The UPS truck pulled up, and the delivery guy wrestled a massive cardboard box onto my porch. Felt like a small victory – finally, the Sony X90L. After months of advising clients, poring over spec sheets, and enduring the endless marketing hype, I’d get to experience it firsthand.

My living room, usually a testament to meticulously calibrated audio-visual bliss, was now a chaotic assembly point. The initial setup proved deceptively smooth. Sony’s guided menus are remarkably user-friendly; even my technologically challenged Aunt Mildred could manage. But let’s be honest, the real test isn’t the initial power-up. It’s what happens when you throw some serious content at it.

First, the gaming experience, naturally. I fired up Cyberpunk 2077 on my PS5. The advertised 4K/120Hz performance, facilitated by the HDMI 2.1 ports, delivered. The fluidity was undeniable; the responsiveness, exceptional. The VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) worked seamlessly, eliminating screen tearing. This TV truly justifies the investment for serious gamers. It’s a noticeable leap over my older Samsung, which, while decent, couldn’t match the X90L’s processing power for those high frame rates.

I then shifted gears to the cinema. Streaming a 4K Blu-ray of Dune was a revelation. The picture was rich, the colors vibrant, and the contrast excellent. Sony’s XR processor, the engine of this beast, worked tirelessly in the background, upscaling lower-resolution content and refining the image. The viewing angles? Pretty damn good, by the way.

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: the local dimming performance, or, specifically, the blooming around bright objects on a dark background. It’s present, yes. But, it’s considerably less pronounced than what you’d see on some more affordable LED models. A dedicated enthusiast will probably notice it. For the average viewer? It’s easily overlooked, or mitigated by subtly adjusting the local dimming settings in the picture menu. A minor niggle, at worst.

Here’s the thing: while OLED TVs, like Sony’s own A80L, boast superior contrast ratios and perfect blacks, they often come with a significantly higher price tag. The X90L delivers a truly superb experience at a price point that makes it accessible to a much broader audience.

So, who’s this TV for? If you’re a serious gamer or a cinephile on a realistic budget, get one. You won’t regret it. If you’re a purist, then start saving for an OLED. For everyone else, this is a solid, well-performing TV that offers exceptional value.