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The first thing you’re probably wondering is what a 40-inch display is like to use. It takes getting used to, but after a while feels alright. Games look magnificent with this screen size, although when playing it became important to sit back a bit. The sheer size can cause problems. A quick glance at the system tray requires turning your head, and when gaming, that split-second delay can mean missing a kill in a multiplayer game.
Word processing, spreadsheets and other documents simply don’t work well in full screen mode. The massive screen lets you open Explorer windows, a browser, pictures, and anything else you might need all at the same time, which might be just the thing some people are after, but in some situations it can be a hindrance.
The ergonomics of the screen are very good, but could be improved slightly. The joystick and OSD system is a plus point, but being located at the rear on such a massive display means quite a lot of arm stretching to do, which gets a bit tiring when going through page after page of menus. It’s still better than buttons, but a TV-sized display really needs a TV-style remote control. It is very intuitive to use though.
The stand is big and sturdy but lacking any way to tilt or rotate the screen is a major negative.
The picture was a little disappointing when we first set it up. It initially seemed that the noticeably washed out screen literally paled in comparison with other high-end colour-accurate monitors. But after tweaking the settings, the picture was far richer. Calibration made a huge difference. A 99 per cent sRGB screen should look good, and it takes some effort to get there – but when it does, we had no complaints with the BDM4065’s visible colour reproduction.
Brightness levels are on the low side though. You don’t need a fancy colorimeter to notice the difference. The picture never leaps out from the screen at you like it does on many other premium displays. But the blacks are definitely impressive, something VA LCD technology excels at.
Viewing angles are also surprisingly good, not noticeably worse than an IPS screen. And blacks are superb. The test results are off the charts, an effect of using a VA display.
A major plus point is the PIP/PBP mode. If you like the ability to manage multiple computers at once on the same screen, the BDM4065 really is the best display you can buy. It works brilliantly, giving a generous area to the secondary input while ensuring the main display remains visible.
The ghosting is a problem though. Unless the display is in Game mode, there was a blue shadow left on the screen when quickly moving windows, flicking through menus in games and so on. But in this mode, we noticed artifacts around objects in movies, an effect that disappeared when switching to the Movie mode.
There are plenty of other options for large displays with a screen size around 32 inches, roughly around the same price point, but with a much brighter and more vivid picture quality. The Philips BDM4065 is still a very good product with some unique features, but it unfortunately carries a few too many niggling flaws to be a must-have purchase.
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Pros:
- Largest 4K desktop display on the market.
- 4-way PIP/PBP.
- Good gaming performance.
- Good colour reproduction.
- Five video inputs.
Cons:
- Lacks brightness.
- Perhaps too big for comfortable use.
- Visual artefacts with some of the modes.
- Cannot adjust height or tilt the screen.
Kitguru Says: This 40-inch 4K beast unfortunately isn’t the wonder-monitor we had hoped for. It lacks the brightness of other high-end displays and has a few issues that can get in the way when watching movies or gaming.
