The Sony X900F is a great 4k TV with impressive picture quality, especially in a dark room due to the high native contrast ratio and full array local dimming support. The TV excels at HDR as it can produce bright, vivid highlights. Motion handling is also excellent due to the fast response time and ability to flicker the backlight to clear up motion. The main negative is the narrow viewing angle, so the best image quality is reserved for those directly in front of the TV.
Our Verdict
The Sony X900F is a great TV for a range of usages. High contrast ratio and local dimming results in great dark scene performance for watching movies in a dark room. Input lag is low, especially at 4k, and motion handling is excellent which is great for gaming. The TV can produce bright, saturated highlights for HDR. Unfortunately, the image degrades when viewed at an angle.
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Deep and uniform blacks.
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Excellent motion handling.
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Bright HDR highlights.
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Picture quality degrades at an angle.
Great movie performance for the X900F. Blacks are deep and uniform, with local dimming to improve dark scenes. The picture quality is great and colors are accurate out-of-the-box. 24p movies are displayed smoothly, which is good.
Great for watching TV in a bright room. The image on the XBR55X900F gets bright which helps to overcome ambient glare, and the reflection handling is impressive. Picture quality is also great. Unfortunately, the Android smart platform isn't as good as the competition and the image degrades when viewed at an angle.
Good TV for watching sports. The Sony X900F has a fantastic response time, so fast-moving objects will have little motion trail behind them. It can get very bright and it handles reflections well to combat glare in bright rooms. Unfortunately, this isn't a good choice if you're planning on watching the game with a large group of people since its viewing angles are poor. However, its gray uniformity is good with no visible dirty screen effect, which can be distracting when watching sports.
The Sony X900F is excellent for playing video games. The input lag is good enough for gaming, but unfortunately, it doesn't support any variable refresh rate (VRR) technology. If you game in dark rooms, it has a great contrast ratio and good black uniformity. For people who game with older consoles, this 4k TV displays 720p and 1080p content well.
HDR movies look great. The Sony X900F supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The picture quality is great, with a high native contrast ratio and good uniformity, and the TV can create bright, vivid highlights for HDR.
Great for gaming in HDR, such as with the Xbox One X or PS4 Pro. Input lag is low at 4k, and motion handling is excellent so fast-paced games feel responsive. The X900F supports HDR10 and can produce bright, saturated highlights thanks to the high peak brightness and wide color gamut.
Great TV for PC use. The X900F feels responsive thanks to low input lag and excellent motion handling. It supports chroma 4:4:4 for clear text across all backgrounds but unfortunately, the viewing angle is poor, so the edges of the screen darken when viewed from up-close.
- 7.9 Mixed Usage
- 8.3 Movies
- 7.9 TV Shows
- 7.8 Sports
- 7.6 Video Games
- 8.2 HDR Movies
- 7.6 HDR Gaming
- 7.5 PC Monitor
- Updated May 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Apr 09, 2019: An app update has added ads to the home screen. We have updated the ad-free box.
- Updated Feb 28, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Jan 09, 2019: The latest YouTube app update, version 2.04.05, now supports HDR.
- Updated Aug 13, 2018: We have retested the input lag with the latest firmware (PKG6.5603.0175NAA) and it remains the same.
- Updated Jun 12, 2018: It turns out 1080p @ 120 Hz is possible, 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.
- Updated Jun 11, 2018: Dolby Vision support has been added as of firmware (PKG6.5603.0175NAA); the scores have been updated. Also a note for Xbox One X and Xbox One S owners: 120 Hz from the Xbox will not work with this TV (and all 2018/2017 Sony's we've tested), because the TV requires a forced resolution for 120 Hz to be displayed.
- Updated May 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.
- Updated Mar 16, 2018: Review published.
- Updated Mar 14, 2018: Early access published.
- Updated Mar 13, 2018: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Mar 12, 2018: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 55" (XBR55X900F). For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 49" (XBR49X900F), 65" (XBR65X900F), 75" (XBR75X900F) and 85" (XBR85X900F).
Depending on where you are, the X900F is also known as the XF90, X90F, or X9000F. Although we haven't tested them, we don't expect any significant differences between them other than minor regional differences, including different tuners.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Sony X900F 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 | VESA Mount Size |
| 49" | XBR49X900F | XBR-49X900F | KD-49XF9005 | 200x200 |
| 55" | XBR55X900F | XBR-55X900F | KD-55XF9005 | 300x300 |
| 65" | XBR65X900F | XBR-65X900F | KD-65XF9005 | 300x300 |
| 75" | XBR75X900F | XBR-75X900F | KD-75XF9005 | 400x300 |
| 85" | XBR85X900F | XBR-85X900F | - | 400x400 |
Compared To Other TVs
The Sony X900F is a solid performer across the board. It can produce deep blacks aided by local dimming for watching movies in a dark room, has excellent motion handling for sports or fast-paced games, and can produce bright, saturated highlights for HDR. Having said that, it faces tough competition in the price bracket - especially from the Sony X900E. See our recommendations for the best smart TVs.
The 2018 Sony X900F is marginally better than the 2017 Sony X900E. The X900F has a better response time, so fast-moving objects have very little motion blur that isn't noticeable to most people. The X900F also received an update that enables Dolby Vision support with the native apps and some external devices.
The Sony X900F and the Sony X950G both have very similar performance. The X950G has lower input lag, which is good if you play video games or use the TV as a PC monitor. The X950G is brighter than the X900F, but the X900F has marginally higher native contrast ratio, although neither of these differences are noticeable under normal conditions.
The TCL 8 Series 2019/Q825 QLED is a marginally better TV than the Sony X900F for mixed usage, though the two perform very similarly overall. The TCL has a better contrast ratio, despite its slightly worse local dimming feature. It also can get brighter to help it combat glare, and it gets brighter for HDR content. The black uniformity on the TCL is a lot better, and it has a slightly wider color gamut. On the other hand, the Sony has less noticeable dirty screen effect, handles reflections better during dark scenes, and has significantly more accurate colors out-of-the-box, though this can vary between units.
The Sony X95J is better than the Sony X900F. The X95J has a much better local dimming feature, better viewing angles, and slightly better reflection handling. The X95J is also much better for gaming, as it has significantly lower input lag, it supports HDMI 2.1, and it also has VRR support to reduce screen tearing.
The Samsung Q70/Q70R QLED is slightly better than the Sony X900F. The Q70R has a slightly better dark room performance, thanks to the higher contrast ratio and better black uniformity. The Q70R is also better for gaming thanks to its lower input lag and native FreeSync support. The X900F, on the other hand, gets brighter in both SDR and HDR and has much better reflection handling, so it's great for watching TV in well-lit rooms.
The Sony X900F is better than the Samsung NU8000. The X900F has a more advanced full array local dimming feature, whereas the NU8000 is edge-lit. The X900F has better motion handling, with a faster response time. The Samsung NU8000 is a bit better for competitive gaming, as it supports the latest technologies, including VRR and Auto Low Latency Mode, and it has less input lag.
The Sony X900F is marginally better than the Sony X940E. The X900F has a much faster pixel response time, so motion looks much smoother with very little motion blur. The Sony X940E has a poor response time, but it has a better black frame insertion feature that improves motion blur. The X940E has better dark room performance, with a better local dimming feature and better black uniformity.
The Sony X900F is a better TV for most uses than the Sony X800H, especially when it comes to HDR content. The X900F has much better contrast and black uniformity thanks to its VA panel, while the IPS panel on the X800H gives it much wider viewing angles. The X900F also has full-array local dimming, and high peak brightness, especially with HDR. On the other hand, the X800H has much lower input lag, but only uses a 60Hz panel, while the X900F is 120Hz.
For most uses, the Sony X950H performs better than the Sony X900F. The X950H has a better local dimming feature, wider viewing angles, and a better reflection handling. Input lag is much lower on the X950H, but the X900F has a higher contrast ratio and a faster response time.
The Sony Z9F is slightly better than the Sony X900F. The Sony Z9F has wider viewing angles as it incorporates Sony's 'X-Wide-Angle' technology at the expense of lower contrast ratio. The Sony Z9F can compensate slightly for the lower contrast ratio through the better implementation of local dimming support. In most other aspects, the two TVs are very similar.
The Samsung Q9FN is a bit better than the Sony X900F. The Q9FN has better dark room performance thanks to the better local dimming feature and better black uniformity. The Q9FN has better reflection handling and can flicker at 60Hz which is good for clearing up motion. The Samsung Q9FN has a few features geared towards gamers, including auto low latency mode and support for AMD's FreeSync 2. The Sony X900F has a faster pixel response time, so motion looks smoother and has less motion blur.
The Sony X900F and the LG C9 OLED use different panel types, each with their strengths and weaknesses. The C9 delivers an amazing dark room performance and has a nearly instantaneous response time, which results in extremely clear motion. Unfortunately, it also runs the risk of permanent burn-in, which the Sony X900F is immune to. The X900F can get a lot brighter and can easily fight glare if you'll be watching TV in a bright room.
The Sony X900F and the Sony Z9D have very similar performance. The Sony X900F has a faster response time, which is great when playing video games, and marginally better judder removal if you watch a lot of low fps content. On the other hand, the Sony Z9D has a much better local dimming system and marginally better black uniformity, and it can display deeper blacks. This will be appreciated by those who enjoy watching movies and HDR content in dark rooms.
The Sony X900F and the Sony X930E have very similar performance. The Sony X900F has a marginally better response time that you might notice if you're a hardcore video gamer. On the other hand, the Sony X930E has better contrast that produces deeper blacks in dark environments and is great if you watch HDR content. Also, the Sony X930E has somewhat better SDR peak brightness that you will appreciate if you watch TV shows in a brighter room.
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.
The Sony X900F is slightly better than the Samsung 2018 Q7FN QLED TV. The X900F has a much better full array local dimming feature that improves dark room performance. The Samsung Q7FN has less input lag for gaming, and supports new gaming features like auto low latency mode and has a variable refresh rate when connected with a supported device.
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.
The LG C8 is significantly better than the Sony X900F. The LG C8, like all OLED TVs, is suitable for a large room with a wide seating arrangement. It also has perfect blacks, making it ideal for dark room viewing conditions. The LG C8 has an instantaneous response time which leaves a very small blur trail in fast-moving content like sports, and a lower input lag which is great for gamers. The Sony X900F, on the other hand, has a VA panel that doesn't have the permanent burn-in risk of the OLEDs and can get brighter.
The Samsung Q80R is better than the Sony X900F. The Samsung Q80R has wider viewing angles thanks to the 'Ultra Viewing Angle' technology. The local dimming support is better on the Q80R, as is the overall dark room performance, thanks to the deep uniform blacks. The Samsung Q80R is a better choice for gamers, as it has a lower input lag and is packed with gaming features like FreeSync support. The Sony X900F has slightly crisper motion thanks to the faster response time.
The LG B8 OLED is a better TV than the Sony X900F. The OLED is better for watching movies in a dark room due to the perfect blacks. The B8 is also better for those with wide seating as the image remains accurate when viewed at an angle. On the other hand, the Sony is a much brighter TV that doesn't have the burn-in risk and can be placed in bright environments.
The Sony X900F is better than the Samsung Q6FN. The X900F has a faster response time, so motion is clearer and has less blur. The X900F has a more advanced full array local dimming feature, great for dark room viewing, and better reflection handling. The Samsung Q6FN has less input lag and supports more advanced features for gamers, including VRR and automatic low latency mode.
The Sony X900F is better than the 2017 Samsung Q7F. The X900F has a much more effective full array local dimming backlight, which improves dark room performance. The X900F is a lot brighter in SDR and HDR, and small highlights stand out a lot more in HDR. The Sony also has Dolby Vision support which can further improve the quality of some HDR content.
These are two different types of TVs. If you have a room with a wide seating arrangement, then Sony X800E might be the better choice as the image remains accurate when viewed from the side. In all other situations, however, the X900F seems to be the better choice. The X900F has much better dark room performance, can get much brighter both in SDR and in HDR, has a faster response time, and the image is crisp with minimal motion blur trail behind fast-moving objects. The X900F can also remove 24p judder from any source.
These two TVs have different panel types. If you have a room with a wide seating arrangement, then the Sony X750F might be the better choice as the image remains accurate when viewed from the side. In most other cases, however, the Sony X900F seems to be the better choice. The X900F has much better dark room performance and can get much brighter both in SDR and in HDR. The X900F has better motion handling, and the image is crisp with minimal blur trail thanks to the faster response time. The X900F has better reflection handling and can remove 24p judder from any source.
The LG C7 is better than the Sony X900F, unless you consume a lot of static content and the possibility of burn-in concerns you. The LG C7 uses an OLED panel that delivers perfect dark room performance thanks to the infinite contrast and perfect black uniformity. The C7 also has wider viewing angles, good for a wide seating area. Since the C7 uses an OLED panel, there is the possibility of permanent burn-in or temporary image retention. The X900F uses a VA panel which is not prone to burn-in.
The Sony X900F is slightly better than the 2018 Samsung Q7CN QLED TV. The X900F has a much better dark room performance due to the efficient full array local dimming. The Samsung Q7CN, on the other hand, has a lower input lag and support for gaming features like auto low latency mode and FreeSync, which make it a better choice if you play a lot of games. Finally, the Q7CN can handle reflections slightly better.
The Sony X900F and the Sony X850G use different panel types, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, but the X900F is much better overall. The X900F uses a VA panel, and delivers much better dark-room performance, and it has a decent local dimming feature. The X900F has a faster response time, and supports 1080p and 1440p @ 120Hz inputs. The X850G doesn't look as good in a dark room, but it has a better viewing angle. The 85" X850G has a VA panel, though, and likely performs closer to the X900F.
The Sony X900F and the Hisense H9F have very similar performance. The Sony can handle the reflections of a brighter room better. The Hisense H9F, on the other hand, has a lower input lag which will please gamers and those who plan to use the TV as a PC monitor.
The Sony X900F is better than the Samsung Q8C. The X900F has a full array local dimming feature that delivers better dark room viewing than the Q8C's edge lighting. The X900F is brighter with SDR and HDR, and is better able to overcome glare in a bright room, although the Samsung Q8C has better reflection handling.
The Sony X900F and the Vizio P Series Quantum 2019 are both very similarly performing TVs. The Vizio has a better local dimming feature, but the Sony can get quite a bit brighter with HDR content. The Sony also has much more accurate colors out-of-the-box, does a better job at upscaling SD or HD content, and has better motion handling. On the other hand, the Vizio has a much wider color gamut and much lower input lag.
The Vizio P Series Quantum X 2019 is a bit better than the Sony X900F. The Vizio has slightly better reflection handling, a better black frame insertion feature, can get brighter, and has a much lower input lag. The X900F has better accuracy before calibration and much better smart features that give you access to a vast selection of apps through the Google Play Store.
The Sony X900F is a slightly better TV than the LG SM9000. The Sony feels a bit better-built, has much richer blacks, better local dimming, can get much brighter, looks much better pre-calibration, and has better motion handling. On the other hand, the LG has a much better smart interface and much wider viewing angles thanks to its IPS panel.
The Sony X900F and the LG SM8600 use different panel types, each with strengths and weaknesses. The LG SM8600 has an IPS panel, which maintains a more accurate image for wider angles off-center but doesn't look as good in a dark room. The LG also has a much lower input lag, which is great for gamers. The X900F, on the other hand, has a VA panel with a much better dark room performance and is much brighter, suitable for rooms of any brightness.
The LG B9 OLED is a much better TV than the Sony X900F. The OLED has perfect, inky blacks thanks to its individually backlit pixels. It also has better gray and black uniformity, much wider viewing angles, much better reflection handling, a wider color gamut, much better motion handling, and much lower input lag. On the other hand, the Sony can get much brighter with both SDR and HDR content and has much more accurate colors out-of-the-box.
The Sony X900F is a slightly better TV than the TCL 6 Series/R625 2019. The Sony can get brighter for HDR content, has much better gray uniformity, significantly better reflection handling, better motion handling, and has way more accurate colors out-of-the-box. On the other hand, the TCL has a better local dimming feature, a wider color gamut, an easier-to-use smart interface, and lower input lag.
The Sony X900F is better than the Samsung RU8000. The Sony X900F has a local dimming feature that significantly improves dark room performance. The Sony can get brighter and can handle reflections a little better, so it's more suitable if you have a bright room. The Sony can deliver better HDR performance thanks to the wider color gamut and better HDR peak brightness. The Samsung, on the other hand, is a better TV for gaming, thanks to the lower input lag and the support for FreeSync VRR.
The Vizio P Series Quantum is a better TV than the Sony X900F overall. It has slightly better reflection handling and is much brighter, which is great if you watch TV shows or sports in brighter rooms. The Vizio P Series Quantum also has better local dimming that makes blacks look deep in a dark room. The input lag of the Vizio P Series Quantum is better, and this is great for gamers. On the other hand, the Sony X900F has better color accuracy out of the box, smoother gradients, and more intuitive smart features.
The Sony X900F is much better than the curved Samsung NU8500. The Sony X900F has better local dimming and better native contrast ratio. Along with the better black uniformity and better brightness, it can deliver better dark room movie and HDR movie watching experiences. Also, the Sony X900F has better reflection handling and faster response time, so it's a better choice if you watch a lot of sports or TV shows in a room with many light sources. On the other hand, the Samsung NU8500 has FreeSync support, and lower input lag to please gamers.
The Sony X900F is better than the 2017 Samsung Q9F. The X900F has a much better local dimming feature and better black uniformity, great for dark room viewing. The Samsung Q9F has a more advanced black frame insertion feature which can clear up motion at the expense of some brightness, and has lower input lag for gamers or for use as a monitor.
The Sony X900F is much better than the Samsung MU8500. The Sony X900F has much better local dimming, better black uniformity and better contrast ratio that make it much better watching movies in dark rooms and can get much brighter when displaying HDR content. The Sony X900F has better reflection handling and a better response time that make it better for watching sports and TV shows in bright rooms. The Samsung MU8500, on the other hand, has a bit better input lag and is more responsive when playing video games.
The Sony X900F is much better than the TCL C807. The X900F performs better in a dark room, as it has better black uniformity and a full array local dimming feature. The Sony performs better in a bright room as it is brighter, and has better reflection handling. Motion looks smoother on the X900F thanks to the faster response time, and it can interpolate content up to 120 Hz, further improving motion smoothness, although this effect may bother some people.
The LG B7A is better than the Sony X900F, unless the possibility of burn-in concerns you. The LG B7A uses an OLED panel, which offers perfect dark room performance and wide viewing angles. The B7A is prone to temporary image retention, and there is the possibility of permanent burn-in. The Sony X900F appears to be immune to burn-in and does not experience any image retention.
The Sony X900F is significantly better than the Samsung M4500. The X900F has a much higher resolution 4K screen. The Sony is much brighter and supports HDR content. The X900F is much more feature-packed, including a local dimming feature, and it can remove judder from all sources. The Sony has much smoother motion with a higher response time and much better colors.
The Samsung Q8FN is slightly better than the Sony X900F. The Q8FN has better reflection handling, although the Sony X900F is brighter. The Samsung Q8FN is better for gaming, as it has lower input lag, and it supports FreeSync and automatic low latency mode. The Sony X900F has a better response time, so motion is clearer with less blur, but the Q8FN is excellent as well. While both TVs have an optional black frame insertion feature, the Q8FN can flicker at a lower frequency, which is good for content with a lower frame rate.
The LG SK9000 is a better choice if you're going to watch TV from the side, as it has better viewing angles. The Sony X900F is better for directly in front seating arrangements. The LG SK9000 has better input lag and better black frame insertion (BFI), which make it slightly better for gaming and can be attractive to gamers. The Sony X900F has better contrast and local dimming, and much better black uniformity so it can display deeper blacks that improve picture quality in a dark room and make it a much better TV for movies. The Sony also has a faster response time and better gray uniformity that make it a marginally better choice for sports fans.
The Sony A8F is better than the Sony X900F, unless the possibility of burn-in inherit in OLED technology concerns you. The A8F delivers a perfect dark room experience, as the self-emissive technology can turn off or dim individual pixels. The A8F has much wider viewing angles and better reflection handling. The X900F uses a VA panel, which isn't expected to experience burn-in.
The Sony X900F is better than the Samsung Q60/Q60R QLED. The Sony X900F has a local dimming feature that enhances dark room performance and also can get brighter both in SDR and in HDR, and has better reflection handling to minimize distracting reflections from the room's light sources. The Samsung Q60R is better for gaming as it has lower input lag, supports FreeSync variable refresh rate, and has a few other gaming features that gamers will appreciate.
The LG SK8000 has an IPS panel with better viewing angles and thus is more suitable for a large room. The Sony X900F is a better choice if you're sitting directly in front. The LG SK8000 has slightly better input lag and a better black frame insertion (BFI) feature to clear up blur that gamers will appreciate. On the other hand, the Sony X900F has better local dimming and better black uniformity and contrast that allow it to display deeper blacks, making it something you will appreciate in a dark room while watching movies. The Sony can also get brighter and has better HDR performance.
The Sony X900F is better than the TCL 6 Series (R617). The Sony X900F displays deeper blacks in a dark room due to better local dimming, and this is great if you watch movies. The Sony X900F can also handle reflections better and has a faster response time that leaves only a small blur trail. It also has better gray uniformity for an image without clouding or shadows. On the other hand, the TCL R617 has a lower input lag which is great if you play video games.
The Sony X900F is slightly better than the Vizio P Series 2018. The X900F performs better in a bright room thanks to the better anti-reflective coating, and it's brighter and better able to overcome glare. The X900F also has wider viewing angles and has a more robust smart platform. The Vizio P Series 2018 has lower input lag for gaming or for use as a monitor. The P Series also has a more advanced black frame insertion feature and a better local dimming feature.
The Sony X900F is better than the LG SK9500. The Sony X900F is better for watching movies or HDR content right in front, as it has better native contrast ratio, better local dimming along, and better black uniformity. The Sony X900F also has a faster response time, which is great for watching sports. The LG SK9500 has an IPS panel that gives better viewing angles, and this is good for wide seating arrangements and a lower input lag that makes it very responsive for playing video games.
The Sony X900F is much better than the Sony X830F. The Sony X900F supports local dimming and has a better native contrast ratio which produces deep blacks and thus a better SDR and HDR movie watching experience in a dark room. The Sony X900F also has better peak brightness and better reflection handling which make it more suitable for a bright room. It's also better for gaming as it has marginally better input lag.
The Sony X900F is much better than the Samsung The Frame 2018. The X900F has a full array local dimming feature that improves dark room performance and helps HDR content stand out more. The X900F is better in a bright room, as it is a lot brighter and has much better reflection handling. The X900F has better motion handling, with a faster response time and higher frequency backlight with an almost imperceptible flicker. The Frame has additional gaming features that could make it a better choice for some gamers, including FreeSync VRR and auto game mode.
The Samsung Q90/Q90R QLED is better than the Sony X900F. The Samsung Q90R has slightly better dark room performance thanks to its more efficient local dimming support and better black uniformity. The Samsung Q90R also has the 'Ultra Viewing Angle' technology, which maintains an accurate image for wider viewing angles. Finally, the Samsung Q90R is packed with gaming features like FreeSync variable refresh rate support to please gamers.
Video
Test Results
The Sony X900F's design is great. It's quite different from traditional Sony aesthetics. The wide-set legs are the most noticeable difference, and they do require a larger table, but are designed so that the Sony soundbar can fit between them. There's basic cable management similar to the X900E down the back of the stand, but it isn't as good as the X930E which includes routing through the back panel. The build quality is very good and the TV feels solid.
The stand supports the TV well and feels secure. It's wide enough to place a soundbar between the two feet. There's also space at the back of the legs for cable management, which most people will enjoy.
Footprint of the 55" TV stand: 39.2" x 10.6"
The back of the XBR55X900F has a simple design with two sets of inputs. One is directly on the back, pointing downwards, so it can be difficult to reach if the TV is wall-mounted. The other set of inputs is on the side and should be easy to access no matter where you place the TV.
The borders of the TV are quite thin and look good. They look almost identical to other Sony TVs.
This TV is reasonably thick. It will stick out from the wall a bit more than the Sony X850F, which has more of a uniform thickness. However, this shouldn't be too much of a problem.
The build quality of the X900F is good, and although the TV is almost entirely plastic, it does feel well-constructed and solid.
As is the case with most VA panels, the Sony Bravia X900F has an excellent contrast ratio. It can display deep blacks when viewed in a dark room, so this TV is a good choice for watching movies with dark scenes. If you're looking for an OLED with a perfect contrast ratio, check out the LG B8 OLED.
With the local dimming feature enabled, the contrast ratio slightly increases, but the dimming zones aren't big enough to have an impact on this pattern.
The full array local dimming of the 2018 Sony X900F is decent and better than most LED TVs. It's a small upgrade when compared to the 2017 X900E. The X900F performance is more similar to the 2017 Sony X930E when set side by side, although the X930E has slightly less abrupt transitions of the zones on movements.
Very similar performance to the Samsung Q8FN. The X900F has deeper black levels, but there is more visible blooming.
When set to 'High', the feature is very good at limiting blooming and keeping a good overall black level, but on some occasions, it may be a bit too aggressive as small highlights can get dimmed on fast movements. Therefore, if you notice this behavior, you can set it the 'Medium', and it should behave more conservatively.
Great SDR peak brightness, good enough for even a bright room. The TV's local dimming does a good job of boosting bright sections of the screen when other sections are dimmer, shown by how the smaller window tests are brighter than the larger ones. Overall, this brightness is a marked improvement over the 2017 X900E, and is far better than the brightness of many competing TVs like the Samsung MU8000 and LG SJ8500, though still not as bright as the X930E.
Update 04/18/2019: There are some brightness issues playing Dolby Vision content from an external source on the X950G and X900F. Find out more here.
Great HDR peak brightness; bright highlights in HDR content will be shown fairly bright, though not quite as bright as the 1000-4000 cd/m² they're intended to be. The TV's local dimming can boost highlights to be very bright because the rest of the scene in HDR content is usually fairly dim when compared to SDR content, so the TV has more power budget for the highlights.
Good gray uniformity on this TV. There are some uniformity issues at the corners, but none at the center, so the dirty screen effect (DSE) should be minimal. This is important for people who watch sports, where the DSE is most noticeable.
Like with most VA panels, the Sony Bravia X900F has poor viewing angles. People will notice a drop in picture quality when viewing from the side, so this isn't a good choice for rooms with wide seating arrangements.
Good black uniformity. There's some blooming around the center cross and very little backlight bleed around the edges in the native black uniformity picture. However, with the local dimming feature enabled, the screen looks more uniform, and there's no backlight bleeding anymore. Dark scenes will look good in dark rooms.
Great reflection handling on the XBR55X900F. It has a semi-gloss finish which slightly diffuses light. Like 2017's Sony X900E, this TV has an anti-reflecting coating to help reduce the total number of reflections, which should work well in most rooms. However, it might be distracting if it's placed in a room with direct sunlight on it.
Out of the box, the accuracy of the X900F is excellent, and for most people, this TV could be used right away without the need for any calibration.
The most accurate picture mode out of the box is the 'Custom' picture mode, and it's also one of the picture modes that gives you the most control over all the picture setting available.
The 'Cinema Pro' is also very accurate, but this picture mode targets a gamma closer to 2.4, rather than our desired 2.2 target.
The accuracy is outstanding after calibrating the white balance. Unfortunately, the lack of color management system on Sony's TVs can't be corrected further.
Overall, the calibration here did only bring some small corrections, as the TV was already very accurate out of the box, and the process was very fast and without issues.
You can see our recommended settings here.
Upscaling of low-quality 480p content such as DVDs is good. Some halo artifacting is visible along edges, but there is a good range of options to customize the upscaling depending on preferences.
720p content such as cable is upscaled well. Edges are smoothed to reduce blockiness, and some haloing artifacts are visible.
Native 4k content such as UHD Blu-rays or high-quality streaming content is displayed without any issues.
Great wide color gamut; saturated colors in HDR content will be shown fairly well, but not quite as well as some other TVs like the LG B7 OLED. The TV's color accuracy for less saturated colors is also fairly good, so the overall HDR image will be accurate.
The TV's HDR EOTF follows the target PQ curve very closely up until it rolls off and clips at its peak brightness. The EOTFs in the 'Game' and 'Graphics' picture modes also follow the target closely. Users who want a brighter HDR image can increase the TV's 'Gamma' and 'Adv. contrast enhancer' settings, which will raise the EOTF to be brighter than the target curve.
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. The results remain almost identical.
Decent color volume in HDR. The Sony X900F's local dimming does a good job of extending its wide color gamut down to a range of different brightness, so darker colors will look as saturated as brighter colors.
Great gradient performance on the X900F. There's no visible banding when playing 10-bit content, such as HDR. There's some visible banding in 8-bit SDR, but this can be reduced with the 'Smooth Gradation' setting enabled.
No temporary image retention on this TV. This is great if you're planning on using it as a PC monitor.
We don't expect VA panels to experience permanent image retention, as the VA panel in our long-term test appears immune.
Amazing response time on the X900F, so fast-moving content will have little blur trail behind them. It has a better response time than the Sony X850F.
There's a backlight flicker on this TV, but at 720Hz, it's almost unnoticeable for most people. If you're looking for a flicker-free Sony TV, check out the Sony X850F.
The 2018 Sony X900F can flicker its backlight at 120Hz, which makes motion look clearer by reducing persistence blur. Unfortunately, it can't flicker at 60Hz, so 60Hz content will have visible duplications in its motion, but some may find it preferable to no flicker. On Sony TVs, BFI is activated by setting "Motionflow" to "Custom" and increasing the "Clearness" slider.
Sony has implemented a new BFI mode on "Clearness = 1", which they call "X-Motion Clarity". When in this mode the real scene brightness decreases by about 60 nits compared to with no flicker("Clearness = 0"), but as the brightness of the screen decreases its flicker becomes more severe, similar to how a TV with PWM dimming behaves. When this is combined with local dimming, dimmer zones of the screen will have clearer motion than brighter zones. This is different from the flicker behavior in "Clearness = 2" and Max, where zones of different brightness will have similar flicker and motion clarity. We recommend "Clearness = 1" when users want clearer motion but don't want to sacrifice too much screen brightness. Note that none of these 'Clearness' settings affect the input lag in the 'Game' picture mode.
The TV has a 120Hz panel, and its processing can interpolate lower frame rate content to 120fps to match the panel. This optional feature is also called the "soap opera effect". It produces smoother-looking motion but can look unnatural to some people, and also adds small artifacts in its processing that can be a problem to some.
The TV is decent at showing low frame rate content smoothly (like movies and 30fps video games), but the TV's fast pixel response time can make motion look a little stuttery, especially in wide panning scenes, because the frame stays static for 31ms. 60fps content looks smoother because the frames are on screen for a shorter amount of time.
The Sony X900F can display 24p movies without judder no matter which sources they're playing from. To achieve this for every source including the native Netflix app, you need to set (from the Motion tab in the picture setting) the 'Motionflow' to 'True Cinema' and set 'CineMotion' to 'High'. This isn't needed for direct 24p sources.
The TV doesn't support a variable refresh rate. If you need a TV that supports variable refresh rate technology, check out the Samsung Q70T.
Update 05/08/2019: We retested the 1080p input lag in and out of game mode with the latest firmware PKG6.5830.0205NAA and it remains the same.
Great low input lag, especially when playing 4k video. The 1080p input lag is higher than for 4k but is still good enough for most gaming. Overall, the input lag is very similar to the X930E, which is understandable because both use Sony's 'X1 Extreme' processing engine. However, many TVs from other brands have lower input lag, such as the Samsung MU8000, LG SJ8500, and TCL P607.
If you need lower input lag for gaming or for PC use, check out the Sony X900H, which is the successor of this TV.
All common resolutions are supported. 4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4 or 4:2:2 is only possible on HDMI inputs 2 and 3, and only when 'HDMI Enhanced Format' is enabled. 4:4:4 chroma subsampling is only shown properly in the 'Game' and 'Graphics' picture modes.
Update 06/11/2018: A note for Xbox One X and Xbox One S owners: 120Hz from the Xbox won't work with this TV (and all 2017-2018 Sony's we've tested), because the TV requires a forced resolution for 120 Hz to be displayed.
Update 06/12/2018: It turns out 1080p @ 120Hz is possible, 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. Find out more here.
Update 06/18/2018: Correction, 24Hz and 50Hz are in fact possible with the Xbox's connection type set to HDMI.
There is one composite input (labeled 'Video In'); however, it's a 3.5mm jack, and requires an adapter for most devices. An example of the correct adapter can be found here.
Update 06/11/2018: Dolby Vision support has been added as of firmware (PKG6.5603.0175NAA); the scores have been updated.
Average frequency response. It has relatively deep bass, but not deep enough to produce deep rumbles (i.e. explosion sound effects). The frequency response is quite flat and well-balanced, however, the TV wasn't able to remove the resonances of the test room (high-bass and low-mid) due to a lack of self-calibrating system. Additionally, the TV does get pretty loud, but they could produce some pumping and compression artifacts near their maximum volume.
Sub-par harmonic distortion performance. Similar to other Sony TVs we have measured, this TV has little distortion at low volumes. However, at maximum volume, the X900F produces a lot of distortion, but this kind of distortion won't be very audible with real-life content (movies, music).
The Android TV interface isn't as easy to use as some other smart platforms. The home screen is very long, requiring a lot of scrolling to see everything. The performance is also quite inconsistent; sometimes the TV will open menus quickly and have smooth animations, but other times menus will lag for a second or two before opening, and their animations will be choppy. The home menu is especially slow to open, which is unfortunate because of how often it needs to be used. This is alleviated somewhat by the many buttons on the Sony remote and the voice control feature.
Update 04/09/2019: Google has pushed an update to some Sony TVs that run the Android Oreo update. This update adds a row of Google Sponsored Content in the second row of the home page. Unlike the existing sponsored content, this row cannot be remove normally from the Customize Channels menu menu. There is a workaround though, which is available here.
The ads look similar to the ones seen on the Sony X950G.
One of Android TV's strengths is access to the Google Play Store, which has more apps than almost all other smart platforms. The apps run fairly smoothly and with minimal lag, unlike the frequent mini-hangs of the main Android interface.
Update 01/09/2019: YouTube app version 2.04.05 has added HDR support, separate from the Android Oreo update.
Correction 02/22/2019: The YouTube app does support HDR, but it is currently bugged. The brightness and color gamut do not switch automatically, and there are issues playing files with a resolution higher than 1080p.
The X900F comes with Sony's lower-cost remote with rubber chunk buttons, unlike the better remote that came with the X900E. The remote is still very usable, and has more buttons than most remotes, at the cost of being larger than most remotes.
The remote can connect to the TV by Bluetooth so that its microphone can be used with the TV's Google Assistant voice control feature. Google Assistant can perform a lot of actions on the TV, as well as interface with the rest of the Google ecosystem; commands like 'open YouTube', 'switch to HDMI 3', 'pause video', 'how's the weather', and 'turn off the TV' all work well, though commands to change picture settings like 'set the brightness to 20' and 'switch to Game mode' don't work.
