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Sony’s newest 4K telly is now on sale in the UK, available to snap up from Currys and PC World for a mere £4,000. That’s right — £4k!
That sounds like a lot of cash — and it is — but in fact that’s a surprisingly cheap price for an ultra high-definition telly, and shows that the pixel-packing 4K tech is rapidly becoming more affordable.
Sony’s Bravia X9 comes in two sizes. There’s a 55-inch model that costs a quid shy of £4,000, and a 65-inch option that’ll set you back £5,999.
The only other 4K TV on sale from the UK retailer is an 84-inch LG model, that costs an eye-watering £17,000, discounted from £20,000. The Samsung S9 4K telly came out earlier this year meanwhile, priced at £35,000.
The design of the telly itself will prove divisive. I’m not keen on the massive speakers either side of the screen, but Sony reckons you’ll get good built-in sound. You’d hope so, from those honking great cones.
4K refers to a screen resolution that’s roughly four times that of a full HD display. Sony’s offering crams in 3,840×2,160 pixels
The Bravia X9 also uses passive 3D, which is the kind of 3D you get in cinemas, and doesn’t require pricey glasses that use batteries. One benefit of the 4K tech is that when passive 3D splits a screen’s resolution, the sheer number of pixels involved means you’ll still get an HD view.
That said, think carefully about whether you really need a TV with a resolution that high. Geoffrey Morrison has argued for CNET that the technology isn’t worth the extra price — unless you have a massive screen or are sitting very close to the screen.
There’s also nigh-on zero 4K video available for you to watch right now, so be prepared to wait until Ultra HD resolution formats, streaming and TV channels start appearing.
Are you keen on 4K, or not bothered? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.
