Sony X9500H review: The best Android TV you can buy

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the operating system on a TV can be as important as the quality of the TV itself. That’s what makes the difference in our Sony X9500H Review – this TV is Android, and that’s a big winner.

Not only that, but this is in my view the best Android TV you can buy. The good thing about Android is that any company can implement the operating system on their TVs. That’s why Bauhn at Aldi, Ffalcon at JB HiFi, Kogan, and many other brands are selling Android TVs.

While they are fantastic, they’re like using a $199 phone vs using a flagship phone. The operating system works, every app works, but from time to time there’s a lag between your button press and the response, or launching the app.

Not so on the Sony X9500H – this thing has the computing power to match its smarts meaning it’s responsive at an instant to all your commands.

That includes navigating the menus, launching apps, and – voice control

Sony X9500H Voice Control with Google Assistant

This is the first TV I’ve wanted to talk to. I’ve tested plenty of Google Assistant enabled TVs, but most of them lack the punch to follow through with the commands.

They work – and they work well, but If I’m getting a lag between pressing the microphone button on the remote and being able to speak, it kinda takes away the instant nature of a voice assistant.

With the Sony X9500H I found the response time to be smartphone like, meaning checking the weather, asking for program suggestions by actors or anything else was just so snappy.

You’ll want to use this one as your Google Assistant – simple as that.

Picture Quality on the Sony X9500H

Outstanding. Sony do it so well. While it’s “just” an LED/LCD panel, the Sony X9500H combines Sony’s “full array” panel technology with their X1 processor – and that’s the slam dunk here.

I struggle to fault the picture quality here, the unit is priced less than many flagship “Quantum Dot” TVs, but the picture on this thing is just outstanding.

The brightness of the colours, a rich really vibrant display is something to behold.

Importantly, the quality of the blacks compliments those colours. Deep blacks, with minimal bleed from the colours – really impressive stuff.

And then there’s the viewing angles. None of that is lost when you’re sitting on the lounge return – just because you didn’t get the centre spot does not mean the Sony X9500H will let you down.

Here’s the thing, I was just thinking to myself – a week earlier I had the Hisense Q8 TV in this exact same spot. That was a great picture too! Guess what, they are the exact same price. So in reality, choosing between the Hisense Q8 and the Sony X9500H is really a matter of apps.

The other details.

Sound performance on the Sony X9500H is excellent, with acoustic array speaker setup, downward and outward firing sound, you get a real immersion from the bog standard TV.

But even better, the minimalist and narrow stands that come with the TV can sit as wide as the TV itself. That means a decent width soundbar will fit easily popped right in front.

Should I buy the Sony X9500H?

I could go on and on and on about the ins and outs of this TV. But what I’ve said above is what matters.

The Sony X9500H has a fantastic picture quality, amazing Andoird TV performance, great design and great sound.

At $2995 it’s far from the cheapest 65 inch TV or Android 65 inch TV on the market. But – I think it’s the sweet spot. The TVs at this price are the next level up.

No, we don’t all need what it offers, but a purist and someone who sees this as a part of their decor and someone who watches a lot of TV will be rewarded by buying the Sony X9500H

Web: Sony