Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV review

Summary

The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV, the company’s first set with Mini LED illumination, aims to compete with LG’s and Samsung’s top 4K TVs of the year. It combines the high brightness and focused backlight management of the set with an abundance of subtlety and useful vibrancy to provide the type of HDR performance you want on movie night. Sony has a superb remote control and many stand options in a streamlined construction.

Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV review

The X95K meets most of our requirements for a 4K HDR TV, even if it joined the Mini LED race a little later. We say most because the port choices may seem limited for a set that begins at $2,799 for the 65-inch size, and viewing angles are relatively restricted. However, if you’re searching for a high-end gadget that works with Google TV, our review of the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV can help you decide if the compromises are worth it.

Review of the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV: Features and cost

$3,277.99 for a Sony X95K 4K Mini LED TV on Amazon

The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV that we evaluated has a 65-inch screen size, but it is also available in 75- and 85-inch screen sizes, so it is a viable option for converting your living room into a complete entertainment center. If you’re unsure which choice is best for you, see our information on “What size TV should you buy?” If you’re buying by size, we also offer recommendations to the finest 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch TVs.

The specifications are the same for both sizes, so regardless of which one you choose, we anticipate that our experience with the 65-inch setup will be comparable to that of the bigger versions.

XR-65X95K, a 65-inch Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV, costs $2,799
$3,799 gets you a 75-inch Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV (XR-75X95K).
$5,499 gets you an 85-inch Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV (XR-68X95K).

The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV is among the more expensive models this year. It is priced in between the 65-inch LG G2 OLED TV ($2,999) and the 65-inch Samsung QN90B ($2,599). That being said, the finest TV offers often come with considerable savings.

Review of the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV: Design

The design of the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV exudes elegance. It has well-considered touches that improve overall look and setup. The titanium silver bezel, which encircles the screen without encroaching on the panel to preserve the bezel-less appearance, is something we really like. Appreciating the checkerboard design on the reverse is equally worthwhile.

It weighs 71 pounds, so getting it out of the box and onto the wall using one of the finest TV mounts (VESA 300mm x 300mm) would need at least two pairs of hands. Like we did, you may also support it using a pair of provided feet. The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV can be comfortably stood up in three different ways: narrow, broad, and wide + high. The latter leaves space for a soundbar to be positioned right below the screen.

Matching coverings may hide the area where the feet fasten to the back. If aesthetics is a priority, you may conceal the port array with covers that help with cable management.

Review of the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV: Ports

Talking about ports, this TV features four HDMI inputs. Among these, two enable 4K at 120 Hz via HDMI 2.1, while one supports HDMI ARC/eARC (improved audio return channel). If all four HDMI ports were 2.1, like the LG G2 and Samsung QN90B both support, it would be great to maximize performance for numerous peripherals. Assuming you own a soundbar, game console, and Blu-Ray player, you should have a minimum of three HDMI 2.1 inputs.

A single USB Type A connector, an RF coaxial connection, an Ethernet input, and an optical audio output are the set’s other features. Inbuilt is an ATSC 3.0 tuner as well. As of right now, NextGen TV offers 4K over-the-air broadcasts on some of the top TVs equipped with ATSC 3.0 tuners. However, it’s important to remember that every Sony 2022 TV has this feature.

Review of the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV: Performance

We wanted to take a detailed look at how Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR combines with the XR Backlight Master Drive to provide regulated, but balanced, HDR performance in this Mini LED TV. Running our sequence of scientific tests and watching anecdotal material took hours. We used the Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays, an X-Rite i1 Pro spectrophotometer, and a SpectraCal VideoForge Pro pattern generator to evaluate the set.

The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV covered 99.89% of the Rec 709 color gamut in standard mode right out of the box, which is almost excellent for the typical LED TV user. The Delta E score in this mode, which measures image accuracy at 6.36, is not as good. For reference, closer to zero is preferable. Sony has traditionally prioritized maintaining the filmmaker’s intent in image processing, so it’s not surprising that the X95K’s greatest Delta E score in Filmmaker Mode was an outstanding 1.88. Quite appropriate for a TV maker that doubles as a film studio.

We play James Bond: No Time to Die to see how the film looks when seen in real time. Without compromising reality, HDR gave the hues an especially striking appearance. The sinking boat was engulfed in flames that were so vibrant that they almost obscured the tiny blossoming around the fire’s margins. However, Bond’s emergency yellow raft, which was drifting in the midst of the morning-lit ocean after surviving the trawler explosion, provided great, creative contrast without making the dingy appear like a cartoon rubber duck. The only time we saw color skewing was when we viewed the screen from an angle that is worth mentioning, even if it is often not the case for a Mini LED TV.

We were very impressed with the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV’s motion handling capabilities. Whether it was a car pursuit, motorbike chase, or helicopter chase, No Time to Die offered lots of opportunity for over-processing or artifacting, yet the wheels and blades swung with breathtaking purpose.

Let’s return to the topic of numbers and discuss brightness. The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV’s maximum brightness in SDR was 485 nits. That’s really quite ordinary; given their restricted brightness capabilities, we’re more used to seeing results like that from the top OLED TVs. it being said, it is the reason we do HDR testing; at a 10% window size, the X95K achieved around 1,600 nits, and at a 100% window, 735 nits.

Lastly, with a latency time of 18.3 milliseconds, the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV was evaluated. That’s okay, nothing spectacular. Even though the X95K is manufactured by the same firm as the PS5 and has VRR, ALL, it doesn’t make our list of the best gaming TVs. We’ve never recommended Sony TVs for gaming, yet the 42-inch A90K OLED Master Series model could be an exception.

Review of the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV: Audio

The audio performance of the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV is better than you may anticipate. With two tweeters, two front-firing speakers, and two subwoofers, it can produce sound up to 60 watts overall. Consequently, the set builds to a full-bodied soundscape and becomes sufficiently loud. Support for Dolby Atmos is also helpful.

The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV added to the audio-visual tension in the film No Time to Die as Bond, Madeleine Swann, and their daughter tried to evade Safin’s goons’ onslaught in a secluded Norwegian woodland. Our protagonist’s surroundings, including the sounds of motorbike engines, radio broadcasts, and crunching leaves, successfully immersed our ears in the suspenseful action.

The Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV utilizes the remote control to adjust the sound to your room or the area where you want to sit on the sofa on a frequent basis during setup. If you also want the highest sound performance possible, you might spend your money on one of the best soundbars or the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. The interesting thing about the X95K, however, is that its Acoustic Center Sync function lets you utilize the TV’s speakers to enhance your soundbar.

Review of the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV: smart features and Google TV

Google TV powers the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV user experience. As Sony’s TV OS, Google TV has completely supplanted Android TV. It was first available on the company’s finest streaming devices. We also think Google TV is great as it’s simple to use your Google account to personalize and manage, and it suggests material based on what it thinks you would be interested in. In addition, parental control profiles and various accounts may be linked to the TV, allowing all family members to access content more conveniently.

All the streaming services we need are available on Google TV, including HBO Max, which allows us to watch the Sunday premieres of House of Dragons. Additionally, it may optionally connect to your Google Home profile, allowing you to monitor the greatest Google Home appliances in your home, such the Nest Doorbell, from the TV. In the meanwhile, voice instructions may be sent to Google Assistant via a nearby Google Home speaker or by using the remote control.

Additionally, the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV has comprehensive casting. You should be able to cast from most of your everyday gadgets to your TV screen since it supports both Chromecast and Apple AirPlay.

Review of the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV: Remote

We’re happy that Sony updated the remote for their 2022 TVs. Sure, it’s not as unique as the remotes provided by rival TV makers, but it’s still quite easy to use, small, and intuitive.

The remote has soft-touch buttons with a faint etched texture. It has the standard controls, a Google Assistant launcher, and a microphone indication. Additionally, it provides exclusive releases from Disney Plus, Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video. You’ll value the fast access if you use these services often.

Review of the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV: Conclusion

We can’t argue that the best TVs from Samsung and LG this year have made as much of an impact as the Sony Bravia X95K Mini LED TV. Maybe that’s why we’re so eager to compare the Sony A95K QD-OLED TV against the Samsung S95B OLED TV. Even so, it’s simple to suggest this to anybody looking to get a 4K HDR TV that isn’t an OLED. Its distinctive Sony flair almost makes up for the exorbitant price.

SONY BRAVIA X95K MINI LED TV: SPECS

Price: $2,798
Screen size: 65 inches
Model: XR-65X95K
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
HDR: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision
Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
Ports: 4 HDMI (2 HDMI 2.1), 1 USB
Audio: 60W
Smart TV Software: Google TV
Size (without stand): 56.9 x 32.9 x 2.4 inches
Weight (without stand): 70.8 pounds
ATSC 3.0 support? Yes