If you are looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Sony X85K is often significantly less expensive and offers good overall picture quality, excelling in gaming and sports content.
On the other hand, the Sony X90J, while typically more expensive, provides a higher overall picture quality, particularly shining in dark room settings. It also has good bright room performance, making it a versatile option if you are willing to invest more.
Both models may not be ideal if used in very bright rooms as their performance under such conditions is not the best. Consider how you prioritize gaming, dark room viewing, and budget when making your decision. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Sony X85K (LCD)
Good reflections
Advantages of the Sony X90J (LCD)
Good for dark room
Very good for gaming
Good for movies & TV
Good for use as monitor
Key differences
Picture Quality
7.2/10
7.8/10
7.50/10
CONTRAST
7.63/10
7.4/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.4/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
LED FALD
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The Sony X90J (LCD) and Sony X85K (LCD) both have good picture quality, though the Sony X90J (LCD) has somewhat better picture quality.
Movies & TV
6.4/10
7.9/10
7.50/10
CONTRAST
7.63/10
6.8/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.4/10
10.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
No
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony X90J (LCD) is good for movies & TV, while the Sony X85K (LCD) is only fair.
The Sony X85K offers lower contrast and does not feature local dimming, affecting its black uniformity, which is less than ideal for movies and cinematic TV where dark scenes and deep blacks are prevalent. In comparison, the Sony X90J benefits from better contrast, effective local dimming, and superior black uniformity, resulting in a more immersive experience for the same content.
Gaming
7.5/10
8.2/10
7.6/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
8.0/10
7.3/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.0/10
10.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
0.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
80.0/100
7.3/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
The Sony X90J (LCD) is very good for gaming, while the Sony X85K (LCD) is good.
The Sony X90J is preferred for gaming over the Sony X85K because it has a superior response time, meaning on-screen movement will be crisper, and less motion blur when playing fast-paced games. While both have low input lag for quick gameplay responsiveness, the Sony X90J's better response time gives it an edge, especially noticeable in high-speed gaming situations.
News, Talk, & Other TV
8.2/10
8.9/10
8.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.6/10
10.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
The Sony X90J (LCD) and Sony X85K (LCD) are both very good for news, talk, & other TV, though the Sony X90J (LCD) is somewhat better.
The Sony X85K excels in upscaling and SDR brightness, making it a solid choice for watching news and talk shows in various lighting conditions, though it doesn't have local dimming to enhance the contrast. On the other hand, the Sony X90J also performs well in upscaling and SDR brightness, and it benefits from better local dimming and contrast handling, which may provide a slight edge for darker room viewing, but it has poorer performance under bright lighting due to its screen reflections.
The Sony X85K (LCD) and Sony X90J (LCD) are both good for sports.
The Sony X85K handles reflections better and has a good response time which is well-suited for watching sports in bright rooms, while the Sony X90J, with slightly poorer reflection handling, has a very good response time offering a clear advantage in fast-moving scenes typical in sports. Both TVs have excellent motion processing, but viewers watching at wide angles might prefer the X85K for its slightly better viewing angles, although neither is ideal for off-center viewing.
Cartoons & Animation
8.5/10
8.3/10
7.5/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.0/10
7.4/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.4/10
8.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.6/10
9.1/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
9.0/10
7.5/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.8/10
The Sony X85K (LCD) and Sony X90J (LCD) are both very good for cartoons & animation.
The Sony X85K and Sony X90J both provide excellent colors right out of the box, which is crucial for animated content that often uses a wide and vibrant range of colors. While both TVs have a good color gamut, ensuring that they can display a wide range of colors, the Sony X90J has a slight edge in color volume, which means it can maintain the accuracy of those colors across a range of different brightness levels.
Bright Room
7.4/10
7.6/10
5.5/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.2/10
8.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.6/10
7.0/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.9/10
7.3/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The Sony X90J (LCD) and Sony X85K (LCD) are both good for bright room.
Both the Sony X85K and Sony X90J have been noted as strong performers in bright rooms due to their very good SDR and HDR brightness, which means they can maintain visible picture quality even in well-lit environments. However, the Sony X85K has better management of reflections according to the listed specifications, while the Sony X90J falls short in this area, affecting its viewing quality in very bright or directly-lit rooms.
Cost
$848
$800
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Sony X85K (LCD) has a price of $848 and the Sony X90J (LCD) costs $800.
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How the Sony X85K (LCD) and the Sony X90J (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
Sony X85K (LCD)
Sony X90J (LCD)
GENERAL
Price
Price
$848
$800
Brand
Brand
Sony
Sony
Release Date
Release Date
May 2, 2022
April 1, 2021
Full name
Full name
KD-50X85K
XR-50X90J
Screen Size
Screen Size
50"
50"
Screen Resolution
Screen Resolution
4K
4K
Screen Type
Screen Type
LCD
LCD
Screen Sub-type
Screen Sub-type
LED VA
LED FALD VA
Smart TV
Smart TV
Yes
Yes
TV FEATURES
Operating System
Operating System
Android TV
Android TV
Sound Quality Score
Sound Quality Score
6.9/10
7.3/10
NextGen Ready
NextGen Ready
Yes
Yes
HDMI Ports
HDMI Ports
4
4
Coax Ports
Coax Ports
1
1
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
120Hz
120Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
Yes
HDR Supported formats
HDR Supported formats
HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
Accessibility
Accessibility
None
None
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES
Picture Quality Score
Picture Quality Score
7.3/10
7.8/10
Bright Room Score
Bright Room Score
7.4/10
7.7/10
Gaming Score
Gaming Score
7.6/10
8.2/10
Movies & TV Score
Movies & TV Score
6.5/10
7.9/10
Sports Score
Sports Score
7.4/10
7.1/10
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
8.2/10
8.9/10
Cartoons & Animation Score
Cartoons & Animation Score
8.5/10
8.4/10
Use as Monitor Score
Use as Monitor Score
6.9/10
7/10
PHYSICAL
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
25.5" x 44.1" x 2.8"
25.5" x 44" x 2.7"
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
28.1" x 44.1"
28.1" x 44"
Weight without Stand
Weight without Stand
28.0 lbs
29.8 lbs
VESA Mount
VESA Mount
200 x 200
200 x 200
DISPLAY
Color Depth
Color Depth
10 bit
10 bit
Black Frame Insertion
Black Frame Insertion
Yes
Yes
Auto Low Latency Mode
Auto Low Latency Mode
Yes
Yes
Contrast
Contrast
7.5/10
7.6/10
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
2.5/10
8/10
Gaming Local Dimming
Gaming Local Dimming
0/100
8/100
Game HDR Brightness Score
Game HDR Brightness Score
7.4/10
8.3/10
SDR Brightness Score
SDR Brightness Score
8.4/10
8.6/10
HDR Brightness Score
HDR Brightness Score
7.1/10
7.9/10
Gray Uniformity
Gray Uniformity
7.5/10
6.8/10
Black Uniformity
Black Uniformity
6.8/10
6.4/10
Viewing Angle
Viewing Angle
5.5/10
5.3/10
Reflections Score
Reflections Score
7.4/10
5.9/10
Upscaling
Upscaling
10/10
10/10
Motion Processing
Motion Processing
10/10
10/10
Color Gamut Score
Color Gamut Score
7.6/10
7/10
Color Volume Score
Color Volume Score
7.4/10
7.4/10
Response Time Score
Response Time Score
7.6/10
8.1/10
Input Lag Score
Input Lag Score
7.3/10
7/10
Colors Out of the Box Score
Colors Out of the Box Score
9.2/10
9/10
Quality Control
Quality Control
8.8/10
8.8/10
Chroma Subsampling Score
Chroma Subsampling Score
7.5/10
8/10
SOUND
Speaker Setup
Speaker Setup
2.0
2.0
Speaker Power
Speaker Power
20 W
20 W
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos
Yes
Yes
DTS:X
DTS:X
Up to DTS Digital Surround, Bypass only
Up to DTS Digital Surround, Bypass only
Get a great deal on the Sony X85K (LCD) or the Sony X90J (LCD)
About Sony
Sony stands as a highly experienced and widely trusted TV manufacturer, earning a reputation that surpasses all others. A Japanese company, Sony has been making TVs for far longs than it has been making Playstation game consoles. Sony's high-end TVs are often regarded as the ultimate choice for videophiles, representing the epitome of quality, albeit at a premium price point. Renowned for their advanced and precise motion handling, as well as their cutting-edge local dimming algorithms, Sony consistently delivers unparalleled performance in these areas. They include Google TV software with all their TV sets, which grants access to the largest selection of apps available and they also include Bravia Core which is a movie streaming platform specifically for Sony TVs that offers higher picture quality by using more bandwidth.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec TVs team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest TV information and makes it digestible for you.
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