Philips has announced another high-end OLED television, the Philips OLED+986 that sits alongside its already-announced OLED+936 model at the top of its 2021 range. 

The company also confirmed the Philips OLED+936, like the OLED+986, is equipped with the new “OLED Evo” panel that has 20% higher brightness than standard displays of its type. Both TVs also come equipped with Philips’ proprietary anti-burn-in technology, HDMI 2.1 and built-in Bowers & Wilkins speakers. 

Philips had already announced its impressive 8-Series OLED TVs last month that feature advanced, HDMI 2.1-powered gaming features and its new P5 AI microprocessor, so it’s mainly the built-in soundbar and the newer display that sets these more premium models apart. 

The Philips OLED+986 will only be available in a single 65-inch size, unlike the OLED+936, which will come in a choice of 48-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch sizes. The company said the new panels sport an Emission Layer and a Micro Lens Array that combine to deliver a 20% improvement in peak light output. They also have the advantage of improving viewing angles. 

It’s worth noting that the 48-inch version of the Philips OLED936 will however only come with a regular OLED panel, as the new Evo panel is not available in that size. 

Philips’ anti-burn-in system meanwhile is a unique technology not found on other brand’s OLED TVs that works by analyzing the picture in a grid of 32,400 zones. Philips promised the feature will not have any impact on gaming lag, but will eliminate the burn-in problem for 95% of static images, including logos and gaming content. 

That’s just as well, because the gaming features are a big draw. The Philips OLED+986 supports 4K at 120Hz, variable refresh rates and auto low-latency mode, with an input lag of just 4 milliseconds, the company said. It also supports Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium, ensuring about as smooth a possible games playing experience as it’s possible to enjoy. 

Other features include top notch HDR support, with Dolby Vision, HLG, HDR10, HDR10+ and HDR10+ Adaptive all covered. The TVs are also Calman Ready, which means they can be calibrated at home using the Calman software. The Philips OLED+986 runs the Android TV platform, which brings capabilities such as Chromecast built-in, ad supports Filmmaker mode, AV1 video decoding and Philips’ signature Ambilight (4-sided on this model). Both the OLED986 and OLED936 come with traditional stands and wall mount options.

As for the built-in B&W soundbar, this supports Dolby Atmos, HDMI eARC, as well as the DTS Play-Fi wireless sound format for those that want to connect wireless speakers. 

For those asking what the differences between the two premium OLED TVs are, it seems the only real one regards the audio. The OLED+986 deploys an audiophile grade 70W 3.0 sound system which features three 100mm mid/bass drivers that use the Continuum cones first developed for Bowers & Wilkins’ signature 800 Series speakers, while the OLED+936 features a Dolby Atmos compatible 3.1.2 system with upgraded drivers across the board.

Philips still hasn’t announced any prices for its premium OLED TVs, but we imagine they’ll be in a similar bracket to high-end models such as the LG G1, Sony A90J and the Panasonic JZ2000. 

Philips said the OLED+936 will go on sale in September, while the Philips OLED+986 will arrive in the shops in October.