Sony XBR – 65X900F Review: A Mid-level Wonder

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Sony XBR – 65X900F: At First Glance

When the Sony XBR – 65X900F was released in 2018, it was the best TV Sony had produced that year before their Master series TV came along. For a moment, many were baffled by Sony’s decision to release another major TV series shortly after releasing their highly valued X900F TVs.

It felt like Sony was sabotaging the possible high sales of their X900F TV series. However, everyone’s preconceived notion changed immediately after they saw the price tag on the Z9F Master series LED TV.

The 65 and 75-inch variants of the Z9F Master series were priced at $4500 and $7000 respectively. Meanwhile, the XBR – 65X900F with sizes ranging from 49-85 inches were sold at prices within the $2200 range.

With all of that being said, how well does the XBR – 65X900F stand against its competition? We’ve extensively analyzed the TV to find out.

Sony XBR – 65X900F: Design, Dimension, and Weight

There’s always this vibe around Sony TVs that makes them feel like a professional set of TVs. As such, they usually have less design flair than most of the competition.

Still, their designers always get the assignment done correctly every time despite their preference for simplicity. The XBR – 65X900F TV is another piece of evidence of their prowess when it comes to nailing simple aesthetics.

We could conclude that what makes the XBR – 65X900F look so beautiful and sleek is its simple angular design. 

In addition, Sony’s tasteful blend of quality materials gives the XBR – 65X900F an aura of high quality. The TV feels incredibly rigid despite being almost completely built with plastic.

When you turn on the Sony XBR – 65X900F, it appears as though all you are left with is the image on its screen. Its display is so immersive that the TV itself becomes barely visible when it is turned on.

It is able to achieve this thanks to its thinly cut aluminum frame. The frame around the TV’s screen is neat and thin with a brushed metallic finish.

Only the bottom bezel is slightly distinguished from the rest with its slim chrome-colored strip. This colored strip serves as a stylish accent to the TVs frame. 

Despite its fancy bright color, the strip on the bottom bezel doesn’t attract glares from overhead light that may interrupt your viewing experience. On this same bottom bezel, there’s an indicator LED located at the middle just below the barely visible Sony logo.

Weirdly, Sony has made this TV’s admirable frames rest on a pair of funny-looking oversized feet. This TV’s stand is very different from the single central pedestal stand that came with the X900E.

The Sony XBR – 65X900F’s stand takes the form of two L-shaped feet that are attached to both ends below its bottom frame. This stand uses a square metal tubing mechanism that enables it to offer strength and stability for the TV.

Beyond the comical look this stand adds to the rather serious look of the XBR – 65X900F, it serves as an excellent support. However, the angle of inclination and positioning of its feet will require a wide tabletop. 

Fortunately, these brushed metal feet can be positioned with the toes facing in or outwards. You can reduce the TV’s footprint if you go with the inward toe positioning.

Apart from the support this stand offers, it also helps with cable management. On its feet, there’s a plastic cover each that can be opened and closed to allow the influx and neat housing of cables.

Moving on, if you prefer to mount your TV, you won’t be forced to drop your preference for the stand mode. The Sony XBR – 65X900F is also compatible with 300 x 300-millimeter VESA mounts that make it possible for you to easily hang the TV on a wall.

Besides, the TV’s slim form makes it look awesome on a wall. To give more detail, the Sony XBR – 65X900F measures 1447 x 69 x 829 mm, which is relatively slim enough to offer a sleek appearance if mounted on a wall.

It is more compact but slightly thicker than the XBR-65Z9F that measures 1453 x 67 x 837 mm. The Sony XBR – 65X900F is also much lighter compared to the XBR-65Z9F.

While the XBR-65Z9F weighs 29500 g, the XBR – 65X900F weighs 24500 g.

For the most part, the Sony XBR – 65X900F is an attractive-looking, clean and well-built TV. Though its feet may cause a little bit of debate, it’s not enough reason to dislike this TVs design.

Hence, the Sony XBR – 65X900F scores an eight in this design review.

Sony XBR – 65X900F: Display Features

The Sony XBR – 65X900F mostly impresses when it comes to its display performance. 

This TV comes with a 65-inch panel that offers a native 60-Hz refresh rate and a handful of processing technologies that boosts its performance. Among these processing technologies is the X1 Extreme processor, which is like the heart and soul of the TV. 

In fact, this processor should be the primary reason for anyone to consider buying the XBR – 65X900F. You may not realize it just by looking at the TV, but it is this processor that does most of the job that makes the TV deliver stunning images. 

The X1 Extreme gives the Sony XBR – 65X900F its identity as a Sony TV.

Couple this “extreme” processing power with the Triluminos color management system and you have a TV that offers remarkable light precision and image noise management. The result of all of these is an excellent detail impact, especially with native 4K pictures.

This is not much of a surprise considering that the Sony XBR – 65X900F’s display offers a native 4K UHD resolution of 3840 x 2160. 

What further highlights the 4K clarity on this TV is another one of the many picture features that Sony has become adept at over time. There’s no denying the fact that Sony has been able to consistently offer excellent motion reproduction in their TVs thanks to their Motionflow processing technology.

They’ve decided to take it a notch further on the XBR – 65X900F we are currently reviewing, as well as the XF90 series. Sony now implements a new X-Motion Clarity innovation. 

This innovation further completes the class-leading job Sony has been doing with the minimal blur in its LCD TVs. To be sure of the details of the XBR – 65X900F’s motion reproduction performance, we have researched and provided a series of performance test results.

Since stutters on TVs influence how smooth motion appears on the screen, we decided to first check the XBR – 65X900F’s performance in the stutter test. This test checks the effect caused by static frame time during 60 fps motion sequences.

The Sony XBR – 65X900F absolutely aced this test with a frame hold time of just 6.5 ms, performing well below the standard 24 ms frame hold time. 

Response time on this TV is also amazing. In case you are wondering what response time is, it is the amount of blur the screen encounters when it is displaying fast motion content.

For determining how good a TV’s response time is, we usually resort to a response time test. This test checks how quickly a TV’s pixels can fully transition from one color to another.

On the test, a TV has a good response rate only if it offers less than 14 ms response time. The XBR – 65X900F did well on the test with a response time of 10.2 ms.

It performed better than the Sony X850F that offered a response time of 14.9 ms.

Furthermore, input lag on the Sony XBR – 65X900F is also great, especially when you are playing 4K videos. For clarity, input lag is the amount of time between the moment a TV receives an input signal and the time it takes to display the received input onto the screen. 

On the input lag test that checks the lowest lag a TV is capable of achieving with a 4K resolution at 60Hz signal, this TV did considerably well. Quite similar to the Sony X930E, the XBR – 65X900F recorded a good lag time of 24.2 ms which is well within the 25 ms good value range.

However, some other TVs in its category had lower input lags. For instance, the LG SJ8500 had an input lag of 15.1 ms.

Nonetheless, the amazing set of picture features the Sony XBR – 65X900F comes with enables it to offer a top-notch picture quality. One of the most impressive things about the picture quality this TV offers is its excellent color accuracy.

This is largely thanks to its incredible color gamut. For those wondering, a TV’s color gamut defines the number of colors, or the range of colors, it can display.

On the color gamut test, the Sony XBR – 65X900F reproduced 99.96% of the sRGB color space, which is above the 90% good value average. 

This result also makes it compare well with other top-performing competitors like the LG C7 OLED that recorded 99.99% and the Samsung Q7F QLED  that had 97.3%.

Another feature that enhances this TV’s picture quality is its excellent contrast ratio. In simple terms, contrast ratio is the brightness difference between the brightest white and darkest black a TV is capable of producing.

Thanks to its good contrast ratio, the Sony XBR – 65X900F can display deep blacks, making it a good choice for watching dark scenes. For more specific details, this TV offered an impressive native contrast ratio of 5,089:1 on the contrast ratio test.

As anticipated, the use of direct LED backlighting and local dimming feature is what Sony has used to guarantee the TV’s capability of keeping a good overall black level. 

You can get a slightly increased contrast ratio with the local dimming feature enabled. Although the impact isn’t huge enough to make a big difference, you still get a better contrast ratio of 5,725:1.

These features also enable the TV to generate bright HDR highlights against very dark backgrounds. The TV’s HDR peak brightness test result clearly shows how well the local dimming feature can boost highlights on the TV to be very bright.

On the brightness test, the Sony XBR – 65X900F performed well with an HDR peak brightness of 653 nits. It surpassed the 650 nits average value for good brightness levels.

In comparison with most competing models, the XBR – 65X900F performed better. It outperformed both the TCL 6 Series and LG C7 OLED that recorded 607 nits and 405 nits respectively.

Furthermore, Sony’s object-based HDR enhancement helps the XBR – 65X900F handle HDR well. Good enough, it works well with the TV’s full-array direct LED backlighting system.

Overall, the XBR – 65X900F is a hugely compelling 4K, HDR TV with stunning colors, deep black levels, fantastic motion processing, and stunning brightness levels. 

However, backlight blooming can be visible in extreme contrast HDR content, but not as much as on similarly priced competitors. Also, the viewing angles on the XBR – 65X900F are poor.

When you view this TV from the side, you will notice a drop in picture quality. Though the reduced quality will be noticeable, it won’t be too bad thanks to the display’s good brightness level.

In conclusion, the Sony XBR – 65X900F scores an eight in this display review.

Sony XBR – 65X900F: Sound Features

The X900F comes with a pair of 10-watt bass-reflex speakers that can produce a good amount of sound, but it lacks bass.

It is not so surprising, though, since the TV has no subwoofer. Still, Sony could have done better.

For the most part, the XBR – 65X900F does a pretty good job of hiding its lack of bass. Thanks to its bass reflex and S-Force Front Surround feature, the sound the TV produces spreads a good distance beyond its frame.

Below the 75% volume range, the sound this TV produces is detailed and clean. However, as you turn up the volume beyond 75%, the sound quality still stays pretty consistent but its limited supply of bass becomes more noticeable.

To give a more comprehensive detail of this TV’s sound performance, I’ve prepared some of its sound test records. The test data I retrieved includes its frequency response and total harmonic distortion records.

In case you are not familiar with these terms, the frequency response is a measure of how accurately a system reproduces each frequency of audio content. Meanwhile, the total harmonic distortion is the measurement of any and every single change to the original sound signal produced by a system.

I looked up the deviation in the TV’s frequency response while it produced sound at maximum volume. In this test, a system has a good frequency response if it achieves a standard deviation value of less than 4 dB.

Since this test allows a noticeable value difference of 2 dB, the XBR – 65X900F’s 6.81 dB standard deviation value is still considerably within range.

The total harmonic distortion test, on the other hand, checks the overall amount of harmonic distortion measured at the TV’s maximum volume. On this test, the most preferable values are those less than 0.100.

Unfortunately, the XBR – 65X900F’s result on this test wasn’t good. The TV achieved 9.787 which is far above the average good value.

Overall, the sound system on this TV is barely sufficient enough to complement the picture it produces. If you want to buy this TV, I’ll advise that you buy it with a good soundbar or a separate subwoofer.

As a result of inadequacies, Sony XBR – 65X900F scores a seven in this sound review.

Sony XBR – 65X900F Ports and Connectivity Features

The Sony XBR – 65X900F has a good set of port selections. Its ports are grouped and located in two separate connector panels. 

The first set of ports are located a few inches in from the left-hand edge of the TV’s chassis. The ports located in this panel include one HDMI input, two USB connections, and many smaller jacks for audio and headphone output, video input, and connecting an IR sensor.

Meanwhile, the second port panel features an additional three HDMI ports – all of these HDMI ports including the one in the other panel support 4K HDR sources and HDCP 2.2. 

They also support the HDMI audio return channel (ARC). This feature will allow you to connect your subwoofer to the TV.

Aside from the HDMI ports, the second port panel also features a single USB 3.0 port, an optical digital audio output, and an RF connector for antenna and cable.

For connectivity, this TV offers an 802.11ac built-in Wi-Fi for wireless connection and an Ethernet port for wired network connectivity. It also comes equipped with version 4.1 Bluetooth.

Furthermore, the remote that comes with the Sony XBR – 65X900F for connectivity is the same old regular Sony remote. It is a long rectangular-shaped button-filled block.

This TV’s remote follows the regular Sony remote template that features more than 50 crowded buttons along with a circular direction pad surrounded by six buttons. These buttons are action buttons for TV, Home, Apps, Action Menu, Guide, and Back. 

All of the buttons at the center of the remote are flanked by a number pad at the top. Meanwhile, a set of playback controls, volume, and channel rockers are at the bottom.

Though this remote feels a bit too clunky, the plenty buttons enable you to easily access many features and functions without having to go through several menus. 

One other beautiful thing about this remote is the voice control feature it offers. As long as the remote is connected to the TV via Bluetooth, you can use the remote’s microphone with the TV’s Google Assistant voice control feature.

In conclusion, the Sony XBR – 65X900F offers a very good selection of ports and connectivity options. As a result, it scores an eight in this section of the review.

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Sony XBR – 65X900F: Smart Features

Sony equips the Sony XBR – 65X900F with the Android TV to provide smart features. This also means that the TV uses the Android TV platform for its user interface, for streaming media content, and providing apps and services. 

Speaking of apps, the Android TV platform on this TV offers hundreds of useful apps from the Google Play store. 

However, it doesn’t offer a full selection of the Android apps that you get on smartphones and tablets. Nonetheless, the XBR – 65X900F offers a key selection of useful apps and services across different subjects such as gaming, information, music, as well as video streaming apps.

To be precise, you get most of the popular apps. Aside from the key platforms which include Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube, you also get Google Play Movies & TV, Hulu, Sling TV, Google Play Music, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Pandora, and SiriusXM for music.

In addition, the Sony XBR – 65X900F comes with built-in Chromecast functionality and it offers full access to Google Voice Assistant. 

Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer the full Google Home functionality offered by the LG ThinQ smart TVs. Nonetheless, the XBR – 65X900F is compatible with both Google Home and Amazon Alexa.

Chromecast allows you to easily share content between your devices like your smartphone and your TV. As long as your smartphone, tablet, or computer is on the same network as your TV, you can use this feature.

It also allows you to use Chromecast-enabled apps on the TV. 

The Google Assistant feature allows you to search and find media content, navigate to different apps, find information on the internet, and even control some compatible smart home devices. It allows you to do all of these using the same mic built into the remote.

Despite offering these cool features, the smart TV experience on the XBR – 65X900F is not so enjoyable. To begin with, the operating system menu looks complex and jumbled up. 

This TV’s Android TV interface isn’t as simple as Roku’s, and it’s certainly not as refined as LG and Samsung’s proprietary interfaces.

Also, the operating system runs slowly, and because of the processing power required, the TV’s main operating menus may also respond slowly to remote control commands. Another annoying thing is that it is extremely prone to requiring frequent, and large software updates.

In conclusion, the Android TV on the Sony XBR – 65X900F is a clumsy smart TV platform, with an interface that may feel stressful for some to use. As a result, it scores a seven in this smart features review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

From its sleek, aluminum-framed design to its impressive image processing features, Sony XBR – 65X900F TV has a lot to offer. It excels in the most essential aspects, such as display quality and functionality.

Sony implemented the improvements they made on previous versions to equip this TV with better processing power, more brightness, and improved motion performance. All of these results in an impressive picture quality that can compete with many more expensive TVs. 

However, the Sony XBR – 65X900F is not without some flaws. Its Android TV system and some other minor shortcomings set it back from attaining near perfection. 

Still, it’s difficult to picture any similarly priced 65-inch TV completely beating this TV comparatively. For this reason, I can advise you to buy this TV if you are interested.

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