Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV review

The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV, which is the brand’s first set powered by Mini LED backlighting, looks to keep up with the best 4K TVs of the year from LG and Samsung. It has the kind of HDR performance you crave on movie night, pairing the set’s high luminance and targeted backlight control with plenty of nuance and practical vibrancy. Sony packages it up in a sleek build, complete with multiple stand configurations and a great remote.

Despite entering a bit later into the Mini LED competition, the X95K hits most of the marks we want from a 4K HDR TV. We say most — viewing angles are rather narrow and the port options may seem limiting for a set that starts at $2,799 for the 65-inch configuration. But if you’re looking for a premium-feeling piece of equipment with Google TV, this Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV review may reveal if the trade-offs will matter to you.

Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV review: Pricing and configurations

The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV we tested is the 65-inch configuration, but the Sony Bravia X95K sizes extend to 75- and 85-inch screens, making it a contender for turning your living room into a true entertainment center. Check out our guide on ‘What size TV should you buy?’ if you’re not sure which option is right for you. We also have guides to the best 65-inch TVs, best 75-inch TVs and best 85-inch TVs if you're shopping based on size.

No matter which you opt for, the specs are the same across the different sizes, so we expect our experience with the 65-inch configuration to be similar to that with the larger models.

• 65-inch Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV (XR-65X95K): $2,799
• 75-inch Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV (XR-75X95K): $3,799
• 85-inch Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV (XR-68X95K): $5,499

The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV falls in the pricier end of sets available this year. It falls between the Samsung QN90B (65-inch, $2,599) and LG G2 OLED TV (65-inch, $2,999). That said, you can usually find significant discounts with the best TV deals. 

Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV review: Design

The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV design oozes finesse. It features thoughtful details that assist both with setup and general appearance. We’re fans of the titanium silver bezel, which wraps the sides of the screen but doesn’t infringe on the panel, maintaining a bezel-less look. It’s also worth appreciating the checkerboard pattern on the back.

At 71 pounds, it’s a substantial unit that requires at least two sets of hands to get out of the box and up on the wall with one of the best TV mounts (VESA 300mm x 300mm.) You can also prop it up on a pair of included feet, like we did. Sony conveniently offers three ways to stand up the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV: narrow, wide and wide + high. The latter option creates enough room to put a soundbar directly beneath the screen.

The part where the feet attach to the rear can be concealed by matching covers. There are also covers that facilitate cable management, so you can cover up the port array if you’re concerned about aesthetics.

Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV review: Ports

Speaking of ports, the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV has four HDMI inputs. Two of those are HDMI 2.1 supporting 4K at 120Hz, with one supporting HDMI ARC/eARC (enhanced audio return channel). It would be nice if all four HDMI ports were 2.1 for making the most of performance abilities for multiple peripherals, as the LG G2 and Samsung QN90B both support. If you have a Blu-Ray player, soundbar and gaming console like we do, you’ll want at least 3 HDMI 2.1 inputs.

Otherwise, the set has 1 USB Type A port, an RF coaxial connection, an ethernet input and an optical audio output. It also has an ATSC 3.0 tuner built in. Right now you can find a number of the best TVs with ATSC 3.0 tuners for 4K over-the-air broadcasts via NextGen TV, but it’s good to note all of the Sony 2022 TVs include it.

Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV review: Performance

As a Mini LED TV, we wanted to look closely at how Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR works with the XR Backlight Master Drive to deliver controlled, yet well-rounded HDR performance. This required both hours of anecdotal viewing and running our series of lab tests. We tested the set using an X-Rite i1 Pro spectrophotometer, a SpectraCal VideoForge Pro pattern generator and Portrait Displays’ Calman calibration software.

In out-of-the-box standard mode, the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV covered 99.89% of the Rec 709 color space, which is a nearly perfect reach to the average viewer with an LED TV. Not as perfect is the Delta E score in this mode, measuring picture accuracy at 6.36. Closer to 0 is better, for reference. The X95K’s best Delta E score came in at an excellent 1.88 in Filmmaker Mode, which isn’t surprising as Sony has long emphasized preserving the filmmaker’s intent in picture processing. Pretty on-brand for a TV manufacturer that’s also a movie studio. 

We put on James Bond: No Time to Die to see how the picture performs in actual viewing. HDR made the colors particularly punchy, without sacrificing realism. The flames engulfing the sinking trawler trickled with enough vibrancy to almost overlook the slight blooming around the edges of the fires. Yet after surviving the trawler explosion, Bond’s emergency yellow raft floating in the middle of the morning-lit ocean offered excellent, artistic contrast without making the dingy look like a cartoon rubber duck. Color only skewed when we took viewing off-angle, which is worth calling out though not unusual for a Mini LED TV in our experience.

Another thing that stood out to us is how well the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV handles motion. No Time to Die gave plenty of opportunities for artifacting or over-processing action, but whether it was a helicopter or motorcycle or car chase, the blades and wheels spun with spectacular intent.

Looking back at numbers, let’s talk about brightness. In SDR, the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV reached 485 nits peak brightness. That’s rather average; in fact, it’s a result we’re more used to seeing from the best OLED TVs due to their limited brightness abilities. But that’s why we run HDR tests — the X95K hit approximately 1,600 nits at a 10% window size and 735 at a 100% window.

Finally, the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV scored a lag time of 18.3 milliseconds. That’s alright, not amazing. Though the X95K is outfitted with VRR, ALL and even comes from the company that makes the PS5, it’s not going on our list of the best gaming TVs. Sony TVs have never been our recommendation for gaming, though the A90K OLED Master Series in the 42-inch size could be an exception.

Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV review: Audio

The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV audio performance is more capable than you might expect. It has 60W total sound output, including two tweeters, two front-firing speakers and two subwoofers. As a result, the set gets plenty loud while establishing a full-bodied soundscape. Dolby Atmos support helps, too.

In No Time to Die, the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV helped contribute to the sound-based suspense as Bond, Madeleine Swann and their daughter attempt to avoid the attacks from Safin’s henchmen in a remote Norwegian forest. The sounds of motorcycle engines, radio reports and crunching foliage surrounding our protagonist effectively placed our ears in the middle of the high-stakes scene.

During setup, the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV uses the remote for sound tuning optimized to your space, or where you expect to regularly sit on the couch. You could invest in one of the best soundbars (or one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars) if you’re looking for the best sound performance possible as well. But what’s neat about the X95K is that the TV’s speakers can actually be used to complement your soundbar through a feature called Acoustic Center Sync.

Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV review: Google TV and smart features

The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV user experience is powered by Google TV. Google TV, first found in the best streaming devices from Google, has fully replaced Android TV as Sony’s TV OS. And we’re a fan; Google TV is easy to customize and control using your Google account, while the platform serves up content recommendations based on your suspected interests. You can also connect multiple accounts to the TV, as well as parental control profiles, meaning everyone in the family can be closer to the things they want to watch.

Google TV has all the streaming services we look for, including HBO Max so we can watch House of Dragons as it premieres each Sunday. It also optionally hooks up to your Google Home profile, so you can use the TV to check in on the best Google Home devices in your house, such as the Nest Doorbell. Meanwhile, Google Assistant can be beckoned through the remote control or with a nearby Google Home speaker for voice commands.

Casting is thorough on the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV, too. It has Apple AirPlay and Chromecast, so you should be able to cast from most of your daily devices to your TV screen.

Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV review: Remote

Sony changed up its remote for its 2022 TVs and we’re glad. No, it’s not as distinguishable from remotes offered by competing TV manufacturers, but it’s intuitive, compact and a breeze to navigate.

The remote features a subtle etched texture with soft-touch buttons, including the familiar controls as well as a Google Assistant launcher and microphone indicator. It also offers dedicated launches from YouTube, Netflix, Disney Plus and Prime Video. If you use these services frequently, you’ll appreciate the quick access.

Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV review: Verdict 

We can’t say the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV left as strong an impression as Samsung and LG’s top TVs this year have so far. Perhaps that’s us itching to get the Sony A95K QD-OLED TV in to see how it compares to the Samsung S95B OLED TV. Still, it’s easy to recommend this to anyone shopping for a non-OLED 4K HDR TV. It has the signature Sony flair that just about justifies the high price tag.