Philips TAR3500 review

What Philips publishes

The datasheet (April 2026) and the English manual (May 2026) agree on most of it. The lithium cell is given as 3.65V and 5,200mAh, and Philips says it is replaceable. A full charge from the USB-C input (5V 2A) takes about 3.5 hours and gives up to 60 hours of continuous play with the volume on 5. Four AAA (LR3) cells, not supplied, can power it instead when the cell is flat. The hand crank and solar panel are there too, but Philips gives no output figure for either, and the manual says to use them only in an emergency.

Tuning is digital, with 20 FM and 20 AM presets, an extendable 550mm aerial, a 3W mono speaker and a 3.5mm headphone socket. There is no RDS, no Bluetooth and no DAB. A torch, a reading light, an SOS siren with flashing light and an ultrasonic dog whistle complete it. The case measures 186 by 103 by 77mm and weighs 670g. The manual also describes a weather band marked North America only, which receives nothing here.

The power-bank question

Philips states the USB-A output as 5.0V 1.0A, which is a slow but genuine phone charge, about the rate of an old plug-in charger. The awkward part is capacity: the spec table gives the cell as 5,200mAh, while the datasheet's feature list calls it a 2,600mAh power bank. Philips does not explain the gap, so plan on the smaller figure and treat phone charging as a top-up. The manual does not say whether the radio keeps playing while a phone charges. For a household that relies on phones for updates, a separate power bank is still the better plan.

Built for damp and knocks

IP55 is the headline. Under the IEC 60529 scheme the first 5 means dust can get in only in amounts that will not stop it working, and the second 5 means it resists low-pressure water jets from any direction. That covers rain, a wet shed or a garden table. It is not a rating for dropping it in water. The 530mm strap and the weight make it a radio you hang up or stand on a surface rather than carry all day.

How it compares

On our emergency radio comparison its closest rival is the Sangean MMR-99: also IP55 with a 5V/1A socket, but 900g, about 24 hours per charge and no disposable-cell fallback. The Philips TAR1609 is the lighter sibling at 390g, with up to 32 hours from its own cell and three AAA cells, but no water rating and a 0.5A port. If you want DAB+ with a crank, the Roberts SolarDAB 99 is the IP55 option.

Our verdict

Buy it if you want an FM/AM set that shrugs off weather, runs for days from one charge and has ordinary AAA cells as a second line. Skip it if you need DAB, want something light for a grab bag, or are buying it mainly to charge phones. The government's Be Ready checklist asks for an FM radio, battery or wind-up, and a note of the frequencies you use: this covers the radio part well.

How long does the Philips TAR3500 battery last?

Philips says up to 60 hours of continuous play from a full charge with the volume set to 5, and about 3.5 hours to recharge over USB-C. Four AAA cells, not supplied, run it when the lithium cell is flat.

Can the Philips TAR3500 charge a phone?

Yes, through a USB-A socket that Philips rates at 5.0V 1.0A. Philips gives the cell as 5,200mAh in one place and calls it a 2,600mAh power bank in another, so expect a top-up rather than several full charges.

Is the Philips TAR3500 waterproof?

It is rated IP55: protected against dust that would affect it and against low-pressure water jets from any direction. That suits rain and damp sheds, but it is not rated for being submerged.

Does the Philips TAR3500 have DAB?

No. It is FM and AM only, with 20 presets for each and no RDS. The manual also mentions a weather band for North America, which picks up nothing in the UK.