Verdict
Another 4 cat valium goggle box from Sony that ’s capable of bring out some beautifully pretty HDR pictures . With excellent processing , good smart , and a decent audio public presentation , the Sony X85L is a telly to hard debate for those shop around the £ /$1000 mark .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Sony ’s 2023 TV line - up presents many options , fromQD - OLEDtoMini LED , OLED to Full Array LCD , you ’re not spoilt for alternative . The KD-55X85L fit in as its Full Array LCD model within the range .
The main difference between the new X85L and the X90L is that the former is not an XR Bravia model . It does n’t profit from the innovative Cognitive XR processor or Acoustic Sound system .
Nevertheless , you ’re paying less for the X85L ’s talents than you would the X90L. No TV screen tech is perfect , but the Sony KD-55X85L could hold some advantages that win over you to choose it over a likewise priced OLED .
Design
The most unequaled aspect of the Sony KD-55X85L design is that its fundament can be configure in two ways – either out to the sides or in towards the middle . Out towards the side is the way of life to go for a soundbar . If you ’re target it on a small surface , the middle position is best .
There is n’t the choice to have the idiot box sit affluent to the undercoat like there is with the XR Bravia model . frame-up clock time is less than a minute as all I had to do was slot the feet into position .
The bezel is slim allowing for focus on the screen door , and with a profoundness of 56 mm , it ’s 3 millimeter deeper than the equivalent - sizedA80L OLED . While it wo n’t sit down flush on a wall , it should n’t look too awkward either . For the wall - mounter out there , the connections are side - facing and on the left as you front the TV .
The television ( apparently ) has an anti - glare / matte screen , and while it does n’t absent manifestation whole , I am less cognisant of them . Viewing angle are good despite not tout Sony ’s X - Wide Angle tech . While brightness and color pass off axis , they stay on good enough .
opprobrious levels can look too inky read/write head - on , but if you wobble a little to the right wing or left , there ’s suddenly more detail . There is some softbloomingthat ’s more detectable at wider angles .
Operating System
Google TVis available across all Sony ’s 4 K television and if you ’ve read my A80L orA95 K OLEDreviews , my feelings about the interface are the same for the X85L.
The UI is split into several sections : For You , Movies , television , Apps , Library and Sony . For You feature several track governed by music genre or sure issue , though some chance on me as remaining . Who is calculate for “ News films ” and how did John Wick 4 end up in that row ?
remain Watching makes it promiscuous to generate into a picture or TV serial publication , though it does n’t integrate with the UK match - up and on - demand apps . Sony elect not to integrateFreeview Play , choosing YouView instead . Regardless , all the UK specific apps are available .
I still guess the ‘ My listing ’ wrangle should have more prominence – it ’s completely lost towards the bottom of the rest home screen . Considering it ’s intend to help keep track of the content you need to watch , its placement is hidden from view .
There are some courteous seasonal features that you do n’t get with other interfaces . Around Christmas there was an Advent calendar with picks of what to watch . It ’s a overnice means of engagement instead of just pommel the looker with more recommendations .
There ’s the ability to add and switch between Google accounts so other home members can view their personalised subject matter . The interface relieve oneself it clear enough when you settle on a statute title as to whether content is useable to take or bribe , or accessible via a cyclosis service . you could tell whether you have access code to a pour title via a ‘ lock ’ ikon beneath it .
Otherwise , Google TV is quick to pilot and reactive . It feels more engaging and enlightening than Android TV .
There are two remotes – one has a minimalist vibration with fewer buttons , and the other is busier , but both finger good to expend . Like the Philips OLED808 ’s remote control , there are two button for preferences , and I feel it could be reduced to one for convenience sake . I call up it ’d be good to tap for quick access setting and concur the same button for a more in - astuteness horizon .
Features
For gaming , the Sony X85L has aPS5 - specific focus . Auto Genre Picture modality isALLMby another name , and it ’ll mechanically shift to the boob tube ’s game mode when it recognizes you ’re toy a game .
I measured latency at 14.5ms – quicker than the Panasonic MX950 , though dumb than thePhilips 48OLED808 . Other PS5 features let in Auto HDR Tone Mapping that adapts the HDR performance to the X85L ’s screen . Variable Refresh Ratesup to 120Hz are back too .
These play feature are available across the twoHDMI 2.1inputs , one of which is sharedwith eARCthat passes through high quality audio from the television set to a reasoned system . There are two further HDMI 2.0 inputs , terrestrial and planet remark , Ethernet , composite video , two USB ports and digital optical audio output signal . For wireless connections there ’s Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi - Fi , the latter incorporatesApple AirPlay 2and Chromecast .
Smarts includeApple HomeKitand Siri voice control , work up - in Ok Google vocalism control , and Alexa integration through a connected talker .
HDR support is HDR10 , HLG , and Dolby Vision ( Sony is yet to jump onboard with Dolby Vision IQ).BRAVIA Coreprovides a range of Sony titles streamable in 4 K , but this television receiver neither supportsIMAX EnhancedorNetflix Adaptive Calibrated Modethat expend the goggle box ’s light sensor to mechanically adjust contrast and brightness free-base on the light in a room .
The speaker system is made up of two full - stove ten - Balanced talker with a bass reflex action , and 20W of power at its disposal . Dolby Atmos backup is allow for in the sense that the TV can process Atmos soundtracks . Along with Dolby Audio support , the Sony X85L can handle DTS Digital Surround too . The television can compensate for the audio carrying into action for its surroundings and calibrate the sound – more on this later .
Another feature is the BRAVIA Cam , which is available separately . It can do more than act as a photographic camera for Google Meet and Zoom meetings ( which it supports ) , as it also provide the control over the TV through gestures , and there ’s a proximity alarm if your child gets too close to the screen .
Picture Quality
For all you nits lovers out there ( no , not that type of nits ) , it wo n’t surprise that the Sony X85L is another Sony TV that take a conservative approach shot to HDR luminance . Despite the Full Array Local Dimming backlight , brightness on a 5 % HDR window is at 738 nit in Standard mode and is only slightly brighter on a 10 % window ( 743 nits ) .
liken that to the A80L OLED and it ’s a fraction bright . Pit it against thePanasonic MX950and it ’s blown out of the body of water ( 1259 nits ) . So , it ’s an odd turn up that the Sony take care brighter than the Panasonic – it ’s not necessarily about how much luminosity you have but what you do with it .
Viewing the opening wordless section of Wall - e , and the Sony stands out more with its picture . chief and secondary colours beam with more punch in Dolby Vision ; theDolby Vision IQsporting Panasonic looks a little more drab but reach the apocalyptic setting , it ’s in all probability the more accurate of the two .
The Sony X85L also features clipping with highlight , but the Sony , at least in bright viewing stipulation , comes across as the more attractive watch .
Spider - Man : Across the Spider - Verse is gorgeously colourful in its Dolby Vision rendering ; the array of colours on show is dazzle . What the Sony lacks in outright HDR slug and luminance , the 4 K HDR Processor X1 makes up for it with the deftest of shade and tonus in Miles ’ colorful adventure through the Spider - verse .
The blends of colours ( and there are many ) , the prolificacy and high spirits of textures of the various animation flair makes for a ofttimes stunning but naturalistic - depend trope .
Watching Anatomy of a malicious gossip on Netflix , the shades , tones , and colour volume of the Sony X85L impressed next to a Philips 48OLED808 .
The Sony is the more vibrant , furnishing the serial publication with a wide regalia of colours , bringing coloring and vigour to scenes the Philips downplays . Again , the Philips could be the more accurate of the two , but it ’s not the TV that fascinate my middle .
The Sony X85L does n’t boast the same level of pungency as the Philips or the Panasonic , as there ’s a consistent unfitness to the Sony ’s image . It does n’t gouge every ounce of detail and sharpness but it ’s an attractive image .
But it ’s not all rose as far as the X85L ’s HDR painting is concerned . The Calvin ’s Book installment from Lessons in Chemistry ( Apple TV+ ) reveals deficits in pitch-black levels – the Sony does n’t identify them as powerfully , not helped by slight backlight inconsistency towards the screen ’s edge .
peel note with Dolby Vision content err towards warm and expressive , but at time they can be overdone . actor can count wealthy – in Fingernails ( Apple TV+ ) it front as if they ’ve gone for a run before the fit . The Panasonic MX950 is more varied and I ’d say looks more accurate with skin feeling .
And back to black levels . When it come to blue room view , the lack of an adaptative Dolby Vision data format means the X85L lose detail and dark scenes become indistinct compared to the MX950 . However , when it comes to HLG content , the Sony ’s light sensor bring in out better shadow point when the lights are off .
The Sony X85L ’s upscaling brings out a overnice - looking icon with a DVD of Inglourious Basterds . It preserves its filmic spirit and though there ’s randomness , it ’s keep under dominance . I notice the tenuous stammer to move of faces and there are some jagged border to Landa ’s face if I look closely , but edges are smoothly drawn for the most part , and near - ups work well than expect .
you may see bristles of the sodbuster ’s beard , the texture of his cutis , brag ’s feet – it ’s all described without overt sharpness and noise that upscaling can employ in .
With The Amazing Spider - Man 2 on Blu - ray , there ’s black crush in some scenes – the A80L give away more detail than the X85L. Otherwise , there ’s a naturalism to the wide-ranging , expressive pelt tones .
It ’s not an overtly sharp or nippy image – the Panasonic MX950 is a dance step up – but the Sony performs well with other depicted object ( 4 K HDR , SD , HD ) as the X85L conveys texture and details in a rude , filmic manner .
Sony ’s X - Motion Clarity technical school is considered class - extend and when apply to a watch of Blade Runner 2049 ( at machine setting ) , it offers excellent smoothness and stability – I barely notice it ’s on . There ’s some scoop opera house effect when K walks through the police station before his baseline test , but it ’s venial , as is some motility judder with arms and hands every now and then . A ticker of 1917 and it ’s a similar case – some judder , but preserve to a lower limit .
The Clearness setting is one to avert . It dims the simulacrum enough that it ’s not worth bothering with .
Sound Quality
Sony ’s TVs are often one of the better - sound elbow grease , and the Sony 55X85L is mostly fine . It ’s not the weightiest auditory sensation – it ’s more or less tenuous with voices , but negotiation sit in the right place on screenland and fictitious character sound like themselves .
If you find it laborious to hear voices , I detect the Dialogue Enhance hit the spot . There ’s more bearing and focus without play up too much of the sound around them or becoming too sharp . There ’s a nice equalizer achieved with it set to ‘ 4 ’ .
The soundstage is not as expansive as I ’d expected for a Sony TV , the X - Balanced sound system does n’t push vocalize away from the covert . Bass is on the tepid side , lacking depth and weight – the 20W of power is reserved in full term of punch .
There ’s slight dynamism to vocalism , music , and action scenes but not much . mass spirit level 80 is my preferred volume – at this level the television receiver is loud and conveys vigor solidly . It could still be more talkative , and there are times where sibilance creep in with dialogue .
I ’d say give the Room Compensation a endeavour if only to see if it work . I establish that without it , the goggle box ’s loudness and dynamical range was better , with a boost to bass and clearness . A soundbaris not necessarily a must , but it is to be considered .
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Should you buy it?
The Sony X85L is not the burnished HDR performer , but it ’s equal to of producing consistently attractive pictures with whatever mental object is fed to it .
Compared to thePanasonic MX950 , the Sony does n’t gas the same level of proficiency with dark HDR scenes , especially when the light off
Final Thoughts
There are several TVs above and below the £ /$1000 mark from the like of TCL , Hisense , and Panasonic , and the Sony KD-55X85L emerges as one of the stiff performer with its colorful , natural - looking HDR performance .
It lacks the HDR punch of theTCL C845 K , but extend a more nuanced word-painting , and its upscaling and motion processing puts in solid claims to be class - lead for the money . With good smartness , solid gambling lineament , and decent sound , the X85L is another strong 4 K boob tube from Sony . hold out ourBest TVandBest 4 potassium TVguides for more options .
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every television we review good over an extended point of time . We employ diligence standard tests to liken features properly . We ’ll always tell you what we obtain . We never , ever , live with money to review a product .
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FAQs
The 55X85L supports the VESA 300 x 300 mm paries bracket .
