Philips' Hue Sync Box 8K Gets HDMI 2.1 Upgrade To Play Better With Xbox Series X And PS5

Many may recognize Philips, the Dutch maker of consumer electronic products, as the manufacturer of Hue bulbs with little known features, but it also makes "Ambilight" branded TVs. Ambilight technology involves the TVs featuring a set of color changing LED lights at the rear panel and its edges that adjust according to the content on the display. Philips claimed that the technology lets users enjoy a more enveloping and immersive TV-watching experience, making the content more engaging.

While these Ambilight TVs have since been phased out of the U.S. market (they are still sold elsewhere), the only way to get a similar experience with any modern-day TV is to get another product from Philips called the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box. Launched more than four years ago in 2020, this Sync Box was in desperate need of an update.

Philips has delivered exactly that with the latest version of the Sync Box. The new product builds upon the functionalities of its predecessor, adding new functionalities that include support for newer gaming consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Unlike the older 4K capable machine, the latest product supports 8K content and refresh rates up to 120 Hz. Other new additions include integration with an existing Alexa and Google Home eco-system for voice control and live camera feed display.

The most notable addition to the 2024 edition of the Philips Hue Sync Box is that it is now compatible with the latest HDMI 2.1 standard. This is quite an upgrade from the outgoing variant that only supported HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2. This allows the newer machine to support 8K content, refresh rates going up to 120 Hz, and newer generation of gaming consoles.

Aside from the additional features enabled by HDMI 2.1, Philips has also given the Philips Hue app a much-needed overhaul. It now has new features like Effects, which allows users to personalize the lighting experience by changing the intensity, brightness, speed, and base color of the lights. The company has also promised support to integrate multiple bridges for users with larger setups.

The original Hue Sync Box, at $249.99, was a pretty expensive piece of equipment that essentially lit up your TV's rear panel and the walls behind it. Though, its uniqueness did earn it a fanbase. With the new 8K model, the pricing of the product has gone up even further, and it will set you back by a cool $349.99.