The Sony X85J is a higher-priced option that offers superior performance for gaming, sports, and in bright rooms, making it well-suited for varied, active viewing environments. It also boasts better motion processing and a higher refresh rate, which are crucial for fast-paced content and gaming.
On the other hand, the TCL S435 is much more budget-friendly, but it won't perform as well in bright rooms or deliver the same level of gaming and sports viewing experience. It has a lower refresh rate and does not support certain advanced HDR formats like Dolby Vision.
Both TVs have similar sound capabilities, good for standard viewing, but an external sound system would enhance the audio experience. If you prioritize higher picture quality and a smoother gaming experience and are willing to invest more, the Sony X85J would be the better choice. However, if you're looking for a more affordable option for general viewing, the TCL S435 could suffice. 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 X85J (LCD)
Good for bright room
Good for gaming
Good for sports
Very good for news, talk, & other TV
Very good for cartoons & animation
Best in class for upscaling
Best in class motion processing
Advantages of the TCL S435 (LCD)
The TCL S435 (LCD) has no clear advantages over the Sony X85J (LCD).
Key differences
Picture Quality
7.3/10
6.6/10
7.88/10
CONTRAST
7.50/10
7.3/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.6/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
LED
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The Sony X85J (LCD) has good picture quality, while the TCL S435 (LCD) has only fair picture quality.
Sports
7.2/10
5.9/10
10.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
3.2/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
5.8/10
10.0/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
8.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.2/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony X85J (LCD) is good for sports, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is poor.
The Sony X85J is favored for watching sports due to its better motion processing and faster response time which provides clearer images during fast-moving scenes compared to the TCL S435, which has poor motion processing and a slower response time that may lead to motion blur. Additionally, the Sony X85J handles reflections better, making it more suitable for bright rooms, while the TCL S435 performs poorly in handling reflections which could be distracting when watching sports.
Gaming
7.6/10
5.5/10
7.8/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
6.2/10
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
5.8/10
10.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
3.2/10
0.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
0.0/100
7.5/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.3/10
The Sony X85J (LCD) is good for gaming, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is poor.
The Sony X85J has a good response time and input lag which means it's responsive for gaming, while the TCL S435 fares poorly in both aspects, leading to a less ideal gaming experience. Additionally, the Sony X85J has a higher refresh rate, providing smoother motion clarity for fast-paced games compared to the TCL S435.
Cartoons & Animation
8.6/10
7.0/10
7.3/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
6.0/10
7.3/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.6/10
8.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.2/10
9.1/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
9.0/10
8.2/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
5.9/10
The Sony X85J (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is good.
The Sony X85J provides very good colors out of the box and has a very good color gamut, which enhances vibrant animation viewing. In contrast, while the TCL S435 also offers excellent colors straight from the packaging, its color gamut is only fair, potentially making the Sony X85J a better fit for those who prioritize very rich and accurate colors in cartoons.
News, Talk, & Other TV
8.2/10
5.8/10
8.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.2/10
10.0/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
The Sony X85J (LCD) is very good for news, talk, & other TV, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is poor.
The Sony X85J is suited for news and regular TV programs due to its ability to upscale lower-resolution content and maintain brightness in standard dynamic range (SDR), which makes the picture look clearer and brighter. In contrast, the TCL S435 underperforms in these areas with poor upscaling quality and SDR brightness, leading to a less clear and dimmer image which is not ideal for everyday content like news and talk shows.
Bright Room
7.3/10
5.6/10
5.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.0/10
8.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.2/10
7.1/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.1/10
5.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The Sony X85J (LCD) is good for bright room, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is poor.
The Sony X85J performs better in a bright room due to its higher SDR brightness and better handling of reflections, compared to the TCL S435 which has poor SDR brightness and struggles with reflections, making it less suitable for brightly lit environments.
Cost
$1,200
$700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Sony X85J (LCD) has a price of $1,200 and the TCL S435 (LCD) costs $700.
The Sony X85J (LCD) and TCL S435 (LCD) are both only fair for movies & TV.
The Sony X85J provides strong contrast and black uniformity, which is crucial for a good movie-watching experience, but lacks local dimming to enhance these aspects further and has a poor viewing angle, which can affect the picture when viewed from the side. The TCL S435 exhibits similar limitations with adequate contrast and slightly worse black uniformity without local dimming, compounded by poor viewing angles and less consistent out-of-the-box colors, which may necessitate personal adjustment for a better viewing experience.
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How the Sony X85J (LCD) and the TCL S435 (LCD) compare to other TVs
"The TCL 4-Series is so inexpensive and capable you might start to question why there are any multithousand-dollar TVs at all. The 4-Series setup is intuitive and easy. If you're just looking for an easy-to-use TV with decent picture, this is an excellent place to start."
Get a great deal on the Sony X85J (LCD) or the TCL S435 (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.
About TCL
TCL, the highly recognizable TV brand from China, has firmly established itself as the second-largest manufacturer in terms of sales volume. Renowned for striking an impressive balance between affordability, picture quality, and design, TCL TVs deliver a compelling overall package. While they have traditionally excelled in the low-end and midrange TV segments, TCL has recently made remarkable strides in the realm of high-end televisions, introducing impressive models that rival top competitors. Most TCL TVs use Roku software which is very user friendly and easy to use, but they have a few other models that use Google TV which has the largest app selection, but is not as user friendly as Roku.
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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