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Sony’s Android TVs and new 4K Ultra HD TV sets unleashed at CES 2015

Sony has unveiled its latest range of TVs at CES 2015 – it’s latest 4K tellies and the first Android TV sets. 

As 4K TVs continue to drop in price and flexible, Sony has refined and revamped what its cutting edge can offer in terms of size and picture performance. 

Building on the curvaceous Bravia S90 sets unveiled at IFA 2014, Sony has stepped up its game with the super-slim XBR X900C 4K TV which is just 4.9mm thick – that’s approaching phone levels of skinny. 

Sony’s also upped its dynamic range game via a new processor, which promises improvements in contrast, brightness and colour fidelity. Read on to get the lowdown on Sony’s TV offerings from this year’s CES. 

Which Sony 4K TVs were on show?

Sony’s Android TVs and new 4K Ultra TV sets unleashed at CES 2015
Sony’s new Ultra HD TVs all come with Android TV built in

Which Sony 4K TVs were on show?

Sony’s XBR X900C Series 4K Ultra HD TV is the thinnest Sony TV yet, with a depth of just 4.9mm. As such, it is designed to be mounted on a wall where it almost sites flush – so those sitting to the left or right will be able to see what’s on TV rather than the side of bulky hardware. 

The X900C series is available in sizes of 55-inch and 65-inch, while the X910C is a 75-inch version of the X900, with exactly the same features as its smaller brother. Both models feature Google Cast built-in, so you can send content from your smartphone, tablet or computer straight to your Sony TV.

The 65-inch XBR-X930C Series and 75-inch X940C will be arriving in Spring, with the addition of massively powerful front-facing speakers and HD sound to boost the quality of the audio too.

X-tended Dynamic Range Pro (75-inch model) and X-tended Dynamic Range (65-inch model) extends the brightness and contrast of the display to give a truer representation of vistas.

The entry level XBR-X850C Series (55, 65 and 75-inch) and X830C Series (43 and 49-inch) don’t come with any extra bells and whistles compared to the top-level TVs, but do bundle in all of Sony’s 4K features to enhance the viewing experience. 

All new Sony 4K TVs will be available from Spring this year, so there’s not too long to wait if you have the moolah to splash on a brand spanking new set.

What’s new with Sony Ultra 4K TVs? Better Netflix and Prime Instant Video

The whole range (four new series and ten models) feature Sony’s 4K Processor X1, built to enhance colour, contrast and clarity and boosting the streaming quality of 4K content available from providers including Amazon and Netflix – so no stuttering.

They also all include 4K X-Reality PRO upscaling that will upscale any content to 4K resolution, so even if you are only streaming standard high definition content, it will appear to be more beautiful than ever. We’ll believe this when we see it – we’re not convinced it will be the same quality as native 4K content.

Toshifumi Okuda, Sony Electronics Deputy President said: “With content being sourced from broadcast, Blu-ray, DVD’s or even low-resolution internet videos, we designed these televisions to upscale to 4K resolution so that consumers can get the highest level viewing experience possible.”

“Sony’s reputation for developing the best picture quality continues with these new products that provide consumers with greater access to what they want to watch, play and hear.”

The Triluminos display panel promises to improve vibrancy of colours, improving reproduction of reds, greens and aqua blues to make the scene pop.

Additionally, Sony is boosting its 4K content offering with more that 1,300 films, TV shows and other content available via Video Unlimited 4K, Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Ultraflix and Toon Goggles.

Sony Android TV – Chromecast comes built in

All of Sony’s new 4K Ultra HD TVs and a selection of the company’s HDTVs too (KDL-75W850C, KDL-65W850C, KDL-55W850C and KDL-50W850C) will ship with Android TV

Android TV lets you access a wide range of content on your TV, including gaming, video streaming and voice enabled search so it’s easier to find the content you want to play. No more navigating warren-like TV menus with a last-gen d-pad – your phone is now your remote control

The function will mean you can beam content from your smartphone, tablet or computer to your TV without needing a Chromecast hanging out of an HDMI port.

Sony hasn’t yet announced how much its new Ultra HD TVs will set you back, but we predict they won’t be as cheap as your standard 4K TV.  Despite the prices of some now dipping to the £600 mark, the presence of Android TV, HD sound and improved dynamic range will likely push the prices up into four digits. 

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