PICTURE QUALITY This model had very good high-definition picture quality. It did an excellent job displaying the finest detail from HD content. Color accuracy was excellent, so colors, especially flesh tones, looked very natural and lifelike. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. Black levels were only fair with darker areas of the image looking unnaturally illuminated. Dark scenes, in particular, were visibly lacking in contrast, giving images a hazy, less dynamic appearance. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did a very good job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. There was notable display nonuniformity that created brighter cloudy areas, especially in the corners of the display, most visible on very dark scenes (or in the black bars of a letterboxed movie), which we found distracting. We routinely see this issue with LCDs and severity can vary 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 was very good, with minimal jaggies visible when converting 1080i video content, such as from cable, to the display's native resolution.
VIEWING ANGLE This Sony has a wide viewing angle overall, better than that of most LCDs. It will provide the same picture quality, with fewer problems than most LCD sets, for typical viewing conditions--say, if your family is seated across a long sectional or in chairs off to the sides of the TV.
With brighter scenes, like sporting events, the display did a fine job maintaining accurate colors and decent contrast whether we moved off to the sides or were viewing from above or from below screen. The picture did show some dimming from the sides but not to any point we found distracting. With dark scenes the display didn't fare quite as well. When viewed from the sides, the depth of black levels varied depending on the vertical position of the viewer's head. As we moved closer to the screen this limitation became even more apparent, especially if seated on the floor looking upward where black levels brightened significantly. This display's wide viewing angle is best appreciated when viewed at eye level to the screen.
ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE This Sony UHD TV delivers full 4K picture detail, but only decent HD-to-UHD upconversion. All native 4K content we played on this model, including movies and test videos from our Sony FMPX10 player, was presented in full detail with excellent image fidelity when played back via the TV's HDMI input. This model also supports video streaming of 4K programs via both Netflix and YouTube (among other emerging sources), and again, images were clean and finely detailed with no visible over-sharpening or other gratuitous processing. Using the TV's USB port, we were able to play back 4K videos stored on a flash drive which were encoded in both the HEVC and VP9 formats, as well as MP4. High-resolution photos were displayed in full 4K detail, and like the videos, revealed great clarity, taking full advantage of UHD's extra resolution. With regular HD content, the TV's HD-to-UHD upconversion processing fell short with only good performance, revealing some visible jaggies along the edges of diagonals when playing HD content. All four of the TV's HDMI inputs comply with the latest HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 specifications that support play back for 4K video at 60Hz, and copy protection, a requirement for compatibility with emerging 4K movie play back devices such as a 4K Blu-ray player.
MOTION BLUR This Sony TV has good motion performance, with some blurring on our motion tests. Though this model includes Motionflow, a feature designed to reduce motion blur, we found it was only mildly effective.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY Though not as mirror-like as on some LCDs, this screen surface is glossy and therefore 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 fair, below that of the better 3D sets. Minimally effective 3D due to noticeable amount of ghosting (left eye/right eye crosstalk) on our 3D test patterns and on a wide variety of 3D program content. There was an increase in ghosting when we viewed 3D images from above or below eye level, which got worse as you move closer to the TV. In 3D mode, the display presented full 1080p resolution to each eye, showing all the detail from the best 3D content from Blu-ray disc.
SOUND QUALITY This TV has good sound quality; about average among the TVs we've tested. When watching a movie blockbuster, a concert, or TV show, it delivers decent performance but falls short of the better performers. With movies, dialog was generally clear and natural sounding, while remaining well balanced with respect to background music and other sounds. Bass extension was decent, which added some fullness to the sound, and treble was nicely detailed, while the overall sound was a bit closed in. It has a good volume range so the TV should play sufficiently loud in typical room environments. Most will find this sound quality acceptable.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set was easy to use for the most part. 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 good. Also, the remote is satisfactory, and the on-screen menu is easy to navigate.
It lacks a dedicated menu button on the television console, so you can't access the menu if you lose the remote. 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 support stand to the TV is straightforward. The TV rests on a pair of feet which can be centrally mounted or placed at the far ends of the display, so you have some flexibility on the width of your table top.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV provides advanced Internet capability. Features include access to a library of applications via "Google Play/Sony Select." Movie streaming services include: Netflix, Amazon, Hulu Plus, Vudu, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, PlayStation Video, iHeartRadio, Pandora, TuneIn, Google Play Music, PlayStation Now, SlingTV, HBO Now, CBS All Access.
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. 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, a quick start guide, two remotes with batteries, and Alternate Stand Assembly. 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.
