Philips PFL97x4 (2009) Series

Stunning looks and build ; effective depth-enhancing Ambilight ; detailed, punchy pictures all-round ; great sound

New rivals offer even greater black insight and motion ; no Freeview HD

It’s still superb, but the Philips should no longer be the only telly on your shopping list

Beautiful design ; Outstanding audio ; Arguably the best LCD picture ever ; Excellent 'net connectivity

Quality doesn't come cheap ; Colour presets aren't great

This is the best TV Philips have ever built and shows that 2010 is going to be the year of LED TVs

Stunning pictures ; Excellent image processing ; Ambilight wins ; Superb BLu-ray performance

The price ; Soft Freeview pictures

With tumbling prices and features galore, standing out in the big-screen TV market isn't easy.

Fabulous picture, with especially impressive contrast ; terrific sound ; comprehensive spec ; elegant styling ; quality build

It’s hardly what you’d call cheap

A premium price for a premium TV. If you’ve got the cash, this Philips is well worth the outlay

Deep black, excellent speakers, fluid pictures

Some artefacts, over-processed digital TV, high price

With powerful speakers and fluid, contrast-heavy pictures, this 40-inch TV shows just what can be done to the flatscreen TV idea. Effective use of LED backlighting and the useful, if slightly flawed, Perfect Natural Motion feature helps create some of...

A premium price for a premium TV. If you've got the cash, this Philips is well worth the outlay

Capable of magnificent pictures, superb audio performer, great looking TV, massive feature count, class-leading multimedia features

It's very expensive, it doesn't have a Freeview HD tuner, and it takes quite a bit of effort to keep pictures looking their best

Philips have produced an LED TV that once again demonstrates how accomplished the Dutch manufacturer has become. This time however, they have gone a step further to create what is arguably the best LCD TV around.

Excellent motion clarity., High contrast ratio., Low power consumption., Accurate 24p reproduction., Great sound., Rich multimedia capabilities

The operation is just plain awkward., Local Dimming artefacts

Philips presents an impressive package: excellent features, sharp motion sequences, rich blacks, decent colours, excellent sound, and low power consumption. With these under its belt, the 46 PFL 9704 is easy to forgive for its Local Dimming artefacts...