Improving our reviews takes a huge amount of time and effort. We're hiring writers and testers. Apply now!
The best Sony TVs are generally a safe bet when looking for the best option for your needs. Sony is known for their industry-leading image processing, and by putting dozens of TVs a year through our rigorous testing procedures, we've confirmed that's the case. Although other manufacturers have started to catch up in this regard, if you're looking for a TV that does an incredible job upscaling low-resolution content and cleaning up artifacts in low-quality content, you can't go wrong with most Sony models. Furthermore, their TVs tend to have great overall picture quality, a few extra features, and very good color accuracy. Their high-end and mid-range models compete well with other brands, although at a price premium. Sadly, they don't offer many budget-friendly options.
Updates
- 03/18/2025 Sony BRAVIA 3 updated
- 03/18/2025 Sony X90L/X90CL updated
- 03/17/2025 Sony A95L OLED updated
- 03/10/2025 Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED updated
- 06/20/2024 Sony BRAVIA 8 OLED reviewed
Best Sony Smart TVs
-
Best Sony TV
Mixed Usage8.7Home Theater8.9Bright Room7.7Sports8.2Gaming8.8Performance Usages: Brightness8.0Black Level10Color9.0Processing (In Development)8.9Game Mode Responsiveness8.9Motion Handling (Broken)7.8Resolution 4kNative Refresh Rate120HzScreen FinishGlossyType OLEDSub-TypeQD-OLEDDolby VisionYesSizes 55" 65" 77"The best Sony TV we've tested is the Sony A95L OLED. Thanks to its QD-OLED panel technology, this impressive TV delivers incredible picture quality in any viewing environment. Dark scenes look incredible, with perfect contrast and no distracting blooming around bright highlights in dark scenes. Colors are vibrant and lifelike, and the TV can display an incredibly wide range of colors. Thanks to Sony's excellent processing capabilities, the TV delivers an image that closely matches the content creator's intent, with nearly perfect PQ EOTF tracking and fantastic gradient processing, making it one of the best reference models on the market.
It also has impressive gaming features, including HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for 4k @ 120Hz gaming with VRR. It supports a wide range of formats, including Dolby Vision HDR, and it supports eARC audio passthrough and all common audio formats, so you can spend more time enjoying your favorite movies and less time playing with settings and worrying about format support. It's expensive but remains one of the best TVs on the market.
-
Best Sony TV For Bright Rooms
Mixed Usage8.4Home Theater8.6Bright Room8.5Sports8.5Gaming7.7Performance Usages: Brightness9.0Black Level8.7Color8.5Processing (In Development)8.7Game Mode Responsiveness6.5Motion Handling (Broken)7.8Resolution 4kNative Refresh Rate120HzScreen FinishGlossyType LEDSub-TypeVADolby VisionYesSizes 65" 75" 85"If you regularly watch TV during the day in a room with all the curtains open, consider the high-end Mini LED Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED. It has superb SDR brightness and reflection handling, meaning it easily overcomes glare in the brightest rooms. What really separates this TV from other LEDs is its impressive local dimming control, which provides very deep blacks with almost no noticeable blooming, although they're still not as deep as what you get from the Sony A95L OLED. The TV doesn't have the same color vibrancy as the A95L, but colors still look excellent.
You still get Dolby Vision and DTS audio support, so it's an excellent option for a home theater. The TV is also loaded with modern gaming features, like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on two of its ports for up to 4k @ 120Hz gaming with VRR. The TV has a slower response time than the A95L, but it's fast enough for a mostly smooth gaming experience. Although the TV's viewing angle is wider than many other LEDs, it's not nearly as wide as the A95L, so it's not the best option if you need a TV to watch content with a big group of friends. Still, the BRAVIA 9 is the best LED currently on the market, so if an OLED isn't for you, it's an amazing option.
-
Best Upper Mid-Range Sony TV
Mixed Usage8.9TV Shows8.6Sports8.8Video Games9.3HDR Movies8.8HDR Gaming9.1PC Monitor9.2Resolution 4kNative Refresh Rate120 HzScreen FinishGlossyType OLEDSub-TypeWOLEDDolby VisionYesSizes 55" 65" 77"The best upper mid-range Sony TV we've tested is the Sony BRAVIA 8 OLED. If you want a Sony OLED but the Sony A95L OLED is too expensive, the BRAVIA 8 is a great option. Like the A95L, it displays inky blacks with no blooming, so it looks fabulous in a dark room. Although it looks its best in a dark room, the TV's reflection handling and brightness are certainly good enough to fight glare in a room with some lights on. It's suitable for use in a home theater since it supports Dolby Vision and DTS audio passthrough, and its colors are vibrant enough for an impressive HDR experience.
Like other OLEDs, it has a wide viewing angle, so it's a great option for use in a group setting. The TV is also a great option for gamers due to its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on two ports for up to 4k @ 120Hz gaming with VRR. Additionally, it has a nearly instantaneous response time, so fast motion is crisp and clear. Unfortunately, the TV isn't as accurate as the A95L, so you'll have to get it calibrated if you want a reference-level TV.
-
Best Mid-Range Sony TV
Mixed Usage8.4TV Shows7.7Sports7.7Video Games8.6HDR Movies8.9HDR Gaming8.6PC Monitor8.3Resolution 4kNative Refresh Rate120 HzScreen FinishSemi-glossType LEDSub-TypeVADolby VisionYesSizes 55" 65" 75" 85"If you want something cheaper but don't want to sacrifice picture quality much, the best mid-range Sony TV we've tested is the Sony BRAVIA 7 QLED. It's a great TV overall with great picture quality. Like the Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED, it uses a Mini LED backlight with excellent local dimming. Blacks are nice and deep on this TV, but there's a bit more blooming around bright objects than there is on the BRAVIA 9. Fortunately, it's an incredibly bright TV that handles glare from pesky lights in a bright room. Colors are as equally vibrant on this TV as they are on the more expensive BRAVIA 9, so HDR content is impactful.
Unfortunately, its viewing angle is very narrow, and the image degrades quickly when viewed from the sides of the screen, so it's not a very good choice for wide seating arrangements. Still, it has Dolby Vision and DTS audio passthrough, and it has advanced gaming features like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, 4k @ 120Hz, and VRR. It's also a very accurate TV in both SDR and HDR, so you won't need to get it calibrated unless you're a color purist.
-
Best Budget Sony TV
Mixed Usage5.7Home Theater5.5Bright Room6.5Sports7.0Gaming5.1Performance Usages: Brightness6.0Black Level2.8Color7.0Processing (In Development)7.7Game Mode Responsiveness5.2Motion Handling (Broken)7.5Resolution 4kNative Refresh Rate60HzScreen FinishGlossyType LEDSub-TypeIPSDolby VisionYesSizes 43" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85"While Sony doesn't offer truly budget TVs like other brands, and you can find cheaper TVs elsewhere, they have some affordable models, like the Sony BRAVIA 3. It's the entry-level TV in their 2024 lineup, so you can save some money if you're willing to give up on the gaming and other higher-end features of more expensive panels, like local dimming. However, its picture quality isn't nearly as good as the Sony BRAVIA 7 QLED, especially in dark rooms, as it has a lower contrast ratio that results in blacks that look gray. Instead, it has a wide viewing angle, making the image remain mostly accurate from the sides, which is ideal for wide seating arrangements.
Since this TV doesn't look very good in dark rooms, it's better suited for use in a room with the lights on since its brightness and reflection handling are good enough to overcome some glare. Fortunately, the TV is quite accurate out of the box, which is great for a cheaper model. Unlike the higher picks, this TV doesn't support Dolby Vision or DTS audio passthrough. You also won't find HDMI 2.1 bandwidth or VRR support on this model, and you're limited to 4k @ 60Hz gaming.
Compared To Other Brands
-
Versatile lineup.
Sony is one of a few companies that make both OLED and LED options. It means you can choose either panel if you want to buy a Sony TV, and both their OLEDs and LED TVs provide good picture quality. -
Great upscaling and motion handling.
Sony TVs, even the cheaper models, do better than the competition at upscaling lower-resolution content, and they offer great motion handling. -
Great color accuracy.
Sony TVs are known for their excellent out-of-the-box accuracy, especially the high-end models. You likely won't need to calibrate your Sony TV to enjoy the best viewing experience.
-
High price.
Sony TVs are often priced above the competition in their category, meaning you can find better value elsewhere.
Sony vs Samsung
Samsung TVs have comparable picture quality to Sony TVs, and in general, they're pretty competitive. A big difference is that Samsung TVs generally have lower input lag for competitive gamers, but if you don't need that, either brand is a good choice. On the other hand, Sony TVs usually support Dolby Vision, whereas no Samsung TV supports that HDR format.
Sony vs LG
Sony and LG each make OLED and LED TVs. LG is the dominant OLED brand for OLEDs because they have better overall gaming performance and 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. Their TVs do tend to have higher input lag than competing brands, so although their TVs are great for casual gaming, they're not the best for competitive gaming. Their more entry-level offerings aren't great, but any high-end LED and OLED models are a safe bet. Their Google TV smart platform offers many apps to download with an easy-to-use interface. You might pay a slight premium over competing models, but you'll usually have a good TV.
2024 TV Lineup
So, what did Sony change in 2024? Like previous years, it's not all new models; there are a few carryovers. Sony has changed its naming scheme and is focusing more on the BRAVIA brand. For Sony's TV lineup, the biggest improvements are in its mid- and high-end TVs with Mini LED backlighting. The new flagship BRAVIA 9 and the BRAVIA 7 feature significantly improved backlight control, with the BRAVIA 9 integrating the backlight control technology used on Sony's BVM-HX3110 reference monitor.
There's also a new OLED, the Sony BRAVIA 8, which is very similar to the LG C4 OLED. Finally, there's a new entry-level Sony TV known as the Sony BRAVIA 3. This entry-level 4k TV lacks a local dimming feature and is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, but it's built with a similar design language as the higher-end models and has similar Sony picture processing to the higher-end models, so you'll still enjoy fantastic picture quality that's designed to deliver the creator's intent. You can read more about Sony's 2024 Lineup on the 2024 TV lineup page or in our article covering Sony's announcement event here.
Recent Updates
-
Updated the Introduction text to make it clearer; the picks remained the same.
-
Oct 08, 2024: Replaced the Sony X93L/X93CL with the Sony BRAVIA 8 OLED in the 'Best Upper Mid-Range Sony TV' category, the Sony X90L/X90CL with the Sony BRAVIA 7 QLED in the 'Best Mid-Range Sony TV' category, and the Sony X80K/X80CK with the Sony BRAVIA 3 in the 'Best Budget Sony TV' category.
-
Jul 12, 2024: We added the Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED to the newly created 'Best Sony TV For Bright Rooms' category and refreshed some text throughout for clarity.
-
May 16, 2024: Confirmed the availability of our picks and refreshed some text throughout the article for clarity.
-
Mar 18, 2024: We confirmed our current picks' availability and accuracy and condensed the article for clarity.
Conclusion
While they tend not to be the cheapest, Sony produces great TVs. They'll generally be versatile, helping to make them suitable for most people. The smart features can take some time to learn for some people, but the overall package offered by their TVs is still better than average. At this point, it's safe to say that their overall reputation holds, and people who will find themselves disappointed by purchasing one of their TVs are rare.
Test Results
Suggested Reads
Recommended Articles
Comments
Best Sony TVs: Main Discussion
What do you think of our picks? Let us know below.
Looking for a personalized buying recommendation from the RTINGS.com experts? Insiders have direct access to buying advice on our insider forum.
- 21010
Hi, how much more noticeable is a difference of 4k vs 1440p on a 27in monitor like these?
- 21010
Hi Recordedanemone, Thank you for the suggestion. It’s something we’ll keep in mind and reconsider the next time we update our keyboard testing methodology. I can see a small challenge since not all PE foams are equal (for example) but there’s most likely a way to make it work.
The thing is, yes, in a lot of boards, especially from a lot of custom keyboard companies that are not standard gamer oriented (nuphy and such) usually use their own types of PE foam, but on the other spectrum of the mass produced keyboard world, such as the aula f75, yunzii boards, rainy boards and such, are often mass produced with similar materials, including the foams. Also, it is a combination of the different types of foam that makes the biggest difference in the sound profile overall, so, for instance, if there were 5 layers of foam in a keyboard, a different type of PE foam wouldn’t contribute much to the overall sound profile.
- 21010
Hi, i have done some bios updates to thing thing, and with the i7 13700h model with integrated graphics, with 120hz and whisper mode, standard power profile, there is about 4 hours of battery life with this device. It is actually a substantial difference.
- 21010
So, by default, this laptop goes into 60hz while on battery, do you recommend that leaving it that way gets a good amount more battery life, or is the tradeoff not really worth it?
- 10-12-2
lmao this mouse is so goofy
- 0-1-21-2
It’s been about time…
- 21010
The AOC seems to have better value for the refresh rate + lack of overshooting backlighting and decent color gamut but I wish it’s color accuracy and text clarity were better, because in comparison it seems a little warm, especially at the bad viewing angles. The Acer Nitro model # makes it hard to differ from another model named similar on ACER’s Site. Acer’s is a whole 300+ dollars more for minimal improvement in my opinion. I wish there was a monitor that was best of both worlds/monitors, and a decent price like the AOC. The Black uniformity I just can’t let go under a 7 rating because its so messy and hard to look at.
I’ve read some reviews and the backlighting was absolutely atrocious. What was your experience like with the acer in that case? would you recommend the aoc over the acer for that reason?
- 21010
Hi, thanks for your question! If your budget can stretch to $550, then an easy recommendation for all-round use is the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, as it’s on sale right now for a reduced price. It’s great for office work, gaming, movies, and most other uses. It’s not perfect, but it’s exceptionally versatile, and is our pick for best overall monitor. It doesn’t have the best native contrast, but its local dimming performs well, so deep blacks are visible next to bright highlights if you’re watching/playing HDR content, and it should work well in a darker room for those things.
If you want to spend less, or want a monitor with better native contrast, then the AOC Q27G3XMN is worth considering. However, this monitor washes out from the sides and has a lower resolution, so text and images won’t look as sharp. It also doesn’t get as bright as the Acer in SDR (though if you’re in a dark room this won’t matter). However, it’s otherwise very comparable to the Acer in terms of performance, and is a great monitor for the price.
Let us know if this helps, and if you’d like to review more options or go over more details just let us know!
If I prioritize picture quality will the acer be better in that case?
- 21010
Hi, thanks for your question! If your budget can stretch to $550, then an easy recommendation for all-round use is the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, as it’s on sale right now for a reduced price. It’s great for office work, gaming, movies, and most other uses. It’s not perfect, but it’s exceptionally versatile, and is our pick for best overall monitor. It doesn’t have the best native contrast, but its local dimming performs well, so deep blacks are visible next to bright highlights if you’re watching/playing HDR content, and it should work well in a darker room for those things.
If you want to spend less, or want a monitor with better native contrast, then the AOC Q27G3XMN is worth considering. However, this monitor washes out from the sides and has a lower resolution, so text and images won’t look as sharp. It also doesn’t get as bright as the Acer in SDR (though if you’re in a dark room this won’t matter). However, it’s otherwise very comparable to the Acer in terms of performance, and is a great monitor for the price.
Let us know if this helps, and if you’d like to review more options or go over more details just let us know!
thank you very much
- 32120
oh, nice
- 21010
What do y'all think is the best monitor for work and play in the 300-500 usd range? I’m looking for good overall contrast as well, as I work in a dark room.
Edited 11 months ago: Clarification - 32120
Our settings are always the same for these battery tests for comparability across laptops. Our screen is set to 200 nits, all display altering settings are turned off (such as automatic brightness adjustments, screen off, etc) and the power mode is set to Balanced in Windows and whatever the default is if there is a power mode associated with the brand’s software. And as I mentioned earlier, speakers are muted, Bluetooth/Wifi are disabled (Wifi is only enabled for the web browsing battery test).
I see thanks for confirming
- 21010
quick question: What display and power settings do you use to test the battery life on this?
- 21010
Do you test the performance of the laptop while it’s plugged in
- 21010
Hey! Just wanted to chime in quick and let you know that we did not have any specific battery issues with our unit. Something to keep in mind for our battery test is that we are running the display at 200 nits (usually much less than the max brightness the display can produce), speakers muted and Bluetooth disabled (and Wi-Fi disabled on our non Web Browsing test).
The reason I ask is because I use it at 50% brightness at whisper mode, but at 120hz
- 21010
Hey! Just wanted to chime in quick and let you know that we did not have any specific battery issues with our unit. Something to keep in mind for our battery test is that we are running the display at 200 nits (usually much less than the max brightness the display can produce), speakers muted and Bluetooth disabled (and Wi-Fi disabled on our non Web Browsing test).
Oh I see thanks
- 21010
Here’s what I would compare it to:
All the zenbooks from about a year ago and now MacBook air Hp spectre
- 21010
Question: did you run into any battery issues while testing? I wanted to confirm as my unit only gets about 2.5 to 3 hours on very light use.
- 21010
when do you plan on posting this laptop for early access?
- 32120
Question: Do the blacks appear to be raised or are they actually emitting light? From the photos y'all showed, it seemed that the blacks were comparable to an LCD tv. Is it just camera trickery or is it actually that awful?
- 21010
this laptop is not on the priority list lmao
- 21010
its april 11th…
- 21010
This already has come out in Canada right?
- 21010
sniffy has joined the chat
- 21010
I recommend you get the i7 variant. It has good performance at a decent price compared to the i5 variant. The i9 variant is simply WAYYY too overpriced
- 21010
ah well that backfired…
- 21010
Can you tell the name of the YouTuber
- 21010
if you will buy it, I recommend the i7 as it has a HUGE boost in performance over the i5 for just 200 usd more.
- 21010
Btw 1 question: if you will review the laptop, will you review the i5, i7, or i9 variant?. I’ve seen from various sources that the i7 is the most popular one.
- 21010
Oh ok, thanks then 🙏
Edited 1 year ago: Ah ok thanks then 🙏 - 21010
Btw isn’t the slim 7 pro x and older laptop at this point? I would 100% take the 14x over the slim 7 pro x because of this CPU performance benefits
- 21010
Yeah I have the i7 variant I got on sale for 750 usd and I can confirm it’s great. Beware, the battery life SUCKS!!!!!!!! It lasts like 5 hours.
- 21010
100% no, you can find much better and faster laptops for that price, like the zephyrus g14 when it goes on sale. If you want to compromise a bit on gaming, you should get the variant with the i7, that’s when the value shines, otherwise, look elsewhere
- 21010
Hopefully Samsung bumped up the brightness measurements after literally DIMMING THE SCREEN WITH A FIRMWARE UPDATE. I own an s95b hopefully that is the case
- 32120
Yeah the s95b became worse after the 1520 firmware update idk why Samsung did that
- 32120
Why would they decrease the brightness? Is it to sell their other TVs
- 32120
yeah, I agree. The 14x with the i7 for 699 on sale is tremendous value, and should be considered for earning a review on rtings.com
- 21010
would you recommend this over an Asus Zenbook 14 Flip? YES OR NO