Philips Momentum 559M1RYV Review: TV and Monitor Converge

The Philips Momentum 559M1RYV delivers an excellent jumbo screen experience for gaming and entertainment.

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Philips Momentum 559M1RYV
(Image: © Philips)

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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

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Philips Momentum 559M1RYV
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Light output is prodigious for all the screens in the test group. The 559M1RYV tops out at over 775 nits in SDR mode, which from a panel this large is really bright. You’ll rarely have a need to turn up the backlight all the way. Our only beef is that the minimum level is still fairly bright at 100 nits. If you play in a dark room, definitely turn on the Ambiglow to balance the image with ambient light.

Black levels are superb at just 0.1485 nits with the backlight on full. Both Philips screens excel in this test. Resulting contrast is 5,223.4:1, bested only by the Aorus FV43U. This is the panel’s native contrast with SmartContrast turned off. If you turn it on, a black field pattern shuts off the backlight, making the black level unmeasurable.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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Philips Momentum 559M1RYV
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Calibration doesn’t affect the 559M1RYV’s ranking at all; it’s still the best screen after the Aorus. It is the first monitor we’ve reviewed that posted identical contrast ratios before and after adjustment. With 5,223.4:1, the picture is stunning, sharp and saturated with deep blacks and terrific depth.

The 559M1RYV slips to third in the intra-image contrast test. The number is still very high which shows Philips’ attention to quality control and component selection. This is a very well-engineered and built monitor.

Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.