P Series P607 2017 First Look: Unboxing and Impressions

The television market has undergone a radical transformation over the last several years, moving from a landscape where high-end features were reserved strictly for those willing to spend thousands of dollars to one where value-oriented manufacturers are aggressively pushing the boundaries of performance. Perhaps no television exemplified this shift more dramatically upon its release than the 2017 P Series P607. When it first hit the scene, it sent shockwaves through the home theater community, promising premium features like Dolby Vision support, Wide Color Gamut, and a sophisticated local dimming system at a price point that seemed almost too good to be true. For enthusiasts who had been eyeing the expensive flagships from legacy brands, the P607 presented an intriguing question: how much performance can one truly get for a fraction of the cost?

The 2017 model year was a pivotal one for display technology. 4K resolution had finally become the standard, but the real battleground had shifted to High Dynamic Range (HDR). While many budget televisions claimed to be "HDR compatible," very few actually possessed the hardware capabilities—specifically the peak brightness and the color depth—to deliver a meaningful HDR experience. The P Series P607 was designed specifically to bridge that gap. By focusing on the core pillars of image quality rather than just branding or industrial design, it aimed to provide a cinematic experience to a broader audience. In this first look and deep dive into the unboxing and initial impressions, we examine whether this set lives up to the lofty expectations surrounding its launch.

Unboxing and Initial Setup

The unboxing experience of a 55-inch television is always a moment of mixed anticipation and caution. The P607 comes in a standard, double-walled corrugated box that emphasizes utility over flash. Inside, the panel is well-protected by thick polystyrene blocks. Upon sliding the TV out, the first thing one notices is the weight and build. It feels substantial, weighing in at approximately 33 pounds without the stand. This weight is largely due to the Full Array Local Dimming (FALD) backlighting system, which requires a more robust internal structure than the thin, edge-lit panels found in many competing budget displays.

The design aesthetic is clean and industrial. The bezels are finished in a dark, brushed metallic look that resists fingerprints better than piano-black plastics. The stand consists of two "caltrop" style metal feet that attach near the ends of the bottom bezel. This wide footprint provides excellent stability but necessitates a fairly wide piece of furniture if you aren't planning on wall mounting. Once the feet are secured, the setup process moves to the software. The P607 utilizes the Roku TV platform, which remains one of the most user-friendly interfaces on the market. Within minutes of powering on, the TV is updated, the Wi-Fi is connected, and the initial calibration screens are complete.

One of the standout features noted during the physical unboxing is the input selection. The P607 features four HDMI ports, all of which support HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2, which is essential for modern 4K Blu-ray players and gaming consoles. Crucially, HDMI port 4 is specifically optimized for low input lag, a feature that immediately peaked the interest of the gaming community. Additionally, it includes an optical audio out, a USB port, and a tuner for over-the-air broadcasts. The remote provided with the P607 is the premium Roku remote, which includes a headphone jack for private listening—a small but incredibly useful feature for late-night movie marathons.

Detailed Performance Analysis

To understand why the P607 is so significant, one must look closely at its display architecture. Unlike many TVs in this price bracket that use a simple backlight that stays on all the time, the P607 utilizes a Full Array Local Dimming system with 72 discrete zones. This allows the TV to dim specific parts of the screen that should be black while keeping other parts bright. When watching a movie like Gravity, where bright white stars are set against the deep black of space, the local dimming system works to prevent the "graying out" effect seen on lesser sets. While 72 zones might seem modest compared to high-end sets with hundreds or thousands of zones, the algorithm used here is impressively snappy, minimizing "blooming" or "halos" around bright objects.

The colors are another area where the P607 punches above its weight. It features a Wide Color Gamut (WCG) enabled by advanced phosphor technology. In practice, this means the TV can display a broader range of the digital cinema color space (DCI-P3) than a standard HDTV. When viewing HDR content via Dolby Vision or HDR10, the reds are deeper, the greens are more vibrant, and the overall image has a sense of "pop" that is usually missing from value-priced displays. Skin tones remain remarkably accurate out of the box when using the "Movie" or "Bright HDR" presets, suggesting that the factory calibration is handled with more care than is typical for this market segment.

Brightness is the third pillar of the P607’s success. For HDR to be effective, a TV needs to hit high peak brightness levels to make highlights like sunlight reflecting off water or a flashlight beam look realistic. The P607 can hit peaks in the neighborhood of 600 to 700 nits. While it won't rival the sun-searing 1,500+ nits of some flagship LED sets, it is significantly brighter than most OLEDs of its era and vastly superior to the 300-nit maximums found on most entry-level 4K TVs. This brightness combined with the local dimming results in an impressive contrast ratio that truly brings 4K content to life.

Motion handling on the P607 is competent, though it is one area where the budget constraints are slightly more visible. It utilizes a 60Hz native refresh rate. To improve motion clarity, it employs a backlight scanning system. For the vast majority of cinematic content (shot at 24 frames per second), the motion looks natural and "filmic." However, for fast-moving sports like hockey or football, one might notice a slight lack of the absolute fluidity seen on 120Hz panels. That said, the P607 avoids the artificial "soap opera effect" (SOE) by not using aggressive motion interpolation, which is a choice many purists will appreciate.

Gaming Real-World Use Case

For many buyers, the P607 isn't just a movie machine; it's a dedicated gaming display. The "P" in its name could almost stand for "Performance" when it comes to input lag. In "Game Mode," the P607 achieves an input lag of approximately 15ms. In 2017, this was among the fastest response times ever recorded for a 4K HDR television. Whether you are playing a fast-paced shooter like Overwatch or a timing-critical fighting game like Street Fighter, the delay between a button press and the action on screen is virtually imperceptible.

Furthermore, because the TV supports HDR gaming, titles like Horizon Zero Dawn or Gears of War 4 look spectacular. The contrast between the dark interior of a cave and the bright sunlight at the exit is rendered with a level of detail that provides a competitive advantage and increased immersion. Gaming on this set feels responsive and visually rewarding, making it a top recommendation for console gamers who want to maximize the capabilities of the PlayStation 4 Pro or Xbox One X without spending several months' rent.

Comparison and Specifications

To help visualize how the P607 stacks up in the technical landscape, it is helpful to look at the hardware specifications that define its performance. The following table highlights the core technical data that hobbyists and serious buyers look for when comparing displays of this caliber.

Pros and Cons

Every electronic device involves a series of trade-offs, particularly those that aim for a specific price point. The P Series P607 is a masterclass in making the right compromises, but it is not without its limitations. Below are the key strengths and weaknesses discovered during our initial testing phase.

• Exceptional Contrast: Thanks to the VA panel and the 72-zone local dimming, black levels are some of the best in this price class, making it ideal for dark-room viewing.
• Low Input Lag: The extremely low latency marks this as one of the premier choices for gamers in the 55-inch category.
• Roku Integration: The interface is fast, simple, and updated frequently, eliminating the need for an external streaming stick for most users.
• Premium HDR Support: Inclusion of Dolby Vision is a major selling point, as it provides a more tailored HDR experience than standard HDR10.
• Build Quality: The use of metal in Verge stand and the overall rigidity of the chassis feels higher-quality than many plastic-heavy competitors.
• Limited Viewing Angles: Because it uses a VA panel, the picture quality degrades if you are sitting far to the side of the screen; colors wash out and contrast drops.
• 60Hz Native Refresh Rate: While fine for movies, those looking for ultra-smooth 120Hz motion interpolation for sports may find it slightly lacking.
• Sound Quality: Typical for thin TVs, the built-in speakers are serviceable for news but lack the low-end punch for movies; a soundbar is highly recommended.

A Buying Guide for 4K TV Seekers

When searching for a new television, consumers often get lost in marketing "alphabet soup." Terms like LED, OLED, QLED, HDR, and Ultra HD are thrown around interchangeably, but they represent very different technologies. Here is a brief guide on what to look for, using the P607 as a benchmark for value.

Step 1: Determine Your Room Environment. If you primarily watch TV in a bright room with many windows, look for high peak brightness (Nits). The P607 does well here, but very bright rooms might benefit from even higher output. If you watch in a dark "man cave" or theater room, local dimming and high contrast are your priorities. The P607 excels in the latter.

Step 2: Check for Local Dimming. Do not be fooled by TVs that say they have "Micro Dimming." This is often just a software trick. You want "Full Array Local Dimming." It means there are physical lights behind the screen that can turn off. This is the single biggest hardware difference between a "good" TV and a "great" one.

Step 3: Smart Platform Availability. Not all smart platforms are created equal. Roku, as seen on the P607, is widely considered the most "platform agnostic," meaning it treats every app fairly. Other proprietary systems may hide certain apps or have clunky interfaces. Make sure the TV you buy has the apps you actually use.

Step 4: Gaming Needs. If you game, input lag is the most important spec you'll never see on the box at a big-box store. Look at independent reviews for numbers under 20ms. The P607’s 15ms is near the top of its class.

Step 5: HDR Formalities. Ensure the TV supports both HDR10 (the standard) and, ideally, Dolby Vision. Dolby Vision is the "premium" version used by Netflix, Disney+, and many 4K Blu-rays. Having both ensures you are future-proofed for whatever content comes your way.

Conclusion

The P Series P607 2017 is a rare product that manages to deliver on its hype. By prioritizing the core components that actually affect what we see on screen—contrast, color, and brightness—it provides a viewing experience that rivals televisions twice its price. Its inclusion of a high-performance local dimming array and support for premium formats like Dolby Vision makes it a standout for cinema lovers on a budget. For the gaming community, its low-latency performance is a revelation, providing the quick response times needed for modern interactive entertainment.

While it may lack some of the ultra-thin styling of high-end edge-lit sets or the infinite blacks of OLED technology, those are small concessions when weighed against its overall utility. The P607 proves that you don't need a massive budget to enjoy a high-end 4K HDR experience. It is a television that respects the buyer’s intelligence, offering a focused, high-performance display that stays out of its own way. Whether you are unboxing this for the first time or evaluating it as a centerpiece for your living room, the initial impressions are overwhelmingly positive: this is how a value-driven television should be engineered.