Sony XG95 (KD-55XG9505) 4K TV Review & Comments

Interesting comments about the HDR blooming in black bars, the XG90 I have is similar with HDR content (although I know its a step down in the ladder from your review model here the XG95) while my 2017 XE doesn't seem to suffer the same fate. I had thought I was imagining it, but, sadly no, its definitely there.

Maybe its due to the higher lighting intensity of the XG90 (or indeed your XG95 review). The XG90 does seem to be ok when there is more ambient light but in dim light the same problem you have seen in your XG95 exists on the XG90 for HDR (probably due to MAX backlight setting). Didn't this also exist on the XF model too?
 
Phil,in your video review i did not see any mention of input lag ?
 
In 2019 to put on market mid/high end model with such huge minus is insane.
Like we are full circle to begining of lcd tech.....
 
It's always amazed me why manufacturers don't prioritise the dimming of the black bars when positioning the led dimming zones on these mid-range LCDs. Having jet-black bars is hugely influential from a visual perspective, even if the zone dimming in the rest of the picture remains rather coarse.

Anyways this confirms what we knew already; it's incredibly difficult for a direct-lit set with only 50 zones to do justice to HDR in the age of 55-inch OLEDs for a lower RRP.

Have Sony abandoned the dual-filter edge-lit system they started using 3-4 years ago? That always seemed the perfect mid-range solution to me as you get a similar number of zones but but it's easier to dim the black bars.
 
I know you've moved to having more of the content in the videos (I've yet to watch it) but I miss having the graphs in the written review, as it's far easier to study these on a web page than trying to pause a video to see it (Especially on a phone). Cheers
The thinking is - we can show you more charts and talk you through them in the video, against just putting up a few charts and text in the review. Plus, the videos are 4k so the resolution shouldn't be an issue when pausing the video and zooming in. I can put the charts back into the written section if there is a demand for it.
 
It's always amazed me why manufacturers don't prioritise the dimming of the black bars when positioning the led dimming zones on these mid-range LCDs. Having jet-black bars is hugely influential from a visual perspective, even if the zone dimming in the rest of the picture remains rather coarse.

Anyways this confirms what we knew already; it's incredibly difficult for a direct-lit set with only 50 zones to do justice to HDR in the age of 55-inch OLEDs for a lower RRP.

Have Sony abandoned the dual-filter edge-lit system they started using 3-4 years ago? That always seemed the perfect mid-range solution to me as you get a similar number of zones but but it's easier to dim the black bars.

yea, samsung had the cinema black feature which worked great on a set i had... jet black bars...would have assumed 4 years later things would be better not worse.
 
So Phil if Sony can fix the black bar issue with a firmware update what rating would you give the tv?
 
£1800 and it has an OS which crashes and wi-fi goes on the blink. Crazy.

I'm a 1080p PJ man myself for movies but our £400 day to day Panasonic has been virtually been faultless other than Netflix having stopped working after 3 months.

Mind you, clearly a much simpler device.
 
Yeah, android strikes again. Has it not been given enough chances at this stage?

I don't remember the XF90 having such HDR blooming issues. I can't say I noticed myself but not seen one in a while.
 
I thought there was a recent Sony TV released with Android that worked well, but can't remember which model that was.
The Master Series ZF9 and AF9 sets I reviewed were more stable. This is the first X1 Ultimate TV that has an issue with it. I am guessing it has less memory/lower level processor.
 
Too many mentions of "decent", "fairly reasonable" etc. At this sort of money should not the performance be much better de rigueur.
 
so another new Sony which is not as good as its 2017 75x940E model

what is going wrong with Sony.
 
The Master Series ZF9 and AF9 sets I reviewed were more stable. This is the first X1 Ultimate TV that has an issue with it. I am guessing it has less memory/lower level processor.
AFAIK, SoC is the same but they did put less RAM in XG (2.5 vs 4). And XF has 4GB also. Meanwhile their phones do have even 6GB of RAM..... with far less crap running al the time or at least, it's way more easier to kill the crap you don't need. Doing that on TV on the other hand.......
 
so another new Sony which is not as good as its 2017 75x940E model

what is going wrong with Sony.

Not just Sony.

Have the majority of Samsung QLEDs (Q9 being the exception) actually been much of an/any improvement on the KS range of 3-4 years ago?

I'm assuming it's the costs involved to produce the proper high end LCD. That's why Panasonic have not even attempted to since the DX902.
 
so how about maintaining the quality then and lower the price in the process instead of spending money on pointless "improvements" and gimmicks
 
The thinking is - we can show you more charts and talk you through them in the video, against just putting up a few charts and text in the review. Plus, the videos are 4k so the resolution shouldn't be an issue when pausing the video and zooming in. I can put the charts back into the written section if there is a demand for it.

I second putting charts and commentary in writing, alongside video reviews. I always felt AVF was wholly different to VT and his site, but now you’re mimicking him.

Text also easier to consume at work or with childcare concerns
 
I second putting charts and commentary in writing, alongside video reviews. I always felt AVF was wholly different to VT and his site, but now you’re mimicking him.

Text also easier to consume at work or with childcare concerns
Er, we have been doing video reviews/reviews of TVs far longer than VT, and I think you have that the wrong way around ;) Sitting next to a TV and talking about it was our format long before others came along. We have changed our style recently.

I will add back the charts to the written section starting with the next TV review.
 
Not just Sony.

Have the majority of Samsung QLEDs (Q9 being the exception) actually been much of an/any improvement on the KS range of 3-4 years ago?

Yes with at least some of their models. I've got a Q7FN which is better than the KS7000 it replaced. The KS was a strong line though.
 
Er, we have been doing video reviews/reviews of TVs far longer than VT, and I think you have that the wrong way around ;) Sitting next to a TV and talking about it was our format long before others came along. We have changed our style recently.

I will add back the charts to the written section starting with the next TV review.

Cheers, Phil. I just meant the video was more front and centre now compared to the written review.
 
Good honest review Phil.

You can get a 4K HDR Tv for £300, God knows how it meets HDR performance criteria to award HDR tag when selling cheap TVs.

This set has 50 dimming zones and a midrange set and still can’t do proper HDR.
 

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