Sony Bravia 3 K-65S3: Affordable 4K Picture with a Premium Touch

Sony’s 2025 Bravia 3 Series aims to deliver quality 4K entertainment without the premium price tag. The K-65S3, a 65-inch model in the series, is positioned as an accessible alternative to the company’s flagship models. With a Direct LED panel, Sony’s Triluminos Pro color technology, and the trusted 4K HDR X1 processor, this television targets users looking for solid performance on a reasonable budget.

At a Glance

• Model: Sony Bravia 3 K-65S3

• Display: 65″ VA LCD, Direct LED

• Processor: 4K HDR X1 with AI optimization

• HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

• Smart TV Platform: Google TV

• U.S. MSRP (June 2025):

  • 43” K-43S3 – $740

  • 50” K-50S3 – $850

  • 55” K-55S3 – $970

  • 65” K-65S3 – $1,390

  • 75” K-75S3 – $1,980

Design & Build: Minimalist and Functional

The Bravia 3 K-65S3 maintains Sony’s clean and timeless design language. Its matte black chassis, slim bezels, and symmetrical form factor give it a refined look, though it lacks the ultra-premium materials of Sony’s higher-end models.

Sony Bravia 3 K-65S3

The textured back panel hides fingerprints and dust well. At 2.8 inches thick (7 cm), it’s not ultra-thin, but reasonable for a Direct LED TV. While there’s no built-in cable management system, Sony includes hooks that clip onto the stand for basic cable routing.

The TV rests on two inverted Y-shaped feet with dual placement options—wide or centered—offering flexibility depending on your furniture or soundbar setup. VESA compatibility (300 x 300 mm for 65”) also makes wall mounting easy.

Display & Image Quality: Strong Processing, Modest Brightness

The Bravia 3 series is built around a Direct LED backlight system paired with a VA panel. The result is solid native contrast (4155:1) and vivid color reproduction, thanks to Triluminos Pro and Live Color technologies. However, the limited backlight zones mean some blooming in high-contrast scenes is inevitable.

Sony’s renowned 4K HDR X1 processor does most of the heavy lifting. It uses AI to enhance clarity, reduce noise, and upscale HD content impressively. X-Reality PRO further sharpens images, making even older content look polished on a 4K panel.

HDR support includes Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG—but not HDR10+. A built-in ambient light sensor helps auto-adjust brightness based on your environment.

• Color Accuracy: Excellent in Professional Mode (ΔE avg. 0.86 for HDR)

• Peak Brightness: ~450 nits (full-screen white); ~400 nits in typical HDR scenes

• Color Gamut: 99.1% Rec.709, 91.66% DCI-P3, 69.31% BT.2020

• Best Modes: Cinema and Professional for accurate, rich visuals

Though not suited for bright rooms, the Bravia 3 delivers a pleasing, cinematic experience in dimly lit environments.

Gaming: Responsive, But Not Cutting-Edge

Gamers on a budget will appreciate the K-65S3’s low input lag (9.5 ms) and Dolby Vision Gaming support. However, it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, and lacks VRR, FreeSync, or G-Sync. A basic Game Bar offers quick access to blur reduction and black equalizer settings.

Despite the absence of advanced gaming features, Game Mode boosts responsiveness and keeps colors sharp. Motionflow XR adds smoother motion, even at 60Hz, and upscaling keeps textures detailed.

Bottom line: Great for casual console gaming—not ideal for competitive or high-frame-rate PC gaming.

Sony Bravia 3 K-65S3

Audio: Good Enough, But Better with a Soundbar

Sony equips the K-65S3 with a 2.0 channel, 20-watt system featuring X-Balanced Speakers. Dialogue clarity is solid, and Dolby Atmos and Dolby Audio enhance cinematic sound—but spatial depth is limited due to the stereo setup.

For most family viewing or TV shows, the audio is adequate. For movies or gaming, pairing the TV with a soundbar like the Sony HT-B600 is highly recommended to enhance bass and immersive sound.

Smart TV Features: Powered by Google TV

The Bravia 3 series runs on Google TV, offering a clean, customizable interface that emphasizes personalized content recommendations. The platform supports:

• Google Assistant (built-in mic, hands-free voice control)

• User profiles for individual content suggestions

• App variety through Google Play (Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more)

Sony’s UI additions allow quick access to picture and audio settings during playback. Navigation is responsive, and the TV supports Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6 for reliable connectivity.

The included remote is compact and familiar, with a USB-C charging port and optional Bluetooth pairing. Though not backlit, it maintains the premium feel of Sony’s more expensive models.

Sony Bravia 3 K-65S3

Connectivity: Future-Ready Essentials

The K-65S3 includes a generous port selection:

• 4 x HDMI ports (2 x HDMI 2.1, 2 x HDMI 2.0)

• eARC support for high-quality audio

• 1 x USB 3.0 + 1 x USB 2.0

• Optical digital audio out

• Ethernet LAN + Wi-Fi 6E

• Bluetooth 5.3

• Antenna input + satellite tuner

• CI+ 1.4 slot for pay TV modules

All ports are side-mounted—great for wall installations.

Energy Efficiency & Dimensions

• Annual Power Consumption: 93 kWh / 1000 hours

• Standby Consumption: 0.5 W

• Dimensions (w/o stand): 57.2″ x 32.9″ x 2.8″

• Weight (w/ stand): 49.4 lbs

Final Verdict: Bravia 3 K-65S3 – A Worthy Budget Contender

Pros
✔ Impressive image processing for the price
✔ Excellent color accuracy (even with HDR)
✔ Google TV with voice control
✔ Low input lag for casual gaming
✔ Clean, classic Sony design

Cons
✘ Lacks VRR / 120Hz support
✘ No HDR10+
✘ Limited brightness for well-lit rooms
✘ Audio is serviceable, not immersive

The Sony Bravia 3 K-65S3 delivers a compelling mix of 4K picture quality, smart features, and thoughtful design at a fair price. It doesn’t try to be flashy—it just works well, making it a strong choice for families, movie lovers, and budget-conscious buyers seeking dependable performance.