Sony’s X950B is a class-leading 4K LED TV, but does it make sense to buy one?

By Caleb Denison September 27, 2014

Sony’s flagship X950B 4K LED television has a good chance at earning our recognition as the best 4K LED TV for 2014, but its top-notch performance comes at a stiff price: $7,000. In 2013, that kind of price would be considered a good deal for a 4K TV, but 2014 is a very different year for what is still thought of as a new breed of television technology. Thanks to Vizio, top-tier 4K/Ultra HD television prices are plummeting, and they’ll be even lower soon enough. That makes Sony’s 4K hero a super-premium option, and dangerously close to the cost of a 4K OLED television, which offers vastly superior picture quality over LCD-based televisions, even one as awesome as the X960B.

With all that considered, the X950B, and Sony on the whole, deserve some recognition. It’s been several years since Sony offered up a flagship that gave the other big players in the TV market a big-time run for their money. And boy does this TV compete.

With a full array of locally-dimmed LED backlights, stellar black levels and contrast, industry-leading video processing, and access to Sony’s vast array of streaming content and games along with everything Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant, and others have to offer, this TV delivers a premium experience to back up that premium price tag. In addition, its svelte exterior design is bound to look good in any home entertainment room. Oh, and did we mention it isn’t curved?

Take a closer look at one of the best TVs this year as to offer in our hands on video, and let us know what you think about the primo price and proximity to next-gen 4K OLEDs, due out later this year.

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Digital Trends Editor at Large Caleb Denison is a sought-after writer, speaker, and television correspondent with unmatched…

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