Televisions

The more high dynamic range (HDR) displays I’ve seen, the more convinced I’ve become that the only type of LCD TV that can comfortably handle HDR’s extreme light demands are those that use direct rather than edge lighting – ideally in conjunction with some degree of ‘local dimming’, whereby clusters of LEDs have their light output adjusted independently.

Sony's newly-minted 55XD9305 TV is a flatscreen style icon with some cool new technology, introducing a novel Slim Backlight Drive which effectively divides the panel backlight in two, and sporting a waif-like frame that makes it perfect for wall-hanging. The set reviewed here is a 55-incher, but it’s also available in 65-inch guise. 

For many serious AV fans, OLED currently looks like the holy grail of TV technology, ready to usurp LED-lit LCD TV and light the way to a new era of home entertainment. If OLED doesn't excite you, then you may be reading the wrong website.

While there’s no doubt that we’re hurtling towards a 4K/UHD TV future, we’re not quite there yet. Much as we might love 4K, there are still a huge amount of living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and studies across the UK where 4K is either not wanted, not needed or not affordable. So it’s good to know there are Full HD sets like this Philips that still care about picture quality.