For those who’re trying for a premium 2025 TV, the newest spherical of the perfect OLEDs has you spoiled for alternative. With LG and Panasonic utilizing LG’s new breakthrough four-stack panel, and Samsung and Sony sharing Samsung’s most superior QD-OLED panel but, there are 4 tantalizing top-tier OLED TVs hitting shops this yr, every one providing a notable brightness increase to associate with OLED’s many different skills.
What Sony has completed with Samsung’s new show is, in a phrase, lovely. The awkwardly named Bravia 8 II, which replaces 2023’s beautiful A95L (9/10, WIRED Recommends), is brilliantly balanced with punchy brightness, expressive and pure colours, and Sony’s candy picture processing for an image so clear that some photos appear nearly three-dimensional.
For all its skills, the Bravia 8 II has some downsides in comparison with the exceptional LG G5 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) it changed on my console, together with decrease peak brightness and a backdrop that’s extra deep charcoal than pitch black, resulting in much less impactful distinction and perceived picture depth. For gaming, Sony continues to stint on connectivity with simply two HDMI 2.1 ports.
Persnickety as these complaints sound, they’re elevated by pricing: the 65-inch Bravia 8 II mannequin I reviewed lists as excessive as $700 greater than the G5 stateside at launch (although reductions exist already). Make no mistake: That is nonetheless a wonderful TV for the suitable purchaser, providing sights (and sounds) worthy of a front-row spot on 2025’s gorgeous mantle of premium screens. As common, if you need the perfect processing that cash should purchase, this Sony is a transparent winner.
On the Wall
{Photograph}: Ryan Waniata
In contrast to most TVs in its class, Sony’s high OLED once more opts for legs on the panel’s far sides as an alternative of a pedestal stand. This may be useful for soundbar placement the place massive pedestals trigger hassle, however until your console is 60 inches large, you’ll have to wall-mount the TV as I did. The 8 II’s mount screws are positioned relatively low, that means the TV sat greater than I needed, which is one thing to notice in case your mount is already in place.
The TV is subtly trendy, with acquainted plastic checkers on the again panel, and paper-thin bezels out entrance. There’s some recency bias right here, however I couldn’t assist noticing how a lot milkier the panel seems in comparison with the LG G5’s black void, which I saved noticing all through my analysis. On the brilliant (or relatively darkish) aspect, the TV’s reflection dealing with is among the many finest I’ve seen, diffusing almost every part however direct lighting, with out the total matte look of Samsung’s newest fashions.
Software program setup is a relative cinch with Google TV’s plug-and-go format, letting you alter most parameters together with your telephone and G Suite credentials. I’m a fan of Google TV’s total experience, particularly the flexibility to make use of Google Photographs as display screen savers, about the one time I take to reminisce on previous adventures. Sony’s implementation has improved with every iteration, and aside from Google’s overly zealous adverts, I had nearly no complaints over weeks of clean streaming and navigation.
That features zoomy channel browsing by means of 50-odd channels through my HD antenna with the Bravia 8 II’s compact distant. The distant is easy however intuitive, particularly in comparison with the oddly oriented G5 distant, although it might be good if it have been backlit, contemplating that the 8 II—like all OLEDs—does its finest work in decrease lighting.
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