Sony's more affordable 4K TVs have just gone on pre-order, and will be ready to buy off the shelf in the coming days, according to a recent announcement from Sony.
The Sony X90J and X80J 4K LED TVs offer a range of unique features, from advanced connectivity and format support to Sony exclusives, like Google TV and Sony's new Bravia CORE streaming service.
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Sony X90J 4K LED TV
One of the better 4K TV options in the Sony 2021 TV lineup, the Sony X90J 4K TV is set to offer some great features without being as pricey as Sony's more expensive OLED models.
The X90J is a 4K LED TV, which gets a boost in quality thanks to Sony's excellent contrast control and HDR support. Like other Sony models, the X90J also boasts Netflix Calibrated mode and IMAX Enhanced media support, along with more standard format support like Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio.
It should also be great for gaming, with HDMI 2.1 connectivity, complete with support for killer gaming features like variable refresh rates (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM), as well as high frame rates for 120Hz gaming and movies. If you live in an area with Next Gen TV broadcasts, the X90J also has an ATSC 3.0 tuner, letting you enjoy up to 4K over-the-air broadcasts.
Finally, the sound should be pretty great, thanks to Sony's Acoustic Multi-Audio, which places speakers behind and around the screen to create high quality sound that seems to come from the display and track with objects and actors on-screen with sound effects and dialogue.
It's also one of the first TVs to hit the market using Google TV, the newly re-branded update to Android TV that adds all sorts of improvements, from UI tweaks to new personalization features. It also has Google Assistant and Chromecast built-in, letting you use the TV's voice interaction like a smart speaker to control your whole smart home, and makes sharing content between phone and TV a breeze.
Even the design looks good, with the TV boasting a two-position stand that lets you fit the TV on both wide and narrow surfaces, and easily fit a soundbar under the set.
Sony has revealed pricing for most of the announced X90J 4K TV models, starting at $1,299 for the smaller 50-inch model, the 55-inch set selling for $1,499 and the 65-inch size selling for $1,799. Pricing for the 75-inch model and the related 100-inch X92 have not been announced.
The 50, 55 and 65-inch models are available for pre-order now through B&H Photo and Best Buy, and will begin selling by the end of the week.
Sony X80J 4K LED TV
For a step down in features, but a big step up in affordability, there's also the Sony X80J 4K LED TV, the most budget-friendly Sony TV announced for this year. Starting at $749 for a 43-inch model and scaling up to $1,699 for a 75-incher, it's considerably cheaper than some of the more premium models Sony has to offer.
With the lower price, however, Sony has dropped some of the nicer features seen on other Bravia and Master Series TVs, like HDMI 2.1 and advanced TV tuner options.
That said, the X80J is still a well-optioned smart TV, featuring the new Google TV platform. The TV also boasts Sony's Netflix Calibrated mode and supports both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos,
The Sony X80J is a step down in price and features from the X90J, dropping some of the nicer features, like HDMI 2.1 and dropping to a 60Hz panel — so it's not a great option for gamers who want to get the most out of their new PS5 or Xbox Series X.
That said, the X80J uses Sony's X1 4K HDR Processor, offering better-than-average picture quality with all of the usual Sony optimizations, like MotionFLow XR motion smoothing, Triluminos Pro color boosting and 4K X-Reality Pro upscaling for enhancing 1080p and 720p content.
Sony has started selling most models of the X80J through retailers like Best Buy and RC Willey. The 43 and 50-inch models are available for pre-order now, and will be joining the 55 and 65-inch models in full retail availability by the end of the week.
Both the X90J and the X80J will also come with free access to Bravia CORE, Sony's new streaming service that's exclusive to Sony 2021 TVs.
