This tv has been discontinued.
It was replaced by the
Sony X720E
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.
See our recommendations for the
best 4k TV.
- Great color accuracy at an angle
- Low motion blur
- Poor blacks in a dark room
- Peak brightness could be better
Check Price
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.
The stand is a single metallic support. It is very minimalistic, and looks good. It also supports the TV quite well.
Footprint of the 55" TV stand: 24.75" x 9.125"
Wall Mount
:
Vesa 200x200
The back of the TV certainly isn't something to show off if the TV is placed in the middle of a room, but it is very functional and allows easy access to most of the inputs. If wall mounted, some of the inputs may be more difficult to use.
The borders are quite simple and made of plastic. They are quite thin, which is good.
Max Thickness
:
3.03" (7.7cm)
The thickness of the X700D is about average, but it will stick out from the wall a little bit if mounted.
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.
Native Contrast
:
992 : 1
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.
SDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
:
363 cd/m
2
SDR Peak 2% Window
:
450 cd/m
2
SDR Peak 10% Window
:
450 cd/m
2
SDR Peak 25% Window
:
450 cd/m
2
SDR Peak 50% Window
:
450 cd/m
2
SDR Peak 100% Window
:
450 cd/m
2
SDR Sustained 2% Window
:
450 cd/m
2
SDR Sustained 10% Window
:
450 cd/m
2
SDR Sustained 25% Window
:
450 cd/m
2
SDR Sustained 50% Window
:
450 cd/m
2
SDR Sustained 100% Window
:
450 cd/m
2
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.
HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
:
450 cd/m
2
HDR Peak 2% Window
:
496 cd/m
2
HDR Peak 10% Window
:
497 cd/m
2
HDR Peak 25% Window
:
496 cd/m
2
HDR Peak 50% Window
:
494 cd/m
2
HDR Peak 100% Window
:
496 cd/m
2
HDR Sustained 2% Window
:
496 cd/m
2
HDR Sustained 10% Window
:
497 cd/m
2
HDR Sustained 25% Window
:
496 cd/m
2
HDR Sustained 50% Window
:
494 cd/m
2
HDR Sustained 100% Window
:
496 cd/m
2
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.
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.
Native Std. Dev.
:
2.419 %
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.
Lower quality content such as DVDs are upscaled well. Details are preserved, and the image looks clean.
720p content such as cable TV looks quite good. The image looks sharp.
Blue-rays and other 1080p content looks great. Some moire can be seen in our test picture due to the camera, but details are preserved and the image looks very sharp in person.
Native 4k sources look good.
The X700D doesn't support a wide color gamut. The supported color space is only enough for Rec. 709 content.
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage
:
45.968 %
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage
:
29.263 %
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage
:
35.042 %
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage
:
22.043 %
IR after 0 min recovery
:
14.971 %
IR after 2 min recovery
:
5.599 %
IR after 4 min recovery
:
2.866 %
IR after 6 min recovery
:
1.526 %
IR after 8 min recovery
:
0.804 %
IR after 10 min recovery
:
0.328 %
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.
Screen Finish
:
Semi-gloss
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.
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.
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.
PWM Dimming Frequency
:
0 Hz
The X700D is able to flicker the backlight by increasing the 'Clearness' slider. This helps to clear up motion blur caused by eye tracking.
Judder-free 24p via 60p
:
No
Judder-free 24p via 60i
:
No
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.
Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
:
Yes
Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
:
No
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.
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.
1080p With Interpolation
:
47.8 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
:
47.7 ms
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
:
31.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
:
32.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz + HDR
:
32.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4 + 8 bit HDR
:
32.4 ms
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.
8.0
Supported Resolutions
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
:
Yes
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.
Digital Optical Audio Out
:
1
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm
:
1
Component In
:
1 (shared)
Composite In
:
2 (shared)
5.1 Passthrough ARC Dolby Digital
:
Yes
5.1 Passthrough ARC DTS
:
Yes
5.1 Passthrough Optical Dolby Digital
:
Yes
5.1 Passthrough Optical DTS
:
Yes
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwith
:
Yes (HDMI 2, 3)
Variable Analog Audio Out
:
Yes
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.
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.
Std. Dev. @ 70
:
3.04 dB SPL
Std. Dev. @ 80
:
3.50 dB SPL
Std. Dev. @ Max
:
6.10 dB SPL
Low-end Cutoff
:
119.87 Hz
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.
3.7
Total Harmonic Distortion
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.
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.
The Google Play Store provides access to many Android apps, and there is also support for Sony's PlayStation Now for even more apps and games. All of the major apps such as Netflix, Amazon Video, YouTube, HBO Now and Showtime are available.
While no ads appear on this TV, apps and featured content are shown on the main page.
The controls are located behind the left side of the TV. They provide basic functionality, but may be difficult to access if wall mounted.
The remote is exactly the same as the one found with the larger X750D. It has the familiar Sony layout, but lacks the voice control feature found on higher end models such as the X800D.
- Manuals
- Remote
- Batteries
- IR blaster
Power Consumption (Max)
:
142 W
Firmware
:
PKG6.0306.0001NAA
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
Top left:
Hisense H8C (
50H8C). Bottom left:
Samsung KU6300 (
UN55KU6300). Middle: Sony X700D (XBR55X700D). Top right:
Vizio D Series 4k 2016 (
D50u-D1). Bottom right:
LG UH7700 (
55UH7700). Unlike our other photographs, this picture wasn't taken under a controlled environment, so do not draw conclusions from it.
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.
Hisense H8C
50" 55"
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.
Samsung KU6300
40" 43" 50" 55" 60" 65" 70"
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.
Vizio D Series 4k 2016
40" 50" 55" 58" 65"
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.
LG UH7700
55" 60" 65"
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.
Good TV for mixed usage. Picture quality is above average and remain the same even when seen from the side. It is more suited for bright room since the blacks are not that deep and tend to look more gray in a dark environment.
Below average for watching movies in a dark room. The blacks are not deep and not very uniform and it doesn't have a local dimming feature to make it better.
Good TV for watching TV in a well lit room. Picture quality is slightly above average and remain the same even when viewed from the side. Upscaling of lower resolution content is good. It can deal pretty well with reflections and glare. The smart platform is easy to use and offers a lot of features.
Great for watching sports, since it has low motion blur. The wide viewing angle is great if you have friends over to watch a game. The uniformity could be better though.
Great for video games. It has a consistently low input lag no matter the source and the motion blur is great.
Supports HDR10 with newest firmware update. Average for HDR movies. Picture quality is slightly above average but does not have wide color gamut and local dimming feature to improve further the picture quality. Contrast ratio is very low making blacks appear gray when viewed in a dark room.
Good for HDR gaming. Picture quality is slightly above average, but no wide color gamut support. No local dimming to improve dark scene performance. Input lag is low, which is great.
Good as a computer monitor. Can accept a wide variety of inputs and supports a wide range of resolutions. Input lag is good and has a great response time. Support chroma subsampling at 4k @ 60Hz.
: Not at the latest test bench
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