Philips 40PFL5706 Review

At first glance, the Philips 40PFL5706 looks like a good bargain: It boasts several extra features and a 40-inch screen. But consumers and experts commenting in Philips 40PFL5706 reviews aren't sold. CNET, for example, reports that colors are inaccurate, black levels aren't deep enough, and video processing is weak; in other words, picture quality is underwhelming. Philips 40PFL5706 reviews also note that the picture controls aren't sufficiently sensitive; on Walmart, one consumer says the picture is just too dark and no amount of fiddling helps. The MediaConnect feature, which lets you wirelessly connect to a PC, pleases some consumers for its convenience, but other Philips 40PFL5706 reviews say the novelty wears off quickly, at least in part because the signal range is limited and heavy traffic can slow things down. The built-in Wi-Fi includes Internet apps such as Netflix, Vudu, Pandora, and Twitter, but there's no app for YouTube or HuluPlus. It's also not Mac-compatible, as one disappointed consumer points out on Amazon, who nevertheless gushes about the picture quality.

The Philips 40PFL5706 has a 40-inch display and a 120Hz refresh rate. It supports 1080p content, and has built-in Wi-Fi as well as an Ethernet port, four HDMI ports, a USB 2.0 port, and a PC connector. The 40PFL5706 also includes a pair of 10-watt speakers. Unlike the other low-cost LCD TVs we researched, this model lacks an Energy Star certification.

The 40PFL5706 has some strong points but also a number of weak spots. One of the few budget LCD TVs with four HDMI ports, it calls out to users who have lots of devices they'd want to connect to the television, and the MediaConnect feature also appeals. But Philips 40PFL5706 reviews indicate that picture quality is iffy and there's nothing here for Apple loyalists. For a few dollars more, you could do better.