Sony XD93 / KD-55XD9305 (X930D) 4K UHD HDR TV REVIEW

In this video I review the Sony KD-55XD9305 4K UHD HDR TV. This Android TV set introduces new LED backlight technology to make the most of HDR content along with a new slimline design. In the US, this ultra thin 4K TV is known as the X930D, or XBR-55X930D, and was a big hit at CES 2016, but I share what it’s like to actually live with and score it out of 10.

Sony KD-55XD9305 4K TV reviewed…

0.13: The XD93 is Sony’s current Android flagship TV for 2016. The wedge design from the last couple of years is out, making way for a more conventional look.

0.28: Build quality is high, and there’s some flash to the cookie cutter design. The edge of the set has a gold stripe which mirrors the design concept used Sony’s High Res audio products. The silver-slate pedestal is conventional but practical. It looks simple but is surprisingly complicated to build.

0.45: At 36mm the set is slimmer than a Blu-ray case.
One way Sony has shaved away the bulk is by hiving out the power supply to a chunky brick.

Connectivity is generous. There are four HDMIs, all HDCP 2.2 compliant, and three USBs. There’s also the usual collection of AV sockets, Ethernet and dual-band Wi-Fi. The UK edition of the TV reviewed here has twin Freeview and satellite tuners. There's also Wi-Fi Direct and supports Google Cast.

1.16: I like the cable management at the rear of the screen. HDMIs route behind panels and exit at the rear of the stand. You may have problems running chunky cables though.

The TV comes with a new style remote control, which frankly is a bit of a horror. Proper buttons have been replaced by bumps and ridges. I’d give it a thumbs down if I could work out where my thumb was.

1.35: The set has a YouView TV guide which works well. There’s a roll-back EPG and catch-up players, iPlayer and the like.
Sony also offers its own content bars to browse, from Youtube to on-demand movies.

1.56: The Android TV OS isn’t one of my favourites. While rivals keep things simple, Android packs shelf upon shelf upon shelf. It’s the Black Friday of smart platforms. Apps include Netflix and Amazon Instant Video, as well as Wuaki.tv, YouTube, Dailymotion, the BBC's sport and news apps and more.

2.08: The screen offers a wide variety of image presets from cinema and photo modes, to HDR Video - don’t use this for SDR content. There’s a wide range of control too. One of Sony’s strengths has always been motion handling. Here I found Standard, Clear and True Cinema do the best job, great for TV, sport and movies.

2.34: The XD93 supports 4K streams from Amazon and Netflix. Picture quality can be terrific. With Marco Polo, detail, texture and flickering lights all look wonderful. When the TV gets an HDR stream, the panel locks to the HDR Video picture mode and can’t be changed. This is to ensure the set delivers the best HDR picture possible.

3.11: To deliver HDR contrast in such a thin set Sony has created the Slim Backlight Drive, which uses two independent LED modules. To improve contrast, the LED light modules are paired with dual light guides which split screen coverage 50/50. The technique allows the set to effectively switch off illumination to one half of the screen, while backlighting objects in the other, thereby boosting contrast.

You might be able to see it at work with my Oppo screensaver or on this HDR firework display. The backlight halo can be big and obvious around bright objects.

Sony’s Triluminos wide gamut panel does a particularly convincing red. New this year is X-tended Dynamic Range PRO, which triples the dynamic range over previous edge-lit TVs.

The TV doesn’t have the HDR intensity of a direct LED backlit screen like the Panasonic DX902 though. The TV is not certified Ultra HD Premium by the UHD Alliance. This Sony does a good job upscaling HD. Key to this is the 4K X1 processor. Typically, set Sharpness at no more than 25. Normally I would suggest turning any ambient light sensor off, but the XD93 consistently looks better with its Light Sensor on. When the sensor is off, the set tends to emphasise grain and colour noise.

3.41: The remote, horrible though it is, has a built in mic, and Google’s search functionality is always impressive.

The TV is 3D capable, however there are no Active 3D glasses supplied in the box.

4.09: Overall, I like the XD93. It’s technically ingenious and a good looker. HDR image quality is impressive. I rate it a better TV than last years X90C but it doesn’t hit the heights of the big X93. I give it 8 out of ten.

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My TV review contains a sound slice from But Enough About Me, Bill Paxton by Chris Zabriskie, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence.