Sony KDL-55W800B 55-inch 3D LED HDTV

Sony KDL-55W800B 55-inch 3D LED HDTV review - price, features and specifications of the Sony KDL55W800B premium TV

Sony KDL-55W800B 55-inch 3D LED HDTV

The KDL-55W800B is one of the latest big screen LED TVs released from Sony in 2014. It combines premium design with enhanced functionality of a Full HD Smart 3D TV.

Design and looks

Sony KDL-55W800B is a very good looking piece of electronics. It has a diagonal size of 54.6-inches plus a very thin frame which is quite obvious even from couple of meters distance. Some consumers may find this a bit disturbing as we are already quite used to have frameless TVs in the premium segment. I personally don't mind having a thing frame, I even prefer it that way as it gives the TV more solid look and feel but of course this is something quite individual and it is perfectly normal if you prefer frameless TV.

Sony KDL-55W800B is very thin and it has quite simple but very solid metal stand which positions this big screen tightly in place.

Functionality

The KDL-55W800B is very functional TV with all kinds of adjustments and Smart TV features. I am not going to waste your time and go through each of these options but I will give you a full list of the Sony KDL-55W800B audio and video specifications:

Video

• 3D Comb Filter : Yes
• MPEG Noise Reduction : Yes
• Blinking Type : Frame Blinking
• Intelligent Picture Optimizer : Yes
• Wide Mode : Full; Normal; Wide Zoom; Zoom; Caption; Normal / Full1 / Full2 for PC
• 4:3 Default : Yes
• PhotoTV HD : Yes
• Picture Mode : Vivid; Standard; Custom; Photo-Vivid; Photo-Standard; Photo-Original; Photo-Custom; Cinema1; Cinema2; Game-Standard; Game-Original; Graphics; Sports; Animation
• 24p True Cinema™ Technology : Yes
• Auto Wide : Yes
• CineMotion® Reverse 3:2 Pulldown Technology : Yes
• Video Processing : X-Reality PRO
• Live Color™ Technology : Yes
• Deep Color : Yes
• Portable Game Mode : Fine Full; Fine Normal; Portable Game1; Portable Game2
• Advanced Contrast Enhancer (ACE) : Yes
• Motionflow™ Technology : Motionflow XR 480
• Impulse Mode : Yes
• Clear Mode : Yes
• Face Area Detection : Yes
• Scene Optimized Energy Saving : Yes
• Super-resolution for Game Mode : Yes
• Intelligent MPEG Noise Reduction : Yes
• Video Signal : 1080/24p (HDMI only); 1080/60i; 1080/60p (HDMI / Component); 480/60i; 480/60p; 720/60p; 1080/30p (HDMI only); 720/30p (HDMI only); 720/24p (HDMI only)

Audio

• Audio Power Output : 10W+10W
• Speaker Configuration : 2ch, Full Range (30 x 80mm) x 2
• Speaker Position : Down Firing
• Sony Original Surround : S-Force Front Surround
• Headphone/Speaker Link : Yes
• Alternate Audio (Digital) : Yes
• Clear Phase Speaker : Yes
• Signal-to-Sound Architecture : Yes
• Digital Out Format : Dolby Digital, PCM
• Auto Mute (on no signal) : Yes
• Reflector : Yes
• Sound Mode : Standard; Cinema; Sports; Music; Game; Compressed Audio
• S-Master : Yes
• Advanced Auto Volume : Yes
• Sound Booster : Yes
• Stereo System : MTS (AUTO SAP)
• Audio Out : Fixed / Variable
• Dolby® : Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Pulse
• 5.1 Channel Audio Out : Yes

Connectivity (interfaces)

• Subwoofer Out : 1 (Side / Hybrid w/ HP and Audio Out)
• Analog Audio Input(s) (Total) : 2 (Rear)
• Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr) Input(s) : 1 (Rear / Hybrid)
• Audio Out : 1 (Side / Hybrid w/ HP)
• USB 2.0 : 2 (Side)
• Composite Video Input(s) : 2 (1 Rear / 1 Rear Hybrid w/ Component)
• AC Power Input : AC Adapter
• HDMI™ Connection(s) (Total) : 4 (1 Side / 3 Bottom)
• Headphone Output(s) : 1 (Side / Hybrid w/ Audio Out)
• Ethernet Connection(s) : 1 (Rear)
• MHL : Yes
• RF Connection Input(s) : 1 (Bottom)
• HDMI PC Input Format : 640x480@60Hz; 800x600@60Hz; 1280x768@60Hz-R; 1280x768@60Hz; 1360x768@60Hz; 1024x768@60Hz; 1280x1024@60Hz; 1920x1080@60Hz
• Digital Audio Output(s) : 1 (Rear)
• HDMI™ PC Input : Yes
• Wi-Fi Standard : a/b/g/n
• Wi-Fi Frequency : 2.4Ghz/5Ghz ( for Wi-Fi Direct / Screen mirroring: 2.4Ghz Only)
• Wi-Fi Direct : Yes
• Skype™ : Ready
• Guide and Search : Yes
• TV Tweet : Yes
• One-touch mirroring : Yes
• TV SideView™ : Yes
• Screen mirroring : Yes
• Related Search : Yes
• Search : Yes
• One-Flick entertainment : Yes
• Social Viewing : Yes (Tweet only)
• Photo Share : Yes
• Net AD : Yes (depends on ad provider)
• Seamless Streaming : Yes
• DLNA Content : MPEG1 / MPEG2PS / MPEG2TS / AVCHD / MP4Part10 / MP4Part2 / AVI(XVID) / AVI(MotionJpeg) / MOV / WMV / MKV / WEBM / 3GPP / MP3 / WMA / LPCM / JPEG / MPO
• Sony Entertainment Network : Yes
• Wireless LAN : Integrated
• Opera Apps (System) : Yes
• Wi-Fi Certified : Yes
• Internet Browser : Yes (Opera)

3D

Sony KDL-55W800B uses active 3D technology and the 3D experience on this big screen is pretty good. You also get a pair of 3D glasses with the TV (TDG-BT400A).

Price

Considering this is a very big HDTV with plenty of qualities I wouldn't say that the price of $1500 is high. Actually it seems quite fair considering some competitors from Samsung which cost couple of hundred more like the Samsung UE55F6400.

Anyways, it is up to you to decide how much you are going to spend on a TV. I would also suggest to take a look at few of the other very good offers for 55-inch TVs from Sony.