Samsung and Sony drop their Ultra HD TV prices

If the only thing standing between you and a shiny new Ultra HD TV has been price, the barrier has just been lowered: Samsung and Sony have instituted significant price cuts on their respective 55- and 65-inch Ultra HD TV sets.

Samsung dropped the price of its 55-inch UN55F9000 set to just under $4,000, while its 65-inch UN659000 model has a new price of $5,500. They were intially priced at $5,500 and $7,500 respectively, when we first wrote about these TVs last month.

Sony's price cuts are similar, with its 55-inch Bravia XBR-55X900A model selling for just under $4,000, down from an initial price of $5,000, and the 65-inch XBR-65X900A priced at $5,500, down from $7,000. Like the Samsung sets, all are flagship LCD models loaded with features, and have Ultra HD resolution (3840x2160)

Shopping for a new television? Check our TV buying guide and Ratings for tips and advice.

Despite their lower prices, these models cost significantly more than the least expensive TV we've tested, the $1,400 Seiki E50UY04. Unlike the Seiki, which fared poorly in our tests, Sony's 55X900A model did very well in our TV Ratings, with excellent high-definition picture quality and very good sound, among the best we've heard this year.

We're hoping to get one of the new Samsung Ultra HD TVs into our labs shortly. We recently completed the industry's first full evaluation of the company's new KN55S9C OLED TV, which we called the best TV we've ever tested.

—James K. Willcox

For more news and articles, subscribe to our electronics feed.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers or sponsors on this website. Copyright © 2007-2013 Consumers Union of U.S.