Sony X90L 4K HDR TV Review

XR65X90L 120Hz Google TV Smart LED TV

HDTVs and More product profile review

Intro

The X90L is a mid-range model and is part of Sony’s XR Bravia class of LED TVs. It resides just above the entry-level X85L and sits below the X93L and X95L Bravia models. The X90L is available in 55” ($1,098), 65” ($1,198), 75” ($1,698), 85” ($2,198), and 98” ($7,949) screen sizes.  All sizes are available now.

Design 

Model year: 2023

As with last year’s X90K, the X90L has a modern-day design and features slim borders (bezel) surrounding its semi-gloss screen. The back panel is made of plastic and contains two side-firing tweeters (speakers) on either side of the top portion of the rear panel. In addition, the X90L contains two X-Balanced full-range speakers mounted on the bottom of the TV which helps to enhance its sound quality. The panel depth is slim and measures approximately 2-1/4” deep.

The metal TV stand (feet), which Sony refers to as “Aluminum Slim Wedged”, has two mounting positions: “standard” (lower) or “soundbar” (raised). The feet provide very good support for the 65” panel with minimal wobble.

Overall the X90L is solidly constructed with no apparent design flaws.

The screen is illuminated with full-array LED backlighting with local dimming. The 65” model contains 80 dimming zones.

Product Features:

• Full-array LED backlight with local dimming
• XR Motion Clarity blur reduction
• High Dynamic Range (HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG) extends picture contrast and brightness when viewing HDR content
• XR TRILUMINOS Pro display technology for a wider, more natural color palette
• Cognitive Processor XR uses powerful real-time processing based on a human perspective for a true-to-life picture
  • XR Contrast Booster 10 balances light output across the screen for improved contrast
  • XR 4K Upscaling intelligently re-creates lost textures and detail in lower-res content
• IMAX Enhanced certification for improved performance with IMAX Enhanced 4K/HDR content
• Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode mimics the settings on Netflix’s mastering monitors to ensure an accurate picture
• Acoustic Multi-Audio system uses sound-positioning tweeters at the back of the TV so the sound follows the action
• Acoustic Center Sync synchronizes TV speakers with compatible Sony sound bars for fuller, more immersive sound
  • works with Sony HT-A7000, HT-A5000, HT-A3000, and HT-A9 systems
• Multi-position stand has standard and sound bar positions
• Voice remote with a built-in microphone
• ATSC 3.0 Tuner (NEXGEN TV) for over-the-air 4K TV broadcast

Game Mode: A dedicated Game Mode has support for 4K@120Hz, ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), plus VRR (Variable Refresh Rate).

• 4K/120Hz: Support for 4K@120Hz produces smoother and clearer motion images at 120 frames-per-second (fps) for better rendering of fast-action content such as sports, action movies, and games. 4K@120Hz is only supported on HDMI inputs 3 and 4.
• ALLM: The TV will support ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) which lets the TV automatically recognize when a gaming console or gaming PC is connected and in use.
• VRR: With support for VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), the Sony Bravia XR TV gives you the real-time lower-lag gaming speed you need for a more enjoyable gaming experience. VRR allows the TV to adapt to a certain Game console’s frame rate.
• Optimized for PlayStation 5: With Auto HDR Tone Mapping, the TV’s HDR settings will be optimized instantly during your PS5 console’s initial setup. The PS5 automatically recognizes the Bravia XR TV and selects the best HDR setting for the TV accordingly. So even in high-contrast scenes, you’ll see the crucial details and colors in the brightest and darkest parts of the screen.

Smart TV features:

• Google TV interface lets you browse live TV, movies, and TV shows from across many streaming services all in one place
• The remote has built-in Google Assistant — control basic TV functions and compatible smart home gear, search TV’s streaming services, set timers, and more | use wake word to access Google Assistant hands-free
• Compatible with Apple AirPlay 2 for wireless streaming from your Apple device
• Works with Amazon Alexa devices
• Chromecast built-in
• Includes access to exclusive content on BRAVIA CORE

The Google TV interface is user-friendly and easy to navigate. It provides fast and smooth functionality.

Connectivity

• 4 HDMI inputs (two 2.0b, two 2.1) – all inputs are HDCP 2.3 compatible | HDMI 3 and HDMI 4 inputs support 4K/120Hz full 48 Gbps bandwidth and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) | HDMI 3 input supports enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC)
• 1 Composite video input (3.5mm A/V minijack – adapter required)
• 1 RF input for antenna, cable, satellite
• 1 Digital optical audio output
• 1 Ethernet input
• ATSC 3.0 tuner for over-the-air 4K broadcast
• 2 USB inputs
• S-Center Speaker In
• Dual-band Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
• Bluetooth wireless audio streaming to a compatible speaker or set of headphones

Dimensions:

With stand: (W x H x D) 57” x 34” x 13 5/8”
Without stand: (W x H x D) 57” x 32 ¾” x 2 ¼”

Weight:

With stand: 55.1 lbs.
Without stand: 53.4 lbs.

Conclusion

Sony’s X90L is a great mid-range 4K HDR TV. It’s a noticeable improvement over its predecessor, the Sony X90K. The X90L is much brighter, especially in HDR mode, which allows bright specular highlights to stand out better. The X90L also has a much better local dimming feature, resulting in significantly less blooming around bright areas of the screen. The contrast range is better (with local dimming engaged) in addition to deeper black levels.

Overall, the X90L provided very good picture quality. Detail and clarity were crystal clear with good transparency and image depth when viewing high-quality 4K HDR and 1080p sources. Color reproduction is great straight out of the box with the proper picture settings. Contrast and black levels were excellent on the X90L.

The X90L is also a great TV for gaming. It has all the latest advanced gaming features as well as low input lag.

So, if you’re interested in a 4K TV that offers very good overall performance and a commendable feature suite at a decent price point, then have a look at Sony’s 90L.

You may also like these Sony TV reviews:

Sony X77L 4K TV Review
Sony X93L 4K TV Review

Check out HDTVs and More’ YouTube video review for the Sony X90L here.

Image credit Sony

*Source: Rtings.com