Recently, Sony has taken a backseat when it comes to brand popularity, overshadowed by fellow Asian companies LG and Samsung. That’s not to say that the Japanese firm has lost its touch. Far from it, actually, especially in the 4K TV department. Sony still offers some of the most stunning TVs out there, with exceptionally gorgeous pictures and immersive, cinematic sound. In fact, Sony’s X900F Series is one of the best-looking LCD TVs we’ve seen in years.
A sort of sequel to it, the X950G Series, has just recently been released. This new breed of Sony TV looks nearly identical to its predecessor but thankfully comes at a much lower price. Right now, you can save a whopping $202
The Sony X950G hits the sweet spot between affordability and picture quality. Being a part of Sony’s Bravia lineup, you can count on the X950G looking sleek and elegant. In fact, it adds extra panache to its looks by having thin metallic borders, giving it a nearly bezel-less appearance. It has two detachable stand feet (you can mount this TV on your wall if you want), with a dark brushed metallic finish like the TV’s borders.
This TV is outfitted with a good number of ports, one set facing left and the other facing downward. It includes four HDMI ports, three USB ports, an RF connector for the antenna, and RCA inputs. The HDMI ports support HDMI-CEC which allows you to use just one remote to control all devices connected to the TV. It also has Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) for the highest quality audio output from your soundbar.
This X950G’s 55-inch LCD panel delivers a strong picture performance. It can go extremely bright, images look stunning, colors are accurate, blacks are deep, and the frame rate is top-notch smooth. This is all thanks to Sony’s proprietary X1 processor. The technology analyzes and enhances the video input and displays a clearer, more realistic picture. Unfortunately, as is the case with most large LED TVs, the outer edges and corners tend to look darker than the center of the screen, especially with brightly lit scenes.
Browsing through this Android 8.0 TV interface is smooth and fast, although a lot of people can’t stand the platform’s row-centric design. Apps open quickly and movements and transitions appear fluid. It also has a built-in Chromecast so you can access video content from Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and more using your smartphone as a remote. Plus, this TV supports the new Imax Enhanced format, aside from HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
What nearly ruins this TV is its audio quality. The overall volume is a bit weak, and the bass lacks punch. For a $1,000 TV, we expected more. We recommend getting yourself a soundbar.
Still, the Sony X950G is overall a fantastic 4K TV that’s calibrated for optimum home cinematic entertainment, guaranteed to make you the envy of your neighbors. Get a 55-inch unit for $998 on Amazon.
For a comprehensive and smart way to shop for your next TV, click here for our TV buying guide. And for more awesome 4K TV deals check out our curated deals page.
