04 Oct
Blog

Save $400 on This 65-inch Sony 4K TV With This Early Prime Day Deal

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Sony X900H 65 inch TV

Amazon Prime Day doesn't officially kick off for a couple of weeks, but even now these are some early Prime Day deals that have some great 4K TV deals to take advantage of if you're thinking of upgrading your current home theater setup . Sony's 65-inch 4K TV X900H is currently priced at $ 400, which brings the cost down from the original $ 1,399 price for evaluating a smidge under $ 1,000. This is the cheapest model ever on Amazon. So if you've been looking for a new 4K model, now is the time to do it.

This 4K TV is part of Sony's main mid-range offering, popular with movie fans and home theater enthusiasts, offering exceptional picture quality at a reasonable price. It has new features to keep up with the latest models such as the variable refresh rate. This also makes it a great choice for games that want to play fast-paced games with precise accuracy. The overall look of the TV is sleek and modern, with no annoying flashy elements or excessively large bezels. So there is nothing to distract you from the great picture that should be the focus of your attention.

If you are looking for a TV with smart features, the X900H is the one for you. With Smart Android TV and Google Assistant, you can control the TV with your voice. If you prefer, the TV can also work with Alexa. So you can ask Alexa devices in your home to play music, start apps or adjust the volume. Other features include a game mode for those who want to switch between movies and games without sacrificing image quality. This mode adjusts the settings so that you get a smoother picture while playing.

However, the real selling point of the Sony X900H is how good the picture quality is. This model can go head to toe with much more expensive high-end 4K sets with great black levels, algorithmic local dimming and impressive color accuracy. In our test of the Sony X900H, we described it as very affordable, even at a non-reduced price. Given the Prime Day savings that cut the price by $ 400 to under $ 1,000, this is an absolute steal.

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we carefully and independently choose what we cover. The prices, details and availability of the products and offers in this post are subject to change at any time. Make sure they are still valid before making a purchase.

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Editor's recommendations




12 Aug
Blog

Sony Xperia 1 II Review: Stands Out From the Crowd

Sony Xperia 1 II review

Sony Xperia 1 II review: stand out from the crowd

"The Xperia 1 II is different from other high-end smartphones, but its specifics are just a little too niche to have any broad appeal."

  • Nice high resolution screen

  • Compact design that is easy to hold

  • The camera takes great photos

  • Excellent audio

  • Fingerprint sensor is weak

  • No. 5G in the US

Sony is doing everything possible to make devices that do not meet the 2020 smartphone rules. The Xperia 1 II (yes, that's "one two" as in the sequel to the Xperia 1) isn't a curvy all-screen phone, it doesn't have a built-in fingerprint sensor to get the most out of it, the camera expects You already know your camera technology. It follows the herd at the price, which is a whopping $ 1,200.

It's refreshing to use a phone that isn't a clone of someone else this year, but while Sony is doing a lot right, the direction in which it is trying to make the phone stand out is a little too niche. Let's take a closer look.

design

The looks of the Xperia 1 II will split opinions, but I think it looks excellent. It uses a screen with an aspect ratio of 21: 9 which gives it an elongated, more than wide style, and square sides for a boxy, monolithic shape. The glossy black finish on my test phone is classy, ​​if a little faceless, and the build quality and construction are superb.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

You would expect that, wouldn't you? Of course, but it's noticeable here. While the sides of the phone are flat, the glass on the front and back has a 2D curve on all sides and blends beautifully and seamlessly with the case. It's like the phone has been expertly carved out of a single block of black glass.

On the back is a vertical camera lens module in the left corner. It's so tightly filled with sensors that two won't fit in and get on the body itself. On the right side there is a volume rocker and a power switch, which also houses the fingerprint sensor. Underneath is a two-stage camera shutter release. More on that later.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

On the opposite side is the easy-to-open SIM card tray from Sony. No special tool is needed to extract from the body, which makes life easier for those who regularly switch SIMs or MicroSD cards on the go. It's also much more secure than the Xperia 10 Plus, which was too easy to pull out of the phone.

The Xperia 1 II is light at 181 grams and slim at 7.9 mm. It doesn't have the curves of the OnePlus 8 Pro or the sleek shape of the Huawei P40 Pro, but it offers comfort, grip, and class. The 21: 9 aspect ratio means the body isn't too wide to be held and used with one hand, the glass isn't slippery, and the design has a cool simplicity that means it'll still be good in a year looks.

screen

What an absolute beauty the Xperia 1 II's screen is – just what you'd expect from a company that makes some of the best TVs out there. (Have you seen the new A8H 4K OLED? It's superb.) The Xperia's 6.5-inch screen is an HDR-enabled OLED panel with an astonishing 3,840 × 1,644 pixel resolution. That is a pixel density of 643ppi – for comparison: Even the beautiful iPhone 11 Pro only manages 458ppi.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

To just call it sharp is an understatement. It's gorgeous in a way that a smartphone screen doesn't have to be. I've experimented with wallpapers, videos, and images online and in my own gallery and it never disappoints. From the inky blacks – set Dark Mode so that it really appreciates its depth – to its unwillingness to display even a single pixel, and anything and everyone is a joy to look at. The flat screen also pays off here, as the screen appears to be directly on the glass surface.

When looking at the settings, you can change the white balance or activate the creator mode, which optimizes the graphics via a special color gamut and 10-bit HDR. It was created with the help of Sony's CineAlta team, who usually work on video cameras that capture the latest blockbuster movies. Sony has also added a video enhancement mode and a motion blur reduction mode. Both are effective, but the look isn't for everyone. Motion blur, for example, smooths out video playback on YouTube, but at the expense of realism.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Carfection's 4K video test of the Alpine A110S on YouTube shows the strengths of the Xperia 1 II. The level of detail is fantastic, including reading the tire brand and size from a distance, and the color balance is exemplary. If I have criticism, the palette is pretty cool, so white can be pretty strong at high brightness, but enabling Creator mode can improve that.

It's colorful, vibrant, and extremely customizable. It's probably the best phone screen I've ever seen. What a shame there isn't a 90 or 120 Hz refresh rate, a feature many would consider a staple for any 2020 flagship phone.

camera

Here is an overview of the cameras in the Xperia 1 II. You get a standard 12-megapixel sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 12-megapixel wide-angle sensor and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens with OIS. It has a 3D time-of-flight sensor, flash, photo light and Sony's high-precision eye-tracking technology. The camera expert Zeiss supplies the lenses and there is a 3x optical zoom, HDR, 4K HDR video recording with up to 60 frames per second (fps) and a burst mode with 20 fps.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Sony has also pre-installed two custom camera apps, Cinema Pro and Photo Pro, which emulate the user interface and functionality of Alpha cameras such as the Sony A9 and Sony A7 III. Continuing to leverage the know-how from within, Sony wants its smartphone cameras to be an extension of its pro-level gear, offering a similar level of versatility in a compact, portable device. As a strategy, it makes perfect sense; In reality, it's still something regular phone buyers may never handle.

Take the Cinema Pro app. You have complete control over how you record videos on the Xperia 1 II, from focus to shutter speed, white balance, ISO and the overall look of your footage. I don't doubt the features are clear and you will get the highest quality video out of the box if you are familiar with using a pro level camera to record video. If you're like me, someone who puts the camera on auto, the learning curve is very steep and you'll be shooting a ton of junk videos before you get to anything halfway decent. The thing is, you could just take a picture with the regular camera app and cut out all of the sweat and swearing that comes from trying to change Cinema Pro's settings correctly.

Photo Pro and Cinema Pro are too complex for ordinary phone buyers, but it's great to see Sony are working to differentiate their devices from others by leveraging their massive in-house expertise and there will be a segment of buyers who will be the granular ones Controlling loves these apps. Does it affect the usability of the regular Xperia 1 II camera? Fortunately no. In most environments, you can safely use the phone's normal camera app and take great-looking, shareable photos.

The saturation isn't too clumsy, so photos appear natural but have enough pop to pass along without editing. The wide-angle and 3x optical zoom offer a lot of versatility, and the physical two-stage focus / shutter release works great. I noticed a halo in some photos in bright sunlight that isn't particularly good in low light. The selfie camera can also take blurred, lifeless photos. The camera is good for the most part, but I think you really need to understand photography and should learn to use the pro apps to get the most of it.

This is where Sony starts to lose points on the basics. The app is poorly designed to start with. For example, the button to switch to selfie camera is hidden in the menu at the top of the screen so you'll have to look for it. It's also a bit slow: there is a noticeable pause when switching between lenses and when taking a photo. This is fundamental and frustrating on a high-end phone from a seasoned manufacturer. Switching to a better camera app could help.

Performance, Connectivity and Software

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 and 8 GB of RAM provide the Xperia 1 II with 256 GB of storage space and a slot for a MicroSD card or a second SIM card in this practical quick-release compartment on the side. The phone also has UFS 3.0 for fast storage access (for laypeople this means that storage performance is closer to SSDs, but has longer battery life). This is all what we'd expect from a flagship smartphone, and it was as quick and smooth as expected.

Geekbench 5: 895 single core / 3287 multi core

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 6.062 (volcano)

These scores are slightly lower than the OnePlus 8 Pro and lower in 3DMark than the Exynos-based Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, although the Xperia outperforms it in Geekbench 5. I haven't found any performance deficit. I like to play on the Xperia 1 II. I've mostly played casual games and spent way too much time with Hill Climb Racer, mostly because the phone is very comfortable to hold in landscape mode. The 21: 9 widescreen aspect ratio looks great, the screen is incredibly sharp, and I didn't really miss a higher refresh rate either. If you're playing more graphically intense games like Real Racing 3, the phone does a great job and never gets hot.

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Sony Xperia 1 II Review Kino Pro App "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/sony-xperia-1-ii-cinema - pro-app-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAASony Cinema Pro app Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

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Even though the Sony phone has a 5G capable Snapdragon 865 processor, 5G is disabled in the US. It's active in the UK version but I couldn't test the functionality because 5G isn't available in my region. If there is no 5G in a phone at that price, it affects its long-term appeal. All calls sounded fine, although reception was a bit problematic and the phone wasn't receiving a strong signal compared to others. The phone also tends to get quite hot during extended calls, but against the palm of your hand rather than your face.

My test device has Android 10 installed with the July 1st Android security patch installed. In addition, it has a Sony-owned user interface that is very similar to Google's Pixel software. Gestures work well, there's an effective dark mode, and the notification shadow and app drawer are where you'd expect them to be. I didn't have any speed issues, but was frustrated at times that apps took a while to close after swiping to quit.

There are a few too many pre-installed apps, including LinkedIn, that send prompts to use when you're using the phone. This also applies to Sony-owned apps like the News Suite app, which isn't very attractive and has too many sponsored articles to be useful. Many other manufacturers have given up this procedure or at least offer the option of being able to preinstall these apps recommended by Moneymaking during setup. It's annoying that Sony isn't doing the same thing.

Battery and sound

The 4,000 mAh battery lasts around five to five and a half hours of screen time a day. This meant that outside of very heavy usage days, it could travel a full distance from 8 a.m. to midnight before a charge was required. It's acceptable, but not great. The fingerprint sensor is the same – acceptable, but not great. It's unreliable and quite awkward to use as it's smaller than the side sensors on previous Sony phones. It doesn't like wet fingers either. All of this is made more annoying by the lack of a face unlock to resort to.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Sony has equipped the Xperia 1 II with stereo front speakers. These are excellent and offer a full, deep, and engaging sound. Audio is enhanced by a feature called Dynamic Vibration, which uses haptic motors to add vibration to the media being played on the phone. It works in many apps, including YouTube and Twitter, and is surprisingly effective. It can get a little too much with music videos where it's constantly vibrating, but it's pretty much fun with movies. Best of all, you can adjust the intensity directly via the volume or turn it off entirely if you don't like it.

The excellent audio performance combined with the stunning screen make the Xperia 1 II an excellent multimedia phone.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Xperia 1 II is priced at $ 1,199 in the US and is available now from Sony, Amazon, and other retailers. In the UK, the Xperia 1 II costs £ 1,099.

Our opinion

The Sony Xperia 1 II is something else, and that instantly makes me warm. The screen is one of the best in the business, the camera takes some great photos, and the quality of the phone itself is superb. I also appreciate Sony's attempts to make the Xperia 1 II stand out from the crowd. However, the complex pro-level camera apps are very attractive, and the decision not to include 5G in the US models is as confusing as it is unfortunate.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. If you want a top-of-the-line Android phone with a good camera, we recommend either the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus or S20 Ultra, or a look at the Galaxy Note 10 Plus or the new Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, depending on your budget. The OnePlus 8 Pro is also highly recommended and is considerably cheaper. If you are in the UK or don't mind importing, the Oppo Find X2 Pro is excellent too.

Our other suggestion here is to buy an iPhone 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max. The camera is excellent and if you need professional tools. There are many apps available in the App Store that you can use to replicate Sony's Cinema and Video Pro app functionality. You will receive our recommendation for the best phone to buy as a bonus today. Note, however, that it doesn't come with 5G either. For that, you'll have to wait for the iPhone 12 to arrive this fall.

How long it will take?

The Xperia 1 II is IP68 water and dust resistant, which gives it a good chance of survival if the humidity changes, and the Gorilla Glass 6 front and rear are durable. My test model noticed a few faint scratches on the screen from spending relatively little time in pockets and pockets. A screen protector and a case would be advisable.

While the lack of 5G in the US version isn't a big deal for everyone right now, it will become an increasingly desirable feature over the next two years. This is the minimum time we would expect you to keep this phone. and not having it as an option can be a problem. We encourage you to carefully consider whether you are likely to want 5G in the near future and buy accordingly.

Sony hasn't said when Android 11 will arrive on the Xperia 1 II. During the general review of ongoing software updates, we were told: “Sony Mobile offers regular and timely security upgrades. While phones cannot be updated indefinitely, we offer industry standard security upgrades on our devices, depending on the region and network operator. "

Should you buy it?

No. Despite its strengths, you can buy a phone with similar features that has 5G on board and is ready for the future. When you spend $ 1,199 on a phone, expect it to have the latest technology to ensure it will last. In the UK, where the phone has 5G, the Xperia 1 II is a better choice.

Editor's recommendations




09 Aug
Blog

Sony X950H 4K HDR TV Review: Seriously Satisfying TV

"Excellent picture quality that is completely satisfactory."

  • Very bright

  • Impressive black levels

  • Movement handling of the highest quality

  • Excellent out-of-box color

  • No support for variable update rates

  • Unstable table stand

You might not need a TV as great as the Sony X950H, but if you see one in person, I'm willing to bet you'll want it.

To be honest, if you're interested in a Sony TV with great picture quality and player-friendly features, the Sony X900H, which sits right below the X950H we reviewed here, is a better choice. However, if you are one of those who only needs the best picture quality from an LED TV, the X950H is for you. If you want the best picture quality Sony is making this year – and indeed one of the best TVs to buy in 2020 – you should consider the Sony A8H OLED TV.

For perspective, the X950H is available in 49, 55, 65, 75, and 85-inch versions for $ 998, 1198, 1698, 2798, and $ 3,998, respectively (non-sale price). The X900H is available in 55-, 65-, 75-, and 85-inch variants priced at $ 998, $ 1298, $ 2198, and $ 2798, respectively. That translates to a $ 400 premium for the 65-inch X950H over the X900H.

For those who don't know, I'm a non-apologetic fan of Sony's best TVs. The reason: image processing. Sony's stated goal of making the Creator's intention come true is certainly a line of marketing, but this is something the company has succeeded in doing through a vision chip that takes an LED TV panel off the shelf every business Can buy and convert into a work of art.

To be clear, I understand that this type of accuracy is not a priority for many buyers, and it is true that there are many cheaper TVs out there that would be a more practical choice for most people. The X950H is certainly a niche TV, and Sony makes no apologies for it. Is it right for you Let's find out.

Out of the box

Prepare for a rather complicated unboxing experience. A lot of plastic adheres to the X950H, presumably to protect its beautiful, shiny design accents. There's also a ton of paper in the form of product manuals and setup guides that I usually want to throw in the trash.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

In that case, you may want to stick with the installation instructions when you stand mount the TV – or just watch my X950H unboxing video – as installing the TVs … is less than intuitive. On the plus side, there are two ways to align your feet. One places feet on the far ends of the TV, the other points inward for a tighter footprint (but it looks goofy).

Once the TV is set up, you'll likely admire its form factor. The X950H doesn't have a particularly thin profile due to its local full array dimming backlight system, but its bezels are almost non-existent. Sure, there's still a black panel in your room, but it's a classy one.

Sure, there's still a black panel in your room, but it's a classy one.

Depending on the lighting in your room, you may find that the TV's screen creates a kind of rainbow effect when it is turned off or when dark content is displayed in a bright room. I believe this is due to a combination of anti-glare treatment and a panel layer that improves the image quality out of the angle. I've seen this on other TVs, and while I didn't find it a problem during most of my testing period, I was a little apprehensive while trying to watch Netflix's notoriously dark Ozark when sunlight fell into the room. I saw less of myself and the room, but I also saw a hazy rainbow.

configuration

Studies have shown that most people do not make any adjustments to picture settings when they bring their TVs home. If you don't, please know that the X950H's out-of-the-box “standard” image preset is one of the least disgusting I've seen from any manufacturer.

If you buy that particular TV, I'd bet you want the best picture quality possible. To do this, I would recommend starting with the "custom" mode, which has the best color accuracy in box. The custom mode may be a little dark. So you can adjust the backlight setting to get the brightness level you want. Otherwise you don't have to touch anything else.

sony x950h 4k hdr tv review sonyx950h 200807 9Dan Baker / Digital Trends

sony x950h 4k hdr tv review sonyx950h 200807 5thDan Baker / Digital Trends

sony x950h 4k hdr tv review sonyx950h 200807 8Dan Baker / Digital Trends

sony x950h 4k hdr tv review sonyx950h 200807 7Dan Baker / Digital Trends

This works for SDR content, but you also want to choose the HDR picture preset that you like best for both HDR10 and Dolby Vision content. I suggest going to the YouTube app, looking for 4K HDR content, and playing one of the clips shown. Go into the picture settings and choose the HDR picture mode that you like the most.

For Dolby Vision adjustments, I recommend playing a Dolby Vision-enabled clip from Netflix. Go back into the picture settings and choose the Dolby Vision preset (light or dark) that you like best.

An additional note for the setup: Sony offers a "light sensor" option, with which not only the brightness of the X950H, but also its gamma curve is automatically adjusted to the lighting situation in your room. I find the feature to work very well, but it will also darken the picture in dark rooms. So if you prefer the most punchy HDR experience you can get, this feature should be turned off.

sound

I don't often talk about the sound quality of a TV as it is almost always poor and in dire need of at least a soundbar for something other than watching the news. With the X950H, however, it's worth discussing.

Two additional speakers offer impressive tricks.

Sony's sound strategy with the X950H was to place small speakers on each side of the TV that sit just below the top to give the sound a sense of directionality and spaciousness. These two additional speakers work with the two downward facing speakers on the bottom of the TV and do some impressive tricks. While I wouldn't call the sound high-fidelity, I'll say that the sound is way better than most TVs and action-packed movies that add some immersion.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Still, I would suggest developing a better sound system for an experience that sounds as good as it looks.

picture quality

If you've spent a lot of time reading TV reviews lately, you've probably heard a lot about zones and nits. Zones refers to the number of local dimming zones a television's backlight system needs to control black levels and improve contrast. Usually more zones are better.

Nits refers to the measurement of the peak brightness a television is capable of, and as you can probably imagine, is more broadly considered to be better.

Sony breaks both rules. Please allow me to spit out for a moment. Skip the next two paragraphs if you want the end result.

Sony doesn't discuss how many zones its TVs have, nor does it like to talk about peak brightness measurements, claiming in either case that the numbers don't necessarily represent performance. I agree to some extent, but for a grin, I measured the X950H's peak brightness in custom picture mode at around 980 nits (with a 10 nits variance in either direction). For those who didn't know their nits from their gloves, that's a very respectable number.

I didn't count zones because I don't care and it's difficult to work with a Sony TV. Sony has some backlighting magic and is really the only TV manufacturer I know that manages to make the number of zones almost irrelevant. The fact that it is difficult to count the backlight zones in the X950H is evidence of this fact.

The bottom line is that the X950H is more than bright enough to provide a great HDR experience.

The bottom line is that the X950H is more than bright enough to deliver a great HDR experience while maintaining great black levels without suppressing details in low light. The backlight controls are very good, which means that the halos you may see around bright objects on a dark background are minimized quite well. This also results in very black mailbox bars that don't turn gray when the action on the screen turns bright, and doesn't overly brighten the screen when subtitles are used.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

The out-of-box color is very good in custom mode too and surprisingly good in game mode. Game mode normally throws color accuracy to the wind, but with the X950H I was pleasantly surprised that it assumed a warmer color temperature while the overall brightness was very high. More about playing in a moment.

The handling of movements is excellent with the X950H and offers smooth, stutter-free movie playback as well as stuttering movements of 60 Hz content on Netflix and YouTube. The processing of the X950H also eliminates any moiré effect that can occur with very narrow, uniform patterns such as the window grilles or the narrow patterns of high-rise buildings.

The processing of the X950H is really excellent when content with low bit depth is processed by streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube or Hulu (really all of them). With other televisions, it's not uncommon to see an effect called banding over large areas of color – think of a large picture of the sky with subtle changes in the color of blue – where there are semicircular bands of color. However, the Sony X950H's processor smooths things out quite successfully.

The X950H has an excellent cinematic picture.

My only complaint about image quality is the out of angle viewing. Contrast and color decrease significantly when you are not in the middle of the television. This is typical of LED TVs with VA panels, but Sony's X wide angle technology made me hope for a better one. Ultimately, I'm glad that no elements of the overall image quality were sacrificed for wide-angle viewing. It's best to just accept how VA LED TVs are and enjoy the superior contrast that they offer.

When all the picture quality components are put together, the X950H gives you an excellent film image. It's deep, rich, and punchy when called to sparkle. Simply put, it's one of the best images I've seen on an LED TV, especially at its price point.

Not for gamers

While the X950H's 18.3 millisecond input lag is good for most casual gaming scenarios, this model lacks the variable refresh rate (VRR) support we're seeing across a wide range of TVs this year. Sony told me that this TV primarily appeals to movie fans and decided not to give it some of the features it blessed its X900H with, including VRR (via future updates) and an ATSC 3.0 tuner.

Android TV experience

Until recently, Android TV was a frustratingly sluggish experience. Fortunately, the on-chip system that is currently used in most 2020 TVs handles Android TV with no significant delays or loading times. Fans of the Google experience will appreciate that previously signed-in apps can be easily updated automatically, eliminating the need to re-enter usernames and passwords. By signing in to Google, YouTube users can keep their viewing history and suggested videos consistent across devices.

Our opinion

The Sony X950H offers great picture quality, surprisingly good sound and a solid Smart TV experience. Image processing improves the visibility of all sources thanks to the excellent upscaling and the ability to clean up content with shallow bit depth. While it may not be the best choice for gamers, it is an ideal television for movie fans. While I am very confident in recommending this TV, I have to be close to the Editor's Choice Award as I think it serves a very niche audience.

Is there a better alternative?

I think the Sony X900H is a handy alternative for those who want great Sony picture quality with gamer-friendly features. The Samsung Q80T is a strong competitor in this price range too. We haven't seen what's coming from Vizio this year and will update this section as soon as we've had some hands-on time.

How long it will take

The lack of HDMI 2.1 compatibility, for which Sony needs a lot of heat, makes me take a break in terms of future security. However, given Sony's solid track record of build quality and the great picture quality of the X950H, I am confident that this TV will be relevant for many years to come.

warranty

Sony provides a one-year parts and labor warranty when purchased from an authorized dealer.

Should you buy it

Hardcore cinephiles will love the X950H, but most people in the market will likely be looking for better overall value or a TV with more updated features. I say if you are among those who want the best picture they can get from an LED TV right now, the X950H is a great choice. Those who are less enthusiastic may want to look elsewhere.

Editor's recommendations




06 Aug
Blog

Sony WH-1000XM4 Review: The Best Headphones Get Even Better

“Same price, even better functions. With the WH-1000XM4 from Sony it looks perfect. "

  • Very convenient

  • Outstanding sound quality

  • Excellent noise cancellation

  • Very good call quality

  • Very good battery life

  • Bluetooth pairing of multiple devices

  • Handy, customizable functions

When Sony launched its latest flagship wireless noise canceling headphones in 2018, which got the uncomfortable name WH-1000XM3 in true Sony fashion, they were at the top of our list of the best headphones. One of our reviewers even called it his gadget of the decade.

If you are curious as to why, I recommend that you read our in-depth review before reading this review as I will be referring to it a lot.

Convenience, sound quality, noise cancellation, battery life … the $ 350 XM3 simply destroyed the competition. Almost two years later, we have yet to find another wireless headphone that we prefer overall.

But resting on your laurels is a recipe for disaster, especially in the ultra-competitive personal audio space. That's why Sony is back with the successor to the XM3, the WH-1000XM4 for $ 350 (you guessed it).

How can you improve near perfection without increasing the price? Let's go into that.

What's in the box?

Sony WH-1000XM4Riley Young / Digital Trends

Your first clue that Sony has decided not to gamble big with its time-tested formula comes when you open the box. Inside you will find exactly the same hard-shell carrying bag as the WH-1000XM3 – right down to the elastic mesh pocket on the back and the copper-colored zipper.

Open the case and the topic continues. The XM4 are arranged in exactly the same semi-folded layout and are accompanied by the same three accessories: a very short USB-C charging cable, an analog cable for headphone connections and an airplane travel adapter.

I wish the USB-C cable was longer, but that's exactly what Amazon is for.

design

Sony WH-1000XM4 "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/sony-wh-1000xm4-00005-640x640.jpg "srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Riley Young / Digital Trends

Sony WH-1000XM4 "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/sony-wh-1000xm4-00001-640x640.jpg "srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Riley Young / Digital Trends

Sony WH-1000XM4 "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/sony-wh-1000xm4-00004-640x640.jpg "srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Riley Young / Digital Trends

Sony WH-1000XM4 "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/sony-wh-1000xm4-00002-640x640.jpg "srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Riley Young / Digital Trends

If you were a fan of the XM3's understated yet sleek design, you'll be glad to know that the WH-1000XM4 are so similar that it's impossible to tell them apart at a glance.

The XM4 offers the same level of comfort and stability as the XM3 while putting a little less pressure on your head.

Not that Sony hasn't made a few changes here and there, but they're all small improvements. After all "if it is not broken …"

These improvements aim to further improve the comfort of an already exceptionally comfortable shape. The bow of the headband has been further refined and the top pillow is a little thinner. And although it's not recognizable without a ruler and magnifying glass, Sony claims that the ear pads now have a 10% larger contact area with the sides of your head.

The proof is in the carry. The XM4 offers the same level of comfort and stability as the XM3 while putting a little less pressure on your head. They're just more convenient.

They feel lighter somehow, although I know there is no way I can feel that the XM4 weighs a tiny gram less than the XM3.

There are also tiny cosmetic changes.

The finish Sony has chosen for the XM4 is a bit more matte and borders on rubber. The result is a reduction in gloss, so fingerprints are slightly more visible on the black version. This is less of a concern with the Tan model.

The NFC logo on the left ear cup is now embossed instead of printed, and the model number on the headband caps is more reserved.

Battery life

The XM4's battery life and charging remain unchanged – a surprise given the huge performance improvements Sony has made with its true wireless WF-SP800N over a similar period of time.

You get 30 hours of life with noise canceling enabled and 38 hours with the device off, which is still very good for wireless headphones – significantly better than the XM4's main competitor, the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700, which only die 20 hours after that.

Ten minutes of plug time gives you an additional five hours.

What remains is the inability to use the XM4's powered features like ANC or wireless audio while charging – although the analog cable will also work for unpowered audio.

Smarter controls

Sony WH-1000XM4Riley Young / Digital Trends

Music and calls are controlled on the WH-1000XM4 using the touch-sensitive pad on the right ear cup with a series of swiping and finger tips – just like the XM3. But now the headphones are smarter. Instead of removing them from your head or pausing the music and switching to ambient mode to have a conversation, you can just start speaking.

The biggest improvement that Sony has added for everyday comfort is a wear sensor.

Sony calls it Speak-to-Chat, and the XM4's built-in sensors automatically detect that you're trying to speak to someone and respond by simultaneously inserting sound and pausing your media.

You can double tap the right ear cup to resume playback immediately, or you can just wait. 30 seconds after the headphones determine that you are done with the Yakken, the tunes will crank again.

It's extremely effective, and I've found that if Sensitivity was turned on, even Sneezing would trigger the feature. Fortunately, the headphone app offers a variety of customizations, including a high / low sensitivity switch and a focus-to-speech mode, designed to allow only nearby voices to be admitted without background noise in the Surrounding area.

But perhaps the biggest improvement Sony has added for everyday comfort is a wear sensor located in the left ear cup. Now when you remove the XM4 from your head, your tunes can automatically pause. This has become a standard feature on high-end wireless headphones and true wireless earbuds, and it's nice to see Sony hasn't ignored it.

I noticed some cases where my music started all by itself while the headphones were wrapped around my neck, but for the most part, the function works well and responds very quickly when you put the XM4 on or off.

Bluetooth multipoint

Sony WH-1000XM4Riley Young / Digital Trends

When we tested the WH-1000XM3, the only real criticism we could make of these headphones was the lack of Bluetooth multipoint pairing. In other words, you can only pair them with one device at a time.

For those of us who live their lives on a variety of machines, the XM4 is worth the upgrade just because of the Bluetooth multipoint.

The XM4 resolves this criticism and you can now set it up so that it can be paired with your phone and laptop at the same time or your phone and a Bluetooth device such as a television.

You activate the function via the Sony Headphones app (deactivated by default).

Once you've paired the XM4 with a range of Bluetooth sources, simply pause the sound on one device and then start playing on the other device. In my tests between an iPhone 11 and an iMac, the transition was almost instantaneous. If I heard the Mac when a call came in on the iPhone, I could answer the call and then return to the Mac without ever touching the phone or desktop.

Even better, the headphones app remembers all previously paired devices, so you can quickly swap the two devices you want to use at the same time through a single interface.

For those of us who live our lives on a wide variety of machines, with this feature the XM4 is well worth the upgrade.

Sound quality

Sony WH-1000XM4Riley Young / Digital Trends

Given the good sound quality of the WH-1000XM3, it is unlikely to be realistic to expect a significant increase in audio quality from the XM4, which does not mean that Sony will stop in this department.

The XM4 features the latest and greatest in Sony's digital music upscaling technology, DSEE Extreme. The goal of DSEE technology is to partially compensate for the loss of quality that occurs when music is heavily compressed using lossy codecs like MP3 or AAC.

Being able to extract musicality from the low end of a song is, in my opinion, the XM4's greatest strength.

Sony claims that DSEE Extreme – which uses artificial intelligence on board – is trained to analyze music in real time through a partnership with the company's SonyMusic department. In practice it is said to be better to restore certain frequencies like the tsss-tsss-tsss of high-hat cymbals than its predecessor. You can tell with scientific instruments, but to my ears it made no significant difference.

But in the end it doesn't matter. The XM4 has such a good balance between the various frequencies – accompanied by a wonderfully wide and well-defined soundstage – that it is excellent to have a rich and satisfying listening experience no matter which genre you choose.

The XM4 continues the XM3's tradition of presenting bass as more than just a low-end boom. On tracks like Hans Zimmer Time, which use complex low-frequency instruments, the XM4 creates a deep floor that spans the boundary between hearing and feeling. But it can also cover this floor with many layers of recognizable bass notes that provide both warmth and precision.

Mids and highs aren't any less fun, but the ability to bring musicality out of the low end of a song is the XM4's greatest strength in my opinion.

There is one limitation to the sound quality of the XM4, but it mainly affects Android users: Sony has stopped supporting the aptX and aptX HD Bluetooth codecs that were included in the XM3 and now only supports SBC, AAC and the own Sony LDAC.

Is it important? I do not believe that. As of Android 8.0 Oreo, LDAC is a codec that phone manufacturers are free to incorporate, and the vast majority have chosen to do so. LDAC is also one of only two Bluetooth codecs that have been certified as Hi-Res compatible – even aptX HD cannot make this claim.

I'm sorry to support aptX, but it's definitely not a deal breaker.

Noise cancellation

Sony WH-1000XM4Riley Young / Digital Trends

The best ANC (Active Noise Canceling) technology from Sony can be seen again in the WH-1000XM4. This time around, the company claims to have improved both the software algorithms and hardware to achieve even better performance than the XM3.

Some low-frequency noise, such as an aircraft engine drone, fan, and some traffic noise, can be almost completely canceled out by ANC, while medium- to high-frequency noise, such as human conversation, is reduced. According to Sony, the XM4 does a better job with this latter group of sounds. In theory, you should be less aware of your surroundings when you are sitting in your local cafe or in a busy office.

I didn't know of any significant difference in my time with the XM4, but our pandemic-based lifestyle didn't offer many options for busy environments. DT Senior Editor Caleb Denison tried it too and saw only minor improvements. If you're wondering if they're better than Bose's superb Noise Canceling Headphones 700, it's really too close to call.

Another small improvement: you can now enable Sony's personalized ANC calibration on the headphones themselves by long-pressing the Custom button instead of relying on the headphones app.

Call quality

Sony WH-1000XM4Riley Young / Digital Trends

Overall call quality is another strength for Sony products, and the WH-1000XM4 is no exception. The calls were consistently very good under different conditions, even when I passed an extremely loud construction site.

I was apparently more aware of the noise than my caller, which seems to prove that Sony's claim that the XM4's improved call quality due to improved noise reduction is more than just marketing.

Our opinion

For the same price as its previous flagship, Sony has made small but very useful improvements to the WH-1000XM4 that are enough to crown it as the new king of personal audio.

Is there a better alternative?

No That is what happens when you are the best. However, if you're looking to save some cash, you can bet that the older WH-1000XM3 will have some special offers until Sony cleans up the remaining inventory. If you are content to do without a wear sensor and Bluetooth multipoint and can get the XM3 for $ 50 to $ 100 below the regular price, I think you should do so.

How long will they last?

The WH-1000XM4 comes with a one-year warranty from Sony. The build quality is excellent, and Sony headphones have a reputation for reliability. Battery life will decrease over time, but you can expect to use it for many years before it becomes a serious problem. You can assume that the ear pads will need to be replaced occasionally throughout the life of the headphones. These can easily be bought online.

Should you buy them

Absolutely. While not exactly affordable, the WH-1000XM4 is at the top of the wireless headphone market and worth every penny.

Editor's recommendations




20 Jul
Blog

Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Review: A Top-Notch Telephoto for Sony

Tamron 70 180 mm f28 di iii rating 200 mm product 2

Tamron 70-180 mm f / 2.8 Di III

"The Tamron 70-180mm is a simple recommendation for almost every photographer."

  • Light, compact design

  • Very sharp

  • 1: 2 macro mode

  • Fast, quiet auto focus

  • Solid build quality

  • Soft edges at 70 mm and 1: 2.8

  • Low transmission at 180 mm and 1: 2.8

The Tamron 70-180 mm f / 2.8 Di III is a new version of a professional telephoto zoom with constant aperture. The focal length is slightly shorter than the typical 70-200mm, but Tamron's goal was to develop a balanced lens for mirrorless full-frame cameras that draws the company's attention to reduced size and weight. The Tamron for $ 1,199 is currently available for the Sony E-mount and costs less than half the price and slightly more than half the weight of the FE 70-200mm f / 2.8 from Sony.

So it doesn't have to be good, does it?

Not correct. I don't know how witchcraft did it, but the 70-180mm are just great. This is by no means a typical budget lens. Tamron made a few sacrifices – cut 20mm from the telephoto end and forego optical image stabilization – to gain weight, but I would argue that these were wise decisions and it was worth it. The optical performance is first class. When I was connected to a Sony A7R IV borrowed from Lensrentals for this test, I was very impressed with the details that the 70-180mm gave me – at least under the right conditions.

But can an inexpensive third-party lens keep up with the best from Sony? The answer is, as always, it depends – but I don't think it is really necessary. The Tamron 70-180 mm f / 2.8 is more than an alternative. It is a lifeline for photographers who would not have considered the Sony lens at all for cost reasons.

Design and handling

Daven Mathies | Digital trends

If you have ever recorded a full screen f / 2.8 with 70 to 200 mm, be it for DSLRs or mirrorless cameras, you will be immediately surprised by the appearance of the Tamron 70 to 180 mm. It feels like it's in a completely different class, weighing just 1.8 pounds, an almost incredible difference to the 3.3-pound Sony 70-200mm.

Unlike most 70-200mm lenses, including Sony's, the Tamron doesn't use an internal zoom mechanism, so the barrel expands as you zoom in. This makes it feel less "professional" than its counterpart from first-party suppliers, but it also means that the lens measures almost 6 inches long – 2 inches shorter than the Sony when retracted. And even with the extendable zoom tube, it remains weatherproof.

The shorter length and lower weight make a tripod ring superfluous, which keeps the profile as slim as it is. The very wide rubberized grip gives your hand a solid buy for the zoom ring, and I really like that it's in front of the manual focus ring (compared to Sony lenses), because this placement provides a comfortable, balanced hold. The focus ring feels very smooth and offers a satisfactory manual focus experience, although it is not mechanically connected to the focus elements.

And yes, you actually want to use this manual focus ring. The Tamron 70-180mm has a unique 1: 2 macro mode, but only works with manual focus and at 70mm. The difference in the minimum focus distance between automatic and manual focus is large and the extreme close-ups that are possible in macro mode are different from any other 1: 2.8 telephoto zoom that I know of.

Tamron 70 180 mm f28 di iii review 200 mm sample 10 "class =" m carousel - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/tamron-70-200mm- f28 -review-sample-10-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAMinimum focus distance with AF

Tamron 70 180 mm f28 di iii review 200 mm sample 9 "class =" m carousel - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn6.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/tamron-70-200mm- f28 -review-sample-9-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAMinimum focus distance with MF

Except for the lock switch, which keeps the barrel at 70mm when the lens is not in use, the exterior is sparse. While the Sony 70-200mm is littered with switches to control focus and stabilization behavior, the Tamron 70-180mm is empty. The lack of stabilization explains part of it, but I would have preferred an automatic / manual focus switch, especially since manual focus is actually supposed to be used for this lens for the above macro mode. To activate manual focus, you have to run it from the camera menu instead, which is a bit annoying.

picture quality

If the Tamron 70-180mm f / 2.8 had just reduced the cost and size of a popular lens type, that would have been enough. That's exactly what I would have expected from old Tamron. But this is the new Tamron, and the new Tamron isn't content with being a third-string player in lens play.

Daven Mathies | Digital trends

The 70-180 mm f / 2.8 has six elements with low dispersion, three aspherical elements and nine blades with a rounded aperture. This is not the type of optical formula I would expect from such an affordable lens, although the total number of elements is lower compared to Sony at 19 vs. 23 (Sony also uses an 11-sheet aperture).

Of course, the number of high-end elements does not always correspond to high performance, but in this case Tamron delivered. Although I will note some limitations, this lens is remarkably sharp. My test photos delivered excellent results and revealed details in textures that I had never seen before. Of course, this was supported by the Sony A7R IV's 62 megapixel sensor, and I believe that this lens almost reveals the potential of this sensor. Further megapixels show imperfections in the lens. The fact that the Tamron shines on the A7R IV is proof of its quality.

Daven Mathies | Digital trends

Open wide, you can expect very good sharpness in the middle of the frame. At 70 mm, however, the sharpness drops noticeably in the direction of the edges. This is far less problematic at 180 mm. At 1: 5.6, the image is extremely sharp from edge to edge at every focal length. Vignetting is minimal and essentially gone by 1: 4, although the total transmission at the telephoto end at 1: 2.8 is about 1/3 stop lower than at the broad end, since the "vignette" seems to crawl over the entire frame.

In order to really use the sharpness of this lens consistently, you need to use a high shutter speed, a tripod or both. Many of my hand shots became slightly soft due to motion blur, even when the camera was stabilized in the body. Additional objective-based stabilization would have helped here. For some photographers, especially weddings and even shooters who work in low light and need to use slow shutter speeds, this could be a deal breaker.

However, the A7R IV shows flaws like no other full-frame camera and is incredibly unforgiving. With a lower resolution case like the A7 III, the motion blur is not as noticeable, but I would still recommend a tripod (and 1: 4 or smaller) if you want to guarantee the best results.

Our opinion

Color impressed me – even amazed. I think it's absolutely great that Tamron has decided to compete as a premium brand. The 70-180 mm f / 2.8 Di III offers the perfect balance between quality, size and price. This is a rare example of a lens that I can recommend to almost everyone, from amateurs to enthusiasts to professionals.

I was a little disappointed that so many of my handheld shots weren't perfectly sharp, but I could probably have solved this by increasing the ISO and shutter speed many times over. As much as I would like lens-based stabilization, I also appreciate how light and affordable the 70-180 mm are. Again, I think Tamron made the right sacrifices.

Is there a better alternative?

No. If you absolutely need lens-based stabilization, or can't do without the extra 20mm range – and have $ 2,599 at your disposal – the Sony FE 70-200mm f / 2.8 is a great option. For the price, the Tamron 70-180mm f / 2.8 is really unbeatable.

And of course, if you don't have a Sony e-mount camera, you'll have to look elsewhere.

How long it will take?

Although it doesn't feel as robust as 70-200mm lenses with internal zooms, the 70-180mm lens is still well built and should last for many years.

Should you buy it

You already know what I'm going to say. Yes of course.

Editor's recommendations




08 Jul
Blog

Audio-Technica ATH-ANC300TW Review: A Worthy Sony Challenger

Audio-Technica 300TW earphones

Audio-Technica ATH-ANC300TW

"Audio-Technica has created the best challenger for the Sony WF-1000XM3 that we have seen so far."

  • Comfortable design

  • Outstanding sound quality

  • Excellent noise cancellation

The Sony WF-1000XM3 has long been the undisputed champion of the real wireless earphone arena. Competitors struggle to achieve the couple's incredible sound quality and active noise cancellation at a comparable price. After this review, the Sony buds will be able to keep the crown, but man, Audio-Technica was nearing the throne.

Audio-Technica's new true wireless earphones, the ATH-ANC300TW, along with the Technics TSW EAH-AZ70W, are one of the most direct competitors of the WF-1000XM3. With an identical MSRP of $ 230 (though the Sonys are now often found for less) and many similar features, the 300TW aimed directly at the king. Here's why they just missed the mark, but also why they're still an excellent option.

Out of the box

The packaging in which the ATH-ANC300TW is delivered has nothing special. When you lift the lid of the white box, a protective layer of foam is inserted, under which the earphones and the rest of the accessories sit.

Audio-Technica 300TW charging caseNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Audio-Technica offers the usual gift items – a USB-C charging cable and a lot of documentation – but exceeds the expectations with the numerous included earplugs. There are extra small, small and large silicone earplugs (they are already delivered on the buds with the medium iteration) as well as a pair of medium sized Comply foam tips. If you want to make sure a customer gets the right fit for their earbuds, this is an ideal way to do it.

The connection is straightforward. The pairing process begins and ends with finding the buds in your mobile device's Bluetooth settings and establishing the connection. The ATH-ANC300TW has Bluetooth 5 technology and offers the coveted range of 30 meters. My tests of these buds at home have also confirmed this. In addition, I had no connection failure the week I used these buds.

design

The ATH-ANC300TW are built almost deceptively. When I initially pulled them out of their charging case, I thought that under no circumstances would they stick out of my ears. But I get that when I judge a book by its cover.

Audio-Technica 300TW earphones

The curved body of the ATH-ANC300TW offers you a compact, comfortable fit, even though you are looking for the opposite. I found them sufficiently safe so that I could run a handful of runs without them falling out. There are far better training-oriented buds, but these will come to the fore when necessary.

Except for the Audio-Technica logo on the end cap of each bud, these earphones, which are held in an elegant black, do not stand out aesthetically. There is a single button at the top of each bud. The action that these buttons take depends on how often you tap them. They were easy to use, especially since you can choose between a right-handed and a left-handed pattern in the associated app. We'll dive deeper into the app later, but it was worth noting that Audio-Technica didn't forget all of the world's southern paws.

The charging case takes a similar approach in terms of aesthetic simplicity and is kept in a black and gray color scheme. It's a bit bulky than I would like for pocket travel, but I wouldn't call it an obstacle.

properties

There is a laundry list with features that you can comb through with the ATH-ANC300TW. They are mostly exceptional, with a few tangles involved.

Audio-Technica 300TW earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The 300TW are weatherproof according to IPX2 to protect them from dripping water such as rain and sweat. This is better than the Sony WF-1000XM3, which has no official weather protection class. However, buds like the Google Pixel Buds 2 or the Technics TSWs mentioned above offer an IPX4 rating at a cheaper or similar price. I didn't see any rain when I was wearing the 300TW, but as a lush sweater during training, I will ensure that it can hold through this level of sweat.

The battery life is unfortunately only average. The 300TW can last up to 4.5 hours on a single charge, adding 13.5 hours of extra power to the charging case. That would have been fine a few years ago, but we're living in fast-paced times. The Sony WF-1000XM3 outshone these numbers a long time ago with six hours of playback and 18 additional plays. Newer products like the WF-SP800N from Sony offer a playback time of nine hours with active noise canceling activated. With the 300TW it's a real shit, because buds that sound so good shouldn't have such a short listening span.

Audio-Technica has included a nifty bunch of technology in these buds, and while the average owner may not be keeping an eye on them, they help improve the overall experience. There's Qualcomm Clear Voice Capture (CVV) technology to support calls during a call, a low-latency feature called Qualcomm True Wireless Stereo Plus that lets you stream without audio interruption, and SCMS-T technology that over Bluetooth protects content transferred between compatible devices.

Audio quality

It's been a while since I heard earphones that sound so good. Sure, I liked the sound of Google Pixel Buds 2 and Samsung Galaxy Buds +, but we're talking about a different class of audio quality with the ATH-ANC300TW.

Audio-Technica 300TW earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

My favorite sounding real wireless earbuds are the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, and although the Audio-Technica buds don't quite reach the bar, they're on par with the great sounding WF-1000XM3 from Sony. This could be due to a combination of the 5.8mm drivers with diamond-like carbon-coated membranes for the 300TW or the collection of supported audio codecs such as aptX, AAC and SBC.

Whatever it is, it's great. Think of one of the endless catalogs of classic riffs in music – from Led Zeppelin's electrifying intro to the Good Times Bad Times to the dancing instrumentals of Frank Sinatra's Fly Me to The Moon – and these buds instantly make them even better. They are remarkably clear and present a masterful sound stage with a frequency response of 20-25,000 Hz. I would give the WF-1000XM3 the edge in the lower section, with the bass being the only area with the 300TW that is not that impressive. Still, the bass provided is probably more than enough for most people.

There is no EQ in the app for the 300TW, although I hardly find it a mistake. The sound quality offered here is fantastic. However, the app shows the active audio codec and allows you to navigate between them if you wish.

Active noise cancellation

I want to publicly apologize to all the neighbors who have heard me say "wow" repeatedly in the past week. As strange as it may have been to see someone say this without being asked when walking with their dogs, I promise that this is justified.

Audio-Technica 300TW earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The active noise cancellation integrated into the 300TW is really exceptional. Audio-Technica used hybrid noise cancellation technology. This means that there are microphones in front of and behind each driver to analyze, process, and prevent as much environmental noise as possible from affecting sound reproduction. It is a technology similar to Panasonic with the RZ-S500W or the Technics TSWs. As in these buds, the ANC does a damn good job in the 300TS.

I tested the 300TW's ANC capabilities with everything I could throw at it – a busy street, my lawnmower, a towering John Deere tractor in my local park – and they responded admirably. The app contains three different ANC modes, but instead of the typical low / medium / high modes, they are labeled for the environments they are best suited for: Airplane, On the Go, and Office / Study.

Of course, at least two of these three intended environments are not really one thing at the moment, so I couldn't put them against real business. But I switched through each mode and everyone reacted as it was intended: Airplane mode attenuated lower frequencies, targeted street noise on the go and office / study helped in quieter situations.

Such strong active noise cancellation requires an equally effective ambient noise function. The hear-through function of the 300TW is the ideal addition with the possibility to adjust the amount of noise let in. Interestingly, ANC is the default setting for the 300TW, and the alternative is hear-through. The only way to listen without any of these settings is to disable them in the app. On the other hand, I don't know why someone wants to do something like this.

Despite all the praise I've given the 300TW and its ANC capabilities, I still think Sony's WF-1000XM3 is better at its noise cancellation. But as close as Audio-Technica is, I would be more than a little concerned if I were Sony now. And although we really liked the Technics TSW's ability to suppress noise, the additional situation granularity in these buds is a huge bonus.

Our opinion

The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC300TW does not have a long battery life, but it makes up for it in almost every other category. These are great earbuds, no two ways.

Are there any better alternatives?

The Sony WF-1000XM3 for $ 230 offers better battery life, better bass and better noise reduction, and all with very small margins. The Technics TSW buds have better battery life and excellent noise cancellation, but a little weaker bass performance and a higher price. The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 sounds better, but costs $ 300.

How long will they last?

With their IPX2 weather resistance, the 300TW are durable in the elements and have a technology that is supported by consistent firmware updates. These buds should be designed for a long life.

Should you buy them

Yes. They may not have succeeded in dropping Sony, but Audio-Technica has managed to create one of the best challengers for the WF-1000XM3 that we saw in the ATH-ANC300TW. While Sony remains the leader on campus, it has to look carefully over its shoulder.

Editor's recommendations




04 Jul
Blog

Sony X900H 4K HDR TV review | Stunning Value

"Image quality that far exceeds your expectations"

  • Great black levels

  • Impressive HDR highlights

  • Extremely accurate color

  • Clean picture

  • Snappy Android TV response

  • Reflective screen

  • VRR not yet available for games

How can a 65-inch TV worth $ 1,300 add value? By providing an image quality that is well above the price. This is exactly what the Sony X900H does and therefore causes a lot of excitement in TV enthusiasts.

For several years now, film fans, home theater owners and almost everyone who wants to get the best TV picture quality for their money have been looking at the models of the X900 series from Sony. Yes, in the middle price segment, but not in the middle price segment due to the consistently excellent image quality from Sony.

This year the X900H offers a bonus. The set offers (or will soon be) features that none of its other televisions will offer this year – Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), especially for gamers. If you want a Sony and the best gaming experience, especially with next generation consoles like Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X, you should buy this TV. You get the following:

Out of the box

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

The X900H is by far the easiest TV I've set up this year. The TV's packaging contains the unnecessarily long Sony remote, batteries for the remote, some product literature, and two legs – or feet if you prefer.

You will find that I have said nothing about screws, and that is because you do not need them. The legs snap directly into the slots under the TV cabinet without the need for screws. I was happy with how stable the stand was, but I'm not sure how to find the look of ultra-slim blade feet, and I wasn't impressed with the cable management solution, which is basically just a clip on the back of the feet.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Also not included is a breakout cable for older component or composite video cables. I'm not sure how many more people rock a classic console or VCR that may need to use one of these connections, but I know that in this case you will need your own breakout cable to make the connection.

Properties and design

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

The X900H looks slim and reserved. It has thin bezels, not a ton of trim and is more plastic than metal. The overall depth of the X900H is 2 7/8 inches. Depending on what type of wall bracket is used, the TV should look inconspicuous on a wall.

An important note on the screen of the X900H. It's pretty reflective. This is usually not a problem if you are viewing bright content, but I would not plan to see Game of Thrones or Ozark with the windows open on a bright day without seeing room reflections.

Under the hood, the X900H is equipped with the X1 4K HDR processor from Sony. It's not the Hot Rod X1 Ultimate processor found in more expensive models like the recently reviewed Sony A8H OLED, but in my experience, it still delivers the nifty, clean look that distinguishes Sony TVs from others.

The X900H gives you four HDMI 2.0 inputs, one of which supports ARC. I mentioned earlier that the X900H will support VRR for gaming, but the update that enables it has not yet been released as of the release date of this review, and Sony has no estimated schedule for this feature coming on this TV.

A quick note on the above. I asked Sony why this TV has not yet been updated to support VRR or why it is not supported immediately. Sony's response is to standards. As a partner of CTA, NAB and various other standards organizations, Sony prefers to complete all standard tests before deploying new technology such as HDMI 2.1 or any of the features it comes with. Sony mentions a consistent, stable experience as very important to its customers.

I can respect Sony's stance, but while competitors offer features that their TVs don't have, I think Sony looks like it is lagging behind at the moment. Regardless, there is no reason not to have VRR at the start of not buying this TV. The image quality is too good for the price.

picture quality

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

The contrast, which is the most striking element of image quality, is based on black levels. The darker a television can get, the higher the contrast and the less brightness is required to achieve a high contrast. One of the reasons why the X900H excels is its very good black level. This is thanks to Sony's backlight system.

An LCD screen is illuminated from behind by a series of LED backlights. The backlight system must be carefully controlled so that the black level does not turn gray. This control, which includes different zones – or groups – of lights is called local dimming, and this local dimming is driven by an algorithm. I've said it before, but it needs to be repeated: Sony has the best local dimming algorithm in the industry.

With a solid black base, the X900H doesn't need to be extremely bright to look vibrant. With the Calman software from Portrait Display and a SpectraCal C6 colorimeter, I measured the peak brightness of the X900H over a longer period in a 10% window at 750 nits. With competing TVs with 1,500, 2,000, and even 3,000 nits of peak brightness (see Vizio PQX), the X900Hs seem to be a bit low, but I assure you that 750 nits will offer you a very pleasant HDR experience even when the lights are on. and especially with the lights off.

Sony has the best local dimming algorithm in the industry.

To put things in the right light, the Samsung Q90T in HDR film mode (same 10% window test) offers about 1,400 nits of peak brightness, which is almost double the X900H. However, the 65-inch Q90T also costs $ 2,500. That's $ 1,200 more than the Sony X900H we tested here. I can tell you from experience that despite other valuable features, the experience of having double brightness alone in reserve is not worth more than $ 1,000.

When I turned to color, I was impressed with the ready-to-use color accuracy of the X900H in the Cinema and Custom image presets, both in SDR and HDR modes. The television had to be adjusted very little to bring the color accuracy below the visible threshold. This means that most users never have to touch anything to get an outstanding color experience with this TV.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Aside from these core picture elements, Sony's X1 processor delivered a very clean picture even when low bit rate content was streamed from websites like Netflix and Hulu. I observed minimized contours and streaks of color when I looked at them. The performance of the upscaling and other processing elements outperformed the Hisense H8G Quantum that I am currently evaluating and in some cases was just as good and even better than the Samsung Q90T.

This was not a surprise as Sony's workmanship has always been the best in the business. Also not surprising was the cleanliness of the VA panel, which had no dirty screen effect (DSE) or stains.

All of these individual elements have been brought together to create a rich, brilliant, vivid and clean picture. On more than a few occasions, I didn't take notes and just admired the TV. It's not as stunning as Sony's A8H OLED, but it offers a similarly satisfying cinema experience at a fraction of the price, and that's the value in my book.

Our opinion

The Sony X900H offers one of the best picture quality to price ratios you'll find this year. The screen is a bit reflective, and viewing this type of LED / LCD TV off-angle is never great, but these two mistakes can be overlooked thanks to the rich, colorful, and cinematic picture quality.

Is there a better alternative?

Not yet and not in this price range, although I have some upcoming Vizio models in mind. For gamers who want instant gratification, I would recommend taking a look at the Samsung Q70T, which costs the same for a 65-inch model, supports VRR and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and should also have convincing image quality.

How long it will take?

The television itself should last for many years, and new features to support next-generation game consoles are promised in the near future.

warranty

Sony grants a one year warranty on its X900H series TVs if you buy the TV from an authorized dealer. The guarantee relates specifically to the storage of the product packaging. So look at the fine print.

You should buy it

Yes. If you crave Sony image quality but want to minimize the dent in your wallet after purchase, the X900H is an excellent choice.

Editor's recommendations




20 Jun
Blog

Sony HT-G700 Review: Virtually Irresistible

Sony HT-G700

Sony HT-G700 review: practically irresistible

"The Sony HT-G700 remains competitive thanks to its compact design and virtual surround sound."

  • Easy setup

  • Compact design

  • Excellent sound for music

  • Effective virtual Dolby Atmos

  • No wi-fi connectivity

  • Not quite as impressive as real surround sound

Sony has contracted its new soundbar to do the impossible: create the immersive experience of a home theater without the many speakers that normally work together to deliver that kind of sound. To increase the challenge, Sony tried to do so at a reasonably affordable price.

With the HT-G700, the company almost made it. While the 3.1-channel soundbar has its physical limitations, it has impressive under-the-hood technology that not only allows Sony to restore surround sound and even Dolby Atmos, but also helps make this bar sound great small budget delivers package.

Out of the box

There is usually a lot to unpack with these soundbar systems, but not with the HT-G700. The entire system simply consists of the soundbar and a wireless subwoofer. No rear speakers need to be unpacked and no speaker cables need to be untangled. Apart from the included accessories such as a remote control, an HDMI cable, a quick setup guide and a user guide, there's not much else.

Sony HT-G700Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

For the minimalist who prefers good sound and less elbow grease, which is required to set up a traditionally solid audio setup, the uncomplicated setup is definitely a good thing. As simple as connecting this system to someone who literally sets up sound bars for a living, connecting the HT-G700 is so easy for less experienced people.

Both the soundbar and the sub require power, and the soundbar must be connected to your display via HDMI or an optical audio cable. That's so. The subwoofer will automatically connect to your bar, and Sony will give instructions on how to manually pair the two if it doesn't. The HT-G700 has no Wi-Fi connectivity, so there is no need to download an app or configure updates. At a time when everything is becoming smarter and more connected, including sound bars, the HT-G700 is a modern representation of the plug-and-play systems of yesteryear.

design

It is the unofficial official stance at Digital Trends that the ideal soundbar blends aesthetically into your existing entertainment ensemble instead of taking on the role of the spotlight stealer. In this case, the HT-G700 passes this test with flying colors.

Sony HT-G700 subwooferNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Both the bar and subwoofer have a sharp black coating that helps them disappear when the lights go out for the movie night. Apart from the front panel of the soundbar, which comes to life when you adjust the volume or when you call up a setting, this system takes a well into the background of a dark room.

The soundbar itself hardly differs from comparable alternatives. At 38.58 inches long, it's slightly longer than Vizio's $ 500 Dolby Atmos bar, and roughly the same height at just over 2 inches. However, the sturdy housing of the subwoofer with front connection protrudes and weighs 16 pounds in contrast to the more compact 10-pound woofer from Vizio.

There are three drivers in the bar that represent the left, middle and right channel. There are no loud speakers, and as mentioned, there are no wireless rear speakers to speak of. From a physical point of view, it can only technically produce true 3.1 sound, but thanks to a fascinating technology, this bar can at least imitate a much more extensive experience.

Dolby Atmos-ish

You cannot scroll through the HT-G700 product page without repeatedly mentioning "7.1.2-channel surround sound". As already mentioned, in reality you will not get 7.1.2 without two rear loudspeaker pairs and either height channels or high-powered drivers that bounce the sound off the ceiling towards your ears.

Sony HT-G700 remote controlNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The reason why Sony can make these claims is because of two technologies under the umbrella of "Immersive Audio Enhancement". Sony's Vertical Surround Engine processes the sound to virtually add height to a sound field, according to the Sony manual, while a technology called "S-Force Pro Front Surround" does the job of creating the illusion of surround speakers.

While the HT-G700 can accept a variety of audio formats – from Dolby Digital to Dolby Atmos to DTS: X – it can only produce these formats virtually using its processing technology. The bar automatically processes Dolby Atmos or DTS: X content to achieve this effect, but Sony doesn't stop there. According to Sony, the HT-G700 can even scale up stereo audio to its virtual 7.1.2 sound by pressing the Immersive AE button on the bar's remote control.

It's a little underhanded by Sony, as the average person may not dive as deep to affect the sound capabilities of this bar. However, I'm going to give Sony a pass because the HT-G700 creates an experience in one minute that is credible enough that most people don't care anyway.

Connections and functions

Other than its expansive and somewhat confusing relationship with audio formats, the HT-G700 doesn't have many other bells and whistles. It has an HDMI input and an HDMI output, the latter supporting both ARC and eARC to optimize data exchange between the bar and your TV. There is also an optical audio connection for older televisions.

Sony HT-G700 connectionsNick Woodard / Digital Trends

You can also connect the soundbar to your TV via Bluetooth, although this configuration only gives you stereo sound. I'm also worried about the noticeable delay between audio and video in this setup and would recommend saving the effort and sticking to a physical connection.

This Bluetooth 5 technology is best reserved for pairing a mobile device for music playback. Surprisingly, Sony has quite limited this bar when it comes to supporting audio codecs via Bluetooth, with only AAC and SBC formats to mention. In particular, codecs like aptX or even the LDAC technology from Sony are missing.

You have to live with that though, as Bluetooth is your best (and essentially only outside of streaming from a TV app) way to easily play music. With many bars connected these days (the new Sonos Arc is the industry leader in this regard, but even the Vizio bar has Chromecast built-in), the HT-G700 is a little disappointing when it comes to the world of Wi-Fi. Despite the advances that Bluetooth is making in quality, native streaming from a speaker or soundbar is still the best way to hear, and the fact that Sony doesn't offer you this option in a $ 500 bar is disappointing .

Powerful for music

If you're reading this review, you're probably interested in the HT-G700, mostly because of the cinematic experience that Sony advertised it to be. After all, almost everything about this soundbar points first to films and then to everything else.

Sony HT-G700Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

However, here is a nice advantage: The HT-G700 is also ideal for listening to music. I should have expected that, given the pedigree that Sony has in terms of audio. Still, making music sound good is not an easy task when you're working with smaller drivers housed in the same case.

With the HT-G700, it not only works, but also exceptionally. With every genre I've tested over a couple of weeks – from Puddle of Mudds She Hates Me to Eric Churchs Like A Wrecking Ball, with some funnier selections like MIA's Paper Planes – the bar stayed impressively clear and impressive. Overall, a pleasant sound signature.

The submarine is also a powerful little workhorse. It won't exactly replace the booming authority of a full-size home theater subwoofer, but it has adequately filled the bottom end of most of the tracks I've sent it. You could assume that sometimes it is too bass-heavy, although you can adjust the sublevel using the bar's remote control.

In this sense, there are countless easily accessible audio settings on the remote control. The more invested enthusiast will love this because they have the opportunity to tinker with each of the many options to get the preferred hearing result. It is far too easy for me to fall into a rabbit hole full of options and preferences. There is a music preset on the remote control itself that would do miracles to most people when disturbed.

Testing the virtual cinema

When it was time to finally see what the processing skills in this soundbar really do, I called old believers: that is, I referred to our list of the best Dolby Atmos films and got to work.

In Pops Deadpool and immediately, the HT-G700 made an impressive film debut. During the opening scene of the film, in which the Merc crashed through the roof of an SUV to arrest a henchman, my poor dog was shaken awake. For him and me, the soundbar made us believe for a moment that the glass-breaking sequence took place directly above us.

Sony HT-G700Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

As was to be noted, this was with the Immersive AE button activated. As with the previous music, there are many settings for watching movies. There is a Dolby Speaker Virtualizer that, according to the Sony manual, "enhances the surround and treble speaker channels to achieve an immersive and enveloping virtual surround effect" and a setting to enable DTS Virtual: X.

Other presets are Voice (extends the dialogue range), Night (reduces the dynamics of the sound for late night viewing) and Cinema. For something even more optimized, there is an automatic preset that switches between standard, music and cinema sound depending on the content. It was interesting to navigate through these settings and notice the effects of the sound, which were sometimes subtle and sometimes less. But again, this can be a lot to deal with for the average soundbar buyer, and the default presets will likely be enough.

To get back to how the HT-G700 actually sounds like content, here's my setting after hours of watching movies and TV, including everything from Logan to Family Guy to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope: This is a soundbar that will take serious steps Increase your audio experience, but it has its limits.

As mentioned earlier, the subwoofer delivers solid bass, and the center speaker does an excellent job of keeping up with the left and right channels. The processing technology we cover is surprisingly good, which means that most listeners generally get the cinema experience they want. However, compared to a similar product with actually upward-facing drivers and rear speakers, Sony's limits are exposed. The virtualization of Dolby Atmos surround sound simply cannot be compared to the actual offer. The Vizio system offers real immersion at the same price.

Our opinion

The Sony HT-G700 is value for money and offers great sound for music and movies in a minimalist package. While its technology commendably compensates for the lack of true surround sound, it doesn't fully compensate for the missing components.

Are there any better alternatives?

For standard audio, I would probably prefer the HT-G700 to Vizio's alternatives. But the $ 500 SB36512-F6 or the slightly more expensive $ 700 SB36514-G6 would probably be better Dolby Atmos options for a limited budget. However, these have rear speakers that may not be suitable for certain setups.

The connected, more music-friendly option is the Sonos Arc for $ 799, which still has Dolby Atmos, but in particular has no subwoofer. This is an add-on for $ 700 that brings Sonos to the premium buying area.

How long it will take?

Sony has a long tradition of making and sticking to quality products and I wouldn't expect anything else from the HT-G700.

Should you buy it

Yes. There may be a better Dolby Atmos bar for the money, but by effectively simulating this sound, the Sony HT-G700 remains competitive with a more compact system.

Editor's recommendations




06 Jun
Blog

Sony WF-1000XM3 Review: Everything Wireless Earbuds Should Be

sony wf 1000xm3 rating 2

"The WF-1000XM3 is a groundbreaking pair of fully wireless earphones."

  • Excellent sound and call quality

  • Fantastic battery life

  • Great noise cancellation

  • Convincing app-based functions

  • Comfortable fit

  • No water resistance

  • A bit bulky

This review was last updated by Nick Woodard, employee of Digital Trends A / V, on June 5, 2020.

For years we have considered Sony to be one of our favorite in-game headphone manufacturers. The noise-canceling WH-1000XM3 (and its two predecessors) continues to top our list of the best headphones and deserves the publisher's award. When Sony launched its new true wireless earbuds, which feature the same amazing noise reduction technology that the company packaged in its award-winning over-ears, we paid attention to that.

The new WF-1000XM3 earphones are everything we hoped for. They offer significant noise cancellation, high fidelity, and the same great app-based features we've loved by the company for years. But in the period since its debut, some strong rivals have emerged. The AirPods Pro from Apple were launched along with the Google Pixel Buds 2 and the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2. We still highly value the WF-1000XM3, but competition has shown that Sony's performance is no longer unique.

Fit and ready

The name of the WF-1000XM3 confusingly bears an "M3" or Mark 3 that matches the hugely popular over-ear WH-1000XM3, although this is only the second edition from Sony in this special range of true wireless earphones. The new buds come in an elegant black-copper charging case with a flat top that is embossed with the Sony logo.

The USB-C case is of considerable size, but still fits in most pockets. With the flat top, you can easily lay it on top of surfaces when you have the buds. The cap can be flipped up to reveal the two earphones inside and a large red LED on the front of the case indicates whether they are charging.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

The buds look good aesthetically, but there's not much to write home about when it comes to style. This is probably a targeted decision by the Sony team. Given that many buyers of noise canceling headphones are commuters and business people, it makes sense for the company to stick to a proven design with simple pill-shaped cases and a black-and-case – gray color scheme with small copper accents. They are bulkier than the AirPods Pro, but also inconspicuous compared to Apple's legendary white golf tees.

If you've been in the work world for a while, you'll know what it looks like: the headphones resemble miniature versions of the Bluetooth headset that you may have worn in the city in 2006. The oval shell connects an ergonomic interior with rounded acoustic chambers that culminate in soft silicone earplugs. Sony offers two different tip thicknesses in three sizes (small, medium and large), but they guarantee that you will find a pair that suits you.

Features and controls

There are very few wireless earbuds that compete in terms of features with the Sony WF-1000XM3. For starters, the headphones offer a solid battery life of 8 hours per noise-canceling charge and an AirPods Pro that performs best for 6 hours when the device is turned on. The case also contains a lot of juice and offers three full charges for 18 hours of backup battery when you use the headphones with noise canceling activated, and 24 hours without the camera turned off.

There's also a quick charge feature that lets you play back 90 minutes in just 10 minutes – ideal for those who forgot to charge before commuting or on short flights. However, a newer pair of Sony earphones, the WF-SP800N, has the XM3 beat in the battery department. The 800N offers 9 hours of playback with the ANC on and 13 hours without.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

A glossy touchpad on the outside of each bud allows you to play and pause music, access your voice assistant, and change songs. However, Sony also has some other useful extras built in, including the ability to long-touch the left earbud to temporarily produce sound, so you don't have to take off your headphones while trying to hear announcements or order drinks on the plane.

Speaking of removing earphones like the AirPods Pro. The WF-1000XM3 has sensors that interrupt the music and eventually go to sleep when removed. When you reinsert it, playback continues or the connection is activated and re-established, depending on how long you have left it.

These headphones offer amazing noise reduction due to their size.

Regarding the marquee function, noise cancellation, Sony has packed the tiny buds with its QN1e noise cancellation chip (the same one in the popular over-ear noise cancelers) and attached two microphones to each earphone to hide the outside world. This processing works like an absolute magic and drowns out keyboard clicks, noise from public transport and loud calls in the office.

You won't get the same insane reduction you'll hear on the larger WH-1000xM3 over-ears, but these headphones have an amazing reduction in size and are linked to the fact that they are excellent passive noise isolation very impressed with her performance in noisy rooms.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Each earphone can also be used separately for calls or music, and the microphones and noise canceling have worked wonders for the clarity of the calls. The sound quality is similar to many dedicated Bluetooth headsets.

Unlike many headphones where apps are designed primarily for pairing, the Sony Connect app offers some great features, including the ability to adjust equalization, the level of noise reduction you want, and the button for Google Assistant – the primary voice assistant – assignable on these headphones.

They do not have an IP protection class for water resistance, so the use of the fitness room is at your own risk

For some, the biggest shortcoming of the WF-1000XM3 is that they are not water resistant. The use of the fitness room is therefore at your own risk. At the start and during the first check, you couldn't control the volume without reaching for your phone or calling your voice assistant. Sony has now fixed this with a new option in its app that allows you to choose between volume control and ANC on / off.

Typically, we would pursue a manufacturer of $ 230 in-ear headphones for lack of water resistance because one of the best use cases for real wireless earphones is in the gym, where sweat can be a serious factor. However, we do not believe that the absence here is a big deal for two reasons. First, the headphones seem to be designed for office and business trips rather than the Iron Palace, and second, Sony claims there have been no complaints about previous generation earphones breaking at the gym. Sony appears to be confident that you can use the WF-1000XM3 for workouts, provided you don't sweat buckets.

Nevertheless, the AirPods Pro from Apple manage to offer IPX4 with the most bells and whistles. Sony's proprietary WF-SP800N also offers IP55 water resistance.

Sound quality

Sony has equipped its latest earbuds with its proprietary DSEE HX engine, which is designed to improve the lo-fidelity sound for better overall clarity. It works wonders on the WF-1000XM3, combining noise cancellation with the best fidelity you'll find in wireless earbuds.

We listened to everything from the lavish pop of Gen Z icon Billie Eilish to the indie rockers Golden Daze, and we're all impressed with everything we've heard.

The highs are clear and crisp, and there is a strong lower end that never becomes a mud pit. Instead, songs feel like they have a weight and depth that we often miss with other pairs of real wireless earbuds that feel a little over the top in terms of their sound profiles.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Plus – and that's a big plus – the sound is customizable. If the sound signature isn't quite what you want, you can adjust it using the EQ settings in the app so you never get annoyed with the way the headphones treat certain genres. Do you want a little more shine and pool shimmer in your jazz recordings? Simply increase the heights by one touch. Problem solved.

While playing around with the EQ settings is fun, we've spent most of our listening time with the headphones in the normal, flat EQ position. This is because they feel very well adjusted at the factory. Everything we heard about the WF-1000XM3 seemed to be exactly what the mixing technician intended, and that's really all we can ask of any headphones, especially real wireless in-ears.

Our opinion

The first great wireless noise canceling earphones are here with a Sony logo. With the WF-1000XM3, Sony has managed to offer a pair of groundbreaking earphones that seem to be worth the $ 230 premium easily.

Is there a better alternative?

Apple's AirPods Pro has been launched for $ 249 since the Sony WF-1000XM3 debuted. Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 2 is also a good comparison, although they are more expensive at $ 300.

The actual competitor here could be internal though, as the Sony WF-SP800N outperforms the XM3 in key categories like battery life and water resistance. They may not sound as good or have the noise canceling capabilities of the 1000XM3, but the SP800N still sounds less solid for $ 30.

How long will they last?

Sony has been making great headphones for decades, and we have no reason to believe that the build quality of the WF-1000xM3 is different. It is worth noting that the lifespan of all real wireless headphones is limited by the lifespan of the battery. However, we assume that you will have at least a few years before the batteries show excessive wear.

Should you buy them

Yes – and especially if you are an Android user. If you want feature-rich headphones with real wireless headphones and like the sound of silence, the Sony WF-1000XM3 is still one of the best you'll find.

Editor's recommendations




06 Jun
Blog

Sony A8H 4K HDR OLED TV Review | Cinematic Perfection

Sony A8H OLED

"It is by far the most accurate TV you can buy this year."

  • Beautiful design

  • Exemplary picture quality

  • Snappy user interface

  • Solid sound quality

  • Excellent HDR performance

I took a bold step last year and named Sony's A9G the best TV of 2019. Not everyone agreed that this was the right call, but I stand by it. With the A9G, Sony has been doing what it can do best for decades by making its image processing a star. LG makes the OLED panel, but Sony makes it even more amazing.

Now I have the Sony A8H OLED TV in front of me and I'm thinking about its place in this year's series of very exciting TVs. It's not a replacement for the A9G, which means it's not Sony's new flagship, but it definitely looks like it – anything but priced.

The A8H gets Sony's best image processor, a beautiful design with adjustable feet, and almost all the functions of the A9G – all for less – around $ 400 less for a 55-inch model at $ 1899.00 and $ 500 -Dollar less for a 65-inch model set at $ 2799.00.

Sony A8H OLEDDan Baker / Digital Trends

However, there is something that many might consider a blatant omission: HDMI 2.1 support. The A8H offers eARC through one of its HDMI ports. You won't find a variable refresh rate (VRR) or automatic low latency mode (ALLM), just two of many other valuable features that come with the latest HDMI standard. However, Sony tells me that this is not a problem for the target audience of this TV.

Is the Sony A8H in the running for the best TV of the year? Let's find out.

Out of the box

Sony A8H OLEDDan Baker / Digital Trends

The 65-inch Sony A8H that I received for review contained two surprises: a redesigned remote control and a new two-foot stand system.

The remote control hasn't been overhauled exactly, but is a bit slimmer than the Sony remote control we've seen in the past 5 years. On top of the remote control is a recessed area with a microphone, which is not only used for voice commands and the addressing of the Google Assistant, but also for calibrating the sound system integrated into the TV.

Sony has redesigned the stand, making it much easier and more versatile to set up. There are now two heights available, one that hurls the TV down and one that has enough space to place a soundbar between your feet without obstructing the view of the TV.

No screws are required to attach the legs to the TV. They just snap into the slots at the bottom of the TV and hold on. A bit of work is required to switch the legs to the higher height for the so-called "soundbar mode".

Be sure to have the installation guide ready as it contains valuable instructions for disassembling and then assembling the feet for a larger configuration.

Setup and settings

Sony A8H OLEDDan Baker / Digital Trends

The A8H has the latest version of Android TV and controls most of the on-screen setup process. There are some advantages to Android phones (faster Wi-Fi setup and phone-based control), but I would skip these options and follow the on-screen instructions. Expect to go through a number of terms and conditions and authorization requests. I also urge you to take enough time to review what you allow as multiple levels of data collection are requested, which has an impact on data protection.

Once the bureaucracy is complete, the wizard will ask you to calibrate the TV audio. This is done by sitting in the “sweet spot” of your viewing area and pointing the remote control openly at the TV while the TV is playing a series of tones.

Sony A8H OLEDDan Baker / Digital Trends

I found this calibration useful to balance the sound with the right amount of bass from the built-in "subwoofers" while making the TV sound more spacious by using the reflected sound from the side panels. Surround sound is not, but the calibration has improved.

In the SDR image settings, I waggled between the "Cinema" and "Custom" preferences for a while before choosing "Custom". Turning off Motionflow was the only adjustment I made to this preset before I decided that it was otherwise almost perfect. Yes, it's that good.

When the TV switches to HDR mode, all important settings from the custom preset are retained. When Dolby Vision mode is activated, you can choose between Dolby Vision Bright and Dolby Vision Dark. I chose the former because I preferred the additional brightness (luminance) even in a dark room.

However, here is the problem. Image settings cannot be made globally. So if you want your cable box to get the same picture settings as your Blu-ray player, you have to adjust each HDMI input individually. Likewise for onboard streaming apps like Netflix and Hulu. However, once you select settings while using one of these apps, this applies to all apps.

Properties and design

Sony A8H OLEDDan Baker / Digital Trends

The A8H is possibly the most beautiful television Sony has ever made. Aside from being incredibly thin, the materials used by Sony give the TV a really great appearance. The legs are made of strong metal with a matte black finish, the bezel of the screen is incredibly thin, and the Sony logo has been moved to the front and center to the left, while its gloss has been replaced by a much more stealthy finish. On or off, the A8H is breathtaking.

The user experience benefits greatly from using the same system on a Sony chip (SOC) in the A9G, making Android TV not only bearable but also enjoyable. Gone is the frustrating delay you normally would be waiting for the TV to catch up as you scroll. Apps also load quickly, which shortens the time for the latest episode of Ozark.

On or off, the A8H is breathtaking

HBO Max is also available, which is currently more than for Roku or Amazon Fire TV.

Sony A8H OLEDDan Baker / Digital Trends

However, the most important feature of the A8H is the Sony X1 Ultimate processor. Image processing is everything and it's also Sony's biggest complaint on TV.

Other TV makers have started giving lip service to honoring "The Creator's Purpose," but that's a drum Sony has been beating for several years. When Sony speaks in clever sayings like "From the scene to the screen" and "From the lens to the living room", it bends shamelessly.

Sony makes cameras that are used by Hollywood. The BVM-X300 OLV reference monitor is used to create and master Hollywood movies, and the televisions are designed to fit this reference monitor as closely as possible. When Sony tells me that it makes the most cinematic television there can ever be, I believe them.

Interestingly, Sony uses the same philosophy to explain the A8H's lack of HDMI 2.1 support. As representatives of Sony told me during a briefing call, the A8H is aimed at videophiles and cinephiles – people who need or want Sony doubts use 4K at 120 Hz, VRR and ALLM for games or the always elusive and absolutely not -in-existing 12-bit color.

Instead, Sony has spent its time, money, and hardware resources developing the most accurate television possible. I think Sony has achieved its goal.

performance

Sony A8H OLEDDan Baker / Digital Trends

I have a feeling Sony will launch a new flagship OLED TV later this year – that's where the product release cycle has moved in the past 4 years. If so, it has to do something magical to justify its existence alongside the A8H. This TV is so good.

Whatever you're looking for outside of image quality, the A8H can do it. It has a new black frame insertion feature that smoothes motion without overly darkening the screen. It has a pixel level contrast enhancer to ensure that the tip areas are applied to the right areas of the screen for maximum HDR effect.

Whatever you're looking for outside of image quality, the A8H can do it

The A8H also has a feature that allows you to adjust the TV's tone curve to preserve highlights and shadows, regardless of how light or dark the room is. The out-of-box color is excellent and a professional calibrator only needs to optimize very little. And I've never seen a TV that better eliminates annoying streaks of color in low bit rate streaming content.

All of these features are a feature of Sony's X1 Ultimate processor. The end result is an image so lush that you want to drink it like a fine craft cocktail. I will skip all adjectives and reduce the picture performance of this TV to one word: Excellent.

Sony A8H OLEDDan Baker / Digital Trends

The sound quality is solid for any television, let alone one so thin. Because the screen produces sound itself, you get compelling directional queues. Voices seem to come from the actors' mouths and explosions seem to come from the visual source. Such a good TV deserves a bigger system, but the onboard sound is absolutely respectable.

What is the entry delay? It does not matter. If you're looking for a gaming TV, consider the Sony X900H, which supports HDMI 2.1 and includes an ATSC 3.0 tuner. If you are looking for a premium TV, you can consider a LG CX OLED or Samsung QLED TV for your gaming needs.

If you want to know, the A8H probably has the same input delay as the A8G, which wasn't particularly good – around 31 ms for 4K at 60 Hz and 21 ms for 4K at 120 Hz.

One final thought about image quality is concern about branding and what Sony is doing to combat it. Sony has an automatic brightness limit (ABL) on the A8H, but so far I haven't been able to thoroughly test it to determine how much the image is dimmed and how long it is dimmed. I will update this review with this information soon. Subjectively, however, I have not yet seen any dimming with the content that I have seen so far.

Other efforts, such as pixel shifting, are not apparent, and I contacted Sony to clarify what measures are being taken to avoid burn-in. With that said, I'll repeat what I've said in every OLED TV test over the past two years. Branding is unlikely to affect most viewers.

When a branding occurs, it happens when you watch a specific channel with a static image (like a news ticker on CNN or Fox News) every day for several hours. If you tune the TV to such a station and leave it on for 6 to 8 hours a day, do not buy this TV. Look for an LED / LCD TV. The Samsung Q90T would be an excellent alternative to approach OLED image quality for a little less money.

Our opinion

The A8H OLED is an undeniable premium television with a corresponding premium price, which, however, lags somewhat behind the typical flagship prices of Sony. The investment required will be rewarded with one of the most cinematic televisions we've reviewed. The A8H is an excellent choice for videophiles and cinephiles. However, players should look elsewhere.

Is there a better alternative?

For gamers, we recommend a look at the LG CX OLED or the LG C9 OLED television from last year. For those looking for a little more style, LG's GX Gallery series is also very attractive and player-friendly. For purists who want the best picture quality of an OLED, the A8H is unbeatable.

You can find more options in our best TVs of 2020.

How long it will take?

The TV itself should last for many years, but the lack of HDMI 2.1 means that next-generation console and PC gamers will find it unattractive.

guarantee

Sony grants a one year warranty on its A8H series TVs if you buy the TV from an authorized dealer. The guarantee relates specifically to the storage of product packaging. So look at the fine print.

Should you buy it

Yes. For the best OLED TV picture quality you can find with a truly cinematic experience, the A8H is the first choice.

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