Sony X900E 4K LED UHD TV - Hands On Review

The Sony X900E Series Television: A Comprehensive Review

Today, we are reviewing the Sony X900E series television, which ranges in sizes from 49 inches all the way up to 75 inches and sits just below Sony's top-of-the-line X9.30 years ago. While it may not have some of the fancier exterior design elements that you will see in Sony's flagship model, the X900E series is still a very capable television. In fact, I believe that for most folks, this series brings the best cost-to-performance ratio out there.

So, what makes the X900E series so special? While it may not be as flashy as Sony's top-tier TV, it is still a sleek-looking set. The use of a full array of back lights behind the screen instead of edge lights gives the bezel a trimmer look on this set compared to the more expensive model. Additionally, it sports the same stand, which is not only attractive but also has a small footprint making it ideal for those with smaller entertainment centers. The back of the TV features all the connections you'll need, including four HDMI inputs, one with an eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) that makes soundbar connections simpler and easier to manage. Cable management works so that you can route your wires out through these feet, keeping them hidden from view.

The X900E runs on the Android TV platform, which gives it a few distinct advantages. First and foremost, you have access to Ok Google, which will help you find content you want to watch and can answer pretty much any question you'd ask Google. This TV is also Google Cast enabled, so just like a Chromecast, you can pull up content on a mobile device or PC and then cast it off to the TV, which is super convenient especially with YouTube and Netflix content. The X900E can also be controlled with Alexa, Amazon's digital assistant, making it part of an integrated smart home system.

One of the standout features of the X900E series is its picture quality. While it may not get quite as bright as Sony's top-of-the-line model, it is still quite bright and in some cases has a more uniform picture than the X930 series above it thanks to its full array local dimming back lights. This gives you a more even balance of brightness across the screen and just a touch of halo around bright objects on dark backgrounds. The TV is equally at home in both bright rooms and dark rooms, with HDR content looking stellar. There's also a good bit of depth to this picture thanks to very good contrast.

Perhaps the X900E series' best attribute is its color capabilities, which are very smooth with a wide color gamut and enhanced color volume. Motion is also solid with very little blur and judder even without any processing at it in. However, Sony's motion flow system allows some smoothing without that dreaded soap opera effect. Speaking of settings, I prefer the Cinema Home picture preset for nearly all uses, as it results in solid brightness and great color with the best contrast. Cinema Pro is a little darker, which makes it ideal for dark dedicated home theaters and for those who do a lot of daytime TV watching with lots of sun pouring in.

One potential drawback of the X900E series is that to get these really deep black levels, Sony went with the type of LCD panel that does great blacks but also has a shallow viewing angle. Move too far off center and you'll see a lot of that contrast wash out while colors will also fade a bit. This is just how it goes with high-performance LCD-based TVs ultimately.

In conclusion, the Sony X900E series television is an outstanding choice for anyone looking for excellent picture quality without breaking the bank. It may not have all the bells and whistles of Sony's top-tier model, but it delivers in terms of performance and value. If you consider yourself a savvy video file enthusiast, this TV might be just what you're looking for.