The SlimStyle distributes the light-producing diodes around the upper perimeter of the bulb. They give off 800 lumens of light at a color temperature of 2,700 K from a power draw of just 10.5 watts.
Published:Caption:Ry CristPhoto:Colin West McDonald/CNET
Thanks to its unique design, the SlimStyle doesn't require aluminum heat sinks. That makes for a lightweight build -- and one that costs Philips a lot less to manufacture.
Published:Caption:Ry CristPhoto:Colin West McDonald/CNET
The SlimStyle promises omnidirectional light, but there are dim spots on each side of the bulb. You can see the difference between the omnidirectional Cree LED on the left and the almost omnidirectional SlimStyle on the right.
Published:Caption:Ry CristPhoto:Colin West McDonald/CNET
As LEDs go, the SlimStyle is perfectly adequate at rendering colors. Like most of the competition, it struggles with shades of red, though not as much as some.
The SlimStyle retails for just under $9 in the US, which converts to roughly AU$10 or £5 in the UK. Philips isn't planning on expanding the bulb beyond North America at this time, but they aren't ruling it out, either.
Published:Caption:Ry CristPhoto:Colin West McDonald/CNET
