In January, Sony unveiled its 2022 TV models, and the company surprised audiences by showcasing a QD-OLED TV before Samsung—the company whose display arm developed that technology—got a chance to. Show
Now, Sony has announced pricing and availability for that TV and others in its lineup for the year. The QD-OLED TVs are officially known as the Bravia XR Master Series A95K OLED TVs. They come in fifty-five- and sixty-five-inch sizes, which are priced at $2,999.99 and $3,999.99, respectively. Both will be available to pre-order in June. Sony is also offering the A80K and X90K products. They are joined in the lineup by the Bravia XR Master Series Z9K 8K Mini LED TVs ($6,999.99 and $9,999.99, for the seventy-five- and eighty-five-inch sizes.) There are also the Bravia XR X95K 4K Mini LED TVs ($2,799.99, $3,799.99, and $5,499.99, for sixty-five-, seventy-five- and eighty-five-inch sizes, respectively) and the Bravia XR Master Series A90K 4K OLED TVs, which are available in smaller sizes (the forty-two- and forty-eight-inch TVs are going for $1,399.99 and $1,499.99.) “The highly anticipated TV lineup will be powered by Sony's best-in-class processors, including Cognitive Processor XR, the brain of Sony's new BRAVIA XR televisions. Designed to replicate the way humans think and respond, this revolutionary TV processing technology delivers stunning contrast and vibrant colors, bringing astounding realism to anything onscreen,” the company said in their release. The Sony TVs will be available at Amazon, Best Buy, and other stores. Samsung’s first QD-OLED TV, the S95B, is available on the market now. Meanwhile, reports over the weekend stated that new sizes for Samsung’s models will arrive next year. “Samsung Display's current monthly production capacity is 30,000 substrates that can be cut into about 1.8 million 55- and 65-inch QD-OLED TV panels annually at 100% yield, meaning that 100% of the panels can be sold – and that costs can be reduced,” Flat Panels HD reported. “Samsung Display recently said that it has exceeded 75% yield. It is targeting 80% yield this quarter and 90% in the second half of the year.” TechRadar recently reported that costs are expected to drop for QD-OLED TVs in the near future. That’s because Samsung Display’s production yield for the TVs has improved dramatically. “If true, and if Samsung Display can continue to improve its efficiency even further, then we might see QD-OLED displays drop in price significantly come 2023. We could even see some amazing Black Friday deals announced later this year,” the report said. Stephen Silver, a technology writer for The National Interest, is a journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philly Voice, Philadelphia Weekly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, Backstage magazine, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver. Image: Reuters. We've bought and tested more than 60 Sony TVs. The best Sony TVs are generally a pretty safe bet when looking for the best TV for your needs. They tend to have great picture quality, a few extra features, and good color accuracy. Their high-end and mid-range models compete well with other brands, although at a price premium, but sadly, they don't offer many budget-friendly options. Updates
Compared to other brands
Sony vs SamsungSamsung TVs have a picture quality comparable to Sony TVs, and in general, they're pretty competitive with each other. A big difference is that Samsung has better gaming performance, but if you don't need that, either brand is a good choice. Sony vs LGSony and LG each make OLED and LED TVs. LG is the dominant OLED brand for OLEDs because they have better gaming performance and generally cost less. However, Sony's LED models are far better than LG's because they get brighter, have better uniformity, and usually have better contrast. As a rule of thumb, it's pretty hard to go wrong when buying a Sony TV, especially if you don't need it for competitive gaming. Their more entry-level offerings aren't great, but any of the high-end LED and OLED models are a safe bet. Their Google TV smart platform offers tons of apps to download with an easy-to-use interface. You might pay a slight premium over competing models, but you'll usually end up with a good TV. Lineup2022 ModelsSony doesn't release as many TVs as most of their competition, and some flagship models tend to stay on the market for longer. They mainly focus on mid-range to high-end TVs, with very few budget models. They announced most of their 2022 lineup at CES in early January 2022. It's an impressive lineup, with multiple high-end models that take advantage of the latest technology, including their first QD-OLED TV, the Sony A95K, and their first two Mini LED TVs: the 8k Sony Z9K and the 4k Sony X95K. All their mid to high-end models use the same processor, the new Cognitive Processor XR, but the entry-level Sony X80K uses the older X1 Processor and is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.0 bandwidth. Sony has also refreshed the remote on their high-end models, including a "Find Remote" feature that works through the TV's built-in voice assistant. Model namesTheir product naming is easy to understand, and the 2022 lineup follows the same naming convention as in past years. If the model starts with A, it's an OLED; if it's X, it's an LED, and their Z Series is 8k. Next comes the model number, and the higher the number, the better. Lastly, the suffix letter indicates the year. So, for example, the Sony X800H is an entry-level LED model from 2020, while the A90J is a high-end OLED model from 2021.
Since 2021, all their TVs share the same model number worldwide, making it easy to identify models if you're shopping from a different region. That's not to say they're completely identical, though, as there are some slight regional differences, and not all models are available worldwide. Sony Smart FeaturesSony has traditionally used Android TV as its smart operating system, and as of 2021, they've started to use Google TV instead. It's pretty much the same as Android, with a redesigned look and a few extra features. Those who already have Google or Android-based devices will already know how to navigate the interface, while there might be a small learning curve for others. The great thing about Sony TVs is that they have Google Chromecast built-in, so you don't have to buy an external device to cast compatible content from your phone or tablet. If you already have other Google devices, like Google Nest speakers, they'll easily connect with the TV, and you can ask your speaker to play content directly on the TV. InterfaceThe interface is clean and pretty simple to navigate. It's divided into multiple rows, and each row presents content from different apps. These rows can be customized to your liking or even disabled completely. The interface isn't very fancy, which makes it much easier to navigate. Ad-freeWhile Android TV occasionally didn't have any ads and there was a way to disable them, Google TV pushes ads, and there's no way to disable them. You'll see suggested content directly on the home page, and often it'll be the first thing you'll see with a large banner in front. You can opt out of suggested content, but that just means you'll see untargeted ads instead. Apps & FeaturesAs expected, Google TV offers access to the Google Play Store, which has a massive selection of apps to download, even more so than competing brands. You shouldn't have any issues finding your favorite streaming apps. Voice ControlsOne area where Google TV excels is voice search, which gives you access to Google Assistant. Press the Google Assistant button on the remote and say what you’re looking for, and Google TV will deliver suggestions from the Play Store, YouTube, and relevant results from downloaded apps. It’s a convenient way to navigate content quickly, and it's often much faster than using the remote. You can also use it to change certain settings, like asking it to switch inputs or increase the brightness. RemoteSony released a redesigned remote in 2022. Unlike their past models, it doesn't have a Numpad anymore and instead has a '123' button that brings up a virtual Numpad on the screen. However, it still has the same quick-access buttons to popular streaming services and has a button to quickly bring up Google Assistant. While most models ship with this remote, there are some models available from some retailers that have a higher-end version with backlighting. Recent Updates
ConclusionWhile they tend not to be the cheapest available, Sony produces great TVs. They'll generally be quite versatile, which helps to make them suitable for most people. The smart features can take a bit of time to learn for some people, but the overall package offered by their TVs is still better than average. At this point, it's fairly safe to say that their overall reputation holds, and rare are the people that will find themselves disappointed by purchasing one of their TVs. Test resultsDiscussionsWhat is the next Sony TV?Sony revealed its 2022 TV range at CES in January and the line-up includes a number of updates to last year's models along with some exciting firsts for the company. Heading up the premium BRAVIA XR range is the first consumer television to feature a Quantum Dot OLED panel - the Master Series A95K.
What is best TV technology 2022?Best TV for 2022: OLED, QLED, LED and 4K for Every Size, Budget. TCL 6-Series Roku TV. Best TV for the money. $950 at Best Buy. ... . LG OLED C2. Best high-end TV for the money. ... . TCL 4-Series. Best budget smart TV for built-in streaming. ... . Samsung QN90B. Best high-end TV that's not an OLED. ... . Hisense U8H. Best TV for the money runner-up.. How many years does a Sony Bravia TV last?Sony is known for its premium build and durability. With the proper care and maintenance, you can make it last from 7-10 years. With heavy, continuous use, you can expect between four and six years of lifespan with a Sony TV.
What is the newest TV for 2022?The best TVs you can buy in 2022. LG C2 OLED. This is the OLED TV you want to own. ... . Samsung QN90A Neo QLED TV. The ultimate QLED and the best TV overall. ... . LG G2 OLED. The best OLED TV you can buy. ... . TCL 6-Series Roku TV (R635) ... . TCL 5-Series Google TV (S546) ... . Sony Bravia XR A80J. ... . Samsung S95B OLED TV. ... . Sony Bravia X95K Mini-LED TV.. |