Sony has constantly been adding refinements to its products with picture and sound technology prowess. Recently, the company launched its latest television Sony Bravia XR A80K OLED which succeeds the previously launched Sony A80J OLED. The entry-level OLED TV section in India already has the presence of brands like Xiaomi, Samsung, and LG and the induction of the A80K is going to heat up the competition even more. So, let’s find out what new you are going to see in the latest Sony Bravia XR A80K OLED.
Design
Sony tends to favour a minimal approach with its TV designs, a trend that is followed in the latest A80K. From the front, it’s basically just a nearly bezel-free rectangle and when the content gets visible on the screen you will barely notice any bezel other than the LED light present at the bottom.
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The rear side is a little bulky as you can see the backside protruding from the centre of the screen that houses the screen’s drivers and processing as well as components of an astonishingly potent Acoustic Surface+ audio system. On the rear side itself, you can spot four HDMI ports, with sockets three and four having HDMI 2.1 smarts, with ALLM, 4K at 120Hz and VRR. For game lovers there the TV offers Auto HDR tone-mapping which PlayStation owners can make use of. There are two USB Type-A ports, Digital Audio-Out, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a single Video-In socket, an Ethernet port, and an antenna socket present for connectivity.
Viewing experience
The most recent Sony Bravia A80K 55-inch OLED screen comes with a 3840x2160 resolution and an adjustable refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Most likely superior to any smart TV in its price range, the A80K display supports HDR and Dolby Vision and HLG picture. You won’t be disappointed with how it handles HDR and DV videos because of the contrast and details in the output. With Sony’s Cognitive processor XR in place, the TV delivers deep, rich black levels and good contrast levels. Although the brightness could have been a little greater, it isn’t so awful as to be a deal-breaker.
The Sony Bravia XR A80K OLED is a nearly bezel-free rectangle with a LED light present at the bottom. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Picture produced on the screen give the full 4K feel and the content looks very lively. Pictures on the TV that feel both objectively accurate and aesthetically pleasing are produced by the sheer amount of control and nuance in every aspect of the image, from the balance of light between each and every pixel to the seemingly endless palette of colour tones and the clean, pure reproduction of every last detail and texture. In fact, you might find it difficult to focus on the story for the first few movies you watch on the A80K since you’re enjoying the visual quality so much.
The new A80K upscales the quality of the movies even from the late 60s and 70s which is something that surprised us as the TV was able to present every detail so neatly and in a detailed and lively manner that just made us fall in love with the picture quality. Furthermore, picture noise is barely noticeable, and on-screen motion can be adjusted to a deep level of satisfaction. The A80K can smoothly draw even extremely fine lines and can handle complex and/or tight patterns with ease. As one might expect, there are many different viewing angles.
Sound experience
The enhanced picture quality is matched by enhanced sound quality in the latest A80K. Sony’s Acoustic Surface Audio+ is incorporated into the A80K series of OLED TVs. In order to produce full-range sound, five actuators are placed, two of which are placed on either side of the screen and three of which are placed directly behind the screen. Two subwoofers are also present for deeper bass. Aside from Voice Zoom, which improves dialogue, and 3D surround upscaling, other audio features include Acoustic Audio Calibration, which adjusts the sound output of the set to your viewing environment. The presence of Dolby Atmos sound takes the sound effects to a new level producing sounds in vertical and above effects enhancing the viewing experience.
The Sony Bravia XR A80K OLED delivers deep, rich black levels and good contrast levels. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Sony’s Acoustic Surface produces complex soundtracks with enough leeway to expand when necessary, resulting in a conversation that is richer and better contextualised. The expansive mid-range also contributes to the subwoofers’ remarkable levels of bass sounding convincingly extended rather than bloated or isolated from the main speakers’ dynamic range. Additionally, it manages to handle all but the most intense and prolonged movie bass rumbles without sounding confined or distorted.
Smart features
The new Bravia A80K runs on Google TV, which is based on Android TV 10. We personally feel that it is a very good choice from the company as Google UI seems very friendly and easy to use. Since the A80K’s OS is based on Google TV, it comes pre-loaded with compatibility for Chromecast and Google Assistant. Furthermore, since the TV also supports AirPlay 2, it allows you to cast media from an iPhone, or iPad. . In addition, the TV is powerful enough to enable higher refresh rate games, so one can connect their gaming consoles.
The impressive thing to notice about the A80K is its ability to operate applications smoothly. We did not encounter any lag while switching between apps or switching on/off the TV as every process was very quick and had a high response rate.
Verdict
If you want to experience a real-life viewing experience with breathtaking, extremely detailed picture quality then the latest Sony Bravia A80K is the real deal. It surely lives up to the hype of OLED televisions and being an entry-level OLED TV, we feel it is the right choice. The ability to upscale the quality of the content is something we are in awe of which will surely impress anyone making the A80K a perfect choice to have in your home.
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