I recently upgraded my work monitor to a Samsung UN40HU6950 40-inch/4K monitor; and, although it had some issues, I was willing to live with them for the additional screen real-estate.

After getting used to the 40" monitor at work, my 30"+20" setup at home was definitely feeling too small. (It's amazing how awesome these 40" 4K monitors are!) I would have upgraded to another Samsung at home if it were just me; but, I knew some of the issues wouldn't fly at all with my wife - who uses that PC when I'm not home.

When I came across a chance to pick up this new Philips model, I jumped at it - even though I knew it was a small risk since there basically isn't any warranty support until this is officially available in the U.S.

Fortunately it's working perfectly - and I'm very happy with it!

In fact, it works so well that I purchased 2 more - so both myself and the other programmer in our company can both use one. He commented yesterday that it's absolutely amazing how much more productive he can be with the larger screen (instead of multiple smaller screens); which is the exact same experience I had.

[*** Screen Size ***]

I remember when a 21" CRT seemed giant! Then it seems like everybody migrated to 20" LCDs, 24" LCDs, and then either multiple monitors or 30" LCDs.

Since I've been using a 30"+20" setup for several years, I thought that was the pinnacle for software development - but a 40"/4K setup blows it out of the water!

It's interesting that there are smaller 4K options available from several PC manufacturers - but I really don't get the point of a sub-40" 4K monitor. The 40" size is perfect to truly take advantage of the added resolution without having to deal with scaling.

Having said that, there are a couple of things to keep in mind:

1) For some reason (probably because of the smaller 4K monitors that are available), Windows 8 automatically turns the scaling up to about 200% with this monitor. I would highly recommend bumping it back down to 100% to take full advantage of the size. (This can be done by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting 'Screen Resolution' - then click 'Make text and other items larger or smaller'.)

2) If you're used to multiple monitors, you'll want to install a window manager. I use 'Winsplit Revolution', which is an excellent free tool; but, it's been discontinued. I suspect you can still find copies of it (or something similar) on the web somewhere.

Honestly, now that I've seen the light, I'm looking forward to 50"/5K monitors in a few years (hopefully with a curved screen).

[*** Picture Quality ***]

I'm not very picky in this area; but, I'm not a graphics artist either.

From a non-graphics-pro perspective, I think this looks great! (It's definitely better than the Samsung - especially with the lingering 4:4:4 color space issues on the Samsung.)

[*** Mounting/Stand ***]

The stand that's included with this monitor isn't that great - and it's not adjustable in any way. I will say that the 'open' design of the stand is kind of nice so it doesn't eat up as much desk real-estate as some other stands I've used.

I mounted the first one to the wall; but, the second and third are working fine with the included stand.

The one that's mounted to the wall uses a low-profile wall mount and the monitor looks absolutely fantastic! It also buys me more desk space since the monitor is completely off the desk - and it allows the monitor to sit back about 3" further (toward the wall) than it does with the stand.

[*** Ports ***]

This is an area where the Philips leaves a lot to be desired.

It has a built-in USB hub - but the ports are positioned in the back of the monitor. In other words, it's pretty much completely useless... Personally I ended up using an external 7 Port USB 3.0 Hub instead of the one on the monitor.

The power cable comes straight out the back - which is horrible for mounting this to a wall! I ended up having to pick up a right-angle power cord so I could mount this flush to the wall. (It's fine for the 2 that are sitting on cubicle desks.)

I'm used to having an SD card reader built into my monitor at home - and this does not include that feature. Once again, it's not a huge deal since good card readers are inexpensive.

At least the video inputs face the side instead of the back; but, they're located on the top/left of the monitor. Not really ideal for running cables up from a desk. I ended up having to run a 10' DisplayPort cable instead of the previous 6' cable that worked fine with the ports on the bottom of my previous monitor.

In fact, because of the poor placement of the DisplayPort, I ended up having to use longer video cables for 2 of the 3 monitors.

[*** Price ***]

I know the price is going to drop fast - especially once it's officially released in the U.S. In fact, I paid a few hundred apiece less for the second and third just 6 weeks after the first.

Having said that, if you shop around, you can already pick this up for quite a bit less than some of the 30" options on the market.

Keep in mind that you may end up having to upgrade your video card as well if you want to run a 4K monitor. Any video card with a DisplayPort output that supports 4K resolution will work for desktop apps; but, you'll need something a lot higher end if you're a gamer.

[*** Conclusion ***]

If you're looking for a 40"/4K monitor, this is FAR better than the 'TV' options on the market. The color, refresh rate, and overall usability are much better on the Philips.

There are definitely some issues to keep in mind; but, this is currently the best option available. There isn't really anything that competes with it at all; although, I suspect that will change quickly.

Personally, I would highly recommend this monitor! If you're looking for additional screen real-estate for maximum productivity, then this is the absolute best option on the market.

I was really looking forward to receiving this monitor. Unfortunately it arrived DOA. I tried everything including turning the switch on and off, pressing and moving the joystick in all directions, changing power chords and electrical outlet, turning the computer on, etc. Nothing worked. The LED light in the front never came on and the monitor itself did not turn on. Also the display port cable was missing from the box.

I've had this display now for a little over two weeks. When I first got it, the picture was brilliant. 40 inches really helps show all the detail the 4K has to offer. Colors are crisp and vibrant. I was overall very happy and was going to give a four to five star review. After two days of use I noticed a color banding effect that would occur when I would have a white foreground on a dark background. It was very easy to reproduce this color banding by setting a dark desktop wallpaper and opening a window. This occurred even when no video signal was input into the monitor and only the built in on screen display was used. Thinking I had a defective product, I called Philips support, put in an RMA request, shipped it, and waited a week for a replacement to arrive. After receiving the replacement I was horrified to see the exact same color banding issue as I had before. I checked the serial number to confirm that this was a different monitor having the exact same problem.

I have attached the same photos I've sent Philips support to this review. After some online research I have found that many others have had the exact same color banding problem with this monitor, as can be seen in this Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnPrGXG_30o

While the color banding may not be a big issue for some, for me now that I've seen it I cannot unsee it. I've contacted Philips support to make them aware of the problem. If they are able to provide a fix I will update my review, otherwise I fear that I will have to return this.

Update:
I haven't received any more word from Philips support about any kind of resolution for this color banding problem. Due to this I have returned my display and replaced it with the LG 31MU97-B.