The Sony X80K/X80CK is an entry-level 4K television model with several noteworthy features. It boasts a wide viewing angle, making it a preferable choice for those who desire consistent image quality even off-center. The television is particularly suitable for watching sports and TV shows, thanks to its decent reflection handling. Furthermore, it offers decent upscaling of lower-resolution content, ensuring clear and sharp images. Another notable feature is its compatibility with Sony's proprietary TV webcam, which allows users to make video calls or use hands-free gestures.
The television model comes equipped with a Google TV interface that provides access to a wide range of apps for a personalized entertainment experience. It also features motion interpolation to smoothen lower-frame-rate content, although this can introduce artifacts in busier scenes. The TV has the option for black frame insertion to reduce motion blur and persistence blur. On the downside, it does not support any variable refresh rate technologies, which can be a letdown for gamers seeking smoother visuals.
In terms of specs, the Sony X80K/X80CK has a native contrast ratio of 1,173:1 and does not support local dimming. The peak brightness levels are 341 cd/m² for SDR content and 353 cd/m² for HDR content. The model supports wide color gamut, displaying a broad range of colors. Moreover, it has four HDMI ports, two USB ports, one digital optical audio out, one composite in, and an Ethernet port. It supports various formats such as HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG. The power consumption is relatively low, with an average of 61W and a maximum of 166W. The sound quality is well-balanced at lower and moderate volume levels, but lacks bass.
Detailed Specifications of the Featured Television
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Picture Quality | Native contrast ratio of 1,173:1. No local dimming support. Peak brightness is 341 cd/m² for SDR content and 353 cd/m² for HDR content. Supports wide color gamut. |
| Display Resolutions | 4K |
| Input Ports | Four HDMI ports (HDMI 2.0 full bandwidth), two USB ports (including one USB 3.0), one digital optical audio out, one composite in, and an Ethernet port. Supports HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG. |
| Black Frame Insertion | Offers the option for black frame insertion to reduce motion blur and persistence blur. |
| Motion Interpolation | Features motion interpolation to smoothen lower-frame-rate content, but can introduce artifacts in busier scenes. |
| Refresh Rate | Does not support any variable refresh rate technologies. |
| Power Consumption | Consumes 61W of power on average and can consume up to a maximum of 166W. |
| Smart Features | Runs on Google TV interface, version 10. Provides access to various apps through the Google Play Store. Includes voice control and compatibility with BRAVIA CAM for video calls and hands-free gestures. |
| Sound Quality | Frequency response is well-balanced at lower and moderate volume levels but lacks bass. Distortion is unremarkable. |
Experience Enhanced Viewing with Wide-Angle Display and Google TV Interface
The most important key feature of this television is its wide viewing angle, which ensures consistent image quality even when viewed from different angles.
- Wide Viewing Angle: The television provides a broad viewing angle, ensuring that the image remains consistent when viewed off-center.
- Decent Upscaling: The television has no issues upscaling lower-resolution content, offering a clear and sharp image.
- Google TV Interface: The television comes with the Google TV interface, ensuring access to a wide range of apps for a personalized entertainment experience.
- Compatibility with Sony's Proprietary TV Webcam: The television model is compatible with Sony's proprietary TV webcam, allowing users to make video calls or use hands-free gestures.
- Good for Sports and TV Shows: The television is suitable for watching sports and TV shows, as it offers a wide viewing angle and decent reflection handling.
Potential Drawbacks of This Television
While this television has several great features, it also has some potential downsides that could impact the viewing experience. Here are the main cons:
1. Low Native Contrast Ratio: This television's native contrast ratio is low, resulting in less vivid colors and making black colors appear gray in dark scenes. This can affect the overall viewing experience, particularly for movies and games with dark scenes.
2. Lack of Local Dimming Feature: This television does not support local dimming, which can negatively impact its performance in dark scenes. This means the picture quality may be less impressive when watching movies or playing games in a dark room.
3. Limited HDR Performance: The HDR peak brightness of this television is low, which can impact the overall HDR performance. This means it may not deliver vibrant highlights as expected, which could affect the viewing experience, especially for HDR content.
4. No Support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR): The television does not support any variable refresh rate technologies. This may result in less smooth motion in fast-paced content or games, which could be a drawback for gamers or sports enthusiasts.
5. Sound Quality: While the frequency response is well-balanced at lower and moderate volume levels, the television lacks bass. This could affect the overall sound experience, particularly for content where deep bass is important, such as action movies or music videos.
A Solid Choice for Casual Viewing, but Not for Dark Room Cinematics
The Sony X80K/X80CK offers a decent viewing experience for casual TV watchers, particularly for sports and TV shows thanks to its wide viewing angle and upscaling capabilities. However, its performance in dark rooms leaves much to be desired due to its low native contrast ratio and lack of local dimming feature.
If vibrant HDR performance is important to you, this television might not meet your expectations as its HDR peak brightness is low. However, for daily usage and as a PC monitor, it performs quite well. If you're not too picky about picture quality in dark scenes and are looking for a TV with smart features like Google TV interface and compatibility with Sony's proprietary TV webcam, this might be a good fit for you.
