Sony reveals pricing for its more budget-friendly 4K TVs
High resolution and high def are no longer just for high rollers; Sony offers 55- and 65-inch 4K TVs for $4,999 and $6,999, respectively.
If $25,000 for an 84-inch 4K TV seemed a bit too steep for your wallet, take heart: Sony has revealed prices for more budget-friendly sets that won't take up half your living room or all of your savings account.
The electronics giant announced today that 55-inch and 65-inch 4K Ultra HD LED TVs will cost $4,999 and $6,999, respectively. They will be available for order beginning April 21. The new sets, which were unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, are now available for in-store demonstrations at Sony stores in New York, Las Vegas, Houston, and the California cities of Palo Alto, Century City, and Costa Mesa.
"These new models will be arriving in homes just before the summer and are sure to bring the enhanced viewing experience of 4K TV to a whole new audience," Mike Lucas, senior vice president of Sony's Electronics Home Division, said in a statement.
The 4K TV has four times the number of pixels as a regular HD TV. Sony is pushing hard to move the industry to 4K video in hopes of a new upgrade cycle, such as the one that occurred when people replaced bulky CRT TVs with today's flat-panel models.
However, Sony faces challenges in winning over consumers on 4K TVs. There is little video content available that's shot in 4K, and -- by some measurements -- 4K resolution is too high to perceive unless you're sitting close to the screen.
Sony also announced that its FMP-X1 4K Media Player will be available for purchase this summer. Bundled with 10 feature films and video shorts in 4K resolution, the FMP-X1 4K will sell for $699. The films bundled with the media player are "Bad Teacher," "Battle: Los Angeles," "The Bridge on the River Kwai," "The Karate Kid" (2010), "Salt," "Taxi Driver," "That's My Boy," "The Amazing Spider-Man," "The Other Guys," and "Total Recall" (2012).