Sony KD-55XH9005 Review, An In-Depth Look at This 4K HDR TV
by Samuel Kalenga on Aug 30, 2024
Key Features: Unveiling the KD-55XH9005's Capabilities
The Sony KD-55XH9005 is a TV set crammed with features that allow it to punch above its weight to favour the viewer over the promos: Our review says: The Sony KD-55XH9005 is a TV set crammed with features that allow it to punch above its weight to favour the viewer over the promos:
- 55-inch 4K HDR Display: The KD-55XH9005 is based around a brilliant 55-inch 4K display with picture quality that’ll leave you gobsmacked. The 4K resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels delivers four times the detail of Full HD content, and the difference in accuracy and definition they deliver is striking, especially when you’re watching something that was filmed or produced in 4K. The HDR (High Dynamic Range) on board adding another layer of reality to what you see on the screen by boosting the colour range and the level of contrast, particularly between light and dark tones. In practical terms, HDR broadens the potential range of light and dark colours a display can show, creating deeper blacks and more natural-looking bright spots, so that what you see brings you closer to reality.
- Full Array LED Backlighting: Thanks to Full Array LED backlighting, the KD-55XH9005 boasts improved contrast and richer black levels. Full LED backlighting addresses a major issue with edge-lit LED TVs: arranging LEDs around the screens edges leaves most of the backlight control in the hands of the TV’s LCD panel. Thanks to the much greater number of LEDs, Full Array LED backlighting allows precise control of the LED lights, producing deeper black levels for better contrast, especially in darker viewing scenes. This boost in the black level is essential for producing a cinematic, engaging viewing experience. Fortunately, all this technology keeps those details in the darkest shadows and brightest highlights intact as well.
- Android TV Operating System: The KD-55XH9005 is powered by Android TV operating system, offering you a vast array of apps, streaming services and games as well as familiarity of use. Like your Android smartphone, the user-interface of Android TV makes menu navigation, content search and app installation very easy and intuitive. With Android TV, you can access streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Hulu, as well as browse the whole catalogue of apps from Google Play Store. By supporting such a rich app ecosystem, the KD-55XH9005 becomes a versatile centre of entertainment that offers not only the entertainment content delivered through television broadcast but also a variety of experiences through content that stretches beyond television.
- Dolby Vision HDR: The KD-55XH9005 has Dolby Vision HDR, which is a step up from HDR. Dolby Vision uses dynamic metadata to supply each frame with a unique signal on how to process it for the best picture possible. Basically, Dolby Vision tells the television what to make of each frame, adjusting for everything from brightness, colour and contrast, to deliver more realistic, cinematic images with greater brightness, colour, contrast, and depth, in the process expanding the colour gamut and increasing black levels. Dolby Vision delivers stunning images thus giving you a more immersive and cinematic experience. TVs like the KD-55XH9005 with Dolby Vision are ideal for because it brings to life any movies and TV shows that were mastered with Dolby Vision.
- Dolby Atmos Audio: You do not want your jaw to drop when the big action sequence hits, then your KD-55XH9005 will thrill to deliver thanks to Dolby Atmos interesting new way of creating an immersive soundscape using a technique called object-based audio. This positions sound effects and dialogue along a three-dimensional plane with greater precision than the conventional stereo system at home. The result is a more engaging soundscape that enhances the 4K picture. And it’s especially obvious when you’re watching an action TV or movie that features an elaborate soundtrack, where many (if not all) of the effects hit you from different corners of the room – which in turn makes it more realistic and thrilling.
- Gaming Features: What more pleasure other than gaming at our fingertips, be it a huge climax, a nail-biting drama, music festivals, or our favourite game shows. Keeping in mind the avid interest of gamers, the panel of the KD-55XH9005 comes handy to fulfil the diverse interests of gamers. By paying special attention, this TV boasts some of the coolest features that are taken into consideration while watching a game. Minimum input lag, which often ruins the real-life experience of gamers, plays a great role in any game. Its refresh rate is maintained to bring about the quality content that was intended by the creators. Low input lag, undoubtedly, translates into better gaming experience, the satisfactory product of your endeavour. The quick responsiveness and smooth gaming experience help eliminate lag time between controller input and on-screen action, and hence also widen the scope for faster reaction time and more accurate gaming experience. Furthermore, to match the experience of gamers to that of cinema owners, the TV supports HDR gaming formats such as HDR10 and HLG so that your favourite game, either on your gaming console or PC, is displayed in an enhanced manner that can invite you to the world of super reality.
Performance: A Detailed Look at Picture and Sound Quality
No television can be truly great from a level of sophistry and calculation, and it needs to be tested in practice in actual use. I have had the opportunity to use the KD-55XH9005 daily, as it has been in my living room throughout my time with it, and I can say without a doubt that it performs excellently. The 4K/UHD resolution of the display with HDR support adds up to beautiful visuals.
The images being displayed bear all the clarity and detail of the source material. The colours are vivid and faithful to their original counterpart. The blacks are deep and rich. With Full Array LED backlighting, the screen can achieve tighter contrasts, more nuanced shadows, and picture elements with excellent individual definition. You can watch a movie or TV show with both light and shadow-heavy situations, and the KD-55XH9005 will render all the light and dark tones present with due fidelity and accuracy to evoke a more immersive world. Motion is superbly handled on the KD-55XH9005, with fast action scenes or sports broadcasts produced with fluid results that avoid motion blurring or artefacts.
In fast-paced content like action movies, sporting events and even people on the move, everything is rendered clearly with smooth motion. Handling motion correctly is important to render the action on the screen distinctly and easily readable, especially in scenes with fast action. It’s equally pleasing on the ears too, because features also include Dolby Atmos and a wide and expansive soundstage with very clear dialogue and nicely defined sound effects. When it comes to the quality of the speakers, they also deliver some seriously punchy audio with a lot of ‘in-front-of-you’ sound with good separation, a full and expansive soundstage.
Audio is a vital element in creating an immersive viewing experience and to create a different suspension of disbelief. It’s one of those things you notice more when it’s not there and you become totally absorbed in the movie. You can really hear a host of additional audio cues and effects in complex soundtracks in movies/shows with excellent audio quality that can really enhance the viewing experience.
Design and Connectivity: A Look at Aesthetics and Functionality
The KD-55XH9005 has a beautiful, minimalist modern appeal. The superthin black bezels frame the picture beautifully, allowing you to enjoy and focus on the rich images on screen. The elegant stand has a touch of class that makes the living room home furnishings look the better for the KD-55XH9005. Its simple, sophisticated design complements any furnishings and fixtures. You get a gorgeous picture, and the TV itself adds beauty to your living space with its sexy modern design. Side support | Photo courtesy of ITProPortalSecondly, connectivity.
This is where the KD-55XH9005 really shines. It excels in providing a massive range of ports and connections which enables you to hook up pretty much any device to the TV without having to worry about an insufficient amount of inputs. The excellent variety of ports is immense, with four HDMI ports which allow connection to practically any device you could imagine, with the best Blu-ray players and gaming consoles being the likely options here. The ports are so ample, you don’t even have to worry about running out of […] Simply put, it enables you to connect pretty much anything you’d want to the KD-55XH9005 as far as connectivity is concerned.
The device also gives you two USB ports which can come in handy, for instance, when you want to plug in an external hard drive or USB memory stick. the KD-55XH9005 has an Ethernet port for a wired internet connection, as well as built-in Wi-Fi for a faster, more convenient wireless connection. Streaming services and online features are all accessible, but regardless of whether you want to connect it via cable or wireless broadcast, the KD-55XH9005 has you covered.
