Light up my life, Philips. The Dutch company does the best ambient light bars in the business. I own a couple of Philips Hue Light Strips, and I could never go back to having a TV minus one of these fantastic, illuminating accessories attached to its back. There's good news if you own a 55-inch set. Philips’ backlight for that size has returned to its lowest price on Amazon.
Right now, The Philips Hue 55” Smart TV Light Strip is on sale for $199 at Amazon. Usually, the list price for this terrific accessory is $249, meaning that if you get in on this deal, you’re saving a nice $50.
I’ve previously written about how I made the best LG OLED TV even better thanks to Philips’ light strip. I can’t remember when these wall-glowing accessories first became a thing, but I’m sure glad they did. While Govee has a good reputation for lighting gear, for my money, no company does it better than Philips.
The Philips Hue app is available in both Apple and Android stores. Based on my experience, it’s reliable and works on smartphones and tablets.
With the app at your command, you can adjust the brightness levels of the Philips light strip, which attaches to the back of your TV with the assistance of strong adhesive clamps. Although a quick warning: once you stick said clamps onto your set, do they ever remain stuck. I’ve had to remove them when selling old TVs in the past, and it’s taken an almighty effort to get the holders off. Conversely, it’s good to know they’re providing your new light strip with all the support it will ever need.
Once you have your strip installed and the Hue app ready to go, Philips provides you with various color presets. I’ve got the 55-inch model attached to my LG C2 OLED in my home office and the 75-inch version hooked up to my LG G3 OLED in my living room, and the app allows me to control both.
The great thing about the Hue light strip is just how many shades Philips gives you. There are dozens of different presets in the app, and I regularly switch between a number of them depending on what I’m watching/playing.
If I’m viewing one of the best horror movies on Netflix, I’ll generally stick to the ghoulish “Disturbia” preset. But in most instances, I go with “Blue Planet,” mainly because this breezy tone matches the color of my living room wall.
There’s also a Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box that mimics the color of the on-screen action you’re watching, which I highly recommend. Sadly, it’s not on sale now, but I still think it’s worth $248. Playing one of the best PS5 games and seeing the likes of Helldivers 2’s bug hunts go with the glow instantly adds an extra layer of immersion.
So if you want to make one of the best TVs even more enjoyable, I’d get on this light strip deal ASAP. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to my bingeing sessions.
More from Tom's Guide
