The Sony X85K offers better overall performance and will be more satisfying for a variety of content, including movies, sports, and gaming, thanks to its higher refresh rate. It is also better equipped for viewing in sunny rooms due to better brightness levels. However, if budget is a significant concern, the TCL S435 will provide a decent viewing experience at a much lower cost. While the TCL S435 is capable for casual viewing and some gaming, its performance in bright rooms and with fast-moving content will not match the Sony X85K. So, if you prioritize a higher quality viewing experience and can afford to invest more, the Sony X85K is a solid choice, but for those looking to save money, the TCL S435 is a satisfactory alternative. 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 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
Good reflections
Advantages of the TCL S435 (LCD)
The TCL S435 (LCD) has no clear advantages over the Sony X85K (LCD).
Key differences
Picture Quality
7.2/10
6.6/10
7.50/10
CONTRAST
7.50/10
7.4/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.6/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
LED
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The Sony X85K (LCD) has good picture quality, while the TCL S435 (LCD) has only fair picture quality.
Sports
7.4/10
5.9/10
10.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
3.2/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
7.3/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
5.8/10
10.0/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
8.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.2/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony X85K (LCD) is good for sports, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is poor.
Gaming
7.5/10
5.5/10
7.6/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
6.2/10
7.3/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
5.8/10
10.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
3.2/10
0.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
0.0/100
7.3/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.3/10
The Sony X85K (LCD) is good for gaming, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is poor.
The Sony X85K boasts a higher refresh rate of 120Hz and likely better response time and input lag compared to the TCL S435, which has a 60Hz refresh rate and poorer input lag, making the former a better choice for gaming by reducing motion blur and providing a smoother experience during fast-moving scenes.
Cartoons & Animation
8.5/10
7.0/10
7.5/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
6.0/10
7.4/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.6/10
8.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.2/10
9.1/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
9.0/10
7.5/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
5.9/10
The Sony X85K (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is good.
News, Talk, & Other TV
8.2/10
5.8/10
8.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.2/10
10.0/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
The Sony X85K (LCD) is very good for news, talk, & other TV, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is poor.
The Sony X85K outperforms the TCL S435 in watching news, talk shows, and TV programs mainly due to its superior upscaling capability, which enhances lower resolution content, and higher SDR brightness, ensuring a clearer picture in well-lit rooms. Conversely, the TCL S435's poor upscaling and low SDR brightness can result in a less clear and dimmer image, affecting viewing experience negatively especially in brightly lit environments.
Bright Room
7.4/10
5.6/10
5.5/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.0/10
8.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.2/10
7.0/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.1/10
7.3/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The Sony X85K (LCD) is good for bright room, while the TCL S435 (LCD) is poor.
The Sony X85K is well-suited for bright rooms as it has high SDR and HDR brightness, combined with an excellent ability to handle reflections, ensuring clear picture quality even in well-lit environments. On the contrary, the TCL S435 struggles in bright conditions due to its poor SDR and HDR brightness and inferior reflection handling, leading to a less optimal viewing experience under similar conditions.
Cost
$1,098
$700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Sony X85K (LCD) has a price of $1,098 and the TCL S435 (LCD) costs $700.
The Sony X85K (LCD) and TCL S435 (LCD) are both only fair for movies & TV.
The Sony X85K is less suitable for watching movies and cinematic TV in dark rooms due to its mediocre contrast, lack of local dimming, and only fair black uniformity, which can affect the quality of dark scenes. The TCL S435 also falls short in providing a cinematic experience, with similar shortcomings in contrast and black uniformity, as well as limitations in color accuracy out of the box and color volume, affecting its ability to display rich and vibrant colors in movies.
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How the Sony X85K (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 X85K (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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CEO and TVs Editor
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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