Sony has revealed its new flagship line of Z-series 4K TVs, and has also announced five Bravia 4K sets will launch in Europe.
Following a somewhat underwhelming showing at CES 2016, the company has finally shown its hand, unveiling the 4K HDR ZD9 series at a dedicated event this week.
The new ZD9 series finally signals a move on from the previous X series, and a runs on a new X1TM Extreme processor, which the company says improves clarity, colour accuracy and contrast of HD, 4K and 4K HDR videos.
Alongside the shiny new processor, the LED Z-series also comes with HDR support and Backlight Master Drive – a features that allows the set to control specific pixel clusters.
TrustedReviews, Home Technology Editor, Ced Yuen, said: “By adding discrete LED control, Sony has addressed one of LCD TVs’ greatest weaknesses. Precise lighting is OLED’s big selling point, and Sony has evened the playing field against LG.”
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The Backlight Master Drive feature is aimed at recreating the effect of OLED tech – something which LG is well-known for using in its own sets – where individual pixels emit their own light, allowing for deeper blacks and brighter whites.
While the overall effect is unlikely to match OLED in terms of contrast ratio, the ZD9’s Backlight Master Drive is a step in the right direction for LCD LED tech, and the actual result of Sony’s technology still remains to be seen.
Elsewhere, you can expect to see Sony’s new TV running on Android TV – Google’s TV operating system.
The set will come in 65-inch, 75-inch, and 100-inch models, but don’t expect to see the Ultra HD Premium logo anywhere near the ZD9.
Related: What is HDR?
Ultra HD Premium is a new label which is given to TVs that match pre-determined criteria, set by a group of industry professionals and companies, for being HDR-ready.
Sony has chosen to stick with its own 4K HDR branding when it comes to its TVs, however. This doesn’t mean the Sony range will be any less capable than other TVs on the market in theory, so don’t let the lack of UHD Premium put you off.
Still, if that hasn’t got you worried, the pricing might. While the 65-inch KD65ZD9 and 75-inch KD75ZD9 model cost £4,000 and £7,000 respectively, the 75-inch KD100ZD9 version will run you £60,000.
If you fancy shelling out for one of these top-end TVs, the ZD9 range will launch later this year, with an exact release date yet to be confirmed.
On top of all that, Sony also announced it would be bringing a range of 4K Bravia TVs to Europe: the XD83, XD80, XD70, XD75, and SD80.
Here are all the models along with pricing information:
43-inch XD83 – £900
49-inch XD83 – £1,100
43-inch XD80 – £850
49-inch XD80 – £1,000
55-inch XD80 – £1,300
49-inch XD70 – £800
55-inch XD70 – £1,000
65-inch XD75 – £1,700
50-inch SD80 – £1,200
These models will be available in UK and Irish retailers ‘soon’ according to the company. Stay tuned for an exact release date.
WATCH: Trusted Explains: All you need to know about TVs
Will Sony’s new Z-series beat LG’s OLED tech? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
