Sony BRAVIA KD-55X80K: 55-inch 4K Ultra HD LCD TV Sony - Review 🏆

The Sony BRAVIA KD-55X80K is a 2022 model 55-inch 4K Ultra HD LCD TV. Key specifications of this TV include:

• Screen Size: 55-inches
• Display Type: LCD with LED backlight
• Resolution: 3840 x 2160 Ultra HD (4K)
• High Dynamic Range (HDR) support
• Refresh Rate: 60Hz
• Smart TV platform: Google TV
• Built-in WiFi and Ethernet connectivity
• Voice control with Google Assistant
• 4 HDMI inputs

This mid-range 4K TV from Sony aims to provide good picture quality and features at an affordable price point. Some standout aspects include the Google TV interface, HDR capability, and voice control features.

Design

The Sony BRAVIA KD-55X80K has an attractive, minimalist design that will complement any living room. It has ultra-slim bezels around the display that help maximize the screen real estate. The bezels measure just 6.5mm thick, resulting in a screen-to-body ratio of over 94%. This creates a more immersive viewing experience.

The TV stand has a classy flushed surface design with metal finish legs. It has a wide, centralized stand that provides stability while taking up minimal space. The stand measures 22.1 inches wide, allowing it to fit on most TV stands or tables.

Overall, the physical design of the Sony BRAVIA KD-55X80K is slim, modern, and refined. The thin bezels and sturdy stand give it a premium look and feel.

If you are looking for another high-quality option, consider the Sony KD-55X85L: 55-inch Full Array 4K HDR LED Smart TV. This model features a Full Array LED panel that provides remarkable contrast and vibrant colors, enhancing your viewing experience. It also includes advanced smart TV capabilities, allowing you to stream your favorite content with ease. The Sony KD-55X85L combines top-notch picture quality with a sleek design, making it an excellent addition to any home theater setup.

Display Quality

The Sony BRAVIA KD-55X80K has outstanding display quality for an LED TV in this price range. It has a 55-inch 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) LCD panel that supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) for improved color and contrast.

The 4K resolution provides incredible clarity and detail, with over 8 million pixels on the screen. Even up close, images look crisp and text is easy to read. The 4K X-Reality PRO technology also helps upscale lower resolution content to near 4K quality.

For high dynamic range, the TV supports HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision formats. This allows it to display a wider color gamut and heightened contrast between the brightest whites and deepest blacks. HDR content looks more vivid and lifelike.

In terms of contrast, Sony rates the native contrast ratio at 4500:1. While not as high as OLED TVs, it's very good for an LCD. Blacks appear deep, while highlights and specular effects have standout brightness.

The TV can get decently bright as well, with a peak brightness of 400 nits. This allows HDR content to really shine and makes the picture pop. Viewing angles are also solid thanks to the VA panel. Color and contrast hold up even when viewing from the sides.

For those seeking an even higher level of display quality, the Sony BRAVIA XR-55A80L: 55-inch OLED 4K HDR BRAVIA TV is an excellent option. This model features OLED technology, resulting in perfect blacks and an infinite contrast ratio. The XR OLED Contrast Pro enhances the picture quality significantly, providing breathtaking visuals. Additionally, it supports Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG, delivering captivating colors and exceptional brightness. This TV truly excels in both picture quality and viewing experience.

Sound Quality

The Sony BRAVIA KD-55X80K comes equipped with decent sound quality for a mid-range TV. It has a 2.0 channel speaker setup with two 10W speakers. While this basic setup provides clear and understandable audio, it lacks the immersion of surround sound.

For audio formats, the TV supports Dolby Audio and DTS Digital Surround to provide an enhanced listening experience. Dolby Audio helps deliver clear dialogue and rich sound while DTS Digital Surround provides virtual surround sound through the two speakers.

Sony has also included some of its sound enhancement technologies. The TV has Sony's X-Balanced Speaker which aims to provide better sound balance by placing the speakers symmetrically. There is also Dolby Atmos support which can provide more immersive audio by optimizing sound quality. While the two speaker setup limits the Dolby Atmos experience, it can help improve audio clarity.

Overall, the sound quality is decent for regular TV watching and dialogue. But for a truly immersive experience when watching movies or playing games, connecting the TV to a soundbar or speaker system is recommended. The audio formats and enhancements help improve the two speaker setup, but can't match a dedicated multi-speaker surround sound system.

Smart TV Features

The Sony BRAVIA KD-55X80K comes with Google TV, giving you access to a wide range of apps, streaming services, and Google Assistant voice control.

Google TV provides personalized recommendations for movies and shows across your apps and subscriptions. It learns your viewing habits over time to serve up suggestions you'll actually enjoy watching.

You'll have access to all the major streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, and more. Google TV makes finding content easy by organizing movies and shows across services.

For music streaming, you can access Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora, and other audio apps. Gaming apps are also available through Google Play store.

With Google Assistant built-in, you can use your voice to search for entertainment, get answers, and control your TV and smart home. Press the mic button on the remote to ask Google to find a specific movie, adjust the volume, turn off lights, and much more.

The TV also works with Amazon Alexa, so you can control certain features and settings using an Alexa device. Voice control makes accessing content quick and hands-free.

Overall, the smart TV capabilities powered by Google TV give you tons of entertainment options in one place with the convenience of voice control.

Connectivity

The Sony BRAVIA KD-55X80K offers ample connectivity options to hook up external devices and access content. It comes with the following ports:

• HDMI - This 55-inch TV has 4 HDMI ports to connect devices like Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, streaming sticks, etc. The HDMI ports support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for up to 4K 120Hz for high frame rate gaming.

• USB - There are 2 USB ports to connect hard drives, keyboards, gaming controllers, and other USB devices. One port is USB 2.0 while the other is USB 3.0 for faster data transfer.

• Ethernet - The TV has an Ethernet port for wired internet connectivity which provides faster and more reliable streaming compared to WiFi.

• WiFi - For wireless connectivity, the TV has built-in WiFi supporting the latest 802.11 ac standards. It connects easily to 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks.

• Bluetooth - Bluetooth 4.2 allows the TV to pair with wireless devices like headphones, speakers, game controllers etc. up to 30 feet range.

The extensive connectivity options make it easy to hook up various devices and access online content seamlessly. The HDMI 2.1 and USB 3.0 ports are great for gaming while WiFi and Ethernet provide flexible internet connectivity.

Remote

The Sony BRAVIA KD-55X80K comes with a sleek and minimalist remote that is comfortable to hold. It has a brushed metal finish on the back which gives it a premium feel. The remote is not too big or small, fitting nicely in the hand.

There are only a few essential buttons on the remote to avoid clutter. You get the standard directional buttons, along with buttons for Home, Apps, Input select, TV controls, Play/Pause, etc. The buttons have a nice tactile feedback when pressed. Volume and channel rockers are present on the sides for easy access.

The remote uses Bluetooth instead of infrared, so you don't need direct line-of-sight for it to work. The Bluetooth connectivity is very responsive. The remote can even be used as a universal remote by programming it to control other devices connected to the TV.

Overall, the remote has an excellent design and provides all the necessary controls while maintaining a simple and minimalist aesthetic. The build quality is great and it feels durable and long-lasting. The Bluetooth connectivity makes using the remote a breeze.

Performance

The Sony BRAVIA KD-55X80K delivers excellent overall performance for both TV viewing and gaming.

The picture quality is superb thanks to the 4K Ultra HD resolution and HDR support. It displays sharp, detailed images with vibrant and accurate colors. Fast motion scenes are handled very well with minimal blurring or judder.

For non-4K content, the X80K does an excellent job of upscaling lower resolution sources to near 4K quality. Fine details are preserved and images remain crisp.

Gamers will appreciate the low input lag which provides very responsive gameplay. The TV supports key gaming features like Auto Low Latency Mode and Variable Refresh Rate. With HDMI 2.1 ports, it can handle 4K gaming up to 120Hz.

The powerful X1 4K HDR processor provides great optimization for clarity, color and contrast across all content. Overall the X80K delivers a very smooth and immersive viewing experience whether you're watching movies, sports or gaming.

Pros and Cons

The Sony BRAVIA KD-55X80K has many positives but also a few drawbacks to consider.

Pros

• Excellent 4K picture quality with vibrant colors and deep blacks
• Impressive upscaling of HD content
• Wide viewing angles with IPS panel
• Bright display great for well-lit rooms
• Supports HDR10, HLG for improved contrast
• Good motion handling with fast response time
• Intuitive Google TV interface
• Built-in Google Assistant and Chromecast
• Works with Amazon Alexa and Apple AirPlay
• Plenty of HDMI ports and USB inputs

Cons

• Only 60Hz refresh rate, no 120Hz support
• Mediocre built-in speakers
• No Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos
• Lacks some advanced gaming features
• No satellite or cable TV tuner
• Only 2-year warranty period

In summary, the X80K series delivers very good 4K picture quality and smart TV features for the price. But it lacks some extras like higher refresh rate and advanced audio. For most buyers seeking an affordable mid-range option, the pros likely outweigh the cons.

Conclusion

The Sony BRAVIA KD-55X80K is an excellent mid-range 4K TV that offers great picture quality and smart features at a reasonable price. Its sleek minimalist design will look good in any living room.

The 4K HDR display produces vibrant, accurate colors and deep blacks. Motion handling is also very good with fast response times and Sony's XR processor delivering a smooth viewing experience. While the 55X80K lacks some more premium features like local dimming, it still delivers an impressive picture for the price.

Audio quality is decent but lacking in bass due to the lack of a subwoofer. Connectivity options are good with four HDMI inputs and Bluetooth support. The Google TV interface is intuitive and offers a huge library of apps and streaming services.

Overall, the Sony 55X80K strikes a great balance between performance and value. It delivers a high-quality 4K viewing experience and smart platform that will satisfy most buyers. Unless you need more advanced features like local dimming or better audio, the 55X80K is easy to recommend for shoppers looking for a mid-range 4K TV. Its great picture quality and smart capabilities make it a very solid choice.