NEW Philips RacingVision bulbs - The Verdict

Updated: 29 Nov 2024

Autumn is a special time of the year in the United Kingdom, it’s a season that always guarantees the best driving experiences. On my commute to and from work, there is a stretch of tarmac that continues for roughly three miles, the woodland on both sides creates a canopy meaning the light struggles to shine through.

During the Autumn, the colour of the leaves transform, creating a sea of fantastic colours. Imagine cruising down the road with the windows of your car completely down, at this point it’s probably only fives degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit). However, the air is crisp and so incredibly fresh, one deep breath of this air is enough to refresh the body and mind, it truly is a special time of year to drive.

There is a problem with Autumn however, darkness. The night’s sky draws in earlier in the evening with every passing day, meaning it’s essential to make sure your car’s bulbs are up to the job.

Philips have just released these fully road legal bulbs that they, and I quote, describe as “the perfect choice for passionate drivers”. Big words, I looked forward to seeing what they could do. They were fitted to the dipped beam and not the main beam, this is because I use the dipped beam the most.

The elephant in the room needs addressing straight away, they are quite expensive at £35.99 for a pair of H7 bulbs (also available in H4), although you may be able to find them cheaper if you know where to look. However, for the money Philips say that:

Brightness will be improved by up to 150%
They will last for up to 200 hours of use
They will provide a white light (Sitting at around 3500k on the Kelvin spectrum)

*Please note: These figures are provided by Philips themselves, results you get may differ.

The images above were taken on different days in the evening. It’s easy to see that the Philips bulbs provided more brightness. However, what amazed me was the reach and clarity that they produced. If you look at the outer edges of the images, you will see that the Philips give a much clearer and crisper light in comparison to it’s standard counterpart.

The other thing to note was that I had my headlights adjusted downwards slightly for the Philips bulbs because I was getting flashed by oncoming motorists, this was because of the sheer brightness of the Philips. So in reality, they could reach further.

One of the reasons I was keen to use a bulb such as the RacingVision was because they can visually lift the appearance of an older car. Being from 2004, my car came with bog standard bulbs that give off a yellowy and hazy light, they looked dated quite frankly. However, the Philips bulbs kick out a white light that really lifts the car’s visuals. If you want a cheap way to freshen up and face lift your vehicle, this is a great way to do it.

There is a small problem with the Philips, the brightness. You may find that a weird comment to make considering that is the whole point of them, but it is a genuine problem none-the-less. I mentioned it above, I got flashed numerous times by oncoming motorists because they were being stunned, I had to adjust my headlights downwards a few notches as a result. This is not a majorly huge issue, but something to consider if you do not have projector headlights like me.

The Philips RacingVision bulbs are incredible bulbs in my opinion, the brightness and clarity they provide is incredible for what is essentially quick swap part. Yes, they are pricey, there is no avoiding that. However, think of it as an Autumn/Winter essential with the darker evenings now firmly upon us, you can not put a price on your safety.

FOR: