The Philips Brilliance 498P9Z one-ups its predecessor by doubling the refresh rate to make it suitable for immersive gaming. The two models are aimed at our favorite hobby and business, but this model clearly is the better pick since it’s more versatile. Let’s see what the Philips Brilliance 498P9Z has to offer to know if it’s a worthy upgrade or investment.
Philips Brilliance 498P9Z Specifications
- Screen Size: 49 Inches
- Resolution:5120 x 1440 QHD
- Aspect Ratio: 32:9
- Panel Technology: Vertical Alignment (VA)
- Refresh Rate:165Hz
- Response Time: 4ms
- Contrast Ratio: 3000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 550 cd/m²
- Speakers: Yes (2 x 5 Watts)
- Stand: Height–Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel–Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.4 x 2, HDMI 2.0 x 3, USB 3.2 x 3, 3.5mm Jack
- Dimension (W x H x D): 47.01” x 22.36” x 11.93”
- Weight: 33.51lbs
Design and Features
The Philips Brilliance 498P9Z looks identical to its productivity-based sibling which mostly looks like a professional display. The monitor has a matte black aesthetic which will sit nicely in the background of your setup, whether if it’s for gaming or productivity. The display is bezel-free on three sides so you can enjoy the massive screen without distractions.
The first thing you have to consider before upgrading to a super ultrawide is its actual width which can reach almost four feet. It also needs a foot of depth from your desk when fully assembled so it can push off or interfere with some of your other peripherals. It’s also very heavy at 33.5 pounds, so it would be wise to look for an extra set of hands while setting up.
Its build quality is also great so you don’t have to worry about damage over time due to its size and weight. The plastics used are sturdy and there were no cosmetic defects when it was unboxed and put together. The stand does a good job of holding the massive cabinet up, but it can slightly wobble if you nudge the corners accidentally.
One downside of the Philips Brilliance 498P9Z is it still uses buttons for its OSD instead of a more convenient joystick. The layout is easily accessible since it’s just under the bottom bezel, but it takes more key presses and effort to get to a specific setting. Premium models should always have every convenience, but this isn’t a deal-breaker entirely since the monitor is priced lower than its closest competitors.
The included stand offers tilt and height adjustment, plus a limited amount of swivel for your convenience. It is easy to get a good viewing angle that will complement your sitting posture so your neck won’t be strained. You can use VESA mounts, but it’s only necessary if needed to save space on your desktop.
the Philips Brilliance 498P9Z has plenty of connectivity options, starting with its DisplayPort 1.4 slot and triple HDMI 2.0 ports. You also get three usable USB 3.2 ports for peripherals along with a 3.5mm jack for convenience. What severely lacking is a USB-C slot with DP-Alt mode which could extend its flexibility for work use.
The monitor also includes a pair of 5-watt speakers with good sound quality and just enough loudness for desktop use. It is not great for gaming or immersive entertainment, but it’s usable enough if you want to hang your headset for a while.
Display and Performance
The Philips Brilliance 498P9Z boasts a 49-inch super-ultrawide VA panel with a 5120 x 1440 resolution, a 165Hz refresh rate, and a 4ms response time. The backlight has up to 550 cd/m2 while the contrast is listed at 3000:1 like most VA panels. This model is certified for HDR 400 even if it has a more powerful backlight, but that’s a more honest claim or specification since HDR 600 needs more special features to be truly effective.
49-inch “5K-2K” monitors like this model are more or less equivalent to two 27-inch 1440p monitors side by side, minus the bezel in between. That means that the pixel density will be great for visibility and legibility, but you will need a more powerful GPU to run games with high framerates. Your eyes won’t struggle with this screen, but some tasks can make your head swivel more than it should if you have the screen.
The Philips Brilliance 498P9Z renders more than 100% sRGB and 92% DCI-P3 for excellent vibrancy in games and movies. Its default accuracy is excellent since its deltaE average is only 1.15, so most users won’t need to calibrate it. However, we recommend tweaking some basic settings like the brightness so you can get a comfortable view for extended use.
Calibrating it reduced its dE average to 0.87 which makes the monitor usable for editing and content creation. However, you need a colorimeter which costs another two hundred or so to procure. You will only need to spend the extra color critical worse, but otherwise, you will be fine.
Its backlight reached 533 cd/m2 at 100%, while its contrast peaked at 2468:1 at 40% brightness. It is not the best, but it’s bright enough to fight glare and the display shows deep black levels and believable dark scenes. It’s probably why the display is only rated for HDR 400, but it will still look better for night scenes when compared to IPS and TN.
Panel uniformity for the Philips Brilliance 498P9Z was decent overall, but there were some clouding issues on the top and bottom edges of the screen. It’s not noticeable in full color, but dark scenes can reveal them if you look close enough. This is common on curved monitors, but thankfully, it is not permanent and there are better units out there.
The Philips Brilliance 498P9Z is prone to blurring since it has a VA panel that lists that as a weakness. It has an overdrive feature to lessen smudges and persistence in fast and contrasting transitions, but we don’t recommend maxing it out. Note that your experience might be different since we all see differently, so we highly recommend experimenting with this aspect to find what works best for you.
The Philips Brilliance 498P9Z is compatible with AMD FreeSync Premium, but it also works with G-Sync Compatible mode if you force it via Nvidia Control Panel. This is a must-have capability now since GPUs are scarce and they are very expensive. Input lag sits at 5ms at 165Hz so there is no need to worry about delays while gaming.
Thoughts on the Philips Brilliance 498P9Z
The Philips Brilliance 498P9Z is a great choice if you want a dual-purpose screen that’s capable in both aspects. The VA panel is accurate enough for color-critical work and it’s a joy to use for immersive gaming thanks to its form factor and high contrast. It’s well designed and durable thanks to great craftsmanship and materials.
However, there are a few missing features that would make a true value champion like USB-C connectivity. It’s also prone to issues associated with curved VA monitors like backlight leaks and slow pixel response times. However, it’s a great buy if you need an all-around display that will feel like a considerable upgrade compared to the usual 16:9 option.
Pros:
- Superb Colors and Contrast
- Excellent Default Accuracy
- Large and Sharp Screen
- Lower Price than Competitors
Cons:
- No USB-C
- Prone to Minor Blurring
- OSD Buttons
About the Author: 
Paolo is a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations and he believes that it’s every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
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