Sony Bravia 8 Review: Is This OLED TV Worth the IMAX Experience?

cruets620

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First Impressions​

The Sony BRAVIA 8 has a premium design that looks fantastic in any room. Its thin bezels give the TV a sleek look when viewed from the front.
The back of the TV is made entirely of plastic and has the familiar checkerboard pattern similar to many other recent Sony TVs. The inputs are on the far left side of the TV when facing the front, but theyre in a recessed cutout, so theyre a bit hard to reach if you have the TV mounted flush to the wall. There's a plastic cover that can be used tohide the inputs section, but there are no clips for cable management.
The Sony BRAVIA 8 has outstanding build quality. Its metal frame is solid, the TV has some weight to it that makes it feel sturdy, and it barely wobbles in both the low and high stand positions. There are no issues with build quality, and the TV feels premium.

Introduce​

Parameter
Sony Bravia 8​
Picture​
SonyBravia8.jpg
Reference Price​
$1598​
Model Year​
2024​
Specific Uses​
Entertainment​
Built-In Media​
Power Cable, Remote Control, Stand, Manuals​
Highlight
Display: 65-inch 4K OLED
Pixel Count: Over 8 million self-lit pixels
Refresh Rate: 120Hz
Processor: XR Processor
Smart TV Platform: Google TV
Voice Control: Google Assistant
Audio Features: Acoustic Surface Audio+, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, IMAX Enhanced
Connectivity: 4 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, Bluetooth

System​

Parameter
Sony Bravia 8​
Operating System​
Google TV​
Internet Applications​
Prime Video, Hulu Plus, Netflix, Max, Disney+, YouTube, Sony Pictures CORE, Google TV​
Remote Control​
Bluetooth​
Controller Type​
Remote Control​
Control Method​
Remote​
System Experience
The Sony BRAVIA 8 delivers a smooth and user-friendly experience with its version 12 Google TV operating system, although it does have a minor bug related to refresh rate display. The smart interface, while efficient, includes unavoidable ads, which may detract from the overall user experience. However, it excels in offering a wide range of apps and supports content casting via AirPlay 2 and Chromecast, along with direct playback from USB sticks, making it versatile for content consumption.

Display​

Parameter
Sony Bravia 8​
Aspect Ratio​
16:9​
Display Technology​
OLED​
Screen Finish​
Flat​
Has Color Screen​
Yes​
Resolution​
4K​
Refresh Rate​
120 Hz​
Viewing Angle​
178 Degrees​
HDR Format​
HLG, HDR10, Dolby Vision​
Backlight Technology​
Self-Luminous​
Backlight Setting​
Pixel-level Dimming​
Backlight Configuration​
Direct-Lit​
Picture Enhancement​
XR Triluminos Pro, XR Clear Image, XR Processor​
Motion Enhancement​
XR Motion Clarity​
Viewing Experience
The Sony BRAVIA 8 delivers an exceptional viewing experience, primarily due to its OLED technology, which provides remarkable contrast and nearly infinite contrast ratios. The self-lit pixels allow for stunning bright highlights alongside perfect inky blacks, making it particularly impressive in dark environments. The absence of blooming around bright objects enhances its performance, as does the excellent gray uniformity, which remains mostly unnoticed at normal viewing distances.

Color performance is strong, with an expansive color gamut that effectively covers the DCI-P3 space, although it struggles slightly with the Rec.2020 color space, resulting in some undersaturation. The TV's wide viewing angle is a significant advantage for group settings, despite minor color washout at extreme angles. Additionally, its outstanding reflection handling minimizes the impact of glare from various light sources, ensuring a clear picture in different lighting conditions.

While the WOLED panel has a unique RWBG pixel structure that may affect text clarity on certain displays, this is unlikely to be a concern for most users. Overall, the Sony BRAVIA 8 stands out for its impressive contrast, color accuracy, and viewing versatility, making it a top choice for immersive viewing experiences.

Audio​

Parameter
Sony Bravia 8​
Audio Channels​
2​
Surround Sound​
Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X​
Audio Output​
Surround​
Audio Input​
HDMI​
Speaker Description​
Acoustic Surface Audio+​
Speaker Output Power​
50 Watts​
Audio Experience
Overall Impression: The Sony BRAVIA 8 delivers a well-balanced sound profile that excels at moderate volume levels, making dialogue clear and easy to understand. However, it falls short in delivering impactful bass and struggles with sound balance at higher volumes, where it lacks the ability to produce significant loudness. While distortion remains minimal at moderate levels, it becomes noticeable only at maximum volume, indicating a limitation in its loudness capabilities.

Features​

Parameter
Sony Bravia 8​
Video Encoding​
HEVC Main 10​
Compatible Devices​
Smartphone​
Tuner Type​
ATSC​
D x W x H​
9.88"D x 56.88"W x 33.75"H​
Mount Standard​
300 x 300 mm​
Voltage​
1.1E+2 Volts (AC)​
Power Consumption​
438 Watts​
Line Voltage​
110 VAC 60 Hz​
Other Features​
Studio Calibrated Modes - NEW! Prime Video, Netflix Adaptive, Sony Pictures CORE, Acoustic Surface Audio+, Exclusive features for the PlayStation 5, XR TRILUMINOS Pro, Google TV with Google Assistant, AirPlay 2, Game Menu​
Motion Smoothing
The Sony BRAVIA 8 TV delivers an impressive viewing experience, particularly with low-quality content, effectively smoothing out artifacts while retaining detail. Its nearly instantaneous response time ensures clear motion with minimal blur, especially at higher refresh rates. While the absence of a traditional backlight and PWM dimming contributes to an overall flicker-free experience, there is a slight brightness dip related to the refresh rate, which may be noticeable to those sensitive to flicker. The optional motion interpolation feature enhances the clarity of motion in slower scenes, though it struggles with faster movements, resulting in some distracting artifacts and haloing. Overall, the Sony BRAVIA 8 excels in motion clarity and low-quality content handling, making it a solid choice for varied viewing scenarios.

Connectivity​

Parameter
Sony Bravia 8​
Connectivity Technology​
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, Ethernet, HDMI​
Bluetooth Version​
5.3​
Screen Mirroring​
AirPlay 2, Google Cast​
Wireless Technology​
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi​
Usb Ports​
2​
USB2.0 Ports​
1​
USB3.0 Ports​
1​
HDMI Ports​
4​
Connector Type​
USB, RS232C, Optical, Ethernet, HDMI​
Signal Format​
digital​
Sharing Direction​
Mobile to TV​
Hardware Interface​
USB, HDMI​
Connecting TV
The Sony BRAVIA 8 TV offers an excellent gaming experience with its incredibly low input lag in Game Mode, ensuring a responsive interaction for gamers. Its compatibility with 4K @ 120Hz and HDMI Forum VRR enhances its performance for next-gen consoles, though input lag increases significantly outside of Game Mode. The inclusion of Auto Low Latency Mode simplifies the user experience by automatically adjusting settings for optimal performance.

The HDMI 2.1 capabilities on select ports allow for high bandwidth usage, although the configuration may limit connectivity options when using eARC. The support for Dolby Vision and ATSC 3.0 tuner expands its content offerings, making it suitable for 4K viewing. Additionally, the ability to use the built-in speakers as a center channel adds versatility for audio setups, albeit with compatibility restrictions. Overall, the TV excels in gaming functionality and high-quality video and audio support, making it a strong choice for entertainment, though with some limitations in connectivity.

User Feedback​

Pros:
• Excellent picture quality with stunning definition and crisp action.
• OLED screen is easy on the eyes and enhances viewing experience.
• Google TV homepage provides an intuitive interface for managing streaming services.
• Quick and easy setup process.
• Positive experiences with replacement process when issues arose.

Cons:
• Intermittent shutdowns reported, indicating potential software issues.
• User interface and setup experience described as subpar.
• Concerns over initial delivery methods leading to product damage.
• Ongoing issues with audio output noted by users.

Overall Impression:
The Bravia 8 TV offers exceptional picture quality and a user-friendly streaming interface, making it a strong contender in the OLED market. However, issues with intermittent shutdowns and a less-than-ideal user interface may detract from the overall experience. While the product has had positive reviews for its visual performance, potential buyers should be cautious of the reported reliability concerns.
 
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