Sony’s latest offering is now the 49in television to beat
Good detail; nuanced but punchy colours; contrast; apps Android TV is a bit clunky in operation
“The XF9005 gets Sony’s X1 Extreme processor, previously reserved for the flagship sets. This brings more advanced upscaling and motion processing”
For a product as modern as a 4K HDR television, the Sony KD-49XF9005 has a surprisingly strong legacy behind it. It’s the sequel to last year’s KD-49XE9005 – which was good enough to take home a What
Hi-fi? Award – and is the smaller sibling to the five-star-rated KD-65XF9005.
With such high expectations, you’ll be pleased to know Sony has brought out another accomplished screen.
Sharp but sprawling
There’s no doubt that this Sony looks the part. Its slim bezels keep this television looking sharp, although the splayed legs upon which it stands are rather attention grabbing. On the plus side, they’re practical and allow space to place a soundbar underneath; on the other hand, it’s difficult not to picture someone sitting down and stretching their legs out on the train.
The KD-49XF9005’S screen has a direct LED backlight with ‘Dynamic Backlight Control’, so it can go brighter and more accurately adjust the lighting in certain parts of the screen than edge-lit alternatives, providing better handling of contrast within areas of similar colour.
Like its big brother, this 49in XF9005 gets Sony’s X1 Extreme processor, previously reserved for the company’s flagship sets. This brings with it more advanced upscaling and motion processing thanks to X-reality Pro and X-motion Clarity respectively.
All of that’s going on more or less behind the scenes. At the front of house, you have the Android TV operating system, which gives you access to all of the streaming services. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are included (and available in 4K HDR), as well as catch-up apps from the BBC, ITV, All 4 and Demand 5. The iplayer app is also 4K compatible.
Predictably, Google Play Movies & TV features prominently on Android TV’S homescreen, and is more enticing than ever thanks to the recent upgrade of some titles to 4K HDR. If you’re after pay-as-you-go blockbusters in the best resolution currently available, this is the place to go.
Android TV also brings with it support for Google Home and Amazon Echo control, so if you have smart speakers you can use them to search and play content.
The operating system itself isn’t as clean or snappy as some rivals (Samsung and LG lead the way here), and there is a bit of judder to menus and some sluggishness when you try to access different features. However, it is fairly simple to use and gets better with every update.
Handset pros and cons
The remote control looks less premium than last year’s offering, and features more prominent, spongier buttons. It’s similarly cluttered, though (six buttons around the direction pad is too many), so you’re likely to find yourself looking down at the zapper more than you’d like. Still, you do get the convenience of dedicated Google Play and Netflix buttons.
For those who want to connect Blu-ray players or games consoles to the television, this set comes with four 4K-compatible HDMIS, three USB sockets, an optical audio output, a mini-jack AV input, and an ethernet port for greater network stability. An IR Blaster port (and a bundled blaster) and headphone jack are included for good measure, too.
Simple set-up
Setting up the Sony for its optimum picture is pretty straightforward. While most of the picture-processing modes can stay on the default Medium setting, we prefer to switch off the Reality Creation feature (which makes the image look too artificial to our eyes). We’re also happy with Sony’s default motion-processing settings – there are few manufacturers we could say that about.
The Light Sensor should be turned off for all sources and signals, and while we leave Live Colour set to Medium for HDR content, switching to Low is sensible with everything else.
A noticeable step forward
Once calibrated, we kick-off with the 4K HDR Blu-ray of Guardians Of The Galaxy
Vol 2. Sitting the KD-49XF9005 side by side with its predecessor, the KD-49XE9005, it’s evident that the newer set is squeezing out just a bit more contrast, colour, and punch from the picture. And it manages to do so without sacrificing its trademark core, natural performance.
As Ego (Kurt Russell) and Meredith Quill (Laura Haddock) drive through Missouri, the farmland is rich and earthy, contrasting nicely with the range of green hues of the grass and the bright – but not unnaturally vivid – blue sky.
Moving into a close-up, the streaks in Ego’s hair are warm and organic, and there’s a subtler layering of colour in Quill’s blonde locks than there is from the XE9005.
But this television really comes into its own with the contrast between deep blacks and bright whites – or rather, the glowing gold of the Anulax batteries (or Harbulary batteries, according to Drax). When they’re firing up against the darkness of space, their shine looks truly alien.
A ’tache of class
The KD-49XF9005 is also more detailed than its predecessor – Starlord’s moustache is thicker and bushier than when viewed on the older set. It’s unlikely that you’d notice the difference by itself, but putting the two TVS next to one another demonstrates this clearly.
The deeper blacks do occasionally come at the cost of a bit of dark detail, but we feel that’s a fair trade-off in this instance, particularly in light of the richer colours also afforded by the greater depth.
Switch from HDR to SDR and it’s an even better story. We play Spider-man:
Homecoming and when Peter Parker rushes to confront The Vulture in his lair, the texture to the rubble is a little more explicit and visible from the XF9005 than the XE9005. Similarly, the mould on the ceiling is noticeably finer.
Action scenes are handled well. When our man jumps around to avoid the falling rubble, this TV manages to capture every spider-swing. It’s smooth without looking overly polished, and when the ceiling collapses on top of the teenage superhero, the weight of the concrete is well conveyed.
Finally, we watch the World Cup via Youview in standard definition, and are met by a perfectly watchable picture that the KD-49XF9005 has upscaled with a careful hand. There is an expected lack of detail in the background of the game, but the colour rendition keeps its character.
With two downfiring 10W speakers in the usual stereo array, the KD-49XE9005 handles sound relatively well – especially considering its near bezel-less design. Voices are clear enough and there’s a decent dynamism, but we would, as always, recommend pairing the telly up with at least a separate soundbar.
Owners of the excellent XE should feel no need to run out and upgrade, but the XF is a better TV, particularly in terms of colours and contrast. That makes this the 49-incher to beat as our Awards approach.