- Philips’ new TV light synchronization box uses WiZ rather than Hue
- Includes 4K 120Hz passthrough so you don’t lose use of a key TV port
- £129 to £149 including lightstrip; USA launches TBC
Signify has launched a new Philips HDMI sync box, but it’s not for the Philips Hue range: it’s part of the Philips Smart Lighting range and uses smart technology from WiZ instead.
That’s good news, because Hue is positioned as a premium product with prices to match, and Wiz is much cheaper. My Hue Play Sync Box, while excellent, is also very expensive: it had an official price of £299 / $349 at launch, although it’s widely discounted now. The new sync box costs £129 to £149.
The new product is called the Philips Smart Lighting HDMI Sync Box 2.1, and it comes with an included light strip in two sizes, one for TVs from 55 to 65 inches and one for TVs from 75 to 85 inches.
What is the difference between Philips Smart Lighting Sync and Hue Sync?
The Philips Smart Lighting HDMI 2.1 Sync Box is not designed to work with any Hue system or the Hue app. It’s a pure WiZ case, and uses WiZ’s app. The only thing that isn’t WiZ is the branding, probably because Philips has a better brand cachet.
In terms of what the box offers, it’s very much the same as the Hue I love so much (or one of Philips’ Ambilight TVs, which basically has a smart lightstrip built in). You connect it to your TV and it changes the light strip to match what’s happening on the screen, making the picture feel bigger and more immersive.
I especially like mine when I play: play Horizon: Forbidden West was spectacular with sunsets in the game.
Signify is also expanding the Philips Smart Lighting range with other products, including gradient floor lamps and bars, table lamps and more flexible strips, with models up to 20m long for the European market and in the UK models with 5m lengths. All of these new products are much more affordable than the equivalent Hues, so for example the cheapest lightstrip will be £23.99.
The new products will all launch in the UK and Europe in June 2026. They are also coming to other countries, but launch dates and prices have not been announced yet.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds.
