Sony KD-55X85TJ from X85J series with 4K X-Reality PRO technology

Among the entry-level and luxury TVs is the X85J series. These are mid-range models. The new 2021 series is perfect for those who want to get into the good stuff without spending too many material resources. Sony’s X85J Series TVs will be available from a starting price of $850 for the 43-inch diagonal.

Although Sony’s X85J is one of those mid-range options, it’s worth looking at the picture quality and some of the features in the Sony KD-55X85TJ 4K HDR review. Let’s try to figure out if this series deserves special attention or not, as the Sony X80J left questionable thoughts.

Sony X85J review

To begin with, let’s remember that the Sony X80J series of TVs most likely it is designed for European countries, in particular for the UK. Both the 80 and 81 series have a 60 Hz matrix, while the X85J series under consideration has a native frequency of 120 Hz.

The second interesting thing is the presence of HDMI 2.1 with all the features it’s supposed to have. Namely, VRR and ALLM, which will undoubtedly appeal to console gamers. The X85J series has screen sizes from 43 to 85 inches. Changes have been made to the soundtrack. But about these chips below.

Design

We can assume that the predecessor of the X85TJ series under consideration is last year’s Sony XH85. The cases of these two series are very similar. The placement of the stand legs can vary from the available horizontal space. The color of the case with the bezel as well as the stand itself is black.

The interface is located on the left side of the back of the Sony KD-55X85TJ TV. The connectors are covered with decorative plastic covers if necessary. The feet of the stand have mounts for stowing cable connections.

The frame around the screen is quite thin, about 1 cm. Along the perimeter of the screen there are a couple of grooves for beauty and to collect dust. The back of the TV body is elegantly embossed. Now there is a grid pattern of squares. And if you consider the rear, there are similarities to the Sony X90J series, which belongs to the higher class of TVs from Sony 2021.

Image

For starters, it’s worth noting that the X85J series has two models, the KD-50X85TJ and the KD-85X85TJ where VA matrices are installed. So this pair will have slightly limited viewing angles. And, while the 85 diagonal is physically a huge size, when buying the 50 diagonal, you should clearly understand – where the TV will be installed. The other diagonals are equipped with ADS or IPS improved panels.

As for image contrast, in the 50X85TJ and 85X85TJ this figure is at 4500:1, in other models 1200:1. The KD-55X85TJ model described in the review should be placed in a well-lit room. Despite the different types of matrices, the X85J series has the “Object-based HDR remaster” image contrast enhancement feature in its specification. These limitations are not specific to the X95J series, just the sensor technology speaks for itself, and we’ve talked about it more than once on our UltraHD.su resource.

The frame interpolation responsible for the dynamics is different from the younger X80J series. Given that the 80 series had a native 50 / 60 Hz frequency, the Motionflow function is technologically made like the XR 240. In the X85J series, for the European version it is Motionflow XR 960 with a native frequency of 120 Hz. 

Sony X85TJ view.

The Sony X85J series has sufficient brightness with SDR content. This figure almost catches up to last year’s class-leading Sony XH90 series in real-world scenes. If you do not use the automatic brightness limiter, the average brightness is 500 nits. In general, this figure is enough to combat glare, but do not forget about the room illumination.

The Sony X85J lineup does much better in HDR content than the X80J. As with SDR mode, you should avoid “auto” to limit brightness. With proper HDR content in a 10% window, the peak brightness was just under 700 nits. But that’s not enough for great HDR quality, although it’s a great figure for a “mid-range” Sony.

And to conclude this paragraph, here are the response times of the 55X85TJ matrix. In different data sources this figure varies from 4 to 11 ms. In game mode, the average value of the minimum introulag is about 19 ms. This value can be lower, it all depends on the connected game console or PC, because the X85J series has HDMI2.1 4K@120Hz (eARC / VRR / ALLM).

Unfortunately, the color depth in the X85TJ series, just like in the 55X85TJ model under consideration, is not far from the younger models in the X81J and X80J lines. Here again we see 8-bit + FRC, but with a native matrix frequency of 100 / 120 Hz. The matrix backlight is Direct LED, and the local dimming function through the black frame “Frame Dimming”. Therefore, black levels are similar to the X81J series.

Connections

The interface of the Sony 55X85TJ TV is similar to the X80J series. The main difference is the HDMI 2.1 port with 4K@120Hz support. There is no sense to fully enumerate the possible connection options. The only resolutions supported are 1080p@60Hz@4:4:4, 1080p@120Hz (regular mode), 1440p@60Hz (manual selection required), 4K@60Hz, 4K@60Hz@ 4:4:4 and 4K@120Hz. We’ll give you the rest of the data in the X85TJ specifications table.

Smart TV

As we mentioned earlier, all Sony 2021 TVs, including the Sony 55X85TJ model in question, run on Google TV. This is a replacement for Android TV, although nothing has essentially changed. This operating system is easy to use and works quite well. However, there are missteps with some of the settings.

For example, sometimes, the “Custom” picture mode turns back on after you turn it off in the settings. Streaming, a resource like Netflix, can occasionally turn off again in “Custom” picture mode during HDR. Hopefully these bugs will be fixed with a firmware update.

Sound

Sony’s X85J series uses the standard 2.0 CH speaker circuitry. A pair of speakers with X-Balanced and Room Compensation “enhancers” will provide 20 watts of sound power to the average room. The sound supports DTS Digital Surround, Dolby Atmos and Dolby Audio. Despite the quite standard for new models of sound technology, bass notes are missing. You will have to think about buying a separate sound board, although for everyday news viewing it is quite enough.

X85J Price

Approaching the section on the price of the Sony X85TJ series of TVs, let us first point out the available models in the European segment. These are Sony KD-43X85TJ, Sony KD-50X85TJ (VA matrix), Sony KD-55X85TJ, Sony KD-65X85TJ, Sony KD-75X85TJ and Sony KD-85X85TJ (VA matrix) TVs. Since all of these models will appear in our market in early summer 2021, the price tag has not been announced.

To guide you through the price range, let us show the price for the Sony X85J series of the American market. So the KD-43X85J model costs $900, the KD-50X85TJ variant is priced at $1,000 and the KD-55X85J at $1,200. Larger diagonals: the KD-65X85J priced at $1,600, the KD-75X85J with a price tag of $2,200 and the KD-85X85J sold for $3,200. All prices are recommended by the manufacturer.

Summary of the X85J review

To conclude our review of Sony’s X85J, let’s summarize what has been said. Basically, the entire series has excellent color reproduction just like the Sony X80J. Ultra wide viewing angles (not for all diagonals) and the presence of Google TV cannot compensate for the mediocre contrast. Regardless of your use case, you could look at better 4K TV options for the money.

Movie buffs won’t appreciate the shallow black level, although the average brightness of the Sony BRAVIA KD-55X85TJ TV as well as the image detail differs from the younger series in a positive way. For gaming enthusiasts, the own 120 Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 port will be a clear plus.

So, if you are on a tight budget and the choice is between the X81J and the reviewed series, the X85TJ will be the best choice. But don’t forget about the competitors – you can get similar performance for much less money.