Sony XBR-75X940D review

From HDR to 4K to 3D, Sony's 75X940D delivers the home cinema goods

Sony KD-75XD9405

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By historical standards $5,999 isn't really a vast amount to pay for a high-quality, feature-rich 75-inch 4K LCD TV. That doesn't alter the fact, though, that it's still going to be more money than the vast majority of households are going to be able to find for a TV.

Also, perhaps more pertinently, while I understand there are major economy of scale issues when you're manufacturing screen sizes bigger than 65 inches, there's no getting round the fact that stepping up $3,000 from the $2,999 price of the 65-inch Sony 65X930D feels like a heck of a leap for 10 inches more screen, even when the 75-inch model also delivers significantly superior performance.

That said, with its huge screen, lengthy feature list and surprisingly attractive (considering how massive it is) design, the 75X940D does a pretty good job of justifying its price even before you turn it on – and when you do switch it on you just fall for it all the harder, as it produces the single best picture quality of any TV I've tested so far this year, regardless of whether you're feeding it an HDR or SDR diet.

We liked

The size of the screen is irresistible to anyone who loves movies, especially when that screen is filled with the sort of outstanding and groundbreaking picture quality the 75X940D serves up in almost every frame, and with almost any source.

We disliked

The remote control is horrible, and Android TV continues to feel unfriendly and lacking focus. Picture-wise there's a little clouding around very bright HDR elements at times, and the price of entry is high.

Verdict

Thanks to its combination of a huge screen and often mesmerizing HDR and 4K picture quality, the 75X940D crosses over from being a mere TV into genuine home cinema territory. It also delivers the most convincing all-round showcase of what HDR is capable of that I've seen from a TV to date, while simultaneously working wonders with all that non-HDR stuff we're still going to have to spend most of our time watching. If you've got the living room space and bank balance health to take it on, you'd be crazy not to audition one as soon as possible.

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John Archer
AV Technology Contributor

John has been writing about home entertainment technology for more than two decades - an especially impressive feat considering he still claims to only be 35 years old (yeah, right). In that time he’s reviewed hundreds if not thousands of TVs, projectors and speakers, and spent frankly far too long sitting by himself in a dark room.