The Sony X85L Ultra HD 4K series has three references, the Sony KD-55X85L (55'', 140 cm), Sony KD-65X85L (65'', 165 cm) and Sony KD-75X85L (75'', 191 cm) (see left photo below).
Sony X85L TV, Direct LED Global Dimming Backlight System
The X85L televisions feature a Direct LED Global Dimming backlighting system. However, the latter proves to be less efficient, particularly in terms of the number of independent zones. For the rest, it is the X1 4K HDR video processor that is in charge and not the XR Cognitive Processor. This is associated with a native 120 hertz 10-bit panel.
In the absence of the X-Anti Reflection coating and the X-Wide Angle function already on the X90L screens compared to the X95L, we also note that of the functions linked to the XR Cognitive Processor 2023, namely the XR Clear Image, XR Motion Clarity and XR Upscaling 4K, against the presence of X-Motion Clarity and X-Reality Pro 4K for the last two.
Good news, the light peak is announced as a significant increase compared to the X85K models of last year, +50%. And it is true that the demonstrations during the 2023 TV range presentation day in London last week revealed a clear advantage of the X85L vs X85K in terms of black density and Blooming management.
Sony X85L: Smart Google TV
We find on the Sony 2023 Smart TVs the Google TV operating system which gives pride of place to content. Like Android TV, Google TV consolidates and organizes all your apps and streaming subscriptions in one place. But, while with Android TV, the applications are at the top of the menus, here it is the content that takes precedence, displayed next to each other by theme. More than 6,500 applications are concerned, including Disney+, Netflix, Canal+, France TV or YouTube and more than 700,000 films and episodes of series. And no more juggling from one service to another to find what you want to watch: the hundreds of thousands of films and series are organized and searchable by genre, whatever their origin.
Finally, Sony X85L TVs immediately integrate the Google Assistant function via Chromecast certification (integrated) and a microphone on the remote control. The Works with Alexa certification (need for an Amazon Echo type connected speaker) is also included, as well as for those AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. Finally, we should also note the optional availability of the Bravia camera. Of course, once installed, gesture control is a must.
But the Bravia Cam function has many other features. In addition to gesture control, the camera triggers the display of an automatic reverse message and an audible alert if the person looks at the television too closely (very useful for children), allows energy savings by automatically lowering the brightness of the TV if the viewer leaves the room and optimizes sound processing according to the position of the viewer in front of the TV. Last precision, it is possible to completely turn off (via a switch) the camera and no private data is stored on it or the television.
Sony X85L: OTT Bravia Core service and Dolby Atmos compatibility
Like all Sony Bravia televisions, the Sony X85L offers the exclusive Bravia Core (for Center of Real Entertainment) streaming platform. This one, mainly animated by Sony Pictures productions, offers for the purchase of a TV Bravia XR Sony A95L, A80L, X95L or X90L the possibility of watching a selection of 10 films from the studio's greatest films free of charge for 24 months. Hollywood and the largest collection of feature films bearing the Imax Enhanced label, to choose from a catalog that is regularly enriched. And the purchase of a Sony X85L, X80L, X75WL TV also allows you to take advantage of the Bravia Core service but for 12 months for a selection of 5 films. For example, in 2023, the Bravia Core film library should be enriched with feature films The Son, Equalizer 3, Gran Turismo, Insidious Chapter 5, Living, The Pope's Exorcist, Kravan The Hunter, Missing... And this, with extreme quality, i.e. a speed of up to 80 Mbps for consumers with an adequate subscription.
The 2.0 sound section of the Sony X85L series ensures support for Dolby Atmos of course remains in place.
Sony X85L: Perfect for PlayStation 5 and Game Menu
Perfect for PlayStation 5 certification with its two features Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode is also on the program. As a reminder, Sony X85L Bravia TVs automatically switch to Game or Standard mode depending on the nature of the signal sent by the PS5 console.
But the big novelty of Sony 2023 TVs concerns the presence of a Game Menu allowing very simple and quick access to game settings: VRR, motion blur reduction (Motion Blur), Black Equalizer function (for clear areas of the image and flush out an enemy or a bonus) or even the tiller of the displayed image (to reduce it on the screen).
Too bad, support for HDR Dolby Vision Gaming is up to 120 Hz and Multiview mode to display two images side by side on the screen to, for example, play a PS5 title and watch a tutorial on YouTube , are the prerogative of the only A95L televisions. None of this on the X85L.
Otherwise, still in terms of features, the Calman Ready function (for fine calibration of the TV with the tools of the same name), and Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth compatibility are part of the range of Sony X85L TVs . Namely, Sony X85L TVs still have only two HDMI 2.1 inputs with management of VRR, ALLM, eARC and 4K/120 functions via a bandwidth of 48 gigabits. There are also two other HDMI 2.0 connectors (18 Gbps bandwidth).
Last precision, Sony X85L TVs can adopt three different positions: no foot if the TV is fixed to the wall, placed on a high double foot (accepting a sound bar) whose supports are located at both ends of the screen, placed on a double central foot to place the TV on a piece of furniture of reduced width.
Availability announced for the month of May. Indicative prices still unknown.
Reminder of the key characteristics of Sony X85L TVs:
• 10-bit panel
• LCD panel
• Ultra HD/4K panel
• 120 Hz panel
• Processor: X1 4K HDR
• Wide Color Gamut function
• UPnP (DLNA) multimedia gateway function
• Screen Mirroring function
• eARC function
• X- function Reality Pro 4K
• X-Clarity Motion function
• VRR function
• ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) function
• 4K HFR 120 function
• CalMan Ready function
• Ambient Optimization function
• Calman Ready function
• Bravia Core function
• HDR10 and HDR HLG compatibility
• Bluetooth compatibility
• Chromecast, Google compatibility Home, Google Assistant
• NTFS compatibility (via USB)
• Miracast compatibility
• HDR Dolby Vision compatibility
• Wi-Fi ac compatibility
• HEVC compatibility
• NFC compatibility
• Dolby Atmos compatibility
• DTS compatibility
• HDCP 2.3 compatibility
• Inputs: 2 HDMI 2.1, 2 HDMI 2. 0
• Multimedia AirPlay 2
• Multimedia HomeKit
• Multimedia Works with Alexa
• Multimedia Works with Google Assistant
• Multimedia Google TV
• Multimedia Ok Google
• Direct LED Global Dimming backlight system
• DVB-T2 tuner
• DVB-C tuner
• DVB-S2 tuner
• Sound section: 2.0