Sony KDL-55W805C LED TV Review

With all the latest and most advanced TV technologies – ranging from quantum dots and high dynamic range (HDR) to full-array local dimming (FALD) and motion enhancement – going to 4K Ultra HD sets these days, it seems almost pointless to review a 1080p HDTV. But the Sony W805C we’re taking a look at today is, after all, the direct successor to last year’s best-selling Bravia W829 series, not to mention available at a keen price, so naturally our interest is piqued.

Sony KDL-55W805C

The W80C range comes in three screen sizes in the UK, namely the 43-inch Sony KDL-43W805C, the 50-inch KDL-50W805C and the 55-inch KDL-55W805C (which is the model we’re testing). Features include edge LED backlighting, full HD 1920×1080 resolution, the Japanese brand’s X-Reality PRO video processing engine, a Motionflow XR rating of 800Hz, active 3D capabilities, as well as a new Android TV platform.

Design

There’s no big change in styling from 2014’s KDL50W829 to this year’s KDL55W805. The matte black bezel remains impossibly slim, only widening somewhat at the bottom to accommodate the central Sony logo, while a brushed metallic silver finish along the top fascia adds a touch of class to the entire ensemble.

Sony W805C

The LCD panel sits on a low-profile “wire rack” stand that’s covered in gleaming chrome. The KDL55W805C ships with an external power brick, a traditional zapper plus a Smart remote, but no 3D glasses.

Connections

Rear connections
4x HDMI, 3x USB, component, SCART, Freeview HD & satellite tuners, LAN, audio outs

Calibration

We calibrated our Sony KDL55W805CBU review unit with a profiled Klein K10-A meter, DVDO’s AVLab TPG signal generator, and SpectraCal’s CalMAN software, using the TV’s most accurate out-of-the-box picture preset, i.e. [Cinema pro] mode.

We’ve previously applauded Sony for providing a new 10-point [White Balance] system on the firm’s 2015 Bravias, but to be honest it wasn’t needed at all for the 55″ W80C, since 2-point [White Balance] controls were enough to reduce delta errors to imperceptible levels. Following greyscale calibration and some adjustments of the [Colour] control, all the measured colour points clicked into place in an accurate fashion, with 100% red capable of being fully saturated to Rec.709 gamut, an improvement over 2014’s W8 series.

Greyscale

Pre-calibration RGB Tracking
Pre-calibration Delta errors
Pre-calibration RGB tracking and delta errors (dEs) in [Cinema pro] mode
Post-calibration RGB Tracking
Post-calibration Delta errors
Calibrated RGB tracking and dEs in [Cinema pro] mode

Gamma

Pre-calibrated Gamma tracking in [Cinema pro] mode Post-calibrated Gamma tracking in [Cinema pro] mode
Pre-calibration gamma tracking (2.67) Post-calibration gamma tracking (2.36)

Colour

Post-calibration Colour saturation tracking in [Cinema pro] mode
Post-calibration colour saturation tracking in [Cinema pro] mode
Post-calibration colour errors in [Cinema pro] mode
Post-calibration colour errors (<3 not appreciable to the eye)
Post-calibration colour checker
Post-calibration Colour Checker Classic test
Post-calibration colour checker errors
Post-calibration Colour Checker Classic errors (<3 not visible to the eye)

Benchmark Test Results

Dead pixels None
Screen uniformity Good for an edge LED TV
Overscanning on HDMI 0% if [Screen Format] “Full” & [Display Area] “Full Pixel
Blacker than black Passed
Calibrated black level (black screen) LEDs dim down to 0.006 cd/m2
Calibrated black level (4×4 ANSI) 0.025 cd/m2
Black level retention Auto-dimming with full black screen
Primary chromaticity Good
Scaling Good
Video mode deinterlacing Decent
Film mode deinterlacing Passed 3:2/480i+1080i & 2:2/576i with [Film Mode] on
Viewing angle Decent for VA LCD panel
Motion resolution 600 to 1080 with [Motionflow] engaged; 300, off
Digital noise reduction Optional; effective when engaged
Sharpness Defeatable edge enhancement
Luma/Chroma bandwidth (2D Blu-ray) Full luma; chroma horizontally blurred except in [Game] & [Graphics] modes
1080p/24 capability No judder in 2D or 3D with correct [Motionflow] settings
Input lag (high-speed camera) 21ms compared to lag-free CRT in [Game] mode
Leo Bodnar input lag tester 37ms in [Game] mode
Full 4:4:4 reproduction (PC) Yes, in [Game] and [Graphics] modes

Power Consumption

Default [Standard] mode 25 watts*
Calibrated [Cinema pro] mode 42 watts
Standby <1 watt

*Note: Out of the box, [Light Sensor] was enabled by default, explaining why energy usage was higher after calibration than before.

Black Level

The VA-type LCD panel on the Sony KDL-55W805C delivered some of the deepest blacks natively (i.e. without the help of local dimming, not that the TV is equipped with any) by LED LCD standards. After pegging peak white to our usual dark-room target of 120 cd/m2, black level came in at 0.025 cd/m2 on both a full-field video black (with auto-dimming defeated by displaying a pause icon from our Blu-ray player) and a 4×4 ANSI chequerboard pattern, which is impressive even for a VA panel.

Subpixel structure
Macro shot of subpixel structure pointing towards VA-type LCD matrix

Like most LED TVs, the Bravia KDL55W805C dimmed its backlight automatically when asked to display a full-black screen, which lowered measured blacks to 0.006 cd/m2.

The Sony W805C employs frame dimming instead of pseudo-local dimming, which is activated through the [Adv. Contrast Enhancer] option within the [Brightness] submenu. Our objective testing revealed severe gamma skewing in brighter scenes, and so we advise leaving this setting off.

Backlight/ Screen Uniformity

Considering that it’s an edge-lit LED TV, backlight uniformity on our Sony KDL55W805CBU review sample was good: we observed no clouding or corner bleed in a dark viewing environment, though if we peered hard enough (or stood up) we could see the bottom border (where the LEDs are placed) being marginally brighter than the rest of the LCD screen. We didn’t spot any worrying DSE (dirty screen effect) either in panning shots across an evenly toned backdrop (for example in live broadcasts of golf and football).

Motion

The 55in Sony W80C performed slightly worse than the company’s step-up 4K model X93C in terms of motion performance. With [Motionflow] set to “Off” or “True Cinema” (whose purpose is to recover 24p frames from 60Hz sources), motion resolution stayed at 300 lines (as determined using the horizontally scrolling lines in Chapter 31 of the FPD Benchmark Software test disc) which is what we’d expect for an LCD panel unassisted by motion-enhancing technologies.

While [Motionflow] “Standard” and “Smooth” doubled motion resolution to 600 lines, they introduced soap opera effect (SOE) to 24fps films, as well as intermittent interpolation artefacts in complex moving scenes. [Motionflow] “Clear” increased motion res further to 900 lines, but incurred some brightness drop (which thankfully could be adequately compensated by upping [Backlight] appropriately) due to the addition of backlight scanning.

Football

For users who like to tinker, Sony has also provided separate [Smoothness] and [Clearness] settings in the [Motionflow] “Custom” submenu, allowing for the respective intensities of frame interpolation and backlight scanning/ black frame insertion (BFI) to be adjusted independently. However, even for us who have considerable experience and the benefit of test patterns to help us out, it wasn’t easy to arrive at a set of values that worked perfectly for all content. To achieve a motion resolution of 1080 lines, you’d either have to put up with overt soap opera effect, or endure significant flicker and image darkening with [Clearness] set to “Max” (we measured a peak luminance of only 36 cd/m2 even with [Brightness] and [Contrast] cranked up to their maximum values).

Video Processing

There were no major changes in the quality of video processing from last year’s immensely popular Sony W829 to 2015’s W805C, if our review unit was anything to go by. SD-to-HD upconversion was good, capturing full detail with sufficient crispness and no objectionable ringing. The TV also cleaned up jaggies in video-based material fairly effectively, though there remained some jagged edges on the third bar of DVE‘s bouncing bars pattern, which has been the case on Sony televisions as far as we can remember.

The KDL55W805C correctly detected and processed 3:2 and 2:2 cadences in 480i and 576i respectively with [Film Mode] engaged, but depending on its setting there might be some smoothing thrown in. As for interlaced high-definition content (1080i), 3:2 was problem-free, but 2:2 would lose lock frequently.

3D

A increasingly common trend along with non-inclusion of 3D glasses, the Sony KDL-55W805C is yet another active-shutter 3D TV that doesn’t deliver full HD 3D resolution, following in the footsteps of its KDL-50W829B predecessor. Assessed using our custom-authored 3D resolution test pattern, the alternating black and white single-pixel horizontal lines simply merged into one solid grey block, indicating a loss of vertical resolution in the third dimension. Like what’s experienced on passive 3D HDTVs, this translated into jagged edges, line twitter and generic softness in extra-dimensional material.

The default [Motionflow] setting of “Standard” in 3-D mode caused some judder with 24Hz and 50Hz sources, but once this was corrected, the 55-inch W8C handled 24fps, 50fps and 60fps tri-dimensional content smoothly without judder or interpolation. While crosstalk could be surprisingly intrusive at times, it’s a vast improvement over the Sonys of yesteryears.

Gaming

It appears that Sony is ceding ground to Samsung in the battle for uber-responsive gaming TVs – gone are the days of sub-20ms Bravias. Our Leo Bodnar input lag tester returned a figure of 37ms in [Game] mode, whereas the more traditional stopclock plus high-frame-rate camera method yielded a lag measurement of 21ms, which is still quick enough for all but the most demanding of twitch gamers.

Input lag

An advantage Sony’s [Game] mode holds over Samsung’s is full 4:4:4 chroma reproduction, making it more appealing to PC users. Input lag in the [Cinema pro] preset was exactly one frame higher at 53ms.

Conclusion

The Sony KDL-55W805C is largely a sideways move from last year’s W829 Bravia, but that’s no criticism of the former, because the latter has set quite a high bar as far as large-screen HDTVs go. Images on the W805C looked positively absorbing owing to deep blacks and wonderfully realistic colour palette (that’s able to saturate reds fully, unlike its predecessor), although 3D remained half-res (just like its predecessor).

The Sony W80C’s input lag was roughly one frame higher than the 2013 and 2014 Sony 1080p TVs, but for most owners this should still feel addictively fluid. Available at a street price of below £900 at time of publication, the KDL55W805 represents tremendous value for money when it comes to picture quality.

Highly Recommended

27 comments

  1. Thanks for review!
    ANSI black 0.025cd/m2 it’s really?
    How many peak brightness full field white screens?

  2. I know it’s not ideal, but can we have your calibration settings?

  3. Hmm. Still swaying to the X930 I think even though this set is much less expensive.

    Would love to know if anyone knows exactly where Sony are producing their sets these days as it never says on the rear anymore. Is it still Mexico?

  4. Oops just noticed this is the 1080 803 rather than the 4k 850.

  5. I would love to know where this TV is being sold for bellow £900?? In John Lewis, Richer sounds and Currys the TV is around the £1100 mark

    Would you say this TV at this price performs better then the 4K sets around the same money? i.e Panasonic 55CX680/700, Samsung 55JU6400. You seem to use the same phrase as other review sites, Saying this TV is very good for a Full HD.

    does that mean that its better or worse than the 4K sets around the same price??

  6. my mistake currys and Richer sounds have dropped their price.

    Would still like to know if you think it is worth paying the £200 more to get one of the 2/3 4k TVs i mentioned ???

  7. First of all I’d like to thank you for another great, in-depth review. They are always appreciated.

    What would you say is the better buy? The Sony 50/55 inch W805C or the Panasonic 50CX700?

    Obviously the 50W805C is a bit cheaper and the 55W805C offer 5 more inches of screen real estate for the same price as the Panasonic, but the with the CX700 you get 4K UHD resolution and a quantum dot panel. Input lag is the same this year, so that’s (sadly) not selling point. I don’t care about the Smart TV features, so it doesn’t matter whether it’s Android TV or Firefox OS.

    I’d really appreciate your professional opinion. Thanks in advance.

  8. I wish you had reviewed the bigger W85C series. I’d love to know what difference direct LED makes. I can only guess it’s as good if not better than the W80C reviewed here.

    I’m not buying a 4K TV until things are settled on HDR, bit-depth, etc. For a few years, the 75″ W85C at around €2500 seems great value to me.

  9. For standard definition channels (Indian channels on SKY), does this set perform better than its Samsung or Panasonic counterparts considering their big screens.

  10. hi. i have the sony 40 inch hx850 from a few years back. while I’m happy how it performs in hd and 3d (full hd) is this a worthy upgrade as i want the 43 inch model. i also turn off 3d for movies like guardians of the galaxy so i can watch the imax versions without having watch in 3d. when i turn 3d mode off will it still display the movie in full hd even though it won’t in 3d?

  11. @BETAMAX: Yes, our review sample delivered 0.025 cd/m2 ANSI blacks. Max full-field peak white was 396 cd/m2 in Vivid mode; 350 cd/m2 in Standard mode; 310 cd/m2 in Cinema mode.

    @Andrew: The 4K sets you listed have inferior motion to the Sony W80C, making their supposedly higher resolution pointless.

    @Alex: The CX700 doesn’t have quantum dot panel.

    @Prashant: No.

    @marco: No, the W805C doesn’t do full HD 3D.

    Warmest regards
    Vincent

  12. @Vincent Teoh

    Thanks for the Info.

  13. Great in depth review once again. @Vincent, how would you compare this tv to the Panasonic st50 plasma? I am thinking about upgrading my 65st50 to the 75w85c. Would I loose a lot in the black level department?

  14. @ Vincent

    Doesn’t the Panasonic 50CX700 have a “Wide Colour Phosphor” panel? I thought that’s basically the same as Quantum Dot. Just like Sony calls it Triluminos?

  15. @Arend de Bak
    Even if you settled for 90 cd/m2, your mll would be at 0.018 cd/m2, IF(!) we suppose, the 75W855C has the same blacklevel performance as the model tested here in this review. Your 65ST50 has 0.009 cd/m2.

  16. I have the 50 inch model and I love it. I’m happy with my picture settings but would love to know what settings you finished with for comparison ty.

  17. Great review!

    But if i want a good tv for general viewing sports and gamin what is the best bang for the buck the 55W805C or the older 55W829B ?

    Or do you recomend another led tv for that uses?

  18. Nice review! If have just bought this tv.

    Years ago I bought a sony 40w4000 tv. This model is also reviewed by hdtvtest. Back then I was lucky enough to take the settings from the test and apply them to my own tv. I was wondering if I could by any chance get the setting you guys came up with for this tv. Could you mail them to me?

    Greetings

  19. I have measured black level 0,0257 cd/m2.

    The defining was

    Backlight: 10 and motionflow clearity: 2 for backlogs scanning results a 103 cd/m2 peak white.

    What was your backlight settings?

    And can I use color enchasement to middle, and without crashing the white balance? Van not test, because it’s a live enchasement.

    Thanks for a reply.

  20. Nice review guys! This TV is currently on offer at a store close by and I think I’ll go ahead and treat myself. Can hardly to wrong at 600 euros! Is there any chance we’ll see your settings post-calibration released? Cheers!

  21. Hello i want to ask what is the difference is 807c with 805C and is they are same input lag ?

  22. Hi,

    Im looking at the Sony KDL-50W805C, would this be ok for gaming? and my main concern is the risk of DSE, I had a bad experience with a lower end LG 50″ that made games like fifa almost unplayable it was so distracting

    Any info or comments on the Sony KDL-50W805C would be greatly appreciated, my aim is a 50″ TV and this is the most i could afford.

  23. You write ” it seems almost pointless to review a 1080p”, in my opinion it is incorrect for lot or most of us. In most European country, there is almost none 4k programs, 99% are HD and SD. And most of us are living our lifes and solving our problems, and are not slaves of searching 4k media over internet. Im am personaly interested mostly for local things on tv, and not for some internet 4k streaming from USA or etc. Also to sit obaout 1.5 meter away from my 60″ UHD tv in a big living room, or to change viewing distance every time I switch from SD to UHD, to see details, is more than stupid. Another point, I looked around for the best and most expensive UHD tv, Sony X94.. or Samsung 95xx and found that SD or UHD programs are much less sharp than my old HD tv, even on DVD( I bring my favorite DVDs to try). Have more than 1000 DVD and Blueray, and to bay a new premium UHD tv for 4000 to 7000 euros to watch my favorite things in worse quality? I have to be a moron to do that :)

  24. Hi Vincent, the power consumption seems really to be amazing. Are you sure this TV uses 42 watts once calibrated. It is a 55 inch TV..

    Great in depth review by the way!

  25. @Vincent Teoh
    Hello Vincent,

    I know, this is an really old review of last year’s model 55W805C, but would you know by any chance, if the 75W855C uses the same panel??

    If it would, I would assume, that the black level response would be equally 0.025 cdm/m2 with 120 cd/m2 target luminance, so that is why I would find the asked information extremely useful.

    My brother thinks about buying the 75W855C, so an answer would be deeply appreciated! :)

    best regards

    Marc

  26. @Marc Wessels: Yes, it’s a VA panel. From a calibration, I recorded black level of 0.05 cd/m2 with peak white at 180 cd/m2 (it’s a bright room).

    Warmest regards
    Vincent

  27. imre,

    Vincent’s reviews are fair on here and he was right, UHD has taken a keen hold from then until now.
    I came from a W82b and what you are saying about SD, DVDs etc is, was, Rubbish. Top OLED sets aren’t even in that price bracket you suggested…
    A few of us have happily upgraded, myself included. That makes us all morons does it? Wow.

    I meant to say how good this review was a few times on here…
    A belated well done Vincent.

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