Hi, I'm Daniel from rtings.com
Today we're testing the Sony X850F. It's a
good 4k TV with an IPS panel, but it has a
low native contrast ratio which is bad for
dark rooms. It is also known as the XF85 in
the UK or Europe, and we expect these international
variants to offer very similar performance.
We bought the 65" X850F to test, but it is
also available in 75 and 85 inches. We expect
the 75 inch model to have similar picture
quality and overall performance, but the 85
inch model has a VA type panel which performs
differently. We'll comment on these differences
later in the review.
We'll start by looking at the design of the
TV, and then move on to the picture quality.
We'll also look at how the TV handles motion
for sports or games, and also look at the
input lag. We'll finish by comparing to these
competing models which are currently available.
The design of the X850F is great. It looks
very similar to the higher end Sony X900F
when viewed from the front, including the
wide set stand. This does leave space for
a soundbar in front of the TV though.
The controls consist of 3 buttons behind the
left edge of the TV. They can be a bit hard
to find if the TV is placed close to a wall
due to their small size and inconvenient location.
When viewing the TV from the side, it appears
quite thin. This is good for those who want
to wall mount it as it won't stick out much.
The borders of the TV are also thin and look
good.
Directed out the side of the TV is the first
set of inputs. These are relatively easy to
access if the TV is placed close to a wall.
Directed out the back of the TV are another
set of inputs including an additional HDMI
port, an optical port and a shared composite
and component input. These can be a bit more
difficult to access, but it is also easier
to direct the cables down the rear of the
TV and through the stand. A clip on each leg
secures them, keeping any messy cables out
of sight.
Looking at a thermal image of the TV we can
see the main source of heat is the LEDs along
the bottom edge. This does get warm to the
touch but is unlikely to present any issues.
Now we'll look at the picture quality. We'll
be comparing to currently available TVs but
competing models may change as new TVs are
released throughout the year. For an updated
comparison with new models as we buy and test
them, see the review page on our website which
is linked below.
The 65" model we bought has an IPS panel with
a low native contrast ratio, so blacks appear
gray when viewed in a dark room. For those
who watch TV in a dark room, a TV with a VA
panel and a high native contrast ratio may
be a better choice. Note that the 85" model
is different, and we expect it to have a contrast
ratio in the same ballpark as the X900F and
NU8000.
The X850F lacks a local dimming feature, which
would otherwise help to produce deeper dark
scenes and to reduce blooming around highlights.
If this is important to you then the higher
end X900F or the TCL 6 Series is a better
choice.
The X850F has wide viewing angles, so the
colors remains accurate for those with wide
seating but the image still gets darker. If
you like to gather a group of friends for
football then IPS TVs like the X850F and SK8000
are a good choice. Note that the 85” model
with a VA panel has worse viewing angles.
The TV also has great reflection handling,
so even in a bright room, reflections aren't
too distracting. This is very similar to the
higher end X900F, and better than the Samsung
NU8000.
The X850F also has about 400 nits of peak
brightness across the whole screen in SDR.
This is a great result for overcoming glare
in a bright living room, especially when combined
with the great reflection handling. In HDR
it does get a bit brighter, as it can produce
highlights in our real scene test pattern
up to about 450 nits. This is decent, but
HDR highlights can't really stand out as much
as some other TVs.
Gray uniformity of the X850F is also decent,
and in line with other LCDs. The edges
of the screen are darker, but the center of
the screen is relatively uniform. This should
be fine for watching sports like hockey or
football, or for gaming.
The X850F has a wide color gamut, which is
good for displaying vivid HDR highlights.
It is a bit wider than the LG SK8000 but not
quite as good as the higher end X900F.
The response time of the X850F is fast which
is excellent. Only a short red blur smear
can be seen on the left of our moving logo
pattern. This is great for gamers or sports
fans.
The X850F also has the ability to flicker
the backlight to clear up fast paced motion.
It can flicker at 120Hz, which does create
duplications behind most content at 60 fps.
As a result, TVs with 60Hz flicker like the
NU8000 and SK8000 do appear clearer. This
feature isn't for everyone though, as it does
reduce the brightness of the image and produces
noticeable flicker.
The input lag of the X850F is great, at about
30 milliseconds whether it is a 1080p input
from a nintendo switch, or a 4k signal from
an xbox one x or PC. It isn’t quite as low
as many competing models, but still feels
responsive and is great for gamers.
The X850F runs Sony's version of Android TV.
Some people love it for the wide selection
of available apps through the google play
store, while others dislike that it is often
slow or unintuitive to use. Google assistant
can be quickly accessed through a button on
the remote and allows changing inputs, searching
for content, or opening apps.
The sound of the X850F is mediocre. While
it can get fairly loud, it lacks bass. Those
who care about sound are better off with an
external soundbar or speakers.
So overall, the X850F is a great choice for
those with bright rooms and wide seating.
As a result, it's best suited for those who
watch sports with a group or for TV shows
in a living room. For other uses though, and
especially in a dark room, the picture quality
isn’t as good as the competition.
The X900F is the step up in Sony's lineup.
It has a VA panel with better picture quality
when viewed in a dark room due to the higher
native contrast ratio and local dimming feature.
The image degrades when viewed at an angle
though, so even though it is a better TV overall,
those who have wide seating may prefer the
X850F.
The Samsung NU8000 is also better suited to
a dark room with seating directly in-front.
It does offer some neat gaming features though,
like FreeSync variable refresh rate support
for those with AMD graphics cards or for the
Xbox One X and S. As a result, it is a better
choice for gamers.
The LG SK8000 is another IPS TV with very
similar performance. While it has local dimming,
it doesn't work well to improve the dark scene
performance. It has lower input lag for gamers,
but also can't get as bright to counteract
glare. These differences are small, so most
people are better off with the cheaper TV.
The TCL 6 Series is a budget TV with some
high-end features. It is a better pick for
those who watch from directly in-front, and
especially for gamers due to the low input
lag. It does have some downsides though, as
the screen uniformity varies significantly
between units and the image degrades when
viewed at an angle.
So that's it! What do you think of the Sony
X850F? Let us know what you think below.
You can check out all of the measurements
on our website. If you like this video, subscribe
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Thank you for watching and see you next time.
