- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Design
- Picture Quality
- Motion
- Inputs
- Sound Quality
- Smart Features
- Sizes and Variants
- Compared
- Conclusion
- Discussions
Sony X700D
TV REVIEW
The Sony X700D is a 4k LED TV, with slightly above average picture quality. It isn't good in a dark room due to the low native contrast ratio. On the upside, it can be enjoyed even from a wide angle, and it handles motion well. It also supports a wide range of inputs with low input lag which is good.
| Design | 8.5 |
| Picture Quality | 7.0 |
| Motion | 8.3 |
| Inputs | 8.2 |
| Sound Quality | 5.9 |
| Smart Features | 8.0 |
- Great color accuracy at an angle
- Low motion blur
- Poor blacks in a dark room
- Peak brightness could be better
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Design
The X700D has the same design as the larger model X750D. It is similar to many of the Sony TVs released in 2015. It looks quite good, with all black plastic borders and a simple metallic stand.
Picture Quality
- 11% Contrast
- 6% Local Dimming
- 6% SDR Peak Brightness
- 6% HDR Peak Brightness
- 6% Gray Uniformity
- 7% Viewing Angle
- 4% Black Uniformity
- 2% Gradient
- 4% Pre Calibration
- 1% Post Calibration
- 6% 480p Input
- 9% 720p Input
- 11% 1080p Input
- 6% 4k Input
- 4% Color Gamut
- 4% Color Volume
- 1% Image Retention
- 5% Reflections
- <1% 3D
The Sony X700D have an above average picture quality. The IPS used have a poor native contrast with a below average black uniformity. There is no local dimming feature to help the dark scene performance on this set and the peak brightness is average, but remains the same no mater what is shown on screen. There is no wide color gamut feature but the 10 bit panel used is very good at displaying all the range of color without introducing banding. Finally, the viewing angle is one of the best we have seen in an LED TV.
- 100% Native Contrast
The contrast ratio is bad. This TV has an IPS panel which generally have worse contrast than VA panel, but for the X700D, this is on the lower end. Blacks appear gray when seen in a dark room.
The X700D doesn't support local dimming, but we have included the video for reference.
The SDR peak brightness is average for the Sony X700D. Since it does not have local dimming, all the different sized windows have the same level of brightness and at 450 cd/m² it should be good enough even for a bright room.
The peak brightness is better than average. There is no local dimming, so the result is the same across all window sizes and does not vary over time. The whole screen brightness is enough to deal with glare even in a bright room.
Update 10/20/2016: We have retested the peak brightness with the newest firmware update which enables HDR10.
- 40% 50% Std. Dev.
- 40% 50% DSE
- 10% 5% Std. Dev.
- 10% 5% DSE
The Sony X700D has an average gray uniformity. Both sides are a bit darker and there is also a warmer horizontal band in the middle of the screen. Even with this little imperfection, the screen is pretty even and dirty screen effect should not be too much of a problem.
- 20% Color Shift
- 40% Brightness
- 40% Black Level
When viewed at an angle, the picture quality remains very similar. For those with wide seating this is a great TV.
- 100% Native Std. Dev.
Black uniformity is below average for an LED TV and is comparable to its bigger sibling the X750D. Even if there is a lot of clouding on our test picture, the clouding is pretty much even on all the screen and when viewing normal content, the picture quality is still good and you can't really notice it. That being said, we have seen a lot worse on other IPS TVs.
The Sony X700D has a good 10 bit panel and the color reproduction is pretty even. There is not really any obvious banding problem that can be seen on our test picture that could cause a problem when watching movies.
- 50% White Balance dE
- 50% Color dE
Prior to calibration the results are average. There are some more significant issues in the white balance, especially at 80 - 100 IRE. For most people this should be fine, but a calibration definitely helps to fix some of the more significant issues.
- 50% White Balance dE
- 50% Color dE
The calibration works well to fix issues with the white balance, by adjusting the 2 and 10 points method. There are still some issues with the colors which could not be fixed, but for most people this is not a problem. You can see our full picture settings here.
- 25% DCI P3 xy
- 25% DCI P3 uv
- 25% Rec 2020 xy
- 25% Rec 2020 uv
The X700D doesn't support a wide color gamut. The supported color space is only enough for Rec. 709 content.
The Sony X700D does present some image retention. The retention is pretty strong and you can easily make out the original picture from the test video. Some retention is still present after 10 minutes of recovery, even if it is very faint. The image retention is not permanent, but is definitely lasting longer than on other IPS TVs.
This is one of the worse image retention that we have seen on a LED TV. The image retention will be visible after watching a TV show in 4:3, a letter box movie, a news TV show with a static banner and even sport channel with static scoring banner. Note that the image retention will fade completely with time.
Deals quite well with reflections. Semi gloss finish diffuses direct reflections on the screen, but works quite well to reduce their intensity. For an average room this is a good result and should not be a problem.
This TV does not support any 3D features.
Motion
- 72% Motion Blur
- 7% Image Flicker
- 14% 24p Playback
- 7% Motion Interpolation
The X700D has great motion handling. Fast moving objects only have a very short trail following them, which should be great for fast paced content. Movies appear smooth when watched from a Blu-ray player or DVDs. Those that are sensitive to judder may notice it when watching movies on cable TV. There is a motion interpolation option for those who enjoy the soap opera effect.
- 80% Response Time
- 20% Overshoot
The response time is great, and results in very little motion blur following the logo. Some slight overshoot is visible as a lighter trail following. The backlight does not flicker on this set.
- 40% PWM Dimming Frequency
- 40% BFI Frequency
- 20% BFI In Game Mode
The X700D is able to flicker the backlight by increasing the 'Clearness' slider. This helps to clear up motion blur caused by eye tracking.
Watching movies from a 24fps source such as a Blu-ray player is smooth. Those that are sensitive to judder will notice it when watching movies over a 60fps source such as cable TV, or a home theater PC.
Unlike the larger size X750D, the X700D has a 60Hz panel. It is only able to interpolate 30fps content. Those who like a strong soap opera effect will not be able to achieve it.
Inputs
- 86% Input Lag
- 14% Supported Resolutions
Whether you use your TV for gaming or as your computer monitor, the Sony X700D will be a good choice. The low input lag is great for gamers and the wide supported resolutions and chroma subsampling make it a great choice for computer enthusiasts out there.
The 1080p input lag is quite low and is the same as the X750D, which is great. For most people, this will not be noticeable when playing game. To get the lowest input lag, set the picture mode to 'Game or 'Graphics'. The input lag stays low even in 4k.
Update 10/20/2016: We have retested the input lag with the newest firmware update which enables HDR10.
- 20% 1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
- 20% 1080p @ 120Hz
- 20% 4k @ 30Hz @ 4:4:4
- 20% 4k @ 60Hz
- 20% 4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Like the Sony X750D, the X700D can display Chroma 4:4:4 at 4k @ 60Hz only on the HDMI port 2 and 3 and you need to switch the 'HDMI signal format' to 'Enhanced format'. When the picture mode is set to 'Graphics' or 'Game' the input lag is 31.4ms.
The TV doesn't support HDR10 at time of the review, but is planned to support it in the future with a firmware update.
Update 10/20/2016: The review has been updated with the newest firmware which enables HDR10.
Sound Quality
The sound quality on this Sony TV is bad. If you care about sound, you will definitely want to invest in a separate sound system. Even a cheap sound bar is an improvement over the built-in speakers.
Note: Sound Quality test for TVs reviewed before 2017 was performed at 75dB, 85dB, and Max SPL. Starting 2017, the target SPL levels have been changed to 70dB, 80dB, and Max dB SPL.
- 8% Std. Dev. @ 70
- 15% Std. Dev. @ 80
- 22% Std. Dev. @ Max
- 18% Max
- 37% Low-end Cutoff
Decent performance. Frequency response and maximum loudness are above average, however pumping and compression will be present under heavier loads, and the TV doesn't produce a lot of bass either.
- 20% Distortion @ 70
- 40% Distortion @ 80
- 40% Distortion @ Max
Poor distortion performance. The amount of harmonic distortion at 75dB and 85dB are low. There was audible aliasing present even at 85dB. However, aliasing starts to creep in at volumes louder than 85dB. At 100dB there's a dramatic jump in the harmonic distortion, which is typical of most Sony TVs. However, these artifacts will be less audible in real-life situations.
Smart Features
The X700D includes the latest Android TV version (6.0.1 Marshmallow). There is a huge variety of content available, due to access to the Google Play Store. It is very stable and works well. The home screen is a bit confusing to navigate though. After turning on the TV it does take a while to load, but after a few minutes this is not an issue. There are 3 USB ports on the TV, and the Android OS is able to play content directly off USB flash drives.
While no ads appear on this TV, apps and featured content are shown on the main page.
Differences between Sizes and Variants
We tested the 55" (XBR55X700D). For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 49" (XBR49X700D) and.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Sony X700D doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.
| Size | Model |
| 49" | XBR49X700D |
| 55" | XBR55X700D |
Compared to other TVs
The Sony X700D is a good TV and a great choice if you need a wide viewing angle. If you are directly in front though, there are better alternatives.
The Hisense H8C is available in very similar sizes, but at a significantly lower price. It offers better picture quality from directly in front, but it degrades much more quickly at a slight angle. It also can't get as bright to counter glare. If you watch TV from in front, save the money and go with the Hisense H8C for the better picture quality and additional features. For those with wider seating the Sony X700D is a better choice.
The Samsung KU6300 is about the same price, but offers better picture quality. It also features lower input lag for those looking to use it as a PC monitor or for gaming. In a dark room, the performance of the Samsung KU6300 is much better due to the higher native contrast ratio and better uniformity. Unless you've got very wide seating, go with the Samsung KU6300.
The Vizio D Series 4k 2016 is significantly cheaper, and a better choice for gamers due to the excellent input lag and motion blur. The dark scene performance is much better due to the better contrast and black uniformity, but when viewed at an angle the picture quality degrades faster. For those with a bright room and wide seating go with the Sony X700D, otherwise save the money and go with the Vizio D Series 4k 2016.
The LG UH7700 is a step up in price, but offers very similar picture quality. It performs slightly better in a dark room due to the better contrast, but is still not as good as most TV's. It doesn't get as bright, so for most people with a bright living room the Sony X700D is a better choice.
