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To try to better understand how long a TV should last, we're running 100 TVs through an accelerated longevity test for the next two years. We've just posted our 1-year video update with our latest findings on temporary image retention, burn-in, and more!

Sony X800G TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Reviewed Jul 03, 2019 at 09:41 am
Latest change: Test bench update May 21, 2020 at 08:51 am
Sony X800G Picture
6.6
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
5.7
Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.6
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.4
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.8
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
5.6
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
6.3
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.6
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the Sony X800H

The Sony X800G is a decent 4k TV with an IPS panel, which delivers wide viewing angles and good peak brightness. It has very good motion handling, with an excellent response time, so fast-moving objects look great, with very little blur behind them. Unfortunately, like the majority of IPS TVs, this TV doesn't look as good in a dark room, as blacks look gray in a dark viewing environment. It also has higher than average input lag, which, while fine for casual gamers, may be disappointing for serious gamers or if you're planning on using it as a PC monitor.

Our Verdict

6.6 Mixed Usage

The Sony X800G is a decent TV for most uses. It is well-suited for a bright room, with wide viewing angles, but doesn't look as good in a dark room. It has very good motion handling, with an excellent response time, but has limited motion processing options, and can't remove judder from all sources. It has relatively low input lag, which is fine for casual gamers, but may disappoint more serious gamers.

Pros
  • Image remains accurate at an angle.
  • Very good motion handling.
Cons
  • Blacks look gray in a dark room.
  • Higher than average input lag.
5.7 Movies

The X800G is a mediocre TV for watching movies in a dark room. The contrast ratio is too low to produce deep blacks, and this is especially noticeable in a dark room, and blacks appear gray. This model also lacks a local dimming feature, and has disappointing black uniformity. It upscales 1080p content well though, great if most of your movies are on Blu-ray, and it can remove judder, but only from true 24p sources.

7.6 TV Shows

This is a great TV for watching TV shows during the day. It has wide viewing angles, good reflection handling, and good peak brightness, which is great if you like to move around with the TV on during the day. The smart platform has a huge selection of apps, and most streaming services are available. This TV also upscales older, lower resolution content really well, and TV shows on Blu-ray look great.

7.4 Sports

This is a very good TV for watching sports during the day, especially as a group. It has wide viewing angles, good peak brightness, and good reflection handling, great for watching the big game with a group of friends. It has a fast response time, so there is minimal blur behind fast moving objects (or players), and it has decent gray uniformity.

6.8 Video Games

The X800G is a good TV for playing video games, especially console games. It has a fast response time, so there is little blur behind fast-moving objects in your favorite games, and although it has low input lag in Game mode, it is higher than most TVs currently on the market. Unfortunately, this TV doesn't support any advanced gaming features, such as a variable refresh rate, and it has a 60Hz refresh rate, which may disappoint some gamers.

5.6 HDR Movies

Unfortunately, the X800G is a mediocre TV for watching HDR movies in a dark room. The contrast ratio is very low, so blacks look gray in a dark room, and it lacks a local dimming feature to compensate for this. This isn't as noticeable in a bright room though. It can display a wide color gamut, which is great, but it can't get very bright in HDR, so bright highlights don't stand out as much as they should.

6.3 HDR Gaming

This TV is decent for HDR gaming, mainly due to the fast response time and relatively low input lag. Unfortunately, it has a mediocre contrast ratio, no local dimming, and disappointing black uniformity, so it isn't ideal for gaming in a dark room. It can display a wide color gamut, which is great, but has mediocre color volume, and can't get very bright in HDR.

7.6 PC Monitor

The Sony X800G is a great TV for use as a PC monitor. It has an excellent response time, so there is little distracting blur behind moving objects, including the mouse pointer. The image remains accurate when viewed at an angle, which is great if you are sitting close to it, as the sides of the screen remain uniform. It can display proper chroma 4:4:4 with 1080p, 1440p, and 4k content, and it can use nearest neighbor upscaling when sent a 1080p signal, which some people prefer. Unfortunately, it has higher than average input lag, which may disappoint some people.

  • 6.6 Mixed Usage
  • 5.7 Movies
  • 7.6 TV Shows
  • 7.4 Sports
  • 6.8 Video Games
  • 5.6 HDR Movies
  • 6.3 HDR Gaming
  • 7.6 PC Monitor
  1. Updated May 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
  2. Updated Feb 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
  3. Updated Jul 03, 2019: Review published.
  4. Updated Jul 01, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
  5. Updated Jul 01, 2019: Early access published.
  6. Updated Jun 29, 2019: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  7. Updated May 27, 2019: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 55" X800G (XBR-55X800G), and we expect our results to be valid for the 43" (XBR-43X800G), 49" (XBR-49X800G), 65" (XBR-65X800G), and 75" (XBR-75X800G) as well.

The 43" and 49" models are advertised by Sony as edge-lit, which may affect some results.

If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Sony X800G doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review. Note that some tests such as the gray uniformity may vary between individual units.

Size US Model Alternative Name EU Model
43" XBR43X800G XBR-43X800G KD-43XG8096
49" XBR49X800G XBR-49X800G KD-49XG8096
55" XBR55X800G XBR-55X800G KD-55XG8096
65" XBR65X800G XBR-65X800G KD-65XG8096
75" XBR75X800G XBR-75X800G KD-75XG8096

Update 07/11/2019: We have received information that the 75" model (XBR-75X800G) has a VA panel. It likely has much better contrast and better black uniformity, but a worse viewing angle.

The X800G we reviewed was manufactured in April 2019.

Compared To Other TVs

Comparison picture

Top left: LG UM7300 (55UM7300). Bottom left: Samsung RU7100 (UN55RU7100). Middle: Sony X800G (XBR-55X800G). Top right: TCL 6 Series R617 (55R617). Bottom right: Hisense H8F (55H8F). Unlike our other photographs, this picture wasn't taken under a controlled environment, so do not draw conclusions from it.

The X800G is a basic 4k TV with decent performance. It is a minor upgrade over previous models. See our recommendations for the best TVs, the best smart TVs, and the best sounding TVs.

Sony X800E
43" 49" 55"

The Sony X800G is slightly better than the X800E. These two TVs were not evaluated using the same test bench, so it's difficult to make a direct comparison, but there are a few differences. The newer X800G has better motion handling due to a faster response time, has better black uniformity, and has better reflection handling.

Sony X850G
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Sony X850G is better than the Sony X800G. The X850G has better gray uniformity, better reflection handling, and much lower input lag, for a more responsive gaming experience. The X850G can remove judder from all sources, and it can interpolate motion up to 120Hz.

Sony X950G
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Sony X950G is a much better TV than the Sony X800G. The X950G has much deeper blacks, local dimming, much higher peak brightness, better black uniformity, better motion handling, and uses a newer and smoother version of Android TV for its smart interface. On the other hand, the X800G has much wider viewing angles thanks to its IPS panel (in every size except 75").

Sony X800H
43" 49" 55" 65" 75" 85"

The Sony X800H is better than the Sony X800G. The X800H can get much brighter, the viewing angles are significantly better, and there's minimal dirty screen effect, which is distracting with fast-moving objects. The X800G handles reflections slightly better and the response time is slightly quicker, but the input lag is much lower on the X800H. Overall, the X800H is an improvement over its predecessor, the X800G.

Samsung RU7100
43" 50" 55" 58" 65" 75"

The Samsung RU7100 and the Sony X800G use different panel types, each with their advantages and disadvantages. The RU7100 delivers better dark room performance thanks to its VA panel, but the image degrades at an angle. The Sony X800G has wide viewing angles and is better-suited for a wide room. The RU7100 also has much lower input lag, but can't remove judder from any source.

Samsung RU8000
49" 55" 65" 75" 82"

The Samsung RU8000 and the Sony X800G use different panel types, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The Samsung delivers better dark room performance thanks to its VA panel, but the image loses accuracy at an angle. The Sony has wide viewing angles and is better suited for a wide seating arrangement. The Samsung also has a much lower input lag and is equipped with FreeSync support, which should please gamers.

Samsung Q60/Q60R QLED
43" 49" 55" 65" 75" 82"

The Sony X800G and the Samsung Q60/Q60R QLED have different panel types,  each with advantages and disadvantages. The Sony X850G uses an IPS panel, has much better viewing angles, and better reflection handling, which is nice for a bright, wide room. The Samsung Q60R has a VA panel that delivers a much better dark room performance. It has lower input lag and can remove 24p judder from any source. The Q60R also supports FreeSync variable refresh rate and has low input lag with motion interpolation, which is great for gaming.

Samsung Q70/Q70R QLED
49" 55" 65" 75" 82" 85"

The Samsung Q70/Q70R QLED is a much better TV than the Sony X800G. The Samsung has much better blacks thanks to its VA panel and local dimming feature. It can also get much brighter, especially for HDR content, has better motion handling, and has more accurate colors out-of-the-box. On the other hand, the Sony's IPS panel gives it much better viewing angles.

Vizio V Series 2019
40" 43" 43" 50" 55" 55" 60" 65" 65" 70" 75"

The Vizio V Series 2019 and the Sony X800G are very similar overall, but use different panel types, each with their own strengths. The X800G is best suited for a bright room with wide seating, as it doesn't look as good in a dark room. The V Series 2019 has better contrast and looks much better in a dark room, but the image degrades at an angle, so it is best enjoyed from directly in front. Other than these differences due to the panel type, the X800G has better motion handling, but the Vizio V Series has lower input lag.

LG B8 OLED
55" 65"

The Sony X800G and LG B8 OLED use different panel technologies, each with advantages and disadvantages. The Sony has an IPS panel, and the brightness doesn't vary with content. The LG, on the other hand, can display perfect blacks in a dark room thanks to the OLED panel. The LG also has a much faster response time and delivers crisp motion, but with more stutter. The Sony is immune to the risk of burn-in that the B8 has.

TCL 6 Series 2018
55" 65" 75"

The TCL 6 Series/R617 and the Sony X800G use different panel types, each with different advantages and disadvantages. The X800G is better for a bright room with wide seating, whereas the R617 is better suited for direct seating in a dark room. Beyond these differences, the R617 is a lot brighter, has lower input lag, and can remove judder from any source.

LG UM7300
43" 49" 50" 55" 65"

The LG UM7300 is somewhat better than the Sony X800G. The LG can handle reflections better, which is great if your room has a lot of lights. The LG also has an extremely low input lag that's great for gaming. The Sony, on the other hand, is flicker-free, which might be important to some people.

LG SM8600
49" 55" 65" 75"

The LG SM8600 is a better TV than the Sony X800G. Both TVs use an IPS panel, which results in mediocre contrast and bad black uniformity, but improves the viewing angle over a TV with a VA panel. The LG has better reflection handling, a wider color gamut, better motion handling, and much lower input lag. On the other hand, the Sony is brighter, has more accurate colors out-of-the-box, and has better viewing angles.

Toshiba Fire TV 2019
43" 50" 55"

The Sony X800G and the Toshiba Fire TV 2019 are similar, but use different panel types, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The X800G uses an IPS panel and has much better viewing angles and a faster response time. The Toshiba uses a VA panel, and has worse viewing angles but much better contrast.

Sony X900F
49" 55" 65" 75" 85"

The Sony X900F and X800G use different panel types, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, but overall, the X900F is much better. The X800G uses an IPS panel, which delivers much wider viewing angles, but doesn't look as good in a dark room. The X900F, with its VA panel, looks better in a dark room, as blacks look black. The X900F also has a decent local dimming system, is much brighter, and has a fast response time than the X800G. The X900F can remove judder from all sources, which the X800G can't do.

Sony X850F
65" 75" 85"

The Sony X850F is better than the X800G, but the differences might not matter as much for everyone. The X850F has better reflection handling, great for bright rooms, and it can remove judder from all sources, whereas the X800G can only remove judder from true 24p sources.

Samsung Q60/Q60T QLED
43" 50" 55" 58" 65" 75" 82" 85"

The Samsung Q60/Q60T QLED is better than the Sony X800G for most uses. The Samsung's VA panel has much better dark room performance, and its color accuracy and uniformity are also a lot better. The Samsung has a higher peak brightness and lower input lag, but the Sony has a faster response time and better build quality.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Market Context
Market Context
Market Context

The X800G is an entry-level 2019 LED TV from Sony. It's the direct replacement for the 2018 XF8096 Series TV, which was never released in North America, and is very similar to the X750F. Its main competitors this year are the Samsung RU7100, TCL 6 Series R617, and the Vizio V Series 2019.

Design
8.5
Design
Style
Curved No

The Sony X800G has a great design. It looks almost identical to last year's X750F, but with a matte black stand instead of a silver one. The stand supports the TV well, but does wobble a bit, and the legs are nearly the same width as the TV and can't be reversed. The back of the TV is plain, and there is only minimal cable management through the back of the feet. The TV has good build quality, and we didn't notice any issues or areas of concern with our unit.

Design
Stand

The stand supports the TV well, but doesn't prevent it from wobbling. It's nearly the full width of the TV, so you'll need a wide table if you aren't planning on wall mounting it. The feet can't be reversed to save space.

Footprint of the 55" model: 39.0" x 13.2"

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 200x200

The back is plain, but appears well-built. Like the X750F, there is only basic cable management, through a hollow section on the back of each foot. Some of the inputs are down-facing in a cut-out on the back, and they might be difficult to access when wall-mounted.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.61" (1.6 cm)

The borders are about average, and aren't very distracting.

Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 3.15" (8.0 cm)

The X800G is a bit thicker than most TVs we've tested, and stands out a bit more when wall-mounted. It looks very similar to the X750F, and is quite a bit thicker than the X800E.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The Sony X800G has good build quality. The external panels are a mix of metal and plastic, and we didn't notice any issues or areas of concern. There is a slight backwards tilt on our unit; we don't know if this is a flaw with our unit, or intentional. Either way, it's very minor and not noticeable.

Picture Quality
6.0
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
977 : 1
Contrast with local dimming
N/A

Update 07/11/2019: We have received information that the 75" model (XBR-75X800G) has a VA panel. It likely has much better contrast.

Like the majority of IPS TVs, the X800G has a mediocre contrast ratio. This isn't very noticeable in a bright room, but when watching in a dark room, blacks appear gray. Unfortunately, there is no local dimming feature to improve the contrast ratio.

0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Direct

The Sony XBR-55X800G does not have a local dimming feature. The above video is provided for reference only. According to Sony's website, the 43" and 49" models are edge lit.

6.8
Picture Quality
SDR Peak Brightness
SDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
291 cd/m²
SDR Peak 2% Window
333 cd/m²
SDR Peak 10% Window
333 cd/m²
SDR Peak 25% Window
333 cd/m²
SDR Peak 50% Window
333 cd/m²
SDR Peak 100% Window
332 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 2% Window
332 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 10% Window
333 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 25% Window
332 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 50% Window
332 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 100% Window
332 cd/m²
SDR ABL
0.000

The X800G has good peak brightness in SDR, and is brighter than the X750F, but not quite as bright as the X800E. This TV is bright enough for most rooms, but might not be bright enough to overcome direct glare from a nearby window. There is no variation in brightness with different content, which is great.

We measured the peak brightness after calibration, using the 'Custom' Picture Mode and the Color Temperature set to 'Expert 1'.

If accuracy isn't as important to you, with the 'Vivid' Picture Mode, the X800G is able to reach a peak brightness of 440 cd/m², as measured with the 100% window.

5.8
Picture Quality
HDR Peak Brightness
HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
343 cd/m²
HDR Peak 2% Window
393 cd/m²
HDR Peak 10% Window
394 cd/m²
HDR Peak 25% Window
394 cd/m²
HDR Peak 50% Window
394 cd/m²
HDR Peak 100% Window
393 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 2% Window
392 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 10% Window
394 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 25% Window
393 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 50% Window
393 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 100% Window
393 cd/m²
HDR ABL
0.000

Decent HDR peak brightness, but bright highlights in some scenes don't stand out as much, as they aren't as bright as they should be. Like in SDR, the X800G is slightly brighter than the X750F, but not as bright as the X800E.

We measured the peak brightness before calibration, using the 'Cinema Pro' Picture Mode and the Color Temperature set to 'Expert 2'.

If accuracy isn't as important to you, with the 'Vivid' Picture Mode and Adv. Contrast Enhancer on 'High' , the X800G is able to reach a peak brightness of 470 cd/m², as measured with the 50% window.

6.9
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
5.255%
50% DSE
0.188%
5% Std. Dev.
0.728%
5% DSE
0.120%

Decent gray uniformity. There is noticeable vignetting, but the center of the screen has better uniformity. In near-dark scenes the uniformity is much better, and there are few noticeable issues.

7.7
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
36°
Color Shift
55°
Brightness Loss
37°
Black Level Raise
70°
Gamma Shift
44°

Update 07/11/2019: We have received information that the 75" model (XBR-75X800G) has a VA panel. It likely has a worse viewing angle.

Like most IPS TVs, the X800G has very good viewing angles. At wide angles, the image loses brightness, and the image gradually looks more and more washed out. Colors gradually wash out, but remain accurate until a very wide angle. Its successor, the Sony X800H, has much better viewing angles.

5.7
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
2.230%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
N/A

Update 07/11/2019: We have received information that the 75" model (XBR-75X800G) has a VA panel. It likely has much better black uniformity.

The Sony X800G has disappointing black uniformity. There is noticeable clouding around our test cross, covering almost the entire screen. Unfortunately, there is no local dimming feature.

7.3
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Semi-gloss
Total Reflections
5.5%
Indirect Reflections
0.2%
Calculated Direct Reflections
5.3%

Very good reflection handling on the Sony XBR55X800G. Reflections are always noticeable, and are never fully diffused across the screen, but shouldn't cause too many issues.

7.0
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
3.90
Color dE
2.78
Gamma
2.22
Color Temperature
5,809 K
Picture Mode
Custom
Color Temp Setting
Expert 1
Gamma Setting
0

With our pre-calibration settings, the X800G has decent accuracy. There are some noticeable errors in almost all colors, as well as brighter shades of gray. Gamma is very close to the target of 2.2, which is great.

9.0
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.70
Color dE
1.87
Gamma
2.20
Color Temperature
6,443 K
White Balance Calibration
10 point
Color Calibration
No
Auto-Calibration Function
No

After calibration, colors are more accurate, and the white balance is significantly improved. There are still a few inaccuracies that some people might notice, but overall accuracy is excellent. Gamma is almost perfect, and the color temperature is much closer to our target of 6500 K.

See our recommended settings here.

8.0
Picture Quality
480p Input

480p content, like DVDs, looks great, with no obvious artifacts or issues.

8.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

720p content looks great, with no noticeable issues.

9.0
Picture Quality
1080p Input

1080p content looks excellent, almost as good as native 4k content. Nearest-neighbor upscaling is available for 1080p content, by selecting the 'Graphics' Picture Mode

10
Picture Quality
4k Input

4k content is displayed perfectly, with no pixel artifacts or rendering issues.

0
Picture Quality
8k Input
Picture Quality
Pixels
Type LED
Sub-Type
IPS

Unlike the X800E, this TV uses a PLS (Plane-to-Line-Switching) panel, similar to the X750F. PLS is technically different, but similar, to IPS.

7.6
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
84.48%
DCI P3 uv
91.64%
Rec 2020 xy
61.43%
Rec 2020 uv
68.14%

The Sony X800G has a good color gamut, and unlike the X750F, it can display a wide color gamut, which is great for HDR content.

The HDR EOTF follows the target PQ curve well, but like many Sony TVs, including the X800E and X750F, dark scenes are over-brightened a bit. In 'Game' mode, the EOTF is nearly identical.

If you find HDR too dim, check out our recommended settings here. With these settings, HDR content appears much brighter on the X800G, as shown here.

6.1
Picture Quality
Color Volume
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage ITP
66.6%
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
29.3%
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
54.1%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
23.7%

Mediocre color volume. It can't display deep, saturated colors due to the low contrast ratio, and like most LED TVs, it can't produce very bright blues, although this shouldn't be very noticeable.

8.1
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit
Red (Std. Dev.)
0.120
Green (Std. Dev.)
0.114
Blue (Std. Dev.)
0.102
Gray (Std. Dev.)
0.092

Great gradient performance, but there is noticeable banding in all colors, especially in greens and shades of gray. Unfortunately, there is no smooth gradation feature to remove any imperfections.

10
Picture Quality
Temporary Image Retention
IR after 0 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 2 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 4 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 6 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 8 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 10 min recovery
0.00%

There are no signs of temporary image retention, even immediately after displaying our high-contrast static test image for 10 minutes, which is great.

We don't know why the image appears red. It isn't as red in real life, and we suspect that this is an issue with the color temperature changing at low brightness levels, which is exaggerated by our over-exposed image.

We did notice a persistent flicker after displaying content with a flicker in it. This is similar to what we saw on the LG 27UK650. Although not very noticeable with most content, it might be noticeable in some rare cases.

10
Picture Quality
Permanent Burn-In Risk
Permanent Burn-In Risk
No

Although some IPS panels can suffer from temporary image retention, this doesn't appear to be permanent as seen in our long-term test.

Motion
7.8
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
4.6 ms
100% Response Time
14.6 ms

The X800G has a great response time, but some transitions show some overshoot, which can cause inverse ghosting, which can be especially noticeable in dark scenes.

10
Motion
Flicker-Free
Flicker-Free
No
PWM Dimming Frequency
0 Hz

This TV doesn't use flicker to dim the backlight, which is great, but it isn't technically flicker-free, as there is a very high frequency flicker at low backlight settings. This flicker is very common on Sony TVs, including the X800E and X750F, and isn't noticeable.

5.4
Motion
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
Optional BFI
Yes
Min Flicker for 60 fps
120 Hz
60 Hz for 60 fps
No
120 Hz for 120 fps
N/A
Min Flicker for 60 fps in Game Mode
120 Hz

The Sony X800G has an optional black frame insertion feature that can help improve the appearance of motion, by reducing the amount of time each frame appears on screen. Like the X800E, it can only flicker at 120Hz, which causes duplications in 60Hz content, which might bother some people.

Motion
Motion Interpolation
Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
Yes
Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
No

The X800G has a 60Hz panel, and can interpolate lower frame rate content up to 60Hz. Some artifacts are noticeable in intense scenes, but it looks smooth.

See here for the settings that control the X800G's motion interpolation feature.

7.7
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
27.1 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
2.1 ms

Since this TV has a slightly slower response time, there is less noticeable stutter when watching 24p content, like movies.

5.6
Motion
24p Judder
Judder-Free 24p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60p
No
Judder-Free 24p via 60i
No
Judder-Free 24p via Native Apps
No

The X800G can only remove judder from native 24p sources, and does not require any additional settings to do so. It can't remove judder from the native apps, or from 60p/i sources, like a cable box.

0
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No
HDMI Forum VRR
No
FreeSync
No
G-SYNC Compatible
No
4k VRR Maximum
N/A
4k VRR Minimum
No VRR support
1080p VRR Maximum
N/A
1080p VRR Minimum
No VRR support
1440p VRR Maximum
N/A
1440p VRR Minimum
No VRR support
VRR Supported Connectors
No VRR support

The Sony XBR-55X800G has a simple 60Hz refresh rate, and doesn't support any of the variable refresh rate technologies, like FreeSync or HDMI Forum VRR.

Inputs
6.6
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60 Hz
32.5 ms
1080p @ 60 Hz Outside Game Mode
65.8 ms
1440p @ 60 Hz
34.4 ms
4k @ 60 Hz
34.5 ms
4k @ 60 Hz + 10 bit HDR
34.5 ms
4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4
34.5 ms
4k @ 60 Hz Outside Game Mode
51.2 ms
4k @ 60 Hz With Interpolation
67.8 ms
8k @ 60 Hz
N/A
1080p @ 120 Hz
N/A
1440p @ 120 Hz
N/A
4k @ 120 Hz
N/A
1080p with Variable Refresh Rate
N/A
1440p with VRR
N/A
4k with VRR
N/A
8k with VRR
N/A
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
No

The Sony XBR55X800G has very good input lag in Game mode, good enough for slower-paced games, but it is higher than most similar TVs currently on the market, and it might disappoint more serious gamers.

8.3
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 4k
1080p @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120 Hz
No
1440p @ 60 Hz
Yes (forced resolution required)
1440p @ 120 Hz
No
4k @ 60 Hz
Yes
4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120 Hz
No
8k @ 30 Hz or 24 Hz
No
8k @ 60 Hz
No

The X800G supports many of the more common formats, but is limited to 60Hz. All supported resolutions display chroma 4:4:4 properly, but only on HDMI ports 2 & 3, and with the 'Game' or 'Graphics' Picture Mode. Like many other Sony TVs, these two ports are the only full bandwidth ports.

Like the X750F, when using the 'Graphics' Picture Mode the X800G uses nearest neighbor upscaling when sent a 1080p signal.

Inputs
Input Photos
Inputs
Total Inputs
HDMI 4
USB 3
Digital Optical Audio Out 1
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 1
Analog Audio Out RCA 0
Component In 1 (shared)
Composite In 1 (shared)
Tuner (Cable/Ant) 1
Ethernet 1
DisplayPort 0
IR In 1
SD/SDHC 0

The analog audio out port can also be used as a subwoofer port.

Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
HDR10+
No
Dolby Vision
No
HLG
Yes
3D
No
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 2, 3)
HDMI 2.1
No
CEC Yes
HDCP 2.2 Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
USB 3.0
Yes (1)
Variable Analog Audio Out Yes
Wi-Fi Support Yes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)

Unlike more advanced Sony TVs, this TV does not support Dolby Vision HDR. Sony advertises this TV as HDCP 2.3 compliant, but we don't currently have a way to test for this.

Inputs
Audio Passthrough
ARC
Yes (HDMI 3)
eARC support
No
Dolby Atmos via TrueHD via eARC
No
DTS:X via DTS-HD MA via eARC
No
5.1 Dolby Digital via ARC
Yes
5.1 DTS via ARC
Yes
5.1 Dolby Digital via Optical
Yes
5.1 DTS via Optical
Yes

Like the Sony A8G, this TV can play lossy Dolby Atmos as a Dolby Digital Plus signal from the native Apps, including Netflix.

This TV does not support eARC.

Sound Quality
6.2
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
134.54 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
4.23 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
4.44 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
6.23 dB
Max
92.3 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
3.49 dB

Mediocre frequency response on this TV. The Low-Frequency Extension is bad, at about 134Hz, which indicates that the bass produces no thump or rumble, and has almost no punch. The frequency response above the LFE is very good and flat, which is important for clear and intelligible dialog. This TV can get quite loud, without producing too much compression and pumping artifacts, which is great.

5.8
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.105
Weighted THD @ Max
14.577
IMD @ 80
3.33%
IMD @ Max
34.83%

The distortion performance of this TV is mediocre. At lower volume levels, the total distortion is good, and not very noticeable, but at max volume the total distortion increases drastically and is much more noticeable.

Smart Features
7.0
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS Android TV
Version 7.0
Ease of Use
Average
Smoothness
Not Smooth
Time Taken to Select YouTube
4 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
5 s
Advanced Options
Many

Like the A8G, the X800G ships with Android 7.0, which is strange, as older Sony TVs have already been updated to Android 8.0. The 7.0 interface is well organized, but it isn't smooth, and some basic tasks take longer to do than on Android 8.0.

The Android 8.0 update has started rolling out in batches, depending on the TV's serial number. Once our unit receives the update, we will update our review.

0
Smart Features
Ad-Free
Ads
Yes
Opt-out
No
Suggested Content in Home
Yes
Opt-out of Suggested Content
Yes

The interface is currently ad-free, but once the Android 8.0 update rolls out we expect there to be ads, as seen on the A9G. There is a row of suggested content at the moment, but this can be completely disabled. We will update our review once the update has been installed.

9.0
Smart Features
Apps and Features
App Selection
Great
App Smoothness
Average
Cast Capable
Yes
USB Drive Playback
Yes
USB Drive HDR Playback
Yes
HDR in Netflix
Yes
HDR in YouTube
Yes

Like all Android TVs, this TV has an excellent selection of apps through the Google Play Store.

8.0
Smart Features
Remote
Size
Large
Voice Control
Many Features
CEC Menu Control
Yes
Other Smart Features
No
Remote App Android TV

The remote is the same basic Sony remote as older Sony TVs, and some 2019 models, including the A8G. This version of the remote requires direct line-of-sight to the TV, despite supporting Bluetooth connectivity, which is required for the integrated voice control feature.

Smart Features
TV Controls

Like most Sony TVs, the physical controls are very simple, but allow for basic control of the TV.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Quick-Start Guide
  • Remote
  • Batteries
  • IR Blaster
Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 55 W
Power Consumption (Max) 147 W
Firmware PKG6.6035.0229NAA