Sony's sleek Android TV is a picture-quality powerhouse
TVs
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Sony's reputation as a TV maker is second to none, even today when Samsung and Visio dominate sales and upstart brands like TCL make waves.
One reason Sony is still great is models like the X900F.
This TV's predecessors were seen as favorites last year and the 2018 version is even better.
Excellent image quality, sleek style, and plenty of smart TV extras make it one of the year's top mid-range choices.
You can get a sense of Sony's super minimalist style on the 65-inch version seen here.
This TV has an ultra-thin frame around the picture, with a little accent strip on the bottom.
And the dark color is understated and classic.
The legs are a big chunkier than competitors and sit closer to the center, and I appreciate the little cable management channels in the back.
Fire it up and you'll be greeted by the Google Android TV System, one of the most capable around if a bit slower to respond than some other systems.
It delivers great app coverage however, with not only big names like Netflix, Amazon, and Voodoo, complete with 4K and HDR But numerous others, including YouTube TV, PBS Kids, Pluto TV and more.
You can also cast apps from your phone.
Fans of voice will also appreciate the built in Google Assistant, which lets you talk into the remote to get responses from the tv speakers and on screen.
What's the weather?
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Currently in New York City it's 60 with showers.
The TV can also connect to Google Home and even Amazon Alexa devices for select commands hands-free.
But what really sets the X900F apart is picture quality.
It uses full array local dimming to achieve superb black levels and searing light output, the latter a big strength in brighter rooms.
It also offers extremely accurate color and even better video processing than last year.
In my side-by-side comparisons, it couldn't compete with OLED, but still delivered excellent image quality for an LCD TV.
On the other hand, it costs quite a bit more than similarly excellent sets from TCL and Visio, so bargain hunters might want to look elsewhere.
But if you value that Sony name, and want Android on your TV, the X900F is a great choice.
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