Sony KD55X85K 55 inch TV: In-Depth Review and Customer Opinions

The Sony X85K is a mid-range 4K LED TV that was released in 2022. This review will focus specifically on the 55-inch 55X85K model in the series.

The X85K series sits below Sony's premium OLED and QLED TVs in their lineup. The X85K TVs utilize a direct LED backlight system and Sony's 4K HDR Processor X1 image processor. Key features of the X85K include 4K resolution, full array local dimming, Dolby Vision/Atmos support, Google TV for smart features, and gaming features like 4K 120Hz, VRR, and ALLM.

The 55X85K model reviewed here provides a good balance of features and performance at a relatively affordable price point for a 55-inch Sony 4K TV. It's a great option for buyers looking for Sony's brand and quality, but don't need all the premium features and specs of their higher-end models.

Design

The Sony X85K has an attractive, modern design with an understated style that blends well into any living room. Despite its large 55-inch screen size, the TV has a very thin profile and slim bezels around the display that don't distract from the viewing experience.

The side and top bezels measure just 0.39 inches thick, while the bottom bezel is slightly wider at 0.79 inches. This creates a sleek, streamlined look when viewing content on the screen. The thin bezels also allow for a more immersive viewing experience and make this 55-inch TV easy to mount flush to a wall.

At 2.87 inches deep, the Sony X85K has a pleasingly slim depth that gives it a light and airy profile even from the side view. The rear of the TV is finished in textured black plastic that resists fingerprints and scratches. Overall, the X85K has an understated, sophisticated design that doesn't call too much attention to itself and allows the picture to be the main focus.

The sleek, minimalist design of the Sony X85K allows it to blend seamlessly into modern decor. With dimensions of 48.5 x 28 x 2.9 inches without the stand, this 55-inch TV doesn’t take up much space on a TV stand or mounted on a wall. Weighing just 38.2 pounds without the stand, the X85K has a lightweight build that further contributes to its streamlined aesthetic.

In terms of styling, the Sony X85K shares some similarities with the Sony KD55X77L. Both models have thin bezels around the screen and slim side and top profiles. However, the X85K has a slightly more premium design with metal accents around the borders compared to the all-plastic construction of the X77L model. The stand designs also differ between the two TVs.

Overall, the minimalist look of the X85K is very much in line with other Sony LCD TVs like the X80K and X81K models. There is no flashy styling, just an elegant and refined appearance that lets the TV disappear into the background when not in use. This allows the excellent 4K picture to take center stage when viewing content.

Display Quality

The Sony KD55X85K features an excellent 4K resolution LED display that produces vibrant, realistic colors and deep blacks. With a native resolution of 3840 x 2160, the TV displays four times the detail of 1080p FHD. Images look crisp and detailed, even in fast action scenes.

To further enhance picture quality, the X85K supports HDR content in HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision formats. High dynamic range allows for richer contrast between the brightest whites and darkest blacks. Colors also appear more saturated and true-to-life.

For deep blacks, the television uses full-array local dimming. This divides the screen into zones and adjusts the backlight in each area independently. With local dimming, black levels can be truly dark without affecting the rest of the picture. Dark scenes and shadow details are rendered with excellent clarity.

Overall, the display quality of the Sony X85K is fantastic. The 4K resolution provides loads of detail, HDR support delivers stellar contrast and color, and local dimming enables deep black levels. Images look very natural and life-like on this TV.

When comparing the Sony X85K to other models on the market, the LG 55UQ7570PUJ is a top competitor in the same price range. This 55-inch 4K LED TV from LG also provides excellent picture quality and smart features. It supports HDR content with Active HDR that adjusts scene-by-scene. Contrast is enhanced by LG's local dimming technology.

One difference between the two TVs is the processor. The X85K uses Sony's Cognitive Processor XR which provides intelligent analysis for optimized picture and sound. The UQ7570 uses LG's a7 Gen 4 AI Processor 4K that leverages deep learning algorithms. Both processors work to improve clarity, contrast, color and more.

For gaming, the LG TV has features tailored for console and PC players. These include auto low latency mode, variable refresh rate support, and four HDMI 2.1 ports. The Sony X85K has two HDMI 2.1 ports and also provides fast response times but fewer specialized gaming features.

In terms of smart platforms, Sony uses Google TV which provides extensive app selection, built-in Google Assistant, and personalized recommendations. LG uses webOS which offers a simple interface and access to all popular streaming apps. Both smart systems are robust and easy to use.

When choosing between these two models, look at the sizes available, pricing, styling, and extra features. The Sony X85K and LG UQ7570 are both excellent mid-range options that deliver stunning 4K picture quality and solid performance.

Smart Features

The Sony KD55X85K comes with Google's smart TV platform, Google TV. This provides an intuitive and customizable interface for accessing apps and content.

The Google TV home screen shows personalized recommendations and content aggregated from across various apps and subscriptions. There's a For You tab that learns your preferences over time. The Live tab shows live TV options and what's currently playing on different services. Search is universal across apps and channels.

Google TV has access to all the major apps including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and more. New apps are frequently added. Chromecast is built-in for easy casting from mobile devices.

For voice control, the TV has Google Assistant. You can use voice commands to search for content, control smart home devices, get answers from Google and more. The TV has far-field microphones to pick up voice commands from anywhere in the room.

Overall, Google TV provides a seamless smart TV experience with robust app support, intelligent recommendations, universal search and effective voice control via Google Assistant.

Audio Quality

The Sony KD55X85K has impressive audio capabilities thanks to Sony's Acoustic Multi-Audio and X-Balanced Speaker system. The TV is equipped with 2 speakers with a total power output of 20W.

The speakers support Dolby Audio and DTS Digital Surround for an immersive sound experience. Dolby Audio helps create multi-dimensional sound while DTS Digital Surround provides virtual height channels for overhead sound effects. Together, they produce clear and dynamic audio with deep bass.

For greater flexibility, the TV has digital optical audio output and a headphone jack. The optical output allows connection to external audio systems like soundbars and home theater systems. The headphone jack lets you listen privately by plugging in headphones.

Overall, the audio system can fill a room with powerful, nuanced sound that enhances movies, TV shows, sports, and music. The Dolby and DTS support ensures you get an immersive surround sound experience.

Connectivity

The Sony KD55X85K comes with a great selection of connectivity options, making it easy to connect all of your devices and access content.

HDMI Ports

This TV has 4 HDMI ports, with HDMI 2.1 support on ports 1 and 2. The HDMI 2.1 ports allow you to connect next-gen gaming consoles and take advantage of features like 4K gaming at 120Hz, Variable Refresh Rate, and Auto Low Latency Mode. The HDMI ports support eARC as well for sending high quality audio back to a sound system.

USB Ports

There are 2 USB ports on the TV, allowing you to connect flash drives, hard drives, keyboards, mice, and other USB devices. One port is USB 2.0 and one is USB 3.0 for faster data transfer.

WiFi and Bluetooth

The Sony KD55X85K includes both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. It supports the latest WiFi 6 standard for fast, reliable wireless networking. For Bluetooth, you can connect wireless headphones, speakers, game controllers, and more.

With its generous selection of connectivity options, the Sony KD55X85K makes it easy to build your ideal home entertainment setup. Whether you want to game, stream, or access media files, this TV has you covered.

Remote Control

The Sony KD55X85K comes with a slim and minimalist remote control that is intuitive and easy to use. The remote has only the essential buttons needed to control the TV's functions.

At the top are the power, input source, and volume buttons for basic TV operation. Below this are direct access buttons for popular streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video. There are also dedicated buttons for Google Assistant and Alexa voice controls. Voice commands work well for searching content, launching apps, controlling smart home devices and more.

Towards the bottom are buttons for navigation, playback control, channels, settings, and mute. Everything is laid out in a logical way that doesn't feel cluttered. The buttons have a nice tactile feedback and the remote overall has a premium finish.

Sony has kept the remote simple but highly functional. The voice control integration stands out as a highlight, providing a convenient hands-free way to interact with the Android TV interface. It complements the streamlined button layout nicely.

Performance

Sony's X85K series delivers excellent overall performance that will satisfy most users. The 4K resolution panel renders crisp details and textures, while Sony's powerful X1 4K HDR processor helps optimize picture quality.

Picture Quality

The X85K produces vibrant and accurate colors right out of the box. It supports HDR formats like HDR10 and Dolby Vision which make supported content really come alive with expanded contrast and color. Fine details in both bright and dark scenes are readily visible thanks to the high native contrast ratio.

Motion Handling

Sony equipped the X85K series with their X-Motion Clarity technology which helps reduce motion blur in fast moving scenes. This allows the TV to keep the action looking smooth and easy to follow. Input lag is also very low for responsive gaming performance.

Viewing Angles

The VA style panel does result in the X85K having more limited viewing angles compared to IPS screens. Color and contrast do start to shift when viewing at angles beyond around 20 degrees off center. But for head-on viewing, the picture remains accurate and consistent across the entire screen.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Excellent 4K picture quality with deep blacks and bright highlights. Sony's XR processor delivers great color and motion handling.

-Impressive upscaling of HD/SD content thanks to the cognitive processor. Lower resolution content looks almost as good as native 4K.

-Great smart TV platform powered by Google TV. Intuitive interface and access to all major streaming apps. Voice search works very well.

-Minimalist design with thin bezels. Clean cable management solution for a clutter-free setup.

Cons

• Mediocre built-in speakers. Lack bass and clarity compared to some competitors. External sound system recommended for best experience.

• HDMI 2.1 ports would have been better for full spec support. Only 2 ports are HDMI 2.1 compared to 4 on some models.

• Lacks support for HDR10+ format. Mainly supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

• No VRR support. Some competing models have variable refresh rate for smoothing out frame rate dips when gaming.

Alternatives

• Samsung QN90B is an excellent alternative with mini-LED backlighting for better contrast. Also has 4 HDMI 2.1 ports.

• Sony X95K has a brighter panel and better local dimming. But costs more than the X85K.

• Vizio P-Series Quantum X has similar picture quality for less. Provides best value overall but lacks the smarts of the Sony.

Conclusion

The Sony KD55X85K is a great option for those looking for a 55-inch 4K TV with excellent picture quality and smart features. The TV delivers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and great contrast thanks to Sony's cognitive processor XR. Motion handling is also superb, making the TV well-suited for fast-action content like sports and gaming.

The Google TV interface provides access to plenty of apps and streaming services. Gaming features like 4K 120Hz, VRR, and ALLM ensure a smooth experience for PS5 and Xbox Series X owners. The sleek minimalist design blends into any living room.

For the price, the X85K packs in all the essential features most users need in a mid-range 4K TV. The excellent picture quality and solid smart platform make it easy to recommend for movie buffs, gamers, and casual viewers alike. Unless you need more advanced features like local dimming or better viewing angles, the Sony X85K is a great value purchase.