Sony's Ultra HD 4K TVs that are thinner than an iPhone 6 will arrive this summer
Apple isn’t the only company obsessed with making its electronics thinner and lighter. Sony’s super-thin Ultra HD 4K TVs (UHD TV), which measure 0.2-inches thin at their thinnest point — slimmer than an iPhone 6 — will be available this summer.
There will be two models of the svelte UHD TVs: the X900C, which clocks in at 55 inches and 65 inches, and the X910C at 75 inches.
SEE ALSO: Sharp raises the 4K game with 'virtual 8K' TV
Designed to vanish while you’re watching them, the X900C and X910C have screens that are virtually bezel-less, and run almost edge-to-edge. While the bezels aren’t quite as thin as some Samsung TVs, which really run to the edges, they’re definitely a step up compared to Sony’s old thick-bezeled monolithic-design TVs.
While the top half of the television is razor thin, the bottom half is noticeably thicker (the components, as well as HDMI and USB ports, have to go somewhere). Still, Sony says the UHD TVs will mount closer to walls, making them even more beautiful in living rooms.
As far as picture quality goes, the 3,840 x 2,160 resolution is stunning. The UHD TVs have a wider range of displayable colors and higher brightness range, thanks to a new X1 processor. This new brain also helps with upscaling high-definition content to 4K.
If you own a smart TV, you’re probably aware of how crappy its smart interface is. The most common complaints include slowness and lack and an ecosystem of apps. You’re better off buying a Roku or Apple TV, rather than touching your television's smart interface.
In addition, Sony’s not taking any risks this year. The X900C and X910C come with Google’s Android TV (the same interface on Google’s Nexus Player set-top box); that means full access to Google Play, Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Instant Video and more.
The UHD TVs also support Google Cast, which lets you beam content from smartphones, tablets and computers quickly and easily. And there’s a voice-search function in the new One-Flick remote.
For gamers, the X900C comes with PlayStation Now, Sony’s streaming game service. The service leverages Sony’s cloud-based streaming technology to deliver PlayStation 3 games without a game console.
How much will these UHD TVs cost you? Sony's still not saying, but if we were to guess, they're probably less than the higher-specced models, below:
High Dynamic Range 4K TVs
Impressive as the X900C and X910C are, they’re not the crème de la crème of Sony’s 2015 UHD lineup. The X930C (65-inch) and X940C (75-inch) claim that honor, thanks to their ability to display High Dynamic Range (HDR) content.
