Sony have had a very strong start to 2018 with one of their flagship XF9005 LED TV range looking very impressive, but from what we can tell it looks to be Sony’s XF8 Series that may be the best sellers, offering an incredible quality of image for very respectable prices.
The XF8505 will be their higher end mid-range set. With a very fast 100HZ native panel, this could well be the TV that gets sports fans and gamers very excited. The faster 100HZ native screen will dramatically reduce that awful judder some televisions can suffer from. Albeit not a massive issue with some of today’s modern screens, it’s still a factor that can cause poor performance. With the World Cup just around the corner I imagine this set will be very popular, and the event will definitely put Sony’s dedicated ‘Sports Mode’ to the test.
As with most of Sony’s 2018 sets, the XF8505 has had a small make over and thankfully no longer features a big power brick, but a much more subtle built in power supply, as well as a redesigned stand (this is for 55″ and bigger sizes – 43″ & 49″ models still have a power brick). The set now features two machined legs either side, which look very sleek and modern, making it a perfect choice for any living space.
The XF8505 takes full advantage of the Android platform, which features all the popular catch up services such as BBC iPlayer, ITV All 4 and 5 On Demand. Sony sets also have a Youview feature, which offers the ability go back a week on programs you may have missed. There’s also full access to chargeable subscription services like Amazon and Netflix.
New for 2018 is the introduction of Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant built in. Alexa allows you to use voice commands to control your TV, but on a larger scope, allows you to integrate your TV and home cinema into your Smart home system. Alexa is responsive and works incredibly well.
The set also goes hand in hand with Google Home, meaning you can also introduce Google’s own voice control system as well. Sony really seem to have hit the nail on the head with this set and I’d be surprised if they were not backing the 2018 World Cup with it. The XF8505 offers an incredible colour pallet, with huge amounts of detail in the darker scenes and once the HDR kicks in there’s more detail still!
Taking its relatively reasonable cost into consideration, I think this is going to be a real contender for TV Of The Year. I personally would love to see Sony take home some 5 star awards this year and I believe this TV could take them there!
If you’re interested in any of the latest Sony televisions then please feel free to call your local Richer Sounds store and book a full demonstration to see these fantastic TVs in action for yourself.
Hi, bought this telly just under a month ago from Richer in Chester and am very pleased with both the picture quality and reasonable sound. Watched a few 4K videos onYouTube and was mightily impressed. I bought th 43ins version which comes with a power brick so a bit dissaponted with that. Not usually an early adopter of new tech but was forced into this by the demise of out old telly, a 14 year old Sony also bought from Richer Sounds, I have not regretted the purchase but may feel a twinge of regret when the telly is associated with offers and enticements!
As always Richer has provided me with excellent in branch customer support and a special thanks to Paul from Chester branch who was able to give me some unbiased help and advice. A very nice TV.