Reviews
Sony XBR55x900E Review
Why the Sony XBR55x900E is a great choice for your home
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When it comes to electronics, Sony is widely recognized as one of the best brands on the market. Meet the Sony XBR-X900E, a new model TV that the company has just added to its 2018 range. Positioned in the middle of Sony’s 4k TV range, it is a really affordable option for most people.
In this review, we are going to take a look at why the Sony XBR55x900E is definitely worth considering if you are planning to buy a new TV for your home.
Picture Quality
The Sony X900E offers great 4k crystal clear picture quality. 4k is currently the best picture resolution available in all but the most expensive LED TVs. Though not offering the same quality as the XBR- X930E, a model slightly higher in Sony’s TV range, the X900E’s picture quality is still a lot better than most other similarly priced TVs.
It is also able to handle HDR much better than its predecessors, thanks to an upgraded processor that allows it to create really crisp HD images without much in the way of lag. This new 4K HDR Processor X1 is also designed to make non-HDR content look better by sharpening up the image during processing. So whether you choose to watch HD or non-HD content, the X900E’s picture quality is better when compared to similar models.
Another really nice thing about this TV is that it has a really good brightness range and is also able to handle rapid motion without leaving blur trails behind. Thanks to it having a wide dimming spectrum, the image brightness can be easily adjusted to suit the viewer’s tastes.
The newly added X-tended Dynamic Range Pro 5X contrast boosting feature is one of the things that really makes this TV stand out from the crowd. Sony claims that it has been able to increase the contrast range of the Sony X900E fivefold thanks to this new technology. All this means that with the exception of direct sunlight, it is now possible to watch TV in brightly backlit rooms without having to turn off lights or close curtains.
The main drawback with the Sony X900E is that picture quality is significantly reduced when viewing the TV from angles of 45 degrees and more. It is worth mentioning, however, that this problem is common to most LED-backlit displays. In the end, this is almost certainly not going to worry a single person or couple, but for large families where not everyone can view the TV straight on, this might be something to consider before you buy.
Sound Quality
Sound quality has frequently been something that Sony TV’s have never quite been able to match their big-name rivals on. The Sony X900E is pretty indicative of this problem, to be honest. Within normal sound levels, the X900E sound quality is very good. The problem comes when you need to turn up the volume to either drown out background noise or to improve your viewing experience.
Poor harmonic distortion performance and poor frequency response mean that the Sony X900E is unable to produce much in the way of base, while sound crispness decreases massively at high volumes.
Design
Sony has always made classy looking TVs that fit well into any style of home. The X900E is a sleek black design that has a maximum thickness of 2.28″ or 5.8 cm. The TV has thin borders so the display covers most of the front of the TV, a feature that is becoming increasingly desirable these days. The only aspect of the TV’s design that might bother some people is the stand. It has two ‘feet’ on the back portion that have gained mixed reactions since the design was released. Despite appearances, the stand is as sturdy as any other design.
Sony X900E Remote Control
Smart Functions
For its smart operation, the X900E is run on the Android operating system that most of us use on our phones. Not only is this system, therefore, more familiar to us in the first place, but it also is one of the best for overall navigation.
Owners can now easily navigate menus with the X900E’s well-designed remote control. A huge feature that is included in this TV is the ability of owners to use the Google Play Store to download additional apps that will help to boost the TV’s functionality. Users can now download everything from the Netflix app to Skype. A few of these apps like Netflix, Youtube, and Amazon come already preinstalled to save you the time having to download them yourself.
Inputs
Thanks to the sheer number of different plug-in electronics that we now use with our TV’s, the type and number of inputs that we require our televisions to have is extremely important. Whether you are someone who loves to play their Xbox or Playstation or watch programs off your computer, having enough of the right inputs is the name of the game.
Fortunately, the Sony X900E is crammed full of all the inputs you will need to connect up all your stuff. The sophisticated processor is able to display content from any device, including from PCs and other such sources. Part of creating the best possible viewing experience, Sony’s X900E has been designed to minimize lag when displaying images from PC’s, making it a good option for gamers who love big displays. That said, however, gamers who play games in very high resolutions will probably find this TV unable to match their high expectations.
Final Thought
The Sony X900E is a really decent TV for the price. It might not be able to match the display clarity of models such as the XBR- X930E, but nonetheless, it still gives a really phenomenal picture. When compared to rivals LG, the X900E definitely performs better at 1080p, though it is not quite the match for 4K UHD signals.
Overall, it does really well at producing very clear and well lit HDR images, and without suffering from much in the way of motion blur. The XBR55x900E’s Triluminous Display gives the display an incredibly rich and diverse color range that really does make for an unbeatable viewing experience. This new feature gives a noticeable improvement when compared to TV’s lower in Sony’s range and is one that certainly justifies the cost difference.
Though side viewing is poor, the huge weight of the plus points with this TV far outweighs this single drawback. While viewers who are obsessive about getting the best possible image quality might choose to opt for a Samsung TV instead, the Sony X900E offers more than enough display performance for the average person.
So far as the other essential selling points go, the X900E shapes up really well in all but sound quality. Though it is important to point out that most people who buy a 4K TV will almost certainly buy a sound system to go with it, viewers who like to watch their TV with the volume turned up might find the X900E at times frustrating. High pitched sounds and bass when listened to loudly are notably less crisp, though again, this is a problem that most TV speakers systems suffer from.
