The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K is a great gadget to buy if you want to put your Hue lights to good use while watching a movie or playing video games. It syncs your lights to shine in colors displaying on your TV, and it’s steeply discounted right now to a slightly more accessible price. You can get the box for $269.49 through the Philips Hue store, which is $115 off the going price at most other retailers, including Best Buy and B&H Photo. This is part of the company’s “Bright Days” sale, which includes discounts on many of its other products.
The sync box is an HDMI hub that can accept up to four devices (gaming consoles, a PC, streaming devices, etc.), and it supports up to 8K passthrough at 60Hz to your TV, or 4K with a higher 120Hz refresh rate. It also offers passthrough support for HDR10 Plus and Dolby Vision HDR, as well as immersive Dolby Atmos audio.
One important note is that the Sync Box needs at least Philips Hue’s entry-level Bridge to communicate with other Hue lights (including the gradient light strips that stick behind your TV). If you don’t have a Bridge, they typically cost about $65 alone for the basic model. I recommend opting for the discounted bundle on Philips Hue’s site, which costs $301.93 for both products, effectively halving the cost of the Bridge.