Sony has announced a range of new Bravia XR TVs at CES, introducing the new MASTER Series Z9K 8K and X95K 4K Mini LED, MASTER Series A95K, MASTER Series A90K and A80K 4K OLED, and X90K 4K LED.
In something of a surprising move, Sony announced their QD-OLED before Samsung’s expected unveiling with its A95K model, available in 55-, and 65-inch sizes.
Announced BRAVIA XR models include:
- MASTER Series Z9K (8K Mini LED)
- MASTER Series A95 (QD-OLED)
- X95K (Mini LED)
- MASTER Series A90K (OLED)
- A80K (OLED)
- X90K (Full Array LED)
- X85K (LED)
- X80K (LED)
There’s plenty of information to dig in from Sony’s announcement, so let’s get stuck in.
The new XR Backlight Master Drive in the Z9K and X95K Mini LED sets is said to offer more precise dimming and better brightness, with “dazzling deep blacks” natural mid tones and “almost” no flare or halos around highlights. Both TVs are powered by Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR (introduced in 2021), as is the new A95K QD-OLED, which Sony says delivers its “widest colour palette and reproduces naturally beautiful shades and hues.”
Sony continues to push its Acoustic Surface Audio+/Acoustic Multi-Audio solution, matching sound to its position on the screen for what the company calls a “truly immersive audio-visual experience”. Other audio features include the 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer, which works in combination with BRAVIA XR TVs to produce an optimised spatial sound experience for neckband speakers (SRS-NS7) and select Sony headphones.
New for 2021 is the BRAVIA CAM that sits on top of the TV, a new developed camera that recognises where people are sitting in a room and optimises picture and sound. It also supports gesture controls, and video chat, and when there’s no one in the room, it dims the TV’s screen to conserve energy.
Entertainment options includes Google TV (hopefully this year’s TVs will integrate UK catch-up apps from the off). Sony’s video streaming BRAVIA CORE returns, and with its Calibrate Mode it will automatically adjust the picture settings depending on the environment you’re watching the TV in. The Netflix app will also be getting a similar feature in the Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode that uses the TV’s ambient light sensor to preserve the look of content in a well-lit or dark room.
Gaming is becoming a competitive battlefield for TV manufacturers, and Sony’s salvo sees close integration with a PlayStation 5 console. BRAVIA XR TVs can automatically adjust and optimise picture settings for the console whether you’re watching a film or playing games. 4K 120fps is supported. There was no mention of ALLM or VRR in Sony’s press release, but we’re assuming they’ll be supported when the TVs hit the market. Pricing and availability will be revealed at a later date.
There’s plenty more information from Sony’s quite extensive reveal of its TVs. We’ll be updating our Sony TV hub page with all the information, but the interesting takeaway is that for a company that usually takes its time to adopt new technologies, Sony appears to be going into 2022 all guns blazing.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
