The Sony X900H 85 Inch TV: Ultra HD Smart LED TV is an upper mid-range LED TV with a lot to prove, sitting a few hundred dollars below LG’s competing OLED TVs. Certified for Dolby Vision–the premiere high dynamic range spec–and boasting 32 full array LED zones, Sony’s X900H series aims to provide a strong HDR experience; this is powered by a custom image processor Sony calls the HDR Processor X1, which handles and enhances HDR image quality. It also tries to provide a strong gaming experience, too, thanks to a low latency mode that will be enabled in a future firmware update. Even without this update, it’s one of the best TV monitors for gaming and probably the best TV you can get out there.
Related: In case you want to compare it with other reliable units, check our Sony X900H 65 Inch TV 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV review
Why We Like It – Sony X900H
The Sony X900H 85 Inch TV: Ultra HD Smart LED TV is a high-end Android TV boasting excellent picture quality, a high refresh rate, and full-array local dimming (FALD) all in a $999.99-2599.99 package. Its price point makes it an attractive alternative to pricier OLED TVs from competitors, though a few setbacks prevent it from being the definitive mid-range buy.
- Great HDR picture
- High peak brightness
- Minimal input lag
- Poor viewing angles
- Similar options exist for less money
Related: Take a look at the Sony X950G review
Performance
The Sony X900H 85 Inch TV: Ultra HD Smart LED TV delivers strong performance almost all across the board. It has a high contrast ratio for an LED panel–around 4000:1, low input lag when put into game mode, and surprisingly minimal motion blur for a VA panel thanks to a feature called X Motion Clarity, which uses active processing to tweak the image as it’s displayed to minimize blur. As far as HDR TVs go, its general quality is about as good as it gets before stepping up to higher end OLED TVs. Its built-in speakers provide a decent experience for integrated speakers, but you’ll get significantly better sound quality from any decent soundbar or, better yet, proper surround sound speaker setup.
As far as software goes, it’s very standard fare; it’s a smart TV running Android TV, typical of high end non-LG brands. Its remote control has a dedicated Google Assistant button, giving you voice control, though the software still lacks polish.
It offers slightly worse picture quality overall than the Samsung Q80R but comes in at a larger size, is beaten out by the Sony X950H but comes in cheaper, and it’s all around superior to the Hisense 55H8G, which lacks variable refresh rate.
Viewing Angle
Viewing angles are the achilles’ heel of the Sony X900H 85 Inch TV: Ultra HD Smart LED TV; despite boasting Sony’s X-Wide technology, which claims to improve viewing angles on large TVs, viewing angles are extremely poor. This results in a washed-out image when the screen is viewed off-axis, making it unsuitable for environments where people will be viewing the television from the sides. Changing the TV’s picture mode does nothing to fix this, as it’s a hardware-level fault; you’ll want an IPS or, if you can spare the budget, OLED TV for use cases where viewing angles matter.
Durability
The Sony X900H 85 Inch TV: Ultra HD Smart LED TV is about as durable as 55-85 inch TVs get, possessing strong build quality and an attractive design. Though there’s some flex around the ports, the TV is overall well-built, and its metal stand seems to be sturdy and reliable; there’s minimal wobble when the TV is touched.
Ports/Expandability
Sony didn’t mess around with the number of inputs on the Sony X900H 85 Inch TV: Ultra HD Smart LED TV. There’s 4 HDMI ports–though it’s unclear how many of them are HDMI 2.1 since Sony has yet to push the update enabling HDMI 2.1–and 2 USB ports, alongside 2 3.5mm audio-out jacks, an ethernet port, and composite inputs via an adapter that’s not included in the box. It unfortunately lacks DisplayPort, making it a potentially poor choice for certain PC gamers.
Value
Value is perhaps where this Sony TV struggles the most; it’s very similar to the cheaper TCL 6 series, while costing a lot more. It delivers marginally better image quality, and an 85” model exists (the 6 series caps at 75”), but the price premium on the Sony makes it a tough sell, particularly with its lack of wide angle viewing. Compared to something like an LG OLED, it’s decent value, but it falls flat against reliable budget brands that deliver nearly the same experience for significantly less.
Sony X900H 85 Inch TV: Ultra HD Smart LED TV Wrap up
The Sony X900H 85 Inch TV: Ultra HD Smart LED TV is a decent performer, providing a solid mid-range experience while holding its own against higher-end panels. It comes in an array of screen sizes that make it fit for nearly any living room, though poor viewing angles disappoint, as does its awkward price point. For most users, the TCL 6 series is a better overall buy, while the slowly-falling prices of OLEDs make it less and less attractive as time goes on. If you can’t spring out the extra money for an LG CX and you don’t want a TCL-made machine, it’s a solid buy, but it has fierce competition despite being a strong performer.
