Philips Ambilight 7985 TV Review

About the Philips 7985 Series Ambilight TV

• Dimensions (65-inch, with stand): 56.9 x 35.3 x 11.8 inches (W x H x D)
• Weight (65-inch, with stand): 33.5 pounds
• Resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160)
• Display type: QLED (quantum dot) LCD with direct-LED backlight
• Panel type: VA
• HDR support: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision
• Native refresh rate: 60Hz
• Smart platform: Roku OS
• HDMI: 4x HDMI 2.0, with eARC/ARC, ALLM, EasyLink 2.0 (HDMI-CEC), HDCP 2.3
• HDMI 2.1-compatible: No
• Audio: 2x 10W stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos support
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) dual-band, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi Direct, Apple AirPlay
• Other inputs: 1x USB 2.0, Ethernet (RJ45), optical digital audio out, composite video in, 2x 3.5mm audio out, F-type cable/antenna in
• Tuner: ATSC over-the-air
• Ambilight modes: Follow Video (movie/sport/game presets), Follow Audio, Lounge Light, Roku Backdrops
• Voice assistants: Alexa, Google Assistant, Roku voice remote
• Warranty: 2-year limited

Pricing starts at $319.99 for the 50-inch, $369.99 for the 55-inch, and $469.99 for the 65-inch.

How we tested

To test this TV, I watched a variety of content, tweaking the Ambilight settings as I went and making sure to use its different viewing modes and features. I've used dozens of TVs in the budget and midrange, and I've covered TV technology improvements for years. I know what technologies TVs at this price should offer, and how they look when they do. I watched everything from superhero movies to nature documentaries, paying close attention to color reproduction, HDR highlights, contrast, and black levels. I also watched test videos to gauge how well the TV handles motion and contrast, and listened to music I know like the back of my hand to judge how well the speakers reproduce it.

What we like

Ambilight with no setup

Setting up ambient lighting for a TV can be a chore, so if you know you'll want it anyway, it helps to have it built in. That way, you don't have to deal with a sync box, a camera hanging off your TV, or LED strips you have to mount behind the TV and then calibrate. Plug the 7985 in, position it near a wall, and the rear-facing LEDs extend what's on screen into the room. You can run through some setup steps that might improve the experience, but all you need to do is change the default brightness if you want to and tell the TV what color your walls are so it can adjust the colors to match. During setup, I probably spent less than 60 seconds on the Ambilight.

The feature works well, too. It has several modes you can choose from (if you'd like to change them). Follow Video matches the glow to on-screen content in real time, with presets for movies, sports, and games. Follow Audio reacts to whatever's playing through the speakers with three visual styles. Lounge Light keeps the LEDs active even when the TV is off, turning it into an ambient lamp. Again, most people won't have to deal with this if they don't want to—the TV is set to Follow Video out of the box, which is what I think most users will want.

Roku OS is reasonably easy to use

I can't say that Roku is my favorite TV operating system. I find it dated-looking in a way I don't love. But there's no denying that it's easy to use—which, unfortunately, is the bar for TV operating systems.

App support is broad (you'll find all the major streaming services), and the Roku Channel gives you access to over 500 live channels without any additional subscription. The Roku mobile app handles text input and serves as a remote, reducing frustration with on-screen keyboards.

There's also decent integration with other Roku products. Roku Smart Picture, which automatically adjusts picture settings based on the content you're watching, is included. You can pair Roku wireless speakers and soundbars directly through the platform, keeping the ecosystem simple if you want to upgrade the audio later. It also works with other ecosystems, including support for Apple AirPlay, which is helpful.

And thankfully, Roku is reasonably responsive. Plenty of bloated TV operating systems take seconds to react to your input, but that's not the case here. The look of Roku may not be my favorite, but I value responsiveness and ease of use above design.

It offers an incredible value for its price, especially for budget shoppers

Even if Ambilight weren't included, the TV would offer good value. At $469.99 for the 65-inch, the 7985 sits in the same budget QLED tier as 65-inch models from TCL and Hisense—and those don't have built-in lighting features.

Now, to be clear, those other TVs have a lot to offer, too, and if you were willing to spend a little more, you'd probably find a TV with higher contrast, deeper black levels, and more vibrant colors. Those TVs wouldn't have Ambilight, though, and getting both would cost more.

What we don't like

Image quality is only fine

Given the low price, the image quality isn't the best. The TV is an LCD with direct LED backlighting, which means it isn't a Mini-LED or Micro-LED TV with dimming zones it can control for better contrast and deeper black levels.

Other aspects of its image quality are fine. The TV uses quantum dots to make colors a little more vibrant, and they looked good. That said, HDR doesn't necessarily pop the way it would on TVs with more advanced display technologies. It's also a 60Hz TV, so if you're planning to game on it, don't expect to take advantage of a PS5 or Xbox Series X's 120fps output. You won't even get HDMI 2.1 here.

Again, the image isn't terrible, and you won't necessarily get better image quality dramatically from other TVs at the same price. It is worth looking for deals on pricier models, though. TVs are routinely discounted, and there are plenty of options that cost $200 or so more with Mini-LED backlighting, which might drop to around this price at some point.

Audio is underwhelming

You'll probably want to pair this TV with a soundbar or other speaker system if you can. The built-in speakers are two 10-watt drivers. There's no dedicated bass driver and no height channels. You wouldn't expect those things from a TV at this price point, but the audio is still rough.

Dolby Atmos support is technically present, but it's limited by the physical reality of two stereo speakers in a thin chassis. You won't get meaningful overhead or surround effects from this setup. The 7985 adds Dolby Atmos, while the 7875 Series only had Dolby Audio. Roku OS also makes it easy to pair a compatible soundbar for better audio without complicated configuration.

Should you buy the Philips 7985 Series Ambilight TV?

Yes, it's a wonderful value product

Ambilight is a cool feature, and it happens to be built into a TV that has a solid image quality for its price point. If you can stretch your budget a little, you can get TVs with a better image quality, though you'll have to give up Ambilight to do so. This Ambilight TV (available at Philips) is reasonably priced, offers neat features for the money, and works reasonably well with Roku. At under $500 for a 65-inch TV, this is on the strong end of what you should expect at that price, and the TV would be worth considering even without the Ambilight feature.