As each year goes by, the Philips 21:9 gets more and more of the 9000 series TVs thrown into it. This year at IFA 2011, the top end 21:9 has gone Platinum and so continues to justify/not-justify its rather heavy £4,000 price tag.

While it becomes equal fastest LED TV in the West, along with the 9000, it doesn't manage to capture the rather tasty sounding Moth Eye Filter that lends an almost absurd sounding contrast ratio of 150,000,000:1 and a non-reflective surface to help make some of the inkiest blacks in the business.

Fortunately, you still get a 1200Hz refresh rate, 0.5ms response times and consequently some very palatable fast action rendering indeed. Naturally, the demo videos are always going to be favourable but, combined with the three-sided, double row of rear facing LEDs that makes the Amibilight Spectra 3 XL effect and, of course, the unique aspect ratio of the display, it's still a pleasure to watch films on.

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Like the 9000 series, the 58-inch panel is capable of rendering 2,250 trillion colours while consuming 40 per cent less energy than normal LCD screens and it's also complete with the Full HD, 3D Max technology with a 180-degree viewing angle; The on-board ability to upgrade all your 2D content to a 3D version is also there.

If you're really thinking of just relying on the speakers within the set, then you probably can't afford this TV, but a final nice touch is that the active 3D shutter glasses offer a 2-player gaming mode. Whereas normally you get a split screen to share with your buddy, your goggles block out one of the images meaning that the whole 58 inches of the panel, as each player sees it, is devoted just to them. The downside, of course, is that you don't know how the competition is doing if it's a race, but it does work nicely for co-operative modes.

Naturally, Philips doesn't expect everyone to be able to afford the Platinum which is why it also invented the 21:9 Gold at half the price.

You can follow all of the IFA 2011 coverage at the IFA 2011 homepage on Pocket-lint.