Sony’s latest Mini LED TV proves sequels can, indeed, be better
Mini LED TV | £2199 | whf.cm/SonyX95L
Sony’s debut Mini LED TV, last year’s X95K, was mostly excellent, combining bags of brightness and contrast – just as we would hope to see from Mini LED technology. The only problem was that bright objects could still be surrounded by noticeable halos of extra light.
Pre-launch demonstrations of Sony’s second Mini LED TV, though, the X95L, suggested that the brand had found a way to tackle that previous haloing issue – something we are able to confirm, now that we have a final production line model of the 65in X95L sat imposingly on our test bench.
While the XR-65X95L’s £2199 asking price is clearly a lot of money, we would argue it looks like decent value for such a well specified TV. Rival Mini LED TVs from Samsung and rival QD-OLED or MLA OLED TVs from Samsung and LG, by comparison, will set you back hundreds of pounds more.
You can also buy 75in and 85in sizes of the X95L range, priced at £3499 and £4499 respectively.
Imposing minimalism
While the X95L is far from the showiest-looking TV around, there is a minimalist elegance about it that makes it an imposing but never overbearing presence in your living room.
Its back-breaking weight alerts you to some uncompromising build quality, too – as well as raising hopes of a similarly uncompromising performance from the direct-lit Mini LED panel.
The set’s rear sticks out further than most TVs we see these days – something to bear in mind if you are thinking of hanging it on a wall. We personally don’t mind this though, if the bulk is the result of Sony refusing to sacrifice any panel performance on the altar of slimness.
If you are not wall mounting the X95L, it sits on a pair of fairly straightforwardlooking black feet that can be positioned either close together or right out under the TV’s wings. You can also choose whether you want the TV to sit low down on the feet or, with the feet placed wide, a couple of inches higher to make room for a soundbar.
Let there be (more) light
Mini LEDs are much smaller than regular LEDs, so many more of them can be fitted inside a TV’s screen area. This means pictures have the potential to be brighter – and for that brightness to be better controlled.
As usual with Mini LED TVs, the X95L adds to the potential extra light precision with a local dimming system, where different clusters of the Mini LEDs can output different amounts of brightness within a given
