- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Design
- Picture Quality
- Motion
- Inputs
- Sound Quality
- Smart Features
- Sizes and Variants
- Compared
- Conclusion
- Discussions
Sony X850F
TV REVIEW
The Sony X850F is a good 4k TV with an IPS panel. It can get bright to overcome glare and handles reflection well in a bright room but it has a very low contrast ratio so blacks appear gray when viewed in a dark room. The picture quality is decent but remains accurate when viewed at an angle which is good for those with wide seating. It also has a fast response time, which is great for watching fast-paced content. Unfortunately, Android TV isn't as streamlined or intuitive as other platforms.
- Feels responsive with low input lag
- Great motion handling
- Image remains accurate at an angle
- Blacks appear gray and blotchy in a dark room
| Design | 8.5 |
| Picture Quality | 7.3 |
| Motion | 8.5 |
| Inputs | 8.7 |
| Sound Quality | 6.1 |
| Smart Features | 8.0 |
Update 6/12/2018: A note for Xbox One X and Xbox One S owners: 1080p @ 120 Hz from the Xbox is only supported on this TV when the Xbox's connection type is changed from Auto-detect (Recommended) to HDMI, but unfortunately in this mode 4k and HDR aren't supported.
Update 6/8/2018: The X850F has been retested, and can play 24p movies from all sources at the correct cadence.
Update 5/2/2018: The color gamut was erroneously measured at a 50% stimulus. It has been remeasured at 75% stimulus to be in line with our other TVs.
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Design
The design of the Sony 2018 X850F is great. The legs, while similar to the X900F are unlike any Sony we have reviewed recently. They are wide-set and require a larger table, but there should be no issues placing a soundbar between them. There is only basic cable management at the back, similar to the X900F, but not as good as the X930E which includes routing through the back panel. The bottom edge of the TV gets a little warm to the touch. Despite being almost entirely made of plastic, the TV feels well constructed.
The stand on the X850F is unlike any other Sony TV we have reviewed. It is similar to the stand on the Samsung MU6100. It is made entirely of plastic with an aluminum finish. On our 65" model, we found them to cause the TV to wobble if it is knocked.
The footprint of the 65" TV stand: 12.0" x 43.4"
Similar to the X850E, the back of the TV is quite basic. Similar to the X900F there is only very basic cable management through the legs of the TV. The back is almost identical to the X900F.
The borders of the TV look good. While slightly thicker than the 55" X900F they are still quite thin.
The Sony XBR65X850F has more of a uniform thickness than the X900F. It won't stick out from the wall much when mounted.
Picture Quality
The picture quality of the Sony X850F is decent. It has no local dimming and a disappointing contrast ratio. It also has a good SDR brightness and an average HDR brightness, but the TV is not bright enough to fully appreciate HDR content. It has a better than average gray uniformity, but a disappointing black uniformity with a lot of clouding. The TV has a good viewing angle and is well suited to a large room. Reflections are less problematic than with the X850E. Out-of-the-box, color accuracy is average, and most of it is correctable through calibration. The color gamut is good but can't produce overly saturated greens or deep, dark colors.
Disappointing contrast ratio on the X850F. It has an IPS type panel similar to the X850D. Dark scenes will not look their best especially when playing in a dark room.
We tested the 65" model, but it is highly likely that the 85" will have a VA type panel, which we would expect to have at least a 3000:1 contrast ratio.
Better than average screen uniformity. No serious issues with dirty screen effect, which is good for watching sports or other content with large areas of uniform colors. This TV is brightest in the center and the corners are dark, which is common for TVs and isn't as distracting as uniformity issues near the center or brighter edges.
Good viewing angle. Color saturation and black levels remain good even if sitting on a wide couch or with side seating, but brightness drops sharply if sitting to the side.
We tested the 65" model which uses an IPS panel. It is highly likely that the 85" model uses a VA type panel which would have worse viewing angles.
Disappointing black uniformity. There is some obvious clouding especially around the edges. The X850F does not handle dark scenes well and would not be recommended for a dark room.
Clouding is more visible when displaying bright objects in dark scenes, since this TV does not have a local dimming feature.
The X850F has a very similar to finish to the X900F. It does not diffuse reflections as much as some other TVs.
White balance is near perfect post calibration and color is good. Color temperature is very close to our target as is gamma. 'Custom' picture mode provided the best results.
You can see our recommended settings here.
The HDR color gamut of the X850F is good, although Rec 2020 coverage is limited. The TV has difficulty producing deeply saturated greens especially. Most scenes won't have overly saturated colors, but in very colorful scenes such as a sunset or an ocean scene the TV's limited color gamut will be noticeable.
The HDR EOTF in the 'Cinema Pro' picture mode follows the target PQ curve fairly well until it rolls off at the TV's peak brightness. The EOTFs in 'Game' and 'PC' mode are very similar to that of 'Cinema Pro', which is good.
Update 05/02/2018: The color gamut was erroneously measured at a 50% stimulus. It has been remeasured at 75% stimulus to be in line with our other TVs. It now measures slightly higher, and meets our threshold for a wide color gamut TV.
We don't expect IPS panels to have any permanent image retention. The IPS panel in our long term test has not shown any permanent burn-in.
Motion
Motion looks great on the Sony X850F. During sports and video games the TV's very fast response time reduces ghosting during motion, which is great. When watching movies and TV shows, the TV can show this motion with minimal stutter and can use optional 120 Hz soap opera effect if you want even smoother motion. And in all content, the TV's backlight has no visible flicker, which makes motion look smoother, unlike the flickering backlights of most TVs.
Great fast response time, good enough for even fast-moving content like sports. Most of the blur in the photo is due to 60 fps persistence; the ghosting trail following the logo is very short, which is excellent. This response time is very similar to the rival Samsung NU8000, but not quite as fast as the higher end Sony X900F.
The X850F has no visible flicker in its backlight, which makes motion appear smooth. This is, unfortunately, a rare thing in TVs; many TVs have 120 Hz PWM flicker, like the LG SJ9500 and Samsung MU8000, which causes duplications during motion (as seen in this MU8000 photo).
The X850F has an optional BFI mode that adds flicker to make motion look more clear. Unfortunately, this flicker is limited to 120 Hz, which causes duplications in 60 fps motion, as seen in the photo; 60 Hz flicker like that of the Samsung NU8000 would be better. The X850F's flicker is activated by setting 'Motionflow' to 'Custom' and increasing the 'Clearness' slider. The X850F does not have the new 'X-Motion Clarity' feature of the X900F, so adding flicker will decrease the TV's brightness.
The X850F has a 120 Hz panel and can interpolate lower frame rate content up to 120 fps. This high frame rate greatly improves motion but can appear strange to some (the 'soap opera effect'), and sometimes adds unwanted artifacts during fast motion. Interpolation is activated by setting 'Motionflow' to 'Custom', increasing the 'Smoothness' slider, and setting 'Cinemotion' to 'High'.
The TV can show low framerate content smoothly, which is good when watching TV shows and movies. The TV's response time is long enough that completely transitioned frames aren't held on screen for a long time, which reduces the appearance of stutter.
The TV can consistently remove judder from all 24p content such as native apps, Blu-ray players, or movies from a cable box which is excellent. The TV removes judder from 24p HDMI sources automatically, but for 60p, 60i and native app sources 'Motionflow' must be set to 'True Cinema' and 'Cinemotion' to 'High' to remove judder.
Update 06/08/2018: The X850F has been retested, and can play movies from 60p or 60i sources at the correct cadence. The text above has been adjusted.
The TV does not support variable refresh rate features like FreeSync.
Inputs
The Sony X850F supports all the common input signals, including HDR. It has good low input lag for 4k and 1080p signals, so there will be no issues for all but the most serious gamers. It supports chroma 4:4:4 and 1080p @ 120 Hz, which is good for use as a PC monitor.
Like all other Sony TVs we have reviewed, only HDMI ports 2 and 3 support full bandwidth, but HDMI 3 is also the audio return channel. If you have a receiver that supports ARC and more than 1 device which requires the full bandwidth of HDMI then you might have some issues connecting all of your devices. In this case, it may be best to connect your receiver using an optical (Toslink) cable.
The X850F supports all common input signals. Chroma 4:4:4 is supported in 'Game' or 'Graphics' mode. Only HDMI inputs 2 or 3 support 4k @ 60Hz @ chroma 4:4:4 or 4:2:2, and only when 'HDMI Enhanced Format' is enabled.
When in 'Graphics' mode upscaling is done by nearest neighbour when in 1080p @ 60 Hz. When sending a 120 Hz signal there is no nearest neighbour upscaling.
Update 06/12/2018: A note for Xbox One X and Xbox One S owners: 1080p @ 120 Hz from the Xbox is only supported on this TV when the Xbox's connection type is changed from Auto-detect (Recommended) to HDMI: (Xbox > Settings > Display & sound > Video fidelity & overscan > Display > Connection > HDMI). Unfortunately in this mode 4k, HDR, 50 Hz and 24 Hz aren't possible, so this mode is only recommended when the higher refresh rate of 120 Hz is more important to you than these other features.
Update 06/18/2018: Correction, 24 Hz and 50 Hz are in fact possible with the Xbox's connection type set to HDMI.
The only combined composite/component input is located on the rear of the TV. The second composite input that was found on the side of the X850E has been removed.
Sound Quality
The sound quality of the Sony X850F is mediocre. This TV does get loud enough for most use cases and does have a well-balanced sound in the mid and treble ranges, which is important for producing clear and natural dialogs. However, its bass is lacking a lot of punch and rumble, doesn't have a self-calibrating system to EQ the room, and produces a lot of harmonic distortion under maximum load. For a better sound reproduction, getting a dedicated soundbar is recommended.
The X850F has a mediocre frequency response. The LFE (low-frequency extension) of 120Hz is inadequate for creating the punch and rumble common to bass-heavy music and movie sound effects. The frequency response above the TV's LFE is quite well-balanced, but since it doesn't have a self-calibrating system, it wasn't able to remove our lab's room modes. This shows as a build-up of energy in the high-bass/low-mid region. On the upside, the TV does get loud enough for most use cases, and doesn't produce too much pumping and compression artifacts under heavy loads.
The harmonic distortion performance of the X850F is sub-par. At low and moderate volumes the X850F has a good THD performance. However, like most other Sony TVs we have measured, their THD jumps to very high levels under maximum load. But this will be rarely audible since most users won't need to set their TVs volume to max, and harmonic distortion is not as audible with real-life content (as opposed to with a test signal).
Smart Features
The Sony X850F uses the same Android TV found in other Sony TVs we have reviewed, like the X900F. The interface is quite crowded with the numerous built-in apps, and thousands more available on the included Google Play Store. The interface is functional, but there is significant lag and the animations are choppy. The included remote gives quick access to Google Assistant. You can search for apps or content by voice, and it works well with basic commands such as "open Netflix", or "What is the weather like in New York?".
The interface works well and is intuitive, but purists will find it too crowded. Since there are a lot of built-in functions and apps it can be hard to find something specific, although the Google Assistant can help with this. For general usage, the interface is quite fluid, but when casting it becomes very slow.
While technically there are no ads in Sony's Android TV, there is a row of suggested content, although this can be disabled through the settings menu.
The included apps work well for accessing most video and music services. The strength of Android TV is definitely the Google Play Store, with thousands of apps available including many found on Android tablets or cell phones. Only a subset of compatible apps are available, and surprisingly some popular apps such as Chrome and Firefox are not available. There is no built-in web browser, Sony recommends the Vewd browser.
The X850F includes the same remote as the X850E. It has more buttons than most remotes and is quite large, but with good usability. Buttons are easy to find and it doesn't take long to access most basic functions of the TV.
The included voice button works well to access Google Assistant, but the remote must be connected to the TV via Bluetooth for this to work. Google Assistant can perform most basic actions on the TV, such as changing inputs or opening certain apps. More advanced functions such as changing picture settings do not work.
Sony's 'Video & TV SideView: Remote' is available for Android and iOS. It provides basic control over the TV and access to the TV's Google Assistant voice control. The app can display a clone of the TV's physical remote, or be used like a touchpad or mouse pointer. There is no way to configure the button preferences or choose a default remote mode. It can also interface with other Sony devices including Blu-ray players or home theater systems.
Update 07/11/2018: Sony's Video & TV SideView remote app has been retested on version 5.5.0. The remote app can now stream video files and can only directly launch apps. The data fields have been updated.
Update 10/12/2018: The remote app can directly launch both apps and inputs, even on version 5.5.0; "Apps Only" was a mistake. The value has been corrected to "Both".
Differences between Sizes and Variants
We tested the 65" (XBR65X850F). For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 75" (XBR75X850F).
We haven't tested the 85" (XBR85X850F), but it likely uses a VA panel (similar to the 85" X850D) with a high native contrast ratio producing deeper blacks, but the image degrades when viewed at an angle.
The European variant of the TV is also known as the XF85 or XF87 and comes in a different range of sizes as shown below. We have received reports that the 49" variant of the X850F available in Europe has a VA panel, as shown in this photo of the pixels. This size likely has better dark room performance but a narrow viewing angle.
Update 02/20/2019: We have also received reports of a 55" XF85 with a VA panel.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Sony X850F 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 | UK Model | VESA Mount Size |
| 43" | KD-43XF8505 KD-43XF8577 KD-43XF8796 |
100x200 | ||
| 49" | KD-49XF8505 KD-49XF8577 KD-49XF8796 |
200x200 | ||
| 55" | KD-55XF8505 KD-55XF8577 KD-55XF8796 |
300x200 | ||
| 65" | XBR65X850F | XBR-65X850F | KD-65XF8505 KD-65XF8796 |
300x300 |
| 75" | XBR75X850F | XBR-75X850F | KD-75XF8596 | 400x300 |
| 85" | XBR85X850F | XBR-85X850F | KD-85XF8596 | 400x400 |
Compared to other TVs
The Sony X850F is a good pick for a bright room with wide seating as the low native contrast ratio makes blacks appear gray in a dark room, but the image remains accurate when viewed at an angle. See our picks below for how it compares to the competition. See our recommendations for the best smart TVs and the best flatscreen TVs.
The Sony X850F is more suitable for a large room with wide seating arrangement as it has better viewing angles. If you will be sitting right in front of the TV, then the Sony X900F is a much better choice. The X900F has higher native contrast ratio, and better local dimming and black uniformity that produce deep blacks in a dark room. Also, the X900F has better HDR peak brightness that allows it to display a rich and vivid HDR content much better than the X850F. Finally, the X900F has a faster response time which is great for fast action.
There are very few differences between the Sony X850F and the Sony X850G. The 2019 X850G has much lower input lag, and it supports eARC. Other than that, these two TVs perform very similarly.
If you've got a bright room with wide seating, then the Sony X850F is a better choice due to the IPS panel and the good viewing angles. But for a dark room with seating directly in front, the Sony X830F is better because of the higher native contrast ratio the VA panel has. The Sony X850F also has a lower input lag for those who play video games and somewhat better reflection handling if you place it in a room with many lights. The Sony X830F, on the other hand, has a slightly faster response time, and thus displays less blur on fast-moving content like sports.
If you enjoy watching movies or playing games in a dark room with seating right in front, then the Samsung NU8000 is a better choice; however, if you have a large bright room with wide seating, then the Sony X850F is a better choice due to the better viewing angles and better reflection handling. The Samsung NU8000, on the other hand, is much better for watching movies as it has better blacks in a dark room. It's also much better for gaming due to lower input lag, faster response time, and FreeSync variable refresh rate technology.
The Sony X850F is better than the Sony X750F. The Sony X850F can get brighter and has better reflection handling, so you can place it in a brighter room without issues. The Sony X850F also has a faster response time, can remove 24p judder, and has a motion interpolation feature. Finally, the X850F has a lower input lag, which is great for video games. The Sony X750F, on the other hand, has better color accuracy out of the box.
The LG SK8000 and the Sony X850F both have very similar performance. The Sony X850F can get brighter in SDR and is more suitable for a brighter room, whereas the SK8000 has local dimming support to enhance dark room performance. The LG is also more responsive, due to the lower input lag.
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.
Although these are two different types of TVs, most people will agree that the Samsung Q6FN is better than the Sony X850F overall. The Samsung Q6FN has a VA panel and can offer a much better dark room performance if you're seated straight in front, while the X850F has wider viewing angles due to its IPS panel. The Sony X850F can handle reflections a little better and has no visible flicker, whereas the Q6FN supports FreeSync and has a lower input lag.
If you've got a bright room with wide seating, then the Sony X850F is a better choice due to its better viewing angles and better reflection handling. But for a dark room with seating directly in-front, the Sony X850E is better. The Sony X850F has marginally better input lag for video games and HDR gaming and is slightly better as a PC monitor. On the other hand, the Sony X850E has a much better contrast ratio and better black uniformity that make it a better choice for movies in a dark room.
The Sony X850F is a better choice for a room with wide seating due to its better viewing angles. The Sony X900E, on the other hand, is a better choice if you have a darker room with direct in-front seating. The Sony X900E can display better blacks due to higher native contrast ratio and better local dimming. Also, if you want a brighter TV to enjoy TV shows, then the Sony X900E is a better choice as it has better SDR peak brightness.
The Sony X850F and the Samsung Q60R are similar but use different panel types, so they each have their own advantages and disadvantages. The Sony X850F uses an IPS panel, and has much better viewing angles, but worse dark room performance. The Samsung Q60R has a much better native contrast ratio, lower input lag, and a more versatile black frame insertion feature. The Q60R also supports FreeSync variable refresh rate.
The Sony X850F and LG B8 use different panel technologies, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. The X850F has an IPS panel and can get brighter than the B8, whereas the B8 has much better in a dark room performance, as the OLED panel delivers perfect blacks. The B8 has a faster response time that delivers motion with less blur trail but with more stutter. The B8 has the risk of burn-in when exposed to static content, whereas the X850F is immune to it.
These two TVs have different panels, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The Sony X850F has an IPS panel and is more suitable if you have a room with a wide seating arrangement. The Sony X850F can also handle reflections better if your room has many light sources, and is flicker-free for those who are sensitive to flicker. Finally, it has a wider color gamut and better color volume for HDR enthusiasts. The Samsung NU7100 is more suitable for a dark room thanks to its VA panel and higher contrast ratio. Also, the Samsung NU7100 has marginally lower input lag, which is great for casual gaming.
The Sony X850F and the LG SM8600 both have very similar performance. The Sony is more suitable for a brighter room as it can get brighter in SDR and can also display HDR content with bright highlights. The LG has a slightly better dark room performance with a higher contrast ratio and a local dimming feature. The SM8600 also has lower input lag, which is great for gamers, and a better black frame insertion implementation that can make the motion crisper.
The Sony X850F and the LG UK6570 are very similar overall. The X850F is brighter in SDR and HDR, and has a wide color gamut. The X850F has better overall motion handling, with a slightly faster response time, nearly flicker-free backlight, and better motion interpolation thanks to the 120 Hz panel. The LG UK6570 has much lower input lag, great for gaming or for use as a PC monitor. The 85" X850F uses a VA panel, compared to the 86" UK6570 that has an IPS panel, so the XBR85X850F likely will perform better in a dark room.
The Sony X850F is marginally better than the LG SM9500. The Sony has better gray uniformity, which is great if you're a sports fan. The X850F is also flicker-free, which is important for those that are bothered by flicker. The SM9500, on the other hand, can get brighter and is suitable for a very bright room. The LG has a local dimming feature that can provide some improvement with the appearance of blacks in a dark room. The LG also has a lower input lag, which is good news to gamers, but also shows some signs of temporary image retention.
