Philips Hue Play Gradient
VERDICT
If you want a cinema experience at home, this is non-negotiable. It is the most accurate, responsive, and seamless TV backlighting system ever made. The colors flow naturally around the screen, making your TV feel twice as big. The only downside? The eye-watering price of the full ecosystem.
The Big Picture
Standard LED strips just change one color at a time. The Play Gradient is designed specifically for TVs (55", 65", 75"). It has multiple color zones angled at 45 degrees to project light onto your wall. When connected to the Hue Sync Box, it mimics the content on your screen in real-time with zero lag.
🎬 Surround Lighting
How it works: If there is an explosion on the left side of your movie screen, the strip explodes in orange on the left wall. If there is a blue ocean on the right, the right wall turns blue.
The Effect: It tricks your peripheral vision. Your eyes stop seeing the black bezel of the TV, and the image feels like it's bleeding into the room. It reduces eye strain and increases immersion massively.
🔌 The Install & Sync Box
Installing is easy; it comes with clips that stick to the back of your TV.
The Catch: To get the "TV Sync" feature, you MUST buy the Philips Hue HDMI Sync Box 8K (sold separately). Without it, this is just a very expensive colorful light strip. The Sync Box sits between your Apple TV/Xbox and your TV to analyze the signal.
✅ The Pros
- Flawless color accuracy and transitions (no flickering).
- Designed perfectly to fit 3 sides of a TV (Top, Left, Right).
- Zero latency (crucial for gaming).
- Integrates with other Hue lights in the room for a full "Entertainment Area."
❌ The Cons
- Extremely expensive ($200+ for strip, $250+ for Sync Box).
- Does not light up the bottom of the TV (need a separate tube for that).
- Does not work with built-in Smart TV apps (must use external HDMI device).
🤔 Should you buy it?
YES if you have a high-end Home Theater and want the absolute best immersion money can buy.
NO if you rely on your TV's built-in apps (Netflix/YouTube) because the Sync Box cannot "see" those apps. Get a camera-based system like Govee instead.
See the showdown: Philips Hue Play Gradient vs. Govee Envisual T2