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In the jumbo desktop genre, the two technologies with the best image quality are OLED and Mini LED. OLED is the contrast king, with Mini LED just a bit behind. The question then becomes, how much brightness do you need? Mini LED is very bright, as high as 2,000 nits, while OLED in large sizes might hit 500. But unless you are using your display in a very bright room, that high brightness is unnecessary.
It's obvious that I am partial to OLED, not only for its image quality but its super smooth motion and gaming feel. Every example I’ve reviewed has been a stunner. Philips’ contribution to the genre is no different. I’ve already covered the Evnia 34M2C8600 curved ultra-wide and the 42M2N89 impressed me just as much.
The picture is stunning in every respect. With incredibly low black levels, contrast is superb. As the most important element of image fidelity, OLED and the 42M2N89 get it right every time. Brightness is a bit low in SDR mode but for a typical indoor environment, it’s bright enough.
Color is the standout here. The 42M2N89 can’t be calibrated, which would be a bummer if it were any other monitor. But right out of the box, it delivers reference-level accuracy. Most professional screens, which cost considerably more, can’t boast this level of precision. I could ding it for its under-saturated sRGB mode, but I seriously doubt this will concern anyone looking for a gaming, entertainment and general-use display.
Philips has included every possible convenience feature here as well. You get a handy remote, aiming point and sniper mode. The Ambiglow lighting, something unique to Philips, is useful both as a bias light and as a colorful display. The audio quality is better than many televisions and the stand is just like a quality monitor stand with height, swivel and tilt adjustments.
If you’re comparing the 42M2N89 to a television, remember that as a computer monitor, you not only get the higher 138 Hz refresh rate, but you get DisplayPort which enables G-Sync operation in addition to its FreeSync Premium certification. And at $1,400, it’s a decent value.
You’ll never regret buying a jumbo monitor so if you’re in the market, the Philips Evnia 42M2N89 is a worthy option.
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