It’s becoming apparent that the new line of 4K Ultra HD TVs are becoming more and more affordable (relatively speaking) as we’ve had the opportunity to install 2 different units within the same week.
One was the Sony X9004A in the 55″ variant. This was a phenomenal TV, with amazing picture quality and sound that would blow any other inbuilt TV speaker out of the water. The 2 large side mounted speakers were a very obvious feature and my first reaction to them was…well…I thought they were hideous. The unit itself was large and bulky, with a weight of 33.1kg and a profile of 10cm – huge by todays standards. Once it was up on the wall though, my preconceptions of the TVs aesthetics had all vanished. It actually looked amazing, with the speakers adding a touch of rawness that comes from an audiophile quality setup.
The other 4K TV was the Samsung Series 9 in a larger 65″ flavour. The picture quality was excellent, as you would expect from a Series 9, however the standout feature was in its design. This TV had an ultra thin border, with a weight of 32.1kg and a thickness of just 4.1cm. All the ports were located in an external box, meaning there were just 2 wires from the TV to the cabinet – power and signal. This allowed us to use our ultra slim TV bracket, getting the TV a mere 9mm from the wall! Sound quality was fairly standard – what you would normally expect from such a thin TV.
In the end it’s a tough comparison. If I needed something to be used with a home theatre system, then I would have no doubts recommending the Samsung. Its minimalistic design draws attention to its most important feature – the screen. However if the TV speakers were the only source of sound, the Sony is the clear winner all round.
Model numbers and current street pricing:
Sony KD55X9004A $3389
Samsung UA65F9000 $4190
