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SONY 49XE9005, new TV model of the Gitapponese company, looks like a very interesting product at first sight: classic but always fascinating Sony design, Android TV technology , HDR, 4K (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) and Full LED, in a 49 “display that for those with high-end needs is usually considered a” small “cut.
In reality, the new 49XE9005 has all the credentials to be a real blockbuster of the winter season, on the one hand as we said for the technology included, on the other for the price, at 1,599 Euro list (but on Amazon you can find it something less) that allows you to take home a TV that will be able to hold its own against the top models for several years and that is very good both as a first and as a second TV.
We tried it to see what the actual contents are, beyond appearances and specifications on the card.
49XE9005, ready go everything is already OK
The 49 “size made it easy to transport and install: the TV is quite light and easy to handle, we have done everything on our own, from unpacking to the actual installation, which (like all smart TVs) consists of two phases.
In the first we extracted the panel and mounted the base, and although even in this case Sony does not provide the appropriate instructions, it is a fairly simple operation (a breeze for those with IKEA experience), connected to the important external power supply, the antenna (which every day that passes serves less and less) and the Ethernet socket.
The second phase seen in the customization of Android TV, possible both with and without an Android smartphone by following the instructions on the screen.
At the end of the process we disconnected the Ethernet socket and let the TV operate only in wirless, which it has done very well without ever regretting the cable.
What we liked most of all is on the one hand the deep integration that Android now has with third-party hardware, on the other hand, Sony's default sets that we basically haven't touched, probably getting the best that the TV can offer.
During the test we used the TV as an accessory for several activity, from smart TV with Android TV to display for a MacBook Pro or NAS, as a simple display for Set-top-Box such as NVIDIA SHIELD (test here) or for Apple TV, using most of the available ports.
These are in large numbers: 4 HDMI ports (with 4K support) and three USB-A ports are the best the market offers today in terms of digital connectivity, maybe next year the first USB-C will also arrive.
The external power supply, not indifferent 
Android and Playstation
The experience with Android was satisfactory: as we said the integration is deep and we didn't feel like we lacked anything in Google's software sets to fully control TV and panel.
The default apps are interesting, from the ubiquitous Netflix to Amazon Prime Video, Chili, TimVision, Rakuten TV, Premium Play, Google Play Video, Sony Playstation Video and Spotify: predictably and as always missing from these TVs, only Sky for commercial reasons.
49XE9005 also includes an App for future streaming channels, fully functional albeit with an interface to be reviewed (inside, however, there is only one Google channel under test).
The Android TV interface
As far as we are concerned we have used some App videos here and there, both in the most famous circuits (Netflix, Amazon, Google Play Video) and in more private mode with Plex. In all cases the experience with Android TV proved to be satisfactory, except in some cases where the command appeared on the screen a few seconds after pressing it on the remote control, probably due to an excessive workload on the processor.
From this point of view, the optimization of Apple TV is still ahead, while Android is likely to have to deal with multiple hardware to control and we have not yet arrived at the picture of the situation.
As far as the use of the App is concerned, Plex did quite well, even if compared to an external player the difference is felt in the freshness of the performances and in a few seconds less to load the films . Miracast support for video mirroring is also pleasant, even if only in some Apps.
Even with regards to games, some start normally, but often the performance is not all. 'height (as in no TV to tell the truth): it is useless to hide, to play well an external hardware such as Playstation 4 is a must, in order to use 49XE9005 only as a display.
For those not accustomed to the smart environment, there is an online guide
And speaking of Playstation: we have tried it with some titles, both in FullHD and in 4K, and we must say that a little for the size, which in the opinion of the writer is ideal for playing (the bigger you tend to get lost) and a bit 'for the intensity of black the experience was amazing.
The 49XE9005 offers excellent performance in movies, photos and an operating system that serves purpose, but the opinion of the writer is that Sony has (deliberately or not) created the perfect TV to be combined with Playstation 4: excellent performance in games, fair price and large but not very large size.
The remote control is essential but functional, the keys are easy to find even in the dark
Panel and Design
The design is minimalist: the base appears solid yet light and easy to assemble, the back is not as well-finished as the higher models but it is not a problem, the connections are comfortable and as we have emphasized the weight is contained.
The side profile is not the thinnest, probably for constructive needs, but the care of the materials is inclined to an excellent product that looks good both in the living room and in the bedroom, and all in all also in a representative office or in a meeting room.
The part relating to the panel tells of a very good signal. The HDR operates with a contrast that stands out, we liked the rendering both in the photos (even if like all TVs it tends to saturate the colors) and in the movies.
The intensity of the black is excellent, as we have said especially in games, as well as the richness of the colors and the 4K signal, which with suitable files gives full satisfaction.
As is customary for all very high resolution TVs, however, often the classic TV signal offers poor results, not because of Sony but due to an extreme poverty of the signal, and if we can say it, also of the contents of generalist TV: who makes such an investment it is highly recommended to work with streaming apps, from Netflix to Amazon Prime Video, from Premium Play to Playstation Video, ending with Plex for private content, leaving the TV only when there is no time to see anything else. .
The Opera browser included in the TV, which can be used also with tel ecomando
Considerations
The 49XE9005 therefore keeps its promises, even more than the 65 “model tried a few months ago that it was also of a higher range, because it was suitable for a more potent audience and with already differentiated needs, but without the compromises typical of displays in this range. It is also more markedly aimed at games.
We did not perceive real defects: we would have liked, perhaps, greater support for local files, where the Apps show gaps, but in an increasingly streaming-oriented perspective, it is a minor defect.
The TV is a good example of how it is possible to have a product with an important design, a optimal performance, a pleasant smart support (and in any case you can connect the Set-top-Box you want via HDMI) at a price in line with expectations.
Sony 49XE9005 should be easily available in the most famous chain stores of the peninsula at a price of 1,599 euros, although at the time of writing you can find it with a small discount also on Amazon.it
[usrlist Design:4.5 Facilità-d’uso:3.5 Prestazioni:4.0 Qualità/Prezzo:4.0]
Pro :
Against:
Price: 1,599 Euros
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