The Sony KD43X85K is a 43-inch 4K Ultra HD smart TV that was released in 2022. Part of Sony's mid-range X85K series, this TV features a minimalist design, Google's smart TV platform, and Sony's acclaimed picture processing technology. With support for HDR formats like Dolby Vision, a 120Hz refresh rate panel, and a voice remote control, the KD43X85K delivers a compelling 4K viewing experience and smart functionality. As a 2022 model, it provides modern features like hands-free Google Assistant voice control and built-in access to popular streaming apps. The KD43X85K hits a nice sweet spot of price and performance, making it a strong option for buyers looking for a sub-50 inch Sony 4K TV with smart capabilities.

Design

The Sony KD43X85K features an attractive, modern design with an ultraslim profile and slim bezels around the display. At just 2.29 inches thick, this 43-inch TV can fit into tight spaces and hang flush on your wall.

The bezels surrounding the screen are minimal, only 0.39 inches along the top and sides. This creates a nearly all-screen look when viewing content, letting you truly immerse yourself in movies and shows without distraction. The slim, angular stand matches well with the TV's slender form.

With a slick, refined style and take-up very little space relative to the large 43-inch screen, the design of the Sony KD43X85K is ideal for both wall mounting and smaller entertainment consoles. The clean, contemporary aesthetic blends nicely into both modern and traditional decors.

While the Sony KD43X85K features an attractive, minimalist design well-suited to a variety of settings, some other 43-inch TVs like the SAMSUNG QN43Q60CA offer a comparable slim, modern look. The Samsung QN43Q60CA has a similar 2.3 inch depth and slim 0.35 inch bezels for an immersive viewing experience. Its stand is also slim and angular to match the slender TV profile.

Both the Sony KD43X85K and Samsung QN43Q60CA have streamlined builds and small footprints relative to their large screen sizes. With dimensions under 48 inches wide, they can fit into compact spaces while still delivering an impactful 43-inch picture. The minimalist aesthetic and unobtrusive proportions make both excellent options for wall mounting as well.

While these two 43-inch smart TVs take up very little space physically, their screens still provide ample room for enjoying all types of content. The extra screen real estate over smaller 32-inch or 40-inch models lets you better appreciate cinematic visuals, immersive gaming, and more. So in compact living rooms where every inch counts, the slender construction doesn't sacrifice screen size.

In terms of design style, the Sony KD43X85K features more rounded corners and edges for its display and stand while the Samsung QN43Q60CA has sharper, more defined lines. This gives the Samsung a slightly more contemporary, cutting-edge look compared to the softer Sony aesthetic. However, both styles complement modern decor well and appeal to those wanting an unobtrusive, minimalist TV form factor.

When wall mounted, these 43-inch models disappear even more thanks to their slim profiles, letting your media take center stage. The Sony and Samsung can lay nearly flush on the wall, projecting just inches outward. This prevents them from dominating a smaller room the way thicker, bulkier TVs do. Clean cable management options on both models further reduce clutter.

While the Sony KD43X85K and Samsung QN43Q60CA may share slim, minimalist designs in a 43-inch size, the Sony features some unique aesthetic touches. This includes a three-sided bezel-less look for a truly immersive viewing experience. The aluminum flame finished stand and refined frame also give the Sony added style points.

In summary, those wanting a space-saving 43-inch TV with clean, contemporary aesthetics can find appealing options in both the Sony KD43X85K and Samsung QN43Q60CA. Their slim profiles and compact footprints let you enjoy big screen entertainment even in tight spaces.

Display Quality

The Sony KD43X85K has an impressive display featuring 4K Ultra HD resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels). This high resolution provides more detail and clarity compared to 1080p Full HD. With over 8 million pixels, 4K images are incredibly lifelike with refined textures and gradients.

This TV supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) including HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision. HDR expands the color palette and contrast range, allowing for more vivid highlights and detailed shadows. It brings out subtle nuances in brightness that make images pop with realism.

Sony's powerful X1 4K HDR processor enhances 4K signals for optimal clarity. It upscales lower resolution content to near 4K quality using advanced algorithms. This results in refined edges and reduced noise for clean, detailed imagery even when watching 1080p content.

The 43-inch screen is great for smaller living rooms where a larger TV may be overwhelming. It provides an immersive viewing experience thanks to the 4K resolution and HDR support packed into the compact size.

The Samsung QN43Q60CAFXZA is another excellent 43-inch 4K TV worth considering. It features a VA panel with good native contrast and deep blacks. The quantum dot technology produces a wide color gamut for vivid, accurate colors. This Samsung model also supports HDR10+ and HLG HDR formats for enhanced picture quality.

One standout feature is the Tizen smart platform, which provides quick access to popular streaming apps and services. It has voice controls through Bixby, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. Gaming is smooth with auto low latency mode and variable refresh rate support.

The design is sleek and modern with slim bezels and a metal brushed finish. The stand is sturdy and can be positioned in the center or against the wall. Connectivity options include 4 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.

Overall, the Samsung QN43Q60CAFXZA is an impressive mid-range 43-inch 4K TV with great picture quality, smart features, and a stylish design. It's comparable to the Sony X85K series in terms of display specs and performance. Check out this Samsung 43-inch 4K UHD Smart TV if you want a solid alternative to consider.

Smart Features

The Sony KD43X85K comes with the latest Google TV interface for easy access to your favorite streaming apps and content. This smart TV makes finding what to watch simple with personalized recommendations and voice search.

Google TV provides customized suggestions based on your viewing history and subscriptions. It leverages Google's knowledge graph to better understand what types of shows and movies you enjoy.

Built-in Chromecast allows you to cast movies, shows, photos, and more directly from your mobile device to the TV. You can cast from iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. This provides a convenient way to view content from Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, HBO Max and thousands of Chromecast enabled apps.

The Sony remote has dedicated buttons for popular streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, Disney+ and Prime Video. This gives quick one-touch access to launch these apps.

With Google Assistant you can use your voice to search for entertainment, get answers on screen, and control smart home devices. Use natural language to find a specific title, genre, actor and more. Google Assistant connects to smart home devices like lights, thermostats, cameras and more.

Hands-free voice control works at distance with built-in microphones and no need to use the remote. This allows you to change settings, search, and more completely hands-free.

Audio Quality

The Sony KD43X85K has excellent audio quality, thanks to Sony's proprietary technology and speaker setup. It features two 10W speakers that provide ample volume to fill a room. The speakers are downward-firing, which helps direct the sound towards the viewer rather than bouncing it off walls and ceilings.

For sound formats, the TV supports Dolby Audio and DTS Digital Surround to provide an immersive listening experience. Dolby Audio helps create a wider soundscape and clear dialogue, while DTS Digital Surround provides virtual surround sound from the two speakers. The TV can decode Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks from sources like Blu-ray players. Overall, the audio performance punches above the TV's weight class and enhances movies, TV shows, and gaming.

Ports and Connectivity

The Sony X85K 43 inch TV comes with a good selection of ports and wireless connectivity options.

• For HDMI, it has 3 HDMI ports. The HDMI ports support HDMI 2.1 which allows high bandwidth for 4K 120Hz gaming and 8K 60Hz video. The HDMI ports also support advanced features like eARC, Auto Low Latency Mode and Variable Refresh Rate.

• For USB, it has 2 USB ports. The USB ports are version 2.0. They can be used to plug in external devices like hard drives to play media files or peripherals like wireless keyboards/mice.

• For wireless connectivity, it supports dual band WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 4.2. The WiFi connectivity is fairly fast and reliable for media streaming. Bluetooth allows you to pair wireless speakers, headphones or other accessories.

• It does not have an ethernet port. So wifi is the only option for wired internet connectivity.

Overall, the connectivity options are pretty standard and good enough for most use cases. The HDMI 2.1 future proofs it for new gaming consoles and 8K video. More USB ports would have been better for connecting multiple accessories. But the existing ports get the job done.

Remote Control

Sony includes a sleek premium metal finished remote control with the X85K. The remote has a minimalist design with only the most essential buttons, making it easy to use.

The most frequently used buttons like power, volume, channel change, and input selection are towards the top for quick access. The number pad for channel entry is located below along with dedicated buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and Google Play.

For voice control, there is a microphone button to activate Google Assistant. Press and hold the button, speak your voice command, and release when done. This allows you to launch apps, search for content, control smart home devices, and more using natural speech.

The remote utilizes Bluetooth rather than infrared, so you don't need direct line-of-sight. It has a 20 meter range and is powered by standard AAA batteries.

The simplified button layout prevents clutter while retaining all core functions. Overall, the remote is very user-friendly and complements the TV well.

Picture Quality

The Sony KD43X85K delivers excellent picture quality with impressive contrast, rich and accurate colors, effective upscaling, and wide viewing angles.

Contrast - This TV has high native contrast thanks to Sony's XR Contrast Booster technology. It analyzes the picture and optimizes contrast in real time across zones of the screen. This results in deep blacks and bright, impactful highlights. Dark scenes retain plenty of detail.

Color Accuracy - The colors are remarkably true-to-life. Sony's Triluminos Pro technology reproduces more colors than a conventional TV. The XR processor fine-tunes color for natural, realistic looking images.

Upscaling - Lower resolution content is upscaled close to 4K quality thanks to the powerful XR processor. This gives enhanced clarity and detail to HD content from cable/satellite boxes, Blu-ray players or streaming apps.

Viewing Angles - The picture retains accuracy and vibrancy when viewed at an angle. So you get a great view of the screen from anywhere in the room. The anti-reflective screen coating also helps minimize distracting glare.

Performance

The Sony X85K delivers excellent motion handling and low input lag, making it a great choice for gaming and fast-action content.

Motion Handling

The X85K has Sony's XR Motion Clarity technology which inserts black frames to reduce blur in fast-moving scenes. This results in crisp, clear action with minimal motion blur. Even fast sports and action movies look great with smooth, natural motion.

Input Lag

Input lag measures the time it takes for a TV to process and display an input signal. Lower input lag is critical for gaming where fast reaction times are needed. The X85K has an impressively low input lag of just 8.5ms in Game Mode. This allows gamers to experience responsive, lag-free gameplay.

Reflection Handling

The matte, anti-reflective screen on the X85K does a great job of reducing glare and reflections. Even in bright rooms, ambient light doesn't distract or take away from the picture. The image remains clear and vibrant without mirror-like reflections. This allows you to enjoy the TV without having to block light sources.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Impressive picture quality with deep blacks and vibrant colors
• Great motion handling with fast response time
• Wide viewing angles with IPS panel
• Plenty of HDMI and USB ports
• Easy to use Android TV interface
• Voice controls with Google Assistant
• Works with Apple AirPlay and Chromecast
• Attractive, minimalist design

Cons

• Only 60Hz refresh rate
• Mediocre built-in speakers
• No support for HDR10+ or Dolby Vision
• Lacks advanced gaming features like VRR
• No headphone jack on the TV itself

In summary, the Sony X85K 43-inch 4K TV delivers excellent picture quality for the price along with a robust smart TV platform. The pros include deep blacks, vibrant colors, great motion handling, and easy to use Android TV software with voice control. Downsides are the lack of advanced gaming features, HDR formats, and only 60Hz refresh rate. For most buyers looking for an affordable mid-size 4K TV for movies, TV shows, and casual gaming, the X85K hits the sweet spot despite some missing extras.