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Sony’s new Bravia 4K TV lineup offers a model for (almost) everyone

Read our full Sony X900B series review.

CES 2014 was awash in 4K/UHD resolution glamour, and Sony wore the banner as prominently as anyone at the show. From its 4K/UHD TVs, to handheld 4K cameras, to a heavy wager on expanding 4K content, Sony went all in. Today, the company has released pricing and availability on its its Bravia series lineup, teased its new 4K media player, and unveiled new content. Let’s take a closer look and see what’s on the Sony 4K docket for this year.

Bravia 4K TV Series

Sony is shipping all the TVs it showed off at CES to stores in June, boasting 3 different series for a total of 9 models, including four sizes of its XBR-X850B, three for the XBR-X900B, and two for its flagship XBR-950B. Today, we found out just what it will cost to own one of Sony’s new wonders, and have it listed below.

XBR-X850B

  • 49-inch – $2,100

  • 55-inch – $3,000

  • 65-inch – $4,000

  • 70-inch – $5,500

XBR-X900B

  • 55-inch – $4,000

  • 65-inch – $5,000

  • 79-inch – $9,000

XBR-X950B

  • 65-inch – $8,000

  • 85-inch – $25,000

Yes, you read that right, the 85-inch behemoth will run you a cool twenty-five grand. It seems every major tech titan, in a sort of keep-up-with-the-Johnsons move, has to include a ridiculously priced model, and 4K monsters that take up an entire wall are still pretty pricey. However, the rest of Sony’s lineup offer more attainable pricing, and also provide plenty of features to entice the 4K faithful.

Its no surprise that Sony’s newest additions to the Bravia line-up pull out all the stops when it comes to the latest in 4K connection and display technology. All of its new models incorporate HDMI 2.0, which allows for 4K/60p resolution, as well as the latest HEVC/H.265 decoding for translating new 4K streams. The TVs also offer mobile home link 3.0, which allows them to receive 4K output from a compatible smartphone or tablet.

For picture performance, all of the new TVs bring a host of Sony’s digital imaging technology  to the table, including its touted 4K X-Reality PRO upscaling for lower resolution content, Triluminos Display color technology for “lifelike color,” and Dynamic Range PRO, which is designed to deliver brighter whites and deeper blacks for improved contrast ratios.

All of the new Bravias also offer Sony’s ClearAudio+ technology, which is designed to offer sound that’s better than your average flat screen, with a wider image, and clear vocals. You can even pair the new TVs with Sony’s wireless subwoofer, the SWF-BR100 for some power down below.

In addition, the TVs will include Sony’s new One-Flick Entertainment, which is designed to provide a more streamlined way to pull up content from multiple sources, as well as providing access to PlayMemories Online, which is Sony’s process for organizing your photos from smartphones and tablets, and showing them off in 4K resolution. The PlayMemories service also boasts access to a community of photos from around the world.

For gamers, the new Bravia breed offer a direct line to Sony’s new gaming service, Playstation Now, which allows streaming of Playstation 3 games straight to the TV – all that’s needed is to add a Sony controller, and you’re ready for action. Of course, if you’re a gamer with a new Sony 4K TV, you’ve probably already got a PS4, but it’s still a cool option.

Finally, there are, of course, some extras thrown in if you step up to the higher tiers in the new Bravia family. The XBR-900B models, for instance, feature a cool new form-factor, stretching the frame into a wedge shape which allows the sets to boast a larger speaker configuration for more powerful sound. The new wedge shape looks pretty cool, too – Sony likes to throw around the word “iconic” for this design.

As for the flagship X950B models, the big selling point (aside from the size) is their direct LED arrays, which are designed to deliver unparalleled contrast, dynamic range, and color saturation.

4K Media player/content

Apart from its TV barrage, Sony also announced that its new 4K media player will be raising its head sometime this summer. The FMP-X10 will be a large part of Sony’s 4K content expansion, offering users the ability to download and stream movies from its Video Unlimited 4K service. The player will also be equipped with the software necessary to connect to Netflix’s newly unveiled 4K streams, which are slowly emerging as promised. The FMP-X10 will work as a modular addition for older Sony 4K TVs to upgrade to the latest in 4K streaming, and offer 1TB of storage for content downloading.

Speaking of content, Sony has continued to supplement its 4K content since January, and the company now boasts over 200 4K titles in its lineup, up from a previous 140. New movies like American Hustle and Monuments Men will be on the list, as well as plans for future films like The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and new TV episodes, including The Blacklist.

In addition, the company is reiterating its plans to produce 3 full matches from FIFA World Cup 2014 in 4K resolution, and will release a film premiering matches, including the final match. Strangely, Sony only offers U.S. viewers the ability to watch the trailer of the film as of now.

While Sony’s new 4K displays are far from cheap, the entry-level $2,100 model gets about as close as we’ve seen to affordable from the company when it comes to 4K, and the new lineup offers a host of ways to get into the premium brand’s spin on UHD. If you want in, Sony is taking pre-orders for its new Bravia lineup starting today.

Editors' Recommendations

Ryan Waniata
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…
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