Are Sony TVs Reliable? (Explained For Beginners)

Sony TVs have been around for quite a while, but they continue to be trailblazers in the consumer electronics industry, even if they are priced higher than their competitors.

So, what makes them stand out?

Are Sony TVs reliable? 

Here’s What You Need to Know about the Reliability of Sony TVs.

Sony TVs are top of the shelf when it comes to consumer electronics. Many people swear by their products, which have been proven to be above the standard and durable. Sony is a reliable TV brand that is trusted by consumers across the globe.

 

Do Sony TVs Last As Long As Other Brands?

Sony TVs are expected to last anywhere from 5 to 10 years.

That lower estimate is based on heavy and almost round-the-clock usage.

If you only use it for a small fraction of the day, you stand to get almost 10 years from your Sony TV.

Are Sony TVs Worth Buying?

If you are looking for a good TV, you can’t go wrong with Sony.

They have been in the industry for decades now, and the quality they put into their devices is above average.

Although Sony may cost more than other TV brands, the truth is, you are paying for the name and reputation the brand has built over the years in the consumer electronics industry.

Given the reputation and the quality of their products in general, you can say that you get what you pay for when you buy a Sony TV.

Do People Generally Have Problems With Sony TVs?

There may be a few common problems that Sony users experience, but they are not that big enough to be considered as a flaw in the design of their TVs.

Common problems experienced with Sonys happen with all TVs.

What Are the Most Common Issues With Sony TVs?

Sony identified the most common issues that people may encounter with their TVs, spanning from app functionality to picture quality.

Just because Sony listed these issues, it does not mean it will happen with every TV. These are a list of what their customer support team usually encounters, which is why they compiled a list for self-help and troubleshooting.

Here are the common issues:

• Power issues, including no power and the TV turning off at random
• Blinking LEDs
• Slow or lagging remote controls
• Freezing or hanging
• Missing channels
• Poor or unavailable audio
• Internet connectivity
• Firmware Issues

Note that many of these issues also happen with other brands. 

How Reliable Are The Cable Ports?

The cable ports of Sony TVs are durable for the most part. 

As long as you don’t pull plugs or other peripherals plugged into the TV by force, you can expect them to last.

How Many Years Should I Expect a Sony TV To Last?

As long as you exert proper care and use, you can expect Sony TVs to last you an average of seven years, with regular and extensive use.

If you don’t use it round the clock, you can get up to ten years on a Sony TV with proper care and maintenance.

How Long Is the Warranty On These?

Sony provides an 18-month warranty for their TVs. 

This warranty is longer than the average coverage of one year for electronic devices and covers parts and labor.

Some retailers offer extended warranty coverage, often covered by a third-party insurance service. These are optional and you may want to weigh the cost before signing up.

What’s the First Thing that Breaks in a TV?

LED backlights are usually the first to break for most modern TVs.

• People tend to crank up the backlight, when in fact, it should be adjusted according to the lighting condition of the room. This can lead to them breaking.
• That is why you need to know how your backlight is set since many manufacturers set them to full by default.
• As a rule of thumb, higher backlight levels work brighter rooms, while dim rooms will work okay with a lower backlight setting.

What are the best Sony TVs?

Sony A8H

For those looking for OLED displays, the Sony A8H is a great option.

• The A8H comes with an OLED display that provides exceptional images, thanks to its ability to turn off individual pixels.
• You get the perfect blacks for dim rooms, as well as reflection and glare management, although there may be occasional visibility issues in well-lit rooms.
• Since OLED displays don’t need backlights, there won’t be any uniformity issues with the A8H.
• Viewing angles are also wide, which give you accurate images no matter where you sit.
• HDR content stands out with the A8H. The color accuracy is spot-on out of the box, which removes the need for calibration.
• For gamers, the response time is fast and comes with a low input lag, although other 4k TVs have better ratings.
• The A8H also has Black Frame Insertion that improves clarity and interpolates low frame content up to 120 fps.

Now for the weaknesses.

• The A8H is prone to burn-in due to its OLED display.
• It also lacks HDMI 2.1 ports and cannot handle native 4k resolution with a 120 Hz refresh rate.
• There’s also the lack of a Variable Refresh Rate.

Sony X950H

If you can’t handle the burn-in risk from OLED TVs, then you ought to consider the Sony X950H.

• The X950H is one of the best LED TVs from Sony.
• Whether you’re watching movies or gaming, the X950H can provide a top-notch experience.
• Night owls will love this TV as it features a high contrast ratio, exceptional black uniformity, and full-array local dimming.
• The X950H also handles well-lit rooms without any problems.
• It comes with a VA panel and uses the X-Wide Angle layer, which also provides the TV with above-average viewing angles.
• If you are into games, the X950H has low input lags, a nearly-instant response time. It also handles HDR content quite well with its wide color gamut. Color accuracy is also on the spot.

The weakness of the X950H is its lack of Variable Refresh Rate support, and it cannot display 4k content at a 120 Hz refresh rate.

Sony X750H

While Sony does not specialize in affordable TVs, the X750H is probably one of the more budget-friendly TVs you can get from the brand.

• The X750H is a straight-to-the-point 4k TV that does the job.
• The X750H uses a VA panel that provides good black uniformity and has a wide color gamut.
• It comes with a low input lag for gamers and comes with a decent response time.

But the X750H comes with limitations.

• The X750H has a limited refresh rate of 60 Hz.
• It also can’t handle glare well and has average reflection handling.
• It also lacks local dimming, which can affect nighttime watching.

Four Ways to Care for Your TV

While manufacturers guarantee you reliable products, there is also a responsibility on the end of the user to properly handle and care for the TV.

Here are some tips to maintain your TV.

Temperature and Humidity Check

High temperatures can lessen the lifespan of your TV, while low temperatures can affect the display of your TV.

That is why you need to keep your TV in a room with the right temperatures.

You don’t need any treated room to do this; just make sure there’s enough ventilation and decent cooling to keep the temperatures at the right level.

At the same time, humidity can also ruin your TV. Humidity in the room can cause critical components to corrode, hence the need to make sure that your room is not humid.

Clean the TV often

Make sure to keep your TV dust-free, as dust can also cause short-circuits.

You may want to invest in a can of compressed air to keep the input jacks of your TV clean and some computer wipes.

Don’t forget to wipe lightly, as exerting effort can damage your TV’s screen.

Adjust Backlight Brightness and Contrast

The backlight of a TV is usually the first thing to go, which is why you need to adjust it to match the room lighting.

You don’t need much of the backlight when watching in the dark, so remember to turn it down when you don’t need it.

Turn off when not in use

If no one is using the TV, just switch it off.

This way you can preserve the backlights of the screen and save on electricity in the process.

Final Thoughts

You can’t go wrong with a Sony TV.

Their products are a cut above the rest, and they have managed to maintain their standards for quite a while now.

And as an established brand, it won’t be a challenge to find after-sales support, since you can probably find them almost everywhere.

 

Sources:

Rtings.com

The 3 Best Sony TVs of 2021

8 Simple Tips to Better Care Your Monitor & TV Set for Longer Life Span