Is the Sony 75” X95J worth $2K more than the 75” X80J?
When looking for a new TV, especially one that is going to be custom integrated with a surround sound system, size is often the first consideration. We find 75” to be very popular these days. It sits nicely between the 65” and 85” which are Sony’s only other flagship 4k LED models. The questions we are trying to answer are: Is the Sony 75” A95J worth $2K more than the 75” A80J? Are flagship Sony TVs worth the hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than their base models?
Before we begin, let me give a quick rundown of Sony TVs available for sale. (As of Dec. 2021) They make so many TVs it can be confusing. To start with, Sony has 19 different series of TV in the residential collection and most of those series have several different sizes in them. That gives you 47 different TVs that are available for sale. The 19 series are further broken down into 3 panel types. (The panel is the actual screen technology used for the display.) Sony also has commercial & industrial displays, but we won’t cover that here. Series can be thought of as “type of TV” much the way automobiles have different types; SUV, sub-compact, sedan, hybrid, electric, sports car, etc. Here is a chart that gives you a basic idea of the difference between each series. The TVs we will compare are shown in bold lettering.
How much are we talking about anyway?
Price is often a consideration when purchasing a TV so our first question, is it worth it to buy the best 4K LED TV (X95J) instead of the most basic 4K LED TV (X80J), may seem like it’s just a question of budget. Ponder this: No mater what your disposable income is, the price delta between the X95J and the X80J in the 75” size is about $2000. (As of 12/2/21) I’m not factoring in sales tax or other things right now. There is even less a price difference on the 65” model.
How long do LED TVs last anyway?
If you consider the average life of an LED TV is about five years, you are spending approximately $1 per day more over the life of the TV. https://www.reviewed.com/televisions/features/how-long-should-a-tv-last The next logical question is: How much TV do you actually watch? According to the A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day. That’s a lot of time to be looking at something you know isn’t as good as it could be. I would say that those of you who watch fewer than 4 hours per day consider TV time even more valuable.
What do I get for the extra money anyway?
Let’s say you’ve decided to go with the flagship X95J 4K LED TV. Hear are the features and benefits you can expect that are above and beyond the most basic X80J 4K LED TV.
#1 Better HDR – Because the X95J has more than 3x the brightness available to it over the X80J you can get stunning High Dynamic Range (HDR). In my opinion, this is reason alone to get the better TV. The X80J is downright dark in comparison and should be relegated to the guest room.
#2 Better Picture Quality – Not all content is HDR. For regular television such as news, sitcoms, etc. HDR doesn’t help you. What you look for in those viewing situations is better video processing and better backlighting technology on the panel. The X95J dominates the X80J in processing thanks to its XR Cognitive Reality Processor. The X95J also boasts a far superior Full Array Backlit display as opposed to the edge lit display of the X80J. The net result is better contrast, better color, and better TV across the board, even if it’s not HDR.
#3 Thinner – The X95J is better looking than the X80J because it’s thinner. The X95J panel is thinner and the bezel in front is also thinner. 0.9cm vs. 1.5cm – Thinner TVs in general have a nicer aesthetic, even when turned off.
#4 Less reflective surface – Lights that reflect in the screen from behind the viewer are very distracting. The X95J has a better anti-reflective coating than the X80J and therefore does a better job minimizing glare. The calculated direct reflections as a percentage are 0.9% for the X95J vs. 5.1% for the X80J.
#5 Better for gaming – If you play video games on either the Sony PS5 or Microsoft X-Box Series X, you will want 4K resolution, High Dynamic Range and high frame rates aka Frames Per Second (FPS). The X95J will give you 4K HDR at 120 frames per second. The X80J will only go up to 60 FPS at 4K.
#6 Better HDMI port for the future – The next generation HDMI port is version 2.1 and it supports an insane bandwidth of 48Gbps. The X95J has this 2.1 port available. The X80J only goes up to version 2.0 which caps out at 18Gbps. Bandwidth and quality are directly corelated.
#7 No Judder – Movies are usually 24P or 24 progressive frames per second. When the TV converts those 24 frames to a higher frame rate it can provide a smoother image. However, if this conversion is done incorrectly, one will see the frames jump unnaturally. This is called judder. Judder happens from poor frame rate conversion. The X80J is not suited for frame rate conversion because it tops out at 60FPS and that doesn’t divide seamlessly by 24FPS. The X95J, by virtue of going up to 120FPS can smoothly convert to 24FPS. This is another reason the X95J is better for watching movies.
Conclusion
While the most basic X80J 4K TV offers decent picture quality, the higher-end X95J provides an excellent television experience across the board and is especially preferable if you plan on watching 4K HDR content, watching sports or playing video games. At least for this reviewer, the flagship Sony is always worth the extra money over the base model. For the latest pricing on Sony televisions give us a call at 310-641-4700
Also check out:
https://haasentertainment.com/new-sony-100-tv/
https://haasentertainment.com/how-to-play-true-8k/
https://haasentertainment.com/is-the-sony-65-x950g-worth-1000-more-than-the-x800g/
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