant and AirPlay 2, but has fewer apps than Google TV. The 42-inch launched in August 2026. The model name is the same in the UK and EU; retail codes end in /12.