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Sony A8H OLED TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.6
Review updated Feb 23, 2022 at 03:39 pm
Latest change: Retest Sep 11, 2024 at 03:26 pm
Sony A8H OLED Picture
8.8
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
9.4
Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.2
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.6
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.9
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.9
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.7
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.4
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the Sony A80J OLED

The Sony A8H OLED is a 4k OLED from Sony's 2020 lineup. It's one of two OLEDs in the lineup, sitting alongside the Sony A9S OLED, which is only available in a 48 inch size, and the A8H is available in 55 and 65 inches. OLED TVs are unique because each pixel can turn on and off individually, resulting in a near-infinite contrast ratio for perfect black levels. There's no blooming around bright objects either, making it a fantastic choice for watching movies in the dark. It comes with Android TV as its smart interface, which has a ton of apps available to download, but takes a bit of time to learn how to navigate through it. Sadly, it's limited on extra gaming features, as it's limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth, and it doesn't support any variable refresh rate (VRR) technology. OLEDs also have the risk of permanent burn-in, but this won't be a problem if you tend to watch varied content.

Our Verdict

8.8 Mixed Usage

The Sony A8H is an excellent TV for most uses. Its picture quality in dark room is amazing thanks to a near-infinite contrast ratio for deep blacks without any blooming. It upscales lower resolution content well, which is great for watching cable TV or sports. HDR content looks excellent thanks to its wide color gamut and decent peak brightness, so most highlights pop. Unfortunately, although its input lag is great for casual gaming and it has remarkable motion handling, it doesn't support advanced gaming features like variable refresh rate support. Also, OLEDs have a risk of permanent burn-in with cumulative exposure to the same static elements, which is a problem if you want to use it as a PC monitor.

Pros
  • Perfect black levels.
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • Near-instantaneous response time.
  • Decent peak brightness in SDR and HDR.
Cons
  • Risk of permanent burn-in.
  • Stutters in lower frame rate content.
9.4 Movies

The Sony A8H is fantastic for watching movies. As it's an OLED TV, it has a near-infinite contrast ratio and produces perfect blacks, which is ideal for watching movies in a dark room. It doesn't use a backlight, so there's no blooming around bright objects either. It doesn't have an issue upscaling lower-resolution content from DVDs or Blu-rays, and it removes 24p judder from any source. Sadly, low-frame-rate content appears to stutter due to the near-instantaneous response time, but it has a motion interpolation feature to reduce stutter.

Pros
  • Perfect black levels.
  • Can remove judder from all sources.
  • No issues upscaling lower-resolution content.
  • Removes 24p judder from any source.
Cons
  • Stutters in lower frame rate content.
8.2 TV Shows

The Sony A8H is great for watching TV shows. It has exceptional reflection handling and gets decently bright, so it's good for most well-lit rooms unless you have a window with direct sunlight. It also has wide viewing angles, so the image remains accurate no matter what angle you watch from, and it upscales lower-resolution content from cable boxes without issue. Like all OLEDs, there's a risk of permanent burn-in, but this is only a problem if you constantly watch the same news channel all day.

Pros
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • Decent peak brightness in SDR and HDR.
  • Exceptional reflection handling.
Cons
  • Risk of permanent burn-in.
8.6 Sports

The Sony A8H is an excellent TV for watching sports. It has fantastic motion handling, thanks to its near-instantaneous response time, meaning fast-moving balls and players look smooth on the screen. You won't have visibility issues in most bright environments since it gets decently bright and handles reflections extremely well, but don't place it opposite a really bright room. It also has wide viewing angles, which is great for watching the big game in a wide seating arrangement, as everyone will see an accurate image from the sides.

Pros
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • Near-instantaneous response time.
  • Decent peak brightness in SDR and HDR.
Cons
  • Risk of permanent burn-in.
8.9 Video Games

The Sony A8H offers excellent gaming performance. It has a very fast response time that makes motion look smooth, and its near-infinite contrast ratio delivers deep blacks for dark room gaming. It also has low enough input lag for casual gamers, but it's not as low as some other TVs. Sadly, it lacks some gaming features as it doesn't support variable refresh rate technology to reduce screen tearing, and it doesn't support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for high-frame-rate gaming from the Xbox Series X and PS5.

Pros
  • Perfect black levels.
  • Near-instantaneous response time.
Cons
  • Input lag too high for competitive gamers.
  • No variable refresh rate support.
  • Limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth.
8.9 HDR Movies

The Sony A8H is amazing for watching movies in HDR. Like all OLEDs, it displays perfect blacks, and it doesn't have any issues with blooming since it can turn pixels off individually. It displays a wide color gamut and gets bright enough to make small highlights in HDR content pop, especially if you're watching in a darker environment. Sadly, there's stutter when watching lower frame rate content, which is caused by the TV's near-instantaneous response time, but it has a motion interpolation feature to reduce that problem.

Pros
  • Perfect black levels.
  • Decent peak brightness in SDR and HDR.
  • Can remove judder from all sources.
  • Displays a wide HDR color gamut.
Cons
  • Stutters in lower frame rate content.
8.7 HDR Gaming

The Sony A8H is an excellent TV for HDR gaming. It has a near-instantaneous response time that makes fast-moving action in video games look crisp, and it has a low input lag for casual gamers. The TV produces perfect black levels and has a wide color gamut that helps bring out highlights in HDR content thanks to the decent peak brightness. Unfortunately, it doesn't support variable refresh rate technology to reduce screen tearing, and it's limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth, so you can't play high-frame-rate 4k games.

Pros
  • Perfect black levels.
  • Near-instantaneous response time.
  • Decent peak brightness in SDR and HDR.
  • Displays a wide HDR color gamut.
Cons
  • Input lag too high for competitive gamers.
  • No variable refresh rate support.
  • Limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth.
8.4 PC Monitor

The Sony A8H is a great TV for use as a PC monitor. It has a low enough input lag for a responsive desktop experience and a fast response time for smooth motion. It also has excellent viewing angles, so the edges of the screen don't look washed out if you sit up close. It supports most common resolutions, except for 1440p, and it displays proper chroma 4:4:4, meaning text appears crisp. Unfortunately, there's a risk of permanent burn-in, which can happen with cumulative exposure to static elements like a desktop user interface.

Pros
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • Near-instantaneous response time.
  • Exceptional reflection handling.
Cons
  • Risk of permanent burn-in.
  • Limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth.
  • 8.8 Mixed Usage
  • 9.4 Movies
  • 8.2 TV Shows
  • 8.6 Sports
  • 8.9 Video Games
  • 8.9 HDR Movies
  • 8.7 HDR Gaming
  • 8.4 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Sep 11, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  2. Updated Jul 17, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  3. Updated May 02, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  4. Updated Feb 13, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  5. Updated Dec 05, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  6. Updated Oct 12, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  7. Updated Aug 09, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  8. Updated Jun 07, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  9. Updated Apr 03, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for four months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  10. Updated Feb 16, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for two months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  11. Updated Nov 17, 2022: We uploaded the initial brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  12. Updated May 06, 2022: We changed the subtype from WRGB to WOLED as it's more accurate and more consistent with other TVs.
  13. Updated Feb 23, 2022: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
  14. Updated Jul 23, 2021: We've added two new videos demonstrating the panel performance with real content.
  15. Updated Mar 01, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.6.
  16. Updated Jan 15, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
  17. Updated Dec 09, 2020: We retested the pre-calibration accuracy.
  18. Updated Aug 05, 2020: We've retested the TV's ability to display a 1440p signal with the latest firmware update.
  19. Updated Jul 22, 2020: We've retested the black frame insertion feature with 24p content.
  20. Updated Jul 15, 2020: We've retested the TV's smart features and motion interpolation.
  21. Updated Jul 14, 2020: Review published.
  22. Updated Jul 09, 2020: Early access published.
  23. Updated Jun 04, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
  24. Updated Jun 03, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  25. Updated May 20, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 55 inch Sony A8H (XBR-55A8H), and for the most part, the results are also valid for the 65 inch (XBR-65A8H) model. In Europe, there's also the Sony A85 Series OLED. It's the same TV, but with Sony's 'Premium Blade Stand', which has a different stand. Instead of being height-adjustable like the North American model, you can place it in a narrow or wide position.

Size North America Short Model
55" XBR-55A8H 55A8H
65" XBR-65A8H 65A8H

If you come across a different type of panel or your Sony A8H doesn't correspond to the review, let us know, and we will update the review. Note that some tests like the gray uniformity may vary between individual units.

The unit of the Sony A8H was manufactured in April 2020, and you can see the label here.

Compared To Other TVs

Comparison picture

The Sony A8H is an overall excellent TV. Compared to its predecessor, the Sony A8G OLED, it performs better, as its peak brightness, color volume, and input lag have all improved significantly. However, it still doesn't have gaming features like the LG CX OLED, so if you're a gamer it's worth getting the LG instead.

For other options, check out our recommendations for the best TVs, the best 4k HDR TVs, and the best 4k gaming TVs.

Sony A80J OLED
55" 65" 77"

The Sony A80J OLED replaces the Sony A8H OLED in 2021, and while the two perform similarly, the A80J has a few upgrades that give it a slight edge. The biggest is the addition of two HDMI 2.1 ports, which is great for PS5 or Xbox Series X owners, and the A80J also has VRR support. If you want a bigger screen, the A80J is also available in a larger 77 inch size. That said, they both offer stunning picture quality, and the A8H gets a bit brighter overall in both SDR and HDR.

Sony A9G OLED
55" 65" 77"

Overall, the Sony A8H OLED is slightly better than the Sony A9G OLED. They both perform very similarly, but the A8H can get a lot brighter, it has better out-of-the-box color accuracy, and its input lag is much lower. However, if you use your TV as a PC monitor and you need native support for a 1440p resolution, then you're better off with the A9G.

LG C1 OLED
48" 55" 65" 77" 83"

The Sony A8H OLED and the LG C1 OLED are both excellent TVs that use OLED panels. That means they're both capable of turning pixels off individually to produce a near-infinite contrast ratio, ideal for watching movies in the dark. The LG is better suited for gaming since it supports VRR and HDMI 2.1 and has less input lag.

Sony X90J
50" 55" 65" 75"

The Sony X90J and the Sony A8H OLED are very different TVs. For the most part, the A8H is better because its OLED panel has a near-infinite contrast ratio and a much wider color gamut. It also has better viewing angles and reflection handling, but it doesn't get as bright in SDR and might struggle to overcome glare. The A8H has a near-instantaneous response time to deliver fast motion with better clarity, but it stutters more in low frame rate content like movies. While both TVs have a 120Hz refresh rate, only the X90J has HDMI 2.1 ports and can display a 4k @ 120Hz signal. The A8H is susceptible to permanent burn-in, while the X90J is immune.

LG CX OLED
48" 55" 65" 77"

The Sony A8H OLED and the LG CX OLED are almost identical in performance. The Sony delivers slightly better picture quality, as it has better gradient handling and a much better color volume. On the other hand, the LG is a better choice for gaming, as it has a lower input lag, and it supports advanced gaming features like VRR and 'Auto Low Latency Mode'.

Sony A90J OLED
55" 65" 83"

The Sony A90J OLED and the Sony A8H OLED are very similar TVs overall. The biggest difference is that the A90J has two HDMI 2.1 ports, which is great if you plan on using it for the latest gaming consoles, while the A8H doesn't have any. Otherwise, they both deliver the same exceptional picture quality and performance that most OLEDs do, thanks to their ability to turn off individual pixels and their near-instantaneous response times.

Samsung Q90/Q90T QLED
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Sony A8H OLED is a bit better than the Samsung Q90/Q90T QLED. Since the Sony is an OLED, it has an infinite contrast ratio that the Samsung just can't match. Screen uniformity is much better on the Sony, and so are the viewing angles. Also, the Sony has a much faster response time. However, the Samsung gets brighter, it has a significantly lower input lag, and it supports variable refresh rate to reduce screen tearing when gaming.

Sony A8G OLED
55" 65"

The Sony A8H OLED is marginally better than the Sony A8G OLED for most uses. The A8H got a few improvements over its predecessor. It has a higher SDR and HDR peak brightness, has better pre-calibration color accuracy, and its input lag is much lower, making it a better option for gaming. The A8G has slightly better viewing angles, but not by much.

LG BX OLED
55" 65"

The Sony A8H OLED and the LG BX OLED are very similar TVs for the most part. The Sony gets brighter and handles gradients better, while the LG is a better choice for gaming because it has VRR support and a lower input lag. The LG also comes with LG's WebOS, which is easier to use but has fewer apps available to download than the Sony's Android TV.

LG GX OLED
55" 65" 77"

The LG GX OLED is a bit better than the Sony A8H OLED. The LG has VRR support, lower input lag, HDMI 2.1 support, and it has wider viewing angles. However, the Sony has better out-of-the-box color accuracy, better gradient handling, and it gets slightly brighter.

Vizio OLED 2020
55" 65"

The Sony A8H OLED is better than the Vizio OLED 2020. Both TVs have an infinite contrast ratio and wide viewing angles. However, the Sony gets brighter, has much better out-of-the-box color accuracy, and Android TV has many more apps available to download. However, the Vizio's reflection handling is slightly better.

Sony A9S OLED
48"

The Sony A9S OLED and the Sony A8H OLED are nearly identical. The main differences are that the A8H's SDR peak brightness is more consistent due to a less aggressive ABL, and it has better accuracy out of the box. The A8H is only available in a 55 inch or 65 inch, while the A9S is only available in a 48 inch.

Sony X950H
49" 55" 65" 75" 85"

The Sony A8H OLED is better overall than the Sony X950H, but they have different panel types. The OLED panel on the A8H allows it to display perfect blacks, and it also has much wider viewing angles than the X950H. The A8H also has a much quicker response time for gaming. However, the LED panel on the X950H gets much brighter, making it a better choice for well-lit rooms, and it isn't prone to permanent burn-in like the A8H.

LG G1 OLED
55" 65" 77"

The Sony A8H OLED and the LG G1 OLED are two excellent OLEDs. They deliver similar picture quality thanks to their near-infinite contrast and perfect black uniformity. However, the LG is better for gaming because it has four HDMI 2.1 inputs and VRR, and the Sony is limited to HDMI 2.0 and lacks VRR. The LG has the new evo panel, so it gets a bit brighter in HDR, but the Sony is still brighter in SDR.

+ Show more

Video

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved No

The Sony A8H has a sleek design. It's simple, the bezels are extremely thin on all sides, and it comes with Sony's two-way position stand, which allows you to set the TV higher up on its feet to make space for a soundbar in front of the screen without blocking it.

Design
Accelerated Longevity Test
Uniformity Pictures
Design
Stand

The Sony A8H comes with Sony's adjustable stand, which has two height settings. The higher setting raises the TV high enough off the table so that placing a soundbar in front won't block it. However, the lower position is a bit more narrow, meaning it's better if you have a smaller table.

Footprint of the 55" stand: 12.8" x 41.3" (higher position) or 39.6" (lower position).

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 300x300

The back of the screen itself is metal, but the rest of the back where the inputs are is plastic. There's not much in terms of cable management; you can only route the cables through the feet. If you choose to wall-mount it, it's compatible with Sony's SU-WL855 slim wall-mount, making the TV sit flush against the wall. The inputs are side-facing, and they're really easy to access with the TV wall-mounted.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.31" (0.8 cm)
Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 2.17" (5.5 cm)

The TV is extremely thin, and if you use Sony's proprietary wall-mount, it will sit flush against the wall.

9.5
Design
Build Quality

The Sony XBR-A8H has a fantastic build quality with a mix of metal and plastic. There aren't any obvious issues, and it's well-put-together. There's a bit of flex in the back panel, but it's nothing of concern. The stand supports the TV well, and there's almost no wobble.

Picture Quality
10
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
Inf : 1
Contrast with local dimming
N/A

Like all OLED TVs, the Sony A8H has a near-infinite contrast ratio, as it can turn the pixels off completely. It results in perfect blacks, which is fantastic for dark room viewing.

7.0
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene Peak Brightness
316 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
429 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
430 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
432 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
314 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
183 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
409 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
415 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
419 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
308 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
182 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.054

The Sony A8H has decent SDR peak brightness. It's enough to fight glare in most well-lit rooms, but like any OLED, it's not suggested to place opposite a window with direct sunlight on it. The screen takes about 45 seconds to reach its peak brightness on the individual test slides, so if there's a highlight that appears on the screen for a few seconds, you won't get its full peak brightness. The Real Scene Peak Brightness is more representative of the TV's brightness.

These measurements are from after calibration, using the 'Custom' Picture Mode, 'Expert 1' Color Temperature, and with Peak Luminance set to 'High'. If you want the brightest image possible and don't care about accuracy, use the 'Vivid' Picture Mode with the Brightness and Contrast at their max, Black Adjust, Advanced Contrast Enhancer, and Peak Luminance on 'High', and the Color Temperature on 'Cool'. It reaches a peak of 760 cd/m² in the 10% window with these settings.

10
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
No Backlight

The Sony A8H doesn't have a local dimming feature since there's no backlight. OLED panels can turn off pixels individually, so there are no issues with blooming, and subtitles are displayed perfectly. We film the videos so you can see how it performs versus a TV with a backlight.

10
Picture Quality
Local Dimming In Game Mode
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
No Backlight

Once again, there's no local dimming feature because it doesn't have a backlight. The above videos are to show how it performs in Game Mode versus another TV.

7.0
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
Real Scene Highlight
643 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
824 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
687 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
476 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
296 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
161 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
755 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
659 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
465 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
294 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
159 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.092

The Sony A8H has decent HDR peak brightness. It gets bright enough with small highlights to make them pop, but larger areas of bright colors are dim due to the Automatic Brightness Limiter. This means that HDR looks best in scenes with small, bright objects on a dark background, like a starfield. Like in SDR, it gets brightest when the highlights stay on the screen for about 45 seconds. The EOTF follows the target PQ curve almost perfectly, but there's a sharp roll-off at the peak brightness, so you'll lose details in really bright scenes.

These results are in the 'Custom' HDR Picture Mode with the Brightness at its max, Contrast at '90', and the Color Temperature on 'Expert 2'. If you find the image too dim, you can set Advanced Contrast Enhancer and Peak Brightness to 'High', which results in this EOTF. It makes the image appear brighter, but it doesn't change the TV's peak luminosity.

6.9
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness In Game Mode
Real Scene Highlight
606 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
834 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
686 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
478 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
303 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
186 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
759 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
659 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
469 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
303 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
186 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.084

The HDR peak brightness in Game Mode is okay. It's very similar to outside of Game Mode, except it's slightly more dim. Still, the visual difference is marginal, and it's still bright enough to deliver an impact HDR gaming gaming.

These measurements are from the 'Game' Picture Mode with the Peak Luminance on 'High' and the Color Temperature set to 'Expert 2'.

8.9
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
1.434%
50% DSE
0.116%
5% Std. Dev.
0.338%
5% DSE
0.072%

The Sony A8H has amazing gray uniformity. There's almost no visible dirty screen effect in the center, which is great for watching sports or scenes with lots of uniform colors. Uniformity is even better in darker scenes. Unlike some other OLEDs, there aren't any signs of vertical or horizontal bands in the 5% gray image.

10
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
0.290%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
N/A

OLED panels can turn individual pixels off completely, resulting in perfect black uniformity.

8.5
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
49°
Color Shift
30°
Brightness Loss
64°
Black Level Raise
70°
Gamma Shift
57°

The Sony A8H's viewing angles are excellent, making it suitable for large rooms with wide seating arrangements as everyone will see an accurate image from the side. However, there's still some color shift at moderate viewing angles, which can be distracting if you easily notice inaccurate colors.

9.2
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Glossy
Total Reflections
1.5%
Indirect Reflections
0.1%
Calculated Direct Reflections
1.4%

The Sony A8H has exceptional reflection handling. It handles even the strongest light sources very well, so combined with the decent peak brightness, you won't have any issues using it in a well-lit room. However, it's not suggested to use it in a bright room with direct sunlight.

8.7
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
1.84
Color dE
1.42
Gamma
2.23
Color Temperature
6,742 K
Picture Mode
Custom
Color Temp Setting
Expert 1
Gamma Setting
0

Out of the box, the Sony A8H has excellent accuracy. It's typical of Sony TVs, and you likely won't need to get it calibrated to enjoy an accurate image. Any remaining color inaccuracies, like with some red and cyan, aren't visible to the human eye, and the white balance is amazing. The color temperature is a bit cold, giving the image a slight blue tint, but it's hard to notice. Gamma follows the target fairly well, except most scenes are still too bright for a bright room environment.

9.4
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.36
Color dE
1.27
Gamma
2.21
Color Temperature
6,499 K
White Balance Calibration
10 point
Color Calibration
Yes

After calibration, the color accuracy is exceptional. Gamma, color temperature, and white balance are all nearly perfect. Color accuracy has improved, but there are more issues with the color blue.

You can see our recommended settings here.

8.0
Picture Quality
480p Input

Upscaling of 480p content like DVDs looks good, and there are no visible artifacts.

8.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

720p content like cable TV is upscaled well, and there are no issues.

9.0
Picture Quality
1080p Input

The Sony A8H upscales 1080p content nearly as well as native 4k content, so Blu-rays look fantastic.

10
Picture Quality
4k Input

Native 4k content is displayed perfectly.

0
Picture Quality
8k Input

The Sony A8H can't display an 8k signal.

Picture Quality
Pixels
Type OLED
Sub-Type
WOLED

The Sony A8H has a four sub-pixel structure, like all other OLED TVs. The four sub-pixels are never on at the same time. The above photo is with the red, white, and blue pixels, and you can see the green sub-pixel in this photo. You can also see all four pixels next to each other here. There aren't any signs of the issue that the Sony A8G OLED had with text rendering when using the TV as a PC monitor.

8.6
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
97.13%
DCI P3 uv
97.20%
Rec 2020 xy
73.24%
Rec 2020 uv
77.25%

The Sony A8H has an excellent HDR color gamut. It has superb coverage of the commonly used DCI P3 color gamut, so it displays the wide range of colors needed in most HDR movies. It also has decent coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 color space, making it somewhat future-proof, but it can't display all the colors needed for movies as more come out with this color space.

7.7
Picture Quality
Color Volume
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage ITP
88.1%
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
41.0%
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
65.9%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
35.2%

This TV has good color volume. It displays dark colors well due to its superb contrast ratio, but it has a bit of trouble displaying very bright colors. This means that colors aren't as vivid as the creator intended, and colors don't get as bright as pure white.

9.3
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit
Red (Std. Dev.)
0.066
Green (Std. Dev.)
0.078
Blue (Std. Dev.)
0.060
Gray (Std. Dev.)
0.073

The Sony A8H OLED has exceptional gradient handling. There's only a bit of banding in dark shades, so you'll notice it in some scenes with similar shades of dark colors. The Smooth Gradation setting helps smooth out most gradients, except for green, but it also causes a loss of fine details in high-quality content.

8.8
Picture Quality
Temporary Image Retention
IR after 0 min recovery
0.27%
IR after 2 min recovery
0.21%
IR after 4 min recovery
0.13%
IR after 6 min recovery
0.06%
IR after 8 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 10 min recovery
0.00%

Sadly, there's a bit of temporary image retention after displaying a high-contrast static image, but it's minor, and it goes away after a few minutes. This test is only indicative of short-term image retention and not the permanent burn-in that may occur with longer exposure to static images.

2.0
Picture Quality
Permanent Burn-In Risk
Permanent Burn-In Risk
Yes

Like all OLED TVs, the Sony A8H is susceptible to permanent burn-in with cumulative exposure to the same static elements. However, this isn't an issue if you watch varied content, and you only have to worry about it if you use your TV as a monitor or leave it on the same news channel all day. Sony has built-in two features that can help minimize the risks, which you can read about here.

If you're concerned about the risks of permanent burn-in, then check out the Sony X950H, which is an LED TV.

Motion
9.9
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
0.2 ms
100% Response Time
2.3 ms

The Sony A8H OLED has a remarkable response time. Like all OLED TVs, the response time is near-instantaneous, which results in almost no blur trail behind fast-moving objects. However, motion still looks a bit blurry due to persistence blur.

10
Motion
Flicker-Free
Flicker-Free
No
PWM Dimming Frequency
0 Hz

The Sony A8H OLED isn't completely flicker-free because there's a slight dip in brightness every 8 ms, which corresponds to the 120Hz refresh rate. However, this isn't noticeable while watching content.

10
Motion
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
Optional BFI
Yes
Min Flicker For 60 fps
60 Hz
60Hz For 60 fps
Yes
120Hz For 120 fps
Yes
Min Flicker for 60 fps in Game Mode
60 Hz

The Sony A8H has an optional black frame insertion feature to reduce persistence blur. It flickers at 60Hz or 120Hz, depending on the setting you choose. If the TV is playing 24p content, like a movie, it flickers at either 96Hz or 48Hz, once again depending on the setting. This helps the TV reduce motion artifacts with 24p content, like movies, without introducing judder. The BFI score is based on the flicker frequencies and not the actual performance.

Motion
Motion Interpolation
Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
Yes
Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
Yes

The Sony A8H can interpolate lower frame rate content up to 120 fps to make motion look smoother, known as the 'Soap Opera Effect'. It does a good job in slow-moving scenes, but unfortunately, it introduces a lot of artifacts when the action gets intense. Unlike most other TVs, it doesn't stop interpolating in busy scenes, which leads to the artifacts.

5.0
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
39.4 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
14.4 ms

Due to the TV's near-instantaneous response time, low-frame-rate content appears to stutter. If this bothers, enabling motion interpolation can help.

10
Motion
24p Judder
Judder-Free 24p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60i
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via Native Apps
Yes

The Sony A8H can remove 24p judder from any source, like Blu-ray players or native apps. It helps with the appearance of motion in movies, and is good for 60Hz sources, like a cable box, while watching 24p movies.

0
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No
HDMI Forum VRR
No
FreeSync
No
G-SYNC Compatible
No
4k VRR Maximum
N/A
4k VRR Minimum
No VRR support
1080p VRR Maximum
N/A
1080p VRR Minimum
No VRR support
1440p VRR Maximum
N/A
1440p VRR Minimum
No VRR support
VRR Supported Connectors
No VRR support

The Sony A8H doesn't support any variable refresh rate technologies, so you'll see screen tearing in games when the frame rate drops. If you want an OLED TV with VRR support, check out the LG BX OLED.

Inputs
9.1
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
18.7 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
110.2 ms
1440p @ 60Hz
N/A
4k @ 60Hz
18.5 ms
4k @ 60Hz + 10-Bit HDR
18.5 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
18.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
93.5 ms
4k @ 60Hz With Interpolation
85.3 ms
8k @ 60Hz
N/A
1080p @ 120Hz
10.5 ms
1440p @ 120Hz
N/A
4k @ 120Hz
N/A
1080p with Variable Refresh Rate
N/A
1440p with VRR
N/A
4k with VRR
N/A
8k with VRR
N/A

The Sony A8H has fantastic low input lag, a significant upgrade from the Sony A8G OLED. It's good enough for casual gamers, but there are other TVs like the LG CX OLED that have lower input lag for competitive gamers. You can use the motion interpolation feature in Game Mode, but it significantly increases the input lag, so it's not for reaction-based games.

9.2
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 4k
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes (native support)
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes (forced resolution required)
1440p @ 120Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
No
8k @ 30Hz or 24Hz
No
8k @ 60Hz
No

The Sony A8H supports most common resolutions, but it gets a bit complicated when it comes to 1440p. Native 1440p @ 60Hz doesn't quite work, as the TV downscales it from 4k. If you force a 1440p @ 60Hz signal, there's a large border around the image, so it doesn't display it properly, and 1440p @ 120Hz skips frames. Strangely, you can force a 1440p @ 60Hz signal from the Xbox Series X without issue. As it's limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth, you can't get 4k @ 120Hz signals.

The TV can display proper chroma 4:4:4 at all supported resolutions; you only need to be in 'Game' or 'Graphics' Picture Mode. This helps it display clear text when using it as a PC monitor.

Inputs
Advanced Console Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
No
PS5, 4k @ 120Hz + HDR
No
PS5, 4k @ 120Hz
No
PS5, 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
Yes
PS5, 1440p @ 120Hz
PS5 can't do 1440p
PS5, 1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
PS5, Variable Refresh Rate
PS5 can't do VRR yet
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 120Hz + HDR
No
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 120Hz
No
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
Yes
Xbox Series X, 1440p @ 120Hz
No
Xbox Series X, 1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
Xbox Series X, Variable Refresh Rate
No

As the Sony A8H is limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth, you can only play 4k games up to 60Hz from the PS5 and Xbox Series X. It doesn't have Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) support for the Xbox Series X, but it has a proprietary Sony feature that switches it into Game Mode when you launch a game from the PS4 or PS5, as long as you have Auto Picture Mode enabled. This makes gaming easier as you don't have to constantly switch into Game Mode to get the lowest input lag possible.

Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
HDR10+
No
Dolby Vision
Yes
HLG
Yes
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
HDMI 2.1 Class Bandwidth
No
CEC Yes
HDCP 2.2 Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
USB 3.0
Yes (1)
Variable Analog Audio Out Yes
Wi-Fi Support Yes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)
Inputs
Input Photos
Inputs
Total Inputs
HDMI 4
USB 3
Digital Optical Audio Out 1
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 1
Analog Audio Out RCA 0
Component In 0
Composite In 1 (adapter required, not incl.)
Tuner (Cable/Ant) 1
Ethernet 1
DisplayPort 0
IR In 1
SD/SDHC 0

There's a composite input to connect older devices like DVD players. Unfortunately, it requires an adapter, and it isn't included in the box, so you'll have to buy one separately.

Inputs
Audio Passthrough
ARC
Yes (HDMI 3)
eARC support
Yes
Dolby Atmos via TrueHD via eARC
Yes
DTS:X via DTS-HD MA via eARC
Yes
5.1 Dolby Digital via ARC
Yes
5.1 DTS via ARC
Yes
5.1 Dolby Digital via Optical
Yes
5.1 DTS via Optical
Yes

The Sony A8H supports eARC, letting you send high-quality audio over an HDMI connection. It supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats, so you won't have to worry about which format your movie is in before watching it to experience lossless audio.

Sound Quality
7.5
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
63.50 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
3.87 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
4.44 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
5.78 dB
Max
93.9 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
2.46 dB

The Sony A8H's frequency response is good. There's a very healthy amount of bass, more than most TVs, but there isn't enough low and sub-bass to create that room-shaking, rumbling sound, and you'll still need a dedicated subwoofer for the best bass possible. It gets very loud, though, and there's very little compression even when playing at max volume. Like the Sony X950H, it has a digital room correction feature that automatically adjusts the frequency response based on your room's acoustics.

6.5
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.060
Weighted THD @ Max
6.834
IMD @ 80
0.85%
IMD @ Max
23.40%

The distortion performance is okay. It isn't much of an issue when playing at low to moderate volume levels, but there's significantly more distortion when playing near max volume.

Smart Features
7.5
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS Android TV
Version 9.0
Ease of Use
Average
Smoothness
Very Smooth
Time Taken to Select YouTube
2 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
2 s
Advanced Options
Many

The Sony A8H ships with Android 9.0. The interface hasn't changed much compared to past versions. It's still relatively easy to navigate, it runs smoothly, and there weren't any bugs during testing. You can pin settings or apps to the taskbar at the bottom, which makes them easy to open, as you don't have to navigate through the menu or settings page to find them.

0
Smart Features
Ad-Free
Ads
Yes
Opt-out
No
Suggested Content in Home
Yes
Opt-out of Suggested Content
Yes

Like most smart platforms, there are ads on the home page, and there's no way to disable them.

9.0
Smart Features
Apps and Features
App Selection
Great
App Smoothness
Very Smooth
Cast Capable
Yes
USB Drive Playback
Yes
USB Drive HDR Playback
Yes
HDR in Netflix
Yes
HDR in YouTube
Yes

Since this is an Android TV, you get access to the Google Play Store. It has a large selection of apps, and apps run very smoothly.

8.5
Smart Features
Remote
Size
Large
Voice Control
Many Features
CEC Menu Control
Yes
Other Smart Features
No
Remote App Android TV

The remote has been redesigned compared to past models, like with the Sony A8G OLED. There are fewer buttons, and the top of the remote now has brushed plastic. The button layout hasn't changed that much, and there are still shortcuts to Netflix and Google Play. There's a built-in microphone and a dedicated button to summon the Google Assistant, so you can ask it to open apps and change inputs, but you can't ask it to change settings like the Brightness.

Smart Features
TV Controls

There's a single button to turn the Tv On/Off, change the channel or input, and adjust the volume.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Remote control
  • 2x AAA batteries
  • User guides

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 99 W
Power Consumption (Max) 159 W
Firmware PKG6.4770.0615NAA