The Sony X80K is an entry-level TV in Sony's 2022 lineup. It replaces the Sony X80J and sits below the Sony X85K. Compared to the higher-end models, it's pretty bare in terms of features as it lacks any variable refresh rate (VRR) support and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and it's limited to a 60Hz panel. Still, it comes with the same Google TV interface that has a ton of apps you can download, and it's compatible with Sony's proprietary TV webcam, so you can use it to make video calls or for hands-free gestures. It also comes with Sony's redesigned remote, which still has a built-in mic for voice control, letting you use various voice commands.
The Sony X80K is okay overall. It's a good TV for watching sports or TV shows in wide seating areas because it has a wide viewing angle and the image looks the same from the sides. It also has decent reflection handling and SDR peak brightness, so it's fine for rooms with a few lights around. However, it isn't good for watching movies or gaming in dark rooms because it has a low contrast ratio and lacks a local dimming feature. Its HDR performance is also sub-par as it has low HDR peak brightness.
The Sony X80K is sub-par for watching movies in dark rooms. It has a low contrast ratio and doesn't have a local dimming feature, so blacks look gray in the dark. Also, it has disappointing black uniformity as there's distracting backlight bleed. It doesn't have any trouble upscaling content from DVDs and Blu-rays, but it only removes judder from 24p sources and not from native apps or streaming devices that don't have a Match Frame Rate feature.
The Sony X80K is very good for watching TV shows. The image looks accurate from the sides thanks to the wide viewing angle, so it's a good choice for wide seating arrangements. It also has decent peak brightness and decent reflection handling, so it's fine for rooms with a few lights around, but it struggles in really bright rooms. Luckily, it doesn't have any issues upscaling lower-resolution content, so content from cable channels looks good.
The Sony X80K is good for watching sports. It's a decent choice to use in well-lit rooms because it has decent reflection handling and peak brightness. It's also good if you want to watch the game in a wide seating area because it has a wide viewing angle, meaning the image looks the same from the sides. Sadly, it doesn't have the quickest response time, so there's some blur behind fast-moving players or balls.
The Sony X80K is okay for gaming. It's an entry-level TV that doesn't have too many features for gaming like variable refresh rate support or HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, meaning you can't use it for high-frame-rate gaming from the PS5 or Xbox Series X. Still, it has low input lag for a responsive feel, but its response time is only decent, so some motion looks a bit blurry.
The Sony X80K is sub-par for watching HDR movies. Although it supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision and displays a wide color gamut, HDR content doesn't look good. It has a low contrast ratio, meaning blacks look gray in the dark, and it doesn't have a local dimming feature to improve the contrast. Also, it has low HDR peak brightness, meaning that highlights don't pop the way they should.
The Sony X80K is alright for HDR gaming, but it isn't anything special. It has low input lag for a responsive feel, but its response time is only decent, so some fast-moving content has blur trail behind it. Unfortunately, HDR content doesn't look good because blacks look gray in the dark, the black uniformity is disappointing, and the TV lacks a local dimming feature. Also, it has low HDR peak brightness, so highlights don't pop.
The Sony X80K is great to use as a PC monitor. The wide viewing angle means that the image remains accurate at the edges if you sit close. Large areas of bright colors, like on a webpage, look great because it has good gray uniformity. It also displays text well with 1080p and 4k signals as it displays proper chroma 4:4:4, and your mouse movements feel responsive thanks to the low input lag.
We tested the 65 inch Sony X80K which is also available in 43, 50, 65, and 75 inch sizes. The results are valid for all models, but the 50 inch version may have a different panel type. Many 50 inch TVs have a VA panel, but it's also possible it still has an ADS panel, so if you have this model, let us know how it performs. There are also variants of the 55, 65, and 75 inch models with the model code Sony X80CK sold at Costco and come with a 3-year warranty and a one-year subscription to the Bravia Core Streaming service. In Europe, it's also called the X81K, depending on the size of the model.
Size | US Model | Alternate Code | Panel Type |
---|---|---|---|
43" | KD-43X80K | ADS | |
50" | KD-50X80K | Unknown | |
55" | KD-55X80K | KD55X80CK | ADS |
65" | KD-65X80K | KD65X80CK | ADS |
75" | KD-75X80K | KD75X80CK | ADS |
If you come across a Sony X80K with a different panel type or that doesn't correspond to our review, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update the review. Some tests, like gray uniformity, can vary between individual units.
Our unit was manufactured in February 2022. You can see the label here.
The Sony X80K is an okay overall TV, but there's nothing special about it versus other TVs. You can get higher-end Sony TVs like the Sony X85J, with a bunch more features for gaming, and other entry-level TVs provide better value. However, it's a great choice if you want something small to use as a PC monitor and you want a wide viewing angle.
Also see our recommendations for the best TVs to use as PC monitors, the best smart TVs, and the best sports TVs.
The Sony X85K is a higher-end TV than the Sony X80K, and it's better for most uses. If you're a gamer and tend to watch content in dark rooms, the X85K is the better choice as it has a higher native contrast ratio and more gaming features like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. The X85K is also better for well-lit rooms as it gets brighter. However, the only advantage the X80K has is that it has a wider viewing angle, meaning the image remains consistent from the sides.
The Sony X90K is a higher-end TV than the Sony X80K with better performance. The X90K gets brighter and has deeper blacks, meaning the overall picture quality is better, and it's better for both dark and bright rooms. Also, if you're a gamer, the X90K is a superior choice as it has a higher refresh rate and more features. However, if you have a wide seating area, the X80K has a wider viewing angle that makes the image remain consistent from the sides.
The Sony X80K is the replacement to the Sony X80J, and both TVs are nearly identical with only a few differences between them. The X80J is a bit better in a few areas like its improved color accuracy and faster response time, but the X80K also has less stutter. The X80K comes with the updated version of the Sony remote, but it has the same voice control features as the remote with the X80J anyways.
The Sony X85J is better overall than the Sony X80K and it has more features. The X85J is better for gaming because it has a 120Hz panel and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for high-frame-rate gaming, which the X80K doesn't support. The X85J also has better overall picture quality because it has a higher native contrast and it gets brighter, so highlights pop more in HDR. On the other hand, the X80K is better for wider seating areas because it has a wider viewing angle.
The Sony X90J is better overall than the Sony X80K because it's a higher-end TV. The X90J has many more features like a local dimming feature that makes it a better choice to watch movies in dark rooms. It's also better for gaming as it has a 120Hz panel, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and VRR support, while the X80K is limited to a 60Hz panel without VRR support. The X90J also gets brighter, making it a better choice for well-lit rooms.
The Samsung Q60/Q60B QLED and the Sony X80K are different types of entry-level TVs. The Samsung is better for bright and dark rooms because it gets brighter and it has a better contrast for deeper blacks. On the other hand, the Sony is better for wide seating areas because it has a wider viewing angle. It also has better motion handling thanks to its quicker response time.
The Samsung Q60/Q60A QLED is a bit better overall than the Sony X80K. The Samsung performs better in dark rooms because it has a higher native contrast with much better black uniformity, and it also gets brighter if you want to use it in a well-lit room. However, the Sony has a wider viewing angle, making it a better choice for wide seating areas, and motion looks smoother thanks to its quicker response time.
The Sony X80K is a bit better than the Hisense A6H. The Sony is quite a bit brighter, so it looks better in a room with a bit of natural lighting and is bright enough to overcome a bit of glare. The Sony also has much better picture quality, with significantly better gradient handling, a wider color gamut, and better tone-mapping with HDR content.
The Sony X80K is a newer version of the Sony X800H, but it's a bit of a downgrade. The X800H has better overall picture quality because it gets brighter and has a quicker response time. It also has a wider viewing angle, so the image remains accurate at wider angles. However, the X80K has eARC support, which the X800H doesn't have, so you can connect a receiver and pass lossless audio to it from devices connected to the TV.
The stand is typical of Sony, with wide-set metal feet that have a big footprint, so you'll need a large table to place it on. It supports the TV well, and it raises the screen 3.3 inches off the table, meaning most soundbars won't block it.
Footprint of the 65 inch TV: 47.6" W x 13.3" D x 2.60" H (to the bottom bezel).
The back features a checkerboard pattern that gives it a bit of character. The inputs are side-facing, but they're set into the back, so they aren't the easiest to access with the TV wall-mounted on a fixed bracket. There are clips on the back of each foot for cable management.
The Sony X80K has decent build quality, which is what you expect from an entry-level TV. It's stable on the stand without much wobble thanks to the solid metal feet. The TV itself is made entirely out of plastic that's well-put-together, and there aren't any issues with it, but the plastic itself isn't very strong. The back panel flexes easily, especially towards the center.
The Sony X80K has a low native contrast ratio, so blacks look gray in the dark, and it isn't a good choice for watching movies. Sadly, there's no local dimming feature to improve it either. If you want something with a higher contrast, then check out the Sony X85K.
The Sony X80K has decent SDR peak brightness. It's fine for rooms with a few lights around, but it doesn't get bright enough to fight a ton of glare if you place it opposite a window. Luckily, it maintains its brightness very consistently across different scenes.
These results are from after calibration in the 'Custom' Picture Mode with the Color Temperature set to 'Expert 1', and the Brightness at its max.
The TV reaches a max of 388 cd/m² in the 'Vivid' Picture Mode with the Brightness and Contrast at their max, Contrast Enhancer disabled, and the Color Temperature on 'Cold'. However, this difference isn't too noticeable and it results in a less accurate image.
The HDR peak brightness is sub-par. Although it gets a bit brighter than in SDR, it isn't enough to make highlights pop and deliver a satisfying HDR experience. It's alright at following the target EOTF, but some brighter scenes are too dark. Also, there's a sharp roll-off at the peak brightness, causing a loss of fine details with bright highlights.
The results are from the 'Cinema' HDR Picture Mode with the Brightness at its max and the Color Temperature on 'Expert 2'.
If you find the image too dim, try using the 'Vivid' HDR Picture Mode with the Contrast and Brightness at their max, and the Color Temperature set to 'Cool'. This results in an even brighter image, as seen in this EOTF, but it doesn't change the overall peak brightness.
The HDR brightness is the same in Game Mode as it is outside of it, and there's no visible difference. These results are in the 'Game' Picture Mode with the Brightness at its max and the Color Temperature on 'Expert 2'.
The Sony X80K has excellent gradient handling. There's a bit of banding with dark gray and green, but other than that, you won't notice banding with shades of similar colors. There isn't a setting to improve the gradients, though.
The Sony X80K has very good gray uniformity. For the most part, the screen is uniform throughout, which is good for watching sports or using it as a PC monitor. However, there's some vignetting in the corners, and there's a bit of dirty screen effect in the center, which you can notice with sports that have large playing surfaces with the same color, like in hockey.
The black uniformity is disappointing. The bottom right side of the screen looks patchy as there's noticeable backlight bleed, and the rest of the screen is blue due to the low contrast. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a local dimming feature to improve it. If the black uniformity and dark room performance are important to you, then look into the Samsung Q60/Q60B QLED.
The Sony X80K has good viewing angles. The image remains accurate when viewing off-center, and even if the screen looks darker at really wide angles, it's still good enough for watching TV in a wide seating arrangement.
The Sony X80K has excellent out-of-the-box accuracy. There are only minor inaccuracies to colors and the white balance, and gamma follows the 2.2 target almost perfectly, but some scenes are a bit too dark. The color temperature is on the warm side, giving the image a slightly red tint, but it isn't that noticeable.
After calibration, the color accuracy is remarkable. Any remaining inaccuracies aren't visible to the naked eye, and both the gamma and color temperature are nearly spot-on with the target.
See the recommended settings here.
The Sony X80K has an ADS panel, which is similar to an IPS panel and shares the same characteristics. It has an RGB subpixel structure, so it displays text better than panels with a BGR subpixel layout, which negatively affects text clarity when using it as a PC monitor.
The Sony X80 Series has a good color gamut for HDR content. It displays a wide range of colors in the commonly-used DCI-P3 color space, but it isn't future-proof because it has limited coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 color space, which more content will start to use. Unfortunately, the tone mapping is off, so some colors don't look accurate, especially in the Rec. 2020 color space.
The color volume is okay, as some colors get bright. However, it's limited by the incomplete color gamut, and it doesn't display dark colors well due to the low contrast ratio.
The Sony X80K has an optional backlight strobing feature, commonly known as black frame insertion, to reduce persistence blur. It only flickers at 120Hz, which causes image duplications with 60 fps content. Keep in mind that the BFI score is based on the frequencies at which it flickers and not the actual performance.
The Sony X80K has a motion interpolation feature to bring lower-frame-rate content up to 60 fps. It works well in scenes with slow movement, but it struggles when there's a lot of movement. Unlike other TVs, it doesn't actually stop interpolating with busier scenes, so there are a lot of artifacts.
Due to the relatively slow response time, there isn't too much stutter with lower-frame-rate content because it doesn't hold each frame on for a long time.
The Sony X80K only removes judder from native 24p content, like from a Blu-ray player. Unlike the LG UQ9000, other sources like streaming or cable boxes that don't have a Match Frame Rate feature aren't completely judder-free, so motion in movies doesn't look as smooth.
The Sony X80K doesn't support any variable refresh rate technologies. If you want a similar TV with VRR support, then check out the Samsung Q80/Q80B QLED or the Hisense A6H.
The Sony X80K has low input lag for a responsive gaming experience, as long as you're in Game Mode. You can enable the motion interpolation feature, but it negatively impacts the input lag and isn't suggested for gaming.
The Sony X80K supports all common resolutions up to 4k @ 60Hz. It displays proper chroma 4:4:4 with 1080p and 4k signals, which is important for clear text, but it doesn't display it properly with 1440p signals.
As the Sony X80K is limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth and a 60Hz refresh rate, it can't play any game from the Xbox Series X or PS5 above 4k @ 60Hz. The Auto Low Latency Mode switches the TV into Game Mode when you launch a game from a compatible device to reduce screen tearing.
The Sony X80K doesn't support HDR10+, so if you want to watch HDR content with this format, you'll be limited to HDR10 instead. Some websites advertise that it has HDMI 2.1 inputs, but it's still limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth, and even if it supports eARC on HDMI 3 and Dolby Vision on HDMI 3 and 4, those don't require HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.
It has ATSC 3.0 support, meaning you can get 4k over-the-air channels in certain regions. Also, it doesn't have an analog output like the Sony X80J, so you can't connect headphones with a wired connection.
Thanks to the eARC support, you can connect a receiver and pass high-quality lossless audio by connecting the sources directly to the TV.
The Sony X80K has an okay frequency response. It has a well-balanced sound profile with lower and moderate volume levels, but there's a dip in the treble range at the max volume, so dialogue sounds less clear, especially if there are background sounds. Like most TVs, it doesn't produce much bass, so it's best to get a soundbar or dedicated surround sound setup for the best sound possible.
The Sony X80K comes with the same Google TV interface as other Sony TVs. Navigating through the menus feels smooth, and there aren't any big issues with it, but it may take some time to learn if you aren't used to it.
The Google Play Store has a ton of apps you can download, so you're sure to find your favorite streaming service. The Sony X80K is compatible with the BRAVIA CAM, which is sold separately, and you can use it to make video calls or use hands-free gestures.
Sony released a redesigned remote with the 2022 TVs. It's smaller, with a sleeker look than the 2021 and older models, and it doesn't have a numpad. Instead, you need to press the '123' button for a virtual numpad to appear on the screen. It has a built-in mic for voice control, and you can ask it to do most common demands, including switching inputs, opening apps, and changing certain settings like the brightness.