PICTURE QUALITY This model had excellent high-definition picture quality. It did an excellent job displaying the finest detail. Color accuracy was excellent, so colors looked very natural and lifelike. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images had depth and dimension, typical of most models we test. Black level was good, so dark scenes had acceptable depth and contrast (assumes the image is viewed directly from front and center; see viewing angle comments). Though Sony's "LED Dynamic Control" (a local dimming feature) does improve black level, it introduced some distracting halo effects so we left the feature off. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did an excellent job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. There was a slight uneven brightness effect that created cloudy areas most noticeable on very dark scenes. We routinely see this type of issue with many brands of LCD TVs, regardless of the type of backlight used (CCFL or LED). Though it's generally not a significant problem, it can vary in degree from TV to TV. Film mode operation for HD film-based content was excellent, with no visible jaggies along the edges of objects during motion scenes. Deinterlacing on the other hand was only fair, with jaggies visible when converting 1080i video content, such as from cable, to the display's native resolution.
VIEWING ANGLE This Sony has a narrow viewing angle overall, below-average performance among LCD sets on this attribute. Only those seated directly in front of the screen will see the best picture quality. If your family is seated in chairs off to the sides of the TV, they will see increasing degradation of image quality the farther they sit from center.
When we moved off to the sides the horizontal viewing angle was fair; the picture showed a moderate loss of color so flesh tones looked washed out, along with a moderate color shift. Black levels brightened significantly, making dark scenes look hazy. Even when viewed from right in front of the screen, dark scenes were brighter at the sides due to the limited horizontal sweet spot. When viewing the image from above or below eye level to the screen, the vertical viewing angle was very good. The picture showed minimal change in color, contrast, and black level.
ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE This Sony UHD TV offers excellent overall UHD performance, with topnotch HD-to-UHD upconversion. Its Ultra HD picture quality is excellent, consistent with its described HD performance but enhanced by the additional fine detail of its UHD screen. As we do with all UHD TVs, we evaluated Sony’s UHD performance with a number of higher-resolution sources, including 4K videos shot with Sony’s FDR-AX100 4K camcorder, 4K resolution test patterns, and photos via USB. We also played 4K streaming movie content from Netflix. When playing 4K movies, we did notice finer detail and texture than we saw with regular high-definition movies, but those differences were best appreciated when the viewing distance was closer to the screen. This UHD TV was able to stream the 4K version of the series “House of Cards” from Netflix, confirming the set does include an HEVC decoder. The 4K images had an overall smoother picture, with better rendering of very fine texture, compared to the regular HD stream. For example, in one scene the very fine thin-line pattern on the president’s tie was distinct and cleanly resolved on this UHD TV; on the regular HD version it appeared as moiré, with no trace of the original pattern on the HDTV. When playing 1080p movie content from a Blu-ray disc, we found the TV’s HD-to-UHD upconversion processing was excellent, among the best performance we’ve seen on any UHD TV. Edges of fine detail showed few jaggies, and were generally quite smooth. UHD test patterns and photos played via the TV’s USB port confirmed the display takes full advantage of its roughly 8 megapixel UHD resolution, and is not marred by unnecessary image processing. This was confirmed with videos from Sony’s 4K camcorder, which we played back on the TV both via its HDMI input, and by playing the content from a USB drive. Unlike some UHD TVs we've tested, this Sony model has a full complement of picture settings that are accessible in photo playback mode, so picture quality can be tweaked for best fidelity.
MOTION BLUR This Sony TV has very good motion performance, with minimal blurring on our motion tests, thanks to Sony's Motion flow. This feature is designed to reduce motion blur, a shortcoming of most LCD TVs. With the feature turned off, motion performance was only fair, with significant blurring on our motion tests.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY The screen surface on this LCD TV has one of the shinier mirror-like surfaces we've seen, which makes it very susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
3D PERFORMANCE The overall 3D effect was only good, a notch below the better 3D displays. 3D images showed effective depth, with minimal levels of ghosting (left eye/right eye crosstalk) on our 3D test patterns and on a wide variety of 3D program content. We didn't see any increase in ghosting when viewing at off angles. While image detail was satisfying on most 3D content, actual resolution fell short of full 1080p. Passive systems present left and right images simultaneously on alternating lines of video which essentially cuts the vertical resolution presented to each eye in half to 540 lines. This process yields somewhat coarse edges and jaggies along diagonals and graphics but is less apparent on natural video (people, nature scenes).
SOUND QUALITY This TV has excellent sound, much better than most models we've tested. It has a very wide volume range, allowing the TV to play very loud with no noticeable distortion. At more typical listening volume levels the TV has a full bodied sound and has very deep bass and good impact. Few TVs we've tested can achieve this high level of sound quality. You can try to get better quality from a high performing soundbar or separate home theater system but with this TV you really don't have to.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was straightforward, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was very good. Also, the remote is satisfactory, and the on-screen menu is easy to navigate.
Remote has a dedicated button to access Internet features, and to access 3D, and to access Internet features. The remote's major function buttons were sufficiently large and have high-contrast labeling, making them easier to see and navigate.
STAND ASSEMBLY Mounting the TV to the included support stand is easy, though the stand requires the assembly of two parts before mounting.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV provides advanced Internet capability. Features include a full Web browser and access to a library of applications via "Opera TV Store." Movie streaming services include: Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, Netflix, Sony Video Unlimited. It also supports an optional Web cam for access to video conferencing applications such as Skype.
CONNECTIONS This TV includes four HDMI inputs, one composite input, one shared connection between the component and composite inputs (which means you can only use one type or the other at a time), optical digital audio out, three USB ports, an Ethernet port, and Wi-Fi (via yes USB adapter). Wireless connectivity includes: DLNA network file sharing, and near field communication (NFC) file sharing. HDMI and analog cable connections made to the rear-facing panel will protrude beyond the panel's slim depth.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX The TV comes with: a printed user manual, an electronic manual in the TV's menu, two remotes with batteries, two pairs of 3D glasses, One USB IR Blaster, one Port replicator (extends HDMI, and USB and RF inputs but requires power.. ABOUT FIRMWARE VERSION: Our test results and picture settings are valid for the version of firmware indicated. If your TV's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the TV's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your TV via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable), USB port, or memory card, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer's website if further guidance is needed.
