The Sony X900H / XH90 4K HDR TV may be second in Sony's TV lineup in terms of 4K LCD TVs, but it's first in our hearts. It is supposed to be good etiquette, when choosing wine in a good restaurant, to order the second cheapest bottle on the list. And there's an argument that it's just as good, when shopping for a new TV, to look at a company's lineup and pay close attention to the lineup directly below the "flagship models." The theory goes that this is where the real value for money is and where the "performance per pound" ratio is highest. Sony's 4K LCD TV series consists of six lines, with the XH90 (called X900H in America) only having the Sony XH95/X950H higher up the pecking order. While it starts at an eminently reasonable price of €1,299 / €999 for the smallest (55-inch) version, the series comes equipped with much-appreciated image processing, full local dimming, and extremely complicated scaling algorithms. The striking picture and sound standards Dolby, Vision and Atmos are also taken into account. We're testing the 75-inch version here, in a range of 55- to 85-inch variants. Whichever screen size suits your needs, is the XH90 up to the task? Or will it make you regret looking at the menu some more?
- Sony KD-75XH9005 at Best Buy for $ 1,999.99
Prices and availability
The Sony XH90/X900H costs $2,499 / £2,199 (around AU$3,600) for a 75-inch size and is currently available in the US and UK. Its smaller 55-inch size is $999/$1,299, while the 65-inch will set you back $1,399/$1,499, and the 85-inch will set you back $2,799/$3,299. The XH90/X900H is a fraction cheaper than the XH95/X950H, which starts at $999/€1199 for an even smaller 49-inch size, so it may be worth upgrading if you also have a bit more cash than lose.
(Image credit: Sony)
Integrated
Sony XH90 / X900H Specifications
(Image credit: Sony) Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | HDR: HLG, HDR10, Dolby Vision | HDMI: 4 | USB: 2 | Ethernet: Yes | WiFi: Yes | Bluetooth: Yes | Operating system: Android | Tuners: terrestrial, 2 x satellite | Dimensions (H x W x D / mm): 961 x 1674 x 71 | Weight (kg): 32,9 Sony has few lessons to learn when it comes to the industrial design of a large TV, and of course the XH90/X900H uses its massive size lightly.
The bezels surrounding this massive display expanse are thin and unobtrusive, and the legs it sits on are an equally thin flattened V-shape. It seems unlikely that a TV this size wouldn't be wall-mountable (even considering its hefty 33kg weight), but if an owner has a large enough surface area to hold it, there's more. the bottom of the screen for a substantial soundbar.
A tactile depth of more than 7cm means that Sony isn't exactly slim, but its full local dimming arrangement is meant to add more than a millimeter or two.
The panel itself is a VA-type LCD, which should broadly be seen as an upgrade to the edge-lit IPS panel that Sony released on the equivalent model last year. The higher brightness, higher color volume, and improved screen uniformity that an all-array VA panel promises should more than make up for the somewhat narrower viewing angle compared to IPS, and is worth considering. Note that the XH90/ X900H does not. feature X-Wide viewing angle technology Sony's flagship XH95/X950H range is on. Potential customers need to be sure that each viewer will be able to sit more or less directly in front of their new television.
The TV is controlled by a remote control without special functions. It's longer than it should be, given the number of buttons it houses, and it's far from a paradigm of common sense or readability (aside from the huge "Google Play" and "Netflix" buttons, of course). At least the "microphone" button is front and center, and the Google Assistant is proving to be just as responsive here as in any other app.
Connectivity runs via four HDMI inputs to HDCP2.3, a pair of USB inputs, an Ethernet jack, antenna stations for a terrestrial TV tuner and two satellite TV tuners, and a composite video input. Wireless connections amount to Bluetooth 4.2, Apple AirPlay, wi-fi, and Chromecast. On the output side, there is a headphone jack and a digital optical output.
As for the HDMI inputs, all four have the 2.0 standard and one is ARC-compatible, though that seems to have changed since our initial review. Back in October, this bundle from Sony received a live update that upgraded these HDMI inputs to HDMI 2.1, adding support for 4K/120Hz pass-through, variable refresh rate, and auto low-latency mode, apparently in preparation for release a mid-November. of the Sony PS5.
HDMI 2.1 enables a number of key functions for gaming, including variable refresh rate, which reduces image stuttering and smooths motion by more easily changing the frame rate during gaming. It also enables Auto Low Latency mode, which reduces lag for more responsive games.
TL design; DR: No bigger than one might reasonably expect, and a full set of connections, with upgrades promised to make an even more attractive package.
Android TV (Image credit: Google)
Smart TV (Android 9.0)
Like almost all Sony TVs these days, the Smart TV's operating system and interface is a combination of Android (9.0 in this case) and YouView (in order to integrate catch-up services from British TV). . And like all Sony Android TVs, it's a combination of very useful and downright irritating. On the 'really very useful' side, there are some of the simplest and most responsive settings menus you'll find on the TV market, a wide selection of apps including Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video, as well as Tidal. And its new selection of Dolby Atmos hardware, and Google Assistant, Google Chromecast and Google Play. "Irritating", meanwhile, is covered in Android's usual instance of hogging the entire screen while browsing, and the indecent number of hoops to jump through just to disable the "chirp" button when browsing. On-screen menus. Apple TV Plus was also not available when this TV was first released, though support for the Apple TV app has since been added. Smart TV TL; DR: It's Android TV, with all the good and bad that comes with it.
Sony has put a lot of effort into improving the ability of its 4K TVs to upscale content below 4K. By combining the prodigious power of its X1 4K HDR image-processing chip with an ever-expanding database of 4K-relevant images, it aims to deliver more detail, texture, and, well, 4K stuff at 1080p. And to a large extent, that turns out to be the case. A 1080p Blu-ray disc of The Big Lebowski by the Coen Brothers beautifully demonstrates the XH90's upscaling prowess. Detail levels are high, contrasts are strong, and the vibrant West Coast color palette looks natural and compelling. Movement is smooth and confident in all but the most difficult circumstances, and textures (on the pivot mat and elsewhere) are stable and well defined. There are still limits. In very dark scenes, you can choose between black depth and black detail, but the XH90's backlight design at least allows for some seriously impressive screen uniformity. A dark sky with bright stars (or equally bright skittles) has no spots or clouds; instead, there is a direct differentiation.
The Big Lebowski (Image credit: Amazon Prime) Image noise is also low, and edge definition is just as impressive. The most intricate patterns (this rug again) can make the XH90 betray how tough it works. Your choice of picture mode can mitigate this, but there are downsides. While cinema can calm the XH90's jitters in extremis, there's a softer overall picture and a slight, but sharp, drop in detail levels. But it is easy to find a workable balance and the results are generally very positive. It must be said, however, that Netflix's calibrated mode isn't all that complicated, as it throws a blanket over the image. If you like it dark and indistinct, you'll love Netflix Calibrated. Do not use it. 1080p games follow the same general pattern and are generally just as successful. Sony does a good job with the lighting, motion tracking is solid, and if the game has any detail in its footage, the XH9005 will reveal it. And if the promised upgrade to HDMI 2.1 did come, with its 4K 120Hz support compatible with next-gen consoles, the already decent sub-20ms response time should be much quicker. HD/SDR TL performance; DR: Powerful and efficient upscaling, excellent backlight control, and impressive levels of detail, especially for an optimal sub-4K experience.
Every one of Sony's HD/SDR performance positives is amplified and enhanced by the move to native 4K content, especially if an HDR element is also involved. Like all Sony 4K HDR TVs, the KD-75XH9005 avoids HDR10+ dynamic metadata because Sony, like many other TV brands, can't tell that a rival had a good idea. So the XH90 makes do with HLG, HDR10 and Dolby Vision HDR support, which is more than enough to take advantage of the wide color gamut promised by hardware HDR from any number of sources.
Dolby Vision (Image credit: Dolby) We put it to the test with a Dolby Vision-assisted 4K UHD disc of The Joker. When it comes to sharpness and detail, the KD-XH9005 is absolutely spot on: images are sharp and information-rich, but without the clutter, grain, or image noise that can sometimes accompany this level of image. The skin tones and textures are quite convincing, which the actor from…