2015 Sony 4K TVs Shrink Slightly In Screen Size (X940C)

One of the big surprises from Sony at CES 2015 was the X900C and X910C 4K televisions, which offer an exceptionally thin profile. In fact, the TVs, which come in a 55-, 65-, and 75-inch sizes, are just .2-inches thick. You can check out our short video from the CES show floor showing just how incredibly thin they are. While it was all but certain that Sony would bring new 4K televisions to market, we hadn’t considered that the company could shrink down their design by as much as they did. One expectation that we did have for CES 2015 was larger televisions from Sony.

Good thing we’re not betters over here as Sony interestingly enough has gone in the other direction for their 2015 fleet of 4K TVs. While their televisions are thinner than ever, screen size seems to have taken a hit as well. Details after the jump.

Much like their 2014 fleet, the 2015 Sony 4K televisions offer the traditional sizes you’d expect like 55-inch and 65-inch models with smaller ones as well which start at 43-inches. Last year, Sony’s 4K fleet started with a 49-inch model, meaning that we’ll likely see even a lower starting price point from Sony which is a great thing. Unfortunately for large TV enthusiasts, not only did Sony not deliver, but things even shrunk a bit when compared to 2014.

While in the year before you could purchase the 78.6-inch 4K model (X900B), the largest Sony is offering for 2015 will be the X910C (75-inch) and the X940C (75-inch). While not a huge loss in screen size, it does signal that Sony is not quite ready to take on Samsung and others in the extra large space. This is likely due to the fact that producing larger sized panels (above 65-inch) adds a considerable amount to the price tag. Larger panels are also notoriously more difficult to develop as can be seen in reviews for Sony’s 2014 4K televisions: the 55- and 65-inch model enjoy a nearly flawless 5 star review on most sites which is in direct contrast of the 79-inch model, for which reviews average around 3 stars.

Though the underlying technology is identical in both models, producing larger panels with the same yield quality is still something that Sony has not yet mastered or has been unable to master at a price point that feels comfortable. Though this is disappointing, it’s unlikely to affect most consumers as larger televisions are costly enough and adding 4K into the mix not only makes them more expensive, but also considerably lowers their current target audience. There’s always 2016, right?