Sony BRAVIA 3 K65S30 64.5"
The 65-inch Direct LED panel uses Sony’s 4K HDR Processor X1 and Triluminos Pro for accurate color, supporting Dolby Vision at a 60Hz native refresh rate. Its Google TV platform integrates streaming and smart home control, with Wi-Fi 6 and exclusive PS5 features like ALLM adding gaming versatility. This TV best suits budget-conscious streamers who prioritize color accuracy and a fluid smart experience over high refresh rates.
About This TV
The 65-inch Direct LED panel uses Sony’s 4K HDR Processor X1 and Triluminos Pro for accurate color, supporting Dolby Vision at a 60Hz native refresh rate. Its Google TV platform integrates streaming and smart home control, with Wi-Fi 6 and exclusive PS5 features like ALLM adding gaming versatility. This TV best suits budget-conscious streamers who prioritize color accuracy and a fluid smart experience over high refresh rates.
- Screen size 65
- Resolution 3840x2160
- Panel type LED
- Refresh rate 60
- HDR HDR 10, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), Dolby Vision
- Smart platform Google TV
- Dolby vision
- Dolby atmos
- HDMI version 2.1
The 30-Second Version
Big Sony screen, great connectivity, meh picture. Grab it under $700 or move on to a Hisense or TCL.
Overview
This 65-inch Sony is a bit of an oddball. It comes loaded with Google TV, Dolby Vision, and killer connectivity, but the actual picture quality is surprisingly mediocre for a brand that usually nails it. If you just want a big, smart screen for casual streaming and don't obsess over deep blacks or high brightness, it's fine. But for the price, you'd expect more punch.
Performance
What surprised us most is that even with Sony's Triluminos Pro and Dolby Vision, this TV's picture quality lands in the bottom half of our database. Bright scenes look decent, but dark room viewing is where it stumbles, with grayish blacks and no local dimming to save it. On the plus side, the smart platform is snappy and Wi-Fi 6 is a welcome future-proofing touch. Gaming feels just okay thanks to the 60Hz panel, but ALLM keeps input lag low for casual play.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Excellent connectivity with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 94th
- Google TV is intuitive and well-integrated 93th
- Dolby Vision support at this price is a win 83th
- Big 65-inch screen for immersive casual viewing 77th
Cons
- Picture quality is below average, especially in dark rooms
- 60Hz panel feels sluggish for gaming beyond casual play
- Setup can be a headache thanks to Google Home requirement
- Price swings wildly—don't overpay
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Display
| Size | 65" |
| Resolution | 4K |
| Panel Type | LED |
| Backlight | Direct LED |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Curved | No |
Picture Quality
| Color Gamut | Triluminos Pro |
| Motion Tech | Motionflow XR 240 |
| Processor | 4K HDR Processor X1 |
HDR
| HDR Formats | HDR 10, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), Dolby Vision |
| Dolby Vision | Yes |
| HDR10+ | No |
| HLG | Yes |
Gaming
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| ALLM | Yes |
| Game Mode | Yes |
Smart TV
| Platform | Google TV |
| Voice Assistant | Google Assistant |
| Screen Mirroring | AirPlay 2, Chromecast |
| Works With | Google Home |
Audio
| Speaker Config | 2 |
| Wattage | 20 |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes |
| Surround Sound | Dolby Audio, Dolby Atmos |
| eARC | Yes |
Connectivity
| HDMI Ports | 4 |
| HDMI Version | 2.1 |
| USB Ports | 2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 |
| Ethernet | Yes |
| Optical Audio | Yes |
| VESA Mount | 300x300 |
Power & Size
| Power | 227 |
| Energy Star | No |
| Annual Energy | 472 |
| Weight | 21.4 kg / 47.2 lbs |
Value & Pricing
At $1246, this TV is a hard pass. But we've seen it as low as $648, and at that price, it's a decent buy for a large smart display. Just know you're paying for size and Sony's brand, not top-tier picture performance. Shop around and don't spend more than $700.
Price History
vs Competition
The Hisense U7 65U75QG (often around $800) gets you far better picture quality with mini-LED backlighting and a 120Hz panel, making it a smarter buy for gamers. The TCL QM8K is another step up, with even higher brightness and richer HDR. Sony's BRAVIA 3 feels like a step behind both in sheer image quality, only winning on pure connectivity and brand loyalty.
| Spec | Sony BRAVIA 3 K65S30 64.5" | Hisense U8QG Mini-LED 100" Class U8 Series MiniLED | LG C5 Series OLED55C5PUA | Samsung QN85D QN85D | TCL QM7K Series 98QM7K | Roku Plus Series 4K QLED Mini-LED 55" Class Smart RokuTV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | 65 | 100 | 55 | 75 | 98 | 55 |
| Resolution | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 4K | 3840x2160 |
| Panel Type | LED | Mini-LED QLED | OLED | Neo QLED | QLED | Mini-LED QLED |
| Refresh Rate | 60 | 165 | 144 | 120 | 144 | 60 |
| Hdr | HDR 10, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), Dolby Vision | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10 | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR 10+, HDR 10, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG |
| Smart Platform | Google TV | Google TV | webOS | Tizen | Google TV | Roku TV |
| Dolby Vision | true | true | true | false | true | true |
| Dolby Atmos | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Hdmi Version | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Hdr | Audio | Smart | Gaming | Display | Connectivity | Social Proof | Picture Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony BRAVIA 3 K65S30 64.5" | 76.1 | 77.1 | 92.7 | 52.9 | 71.9 | 93.9 | 82.7 | 36.8 |
| Hisense U8QG Mini-LED 100" Class U8 Series MiniLED Compare | 98.7 | 98.3 | 96 | 95.4 | 97 | 75.9 | 89 | 99.4 |
| LG C5 Series OLED55C5PUA Compare | 86.1 | 99.9 | 65.7 | 99.9 | 89.3 | 92.5 | 98 | 88.5 |
| Samsung QN85D QN85D Compare | 84.1 | 89.4 | 70.2 | 78.8 | 90.9 | 89.7 | 98 | 79.7 |
| TCL QM7K Series 98QM7K Compare | 90.9 | 81.5 | 97.6 | 93.8 | 53 | 84.4 | 98 | 97.7 |
| Roku Plus Series 4K QLED Mini-LED 55" Class Smart RokuTV Compare | 95.2 | 81.5 | 86.4 | 56.7 | 85.9 | 79.6 | 93.9 | 74.2 |
Common Questions
Q: Is this TV good for gaming?
Only if you're playing casual games or using a PS5 in Game Mode. The 60Hz panel and lack of VRR mean it's not built for competitive gaming. You'll get ALLM, so input lag is low, but don't expect smooth 120fps action.
Q: Does it have good black levels?
Nope, that's its biggest weakness. There's no local dimming, so dark scenes look more gray than true black. A Hisense U7 or TCL QM8K will blow it away in contrast.
Q: Can I use it without Google Home?
Sort of. You can skip the Google Home setup if you go through the basic TV setup, but some features might be locked. It's a hassle, and Google really needs to fix this.
Who Should Skip This
If you're after deep blacks, high brightness, or a smooth 120Hz gaming experience, this isn't the TV for you. Go get the Hisense U7 or TCL QM8K instead, both deliver far better picture quality for similar money.
Verdict
This Sony is tough to recommend unless you catch a steep discount. It's fine for a living room where you just need a reliable, big smart TV, and the connectivity is top-notch. But if you care at all about movie nights looking cinematic or gaming at high refresh rates, spend your money elsewhere.
