Philips 49B2U6903CH ultrawide monitor review
Multiple monitors or one very large screen. If you want the best multitasking display support, this is your ultimate choice. The new Philips 49B2U6903CH offers both single-screen options in a very large way.
This is a 49-inch ultrawide model that offers essentially the same screen area and resolution as a pair of 27-inch 1440p panels. To deliver on this basic productivity proposition, Philips has added high-spec connectivity features, including Thunderbolt 4 and a KVM switch, as well as basic HDR capabilities. You also get an integrated pop-up 5MP webcam, with support for Windows Hello and AI tracking.
If this all sounds appealing, the problem is the price. It costs over four figures in both the US and UK, making it significantly more expensive than a pair of equivalent 27-inch 1440p panels. So the question is whether the convenience and seamlessness of a single-screen solution outweighs the clearly superior value of using two screens. Let’s see how Philips’ latest model compares to its predecessors The best ultrawide monitors in the market.
Philips 49B2U6903CH: Design and features
- No nonsense aesthetic
- Excellent productivity feature set
- High spec webcam
Specification
Panel size: 49 inches
Panel type: VA
solve: 5,120 x 1,440
brightness: 450 nits SDR, 500 nits HDR
contrast: 3,000:1
Pixel response: 4 milliseconds
Refresh rate: 100 Hz
Color Coverage: 119% sRGB
High dynamic range: Display HDR 400
Visa: 100mm×100mm
enter: DisplayPort 1.4 x1, HDMI 2.0 x2, USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 (with 100 W power delivery x1)
other: USB hub including Thunderbolt 4 and USB-C downstream, KVW switch, 5MP webcam with AI tracking and Windows Hello
The Philips 49B2U6903CH is undoubtedly a productivity panel, which is clear from its simple black aesthetic. RGB lighting and other fancy gamer-centric features are definitely not present. Still, this is a well-designed monitor with an excellent feature set.
The main drawback from a design perspective is the stand. The stability of the panel itself on the stand isn’t very reassuring, although this isn’t a huge issue in static use. The bigger issue is the large size of the flat, sturdy stand base, which juts into the desk space and isn’t the most ergonomic solution for supporting such a large screen.
Another ergonomic issue that you may or may not like is the placement of the audio-out port and USB socket on the side of the monitor. There’s also a USB connection on the back, but it’s a little unsightly when it sticks out of the side if you’re running on the audio connection all the time. Then again, it’s easier to access when the headphones are plugged in.
In addition to comprehensive connectivity, including USB-C for a single-cable laptop dock that provides ample power delivery of 100W, Thunderbolt 4 support with daisy chaining, and full KVM functionality, one of the main draws is the ejection port located on Integrated 5MP webcam on the top bezel.
It definitely provides better image quality than most built-in security cameras. It also supports AI tracking, the idea being that the camera tracks and follows you without having to sit perfectly in the center all the time. In practice, it’s so hit and miss that it will often chop your head off and make it nearly unusable. This is probably a software tweak that keeps it from being great. In fact, the AI ​​tracking element is best ignored.
Philips 49B2U6903CH: Performance
- Carefully calibrated VA panel
- Epic desktop space
- Mediocre pixel density
The basic format of the Philips 49B2U6903CH is not new. But the physical reality of a 49-inch curved monitor with a 32:9 aspect ratio is still very impressive. This is a lot of monitors.
The benefits of multitasking are obvious. Once you’re used to easily running up to four full application windows side by side, going back to a standard 27-inch 16:9 monitor feels like a real injustice, it’s so restrictive.
As for image quality, the biggest downside to this Philips is pixel density. If you’re familiar with a 27-inch or 32-inch 4K monitor, the quality of fonts and image details is noticeably lower. However, there is currently no 32:9 aspect ratio, 49-inch ultrawide monitor with higher pixel density. So if you like this form factor, this is as good as it gets in terms of DPI.
Still, Philips calibrated this monitor very well, with an average DeltaE of just 0.88, as shown in the included calibration report. In practical terms, this means that SDR colors look accurate and well-balanced.
It’s also a very punchy display, rated at 450 nits SDR and 500 nits HDR brightness. This is enough to burn out even in very bright ambient light conditions. Additionally, the panel’s SDR calibration in HDR mode is also excellent. This means you can always run this monitor in HDR mode without having to switch between modes based on content type.
That said, you have to be realistic about the HDR capabilities of such monitors. There’s no local dimming, let alone per-pixel lighting like an OLED screen. Long story short, despite being VESA HDR400 certified, this is not a true HDR-capable monitor. In fact, VESA HDR400 pretty much tells you that there is no real HDR functionality, more support for HDR content rendered in correct colors is better than nothing.
Elsewhere, Philips says the monitor is capable of 100Hz. However, in our testing it delivered 120Hz and ran smoothly, so the quoted 100Hz may be a mistake.
Regardless, 120Hz is more than enough for desktop responsiveness and smoothness. Frankly, even for a gaming venue, this is more than enough considering the high resolution and possible frame rates. That’s not to say this is a gaming monitor, but it does the job well.
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Philips 49B2U6903CH: Final Verdict
From a productivity perspective, this is an excellent presentation tool. The huge workspace and excellent connectivity ensure this, while the webcam further improves productivity even if the AI ​​tracking doesn’t work.
Likewise, the image quality is everything you could ask for from a monitor of this type. It’s powerful, accurate, well calibrated, and fast enough. Of course, HDR support is limited. But the real downside to productivity is mediocre pixel density. For whatever reason, very few actual LCD panel manufacturers currently offer high-density panels in this form factor. You can’t blame Philips for this.
What you can blame Philips for is the price. One thing is for sure, a monitor of this size and the features it offers will never come cheap. But it’s more expensive than some OLED 49-inch gaming panels with the same form factor, which doesn’t really make sense. Having said that, even with such a high price, this is still an attractive proposition and a good long-term investment.
To get more display of content creation, we tested best business monitors and Best monitors for dual-screen setups.
