Some people are too liberal with the phrase “greatest of all time.”
To me, only 4 names can hold that title.
Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, Tom Brady, and Wayne Gretzky.
But I propose a fifth.
The best TV brand of all time…
Sony.
And these are why…
Keep reading to discover:
- How much do the new Sony models cost.
- What makes Sony the best TV brand for picture quality.
- 4 reasons you should and 3 reasons you shouldn’t buy a Sony TV.
- And so much more…
Is Sony a good TV brand?
Sony is a good TV brand. They have the best picture quality in the market, are rich in features, and have an active community. Google Assistant also comes with all of their TVs. However, Sony is an expensive brand, and its entry-level models can’t justify its price tag. It also has a bad lag.
4 reasons why Sony is a good TV brand
#1: Amazing picture quality
I’m going to start this article with a not-so-bold claim:
Sony has the best picture quality out of all TV brands.
It’s a reputation they’ve held since before smart TVs were a thing.
Even now that companies are catching up to each other…
Sony remains at the top of picture technology.
And these are the reasons why:
8K technology
Nowadays, 4K resolution is the standard for good TVs.
But first, we always hear the word resolution, but what is it exactly?
Resolution talks about the number of pixels your TV has per frame.
How many pixels exactly?
- 4K: 3840×2160.
- 8K: 7680×4320.
- 720p: 1280×720.
- 1080p: 1920×1080.
Big numbers? Imagine how crisp 8K is.
Only, you don’t have to imagine.
Because, bit by bit, we’re starting to get more 8K TVs.
Sony was a little bit behind on this.
But better late than never, right?
Here’s a table to illustrate how recent 8K is for Sony:
| Brand | Model | First released |
| Sharp | 85″ 8K LCD TV | 2012 |
| Panasonic | 145″ 8K Plasma Display | 2012 |
| LG | 98″ 8K LCD TV | 2014 |
| Samsung | 110″ 8K 3D LCD TV | 2015 |
| Hisense | 98-inch ULED 8K TV | 2016 |
| Sony | 85 and 100-inch Z9G/ZG9 | 2019 |
Note: The list above only shows brands that are prominent worldwide. Chinese brands like BOE and Changhong also produced 8K TVs in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
HDR
If resolution defines how many pixels there are on your screen…
HDR defines what those pixels can show.
Think of one pixel as an oil painting.
In that case, HDR is its color palette.
And it determines the range of color and contrast your painting can have.
Get it?
Most smart TVs have HDR10, the most basic of all HDR technology.
But newer TVs are coming out with either HDR10+ or Dolby Vision.
Both of which are considered the best in the industry.
As for Sony? Their flagship TVs come with Dolby Vision.
Processors
These control your TV’s picture quality through algorithms and code.
Sony ships their TVs with one of these processors:
- 4K HDR Processor X1.
- Picture Processor X1 Ultimate.
- 4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme.
What do these processors do?
- Super Bit Mapping HDR: Creates smoother transitions by removing banding.
- HDR Remaster: Adjusts the color and contrast of the objects on your screen.
- Dual Database Processing: Reduces picture noise and upscales the resolution.
- Super Resolution: Detects the images on the screen and preserves their details.
LED vs. OLED
Depending on what you buy, you can get a LED or OLED TV.
LED TVs illuminate your TV using backlights.
Meanwhile, Sony pioneered the OLED technology.
Which doesn’t use a backlight panel…
Instead, each pixel on the screen is self-illuminated.
OLED ensures that each pixel has accurate details and color.
#2: Rich in features
When looking for a new TV, we look for the same things every time.
Good display, audio, price, durability…
But what if I told you that it could do more?
And the perfect brand for that?
Sony.
Here’s a shortlist of what you can do with their Bravia TVs.
- Video chat.
- Voice control.
- Device casting.
- Universal remote.
- Immersive sound experience.
#3: Voice assistant
There are days when we’re just too lazy to stand from the couch.
And, in those days, wouldn’t it be great if you could tell your TV what to do?
You’re in luck…
Because that’s something that Sony offers.
Sony smart TVs come equipped with Google Assistant.
Which enables you to say trigger an action by pressing the microphone button on your remote.
Or, if you’re feeling extra lazy, by using these 2 magic words:
“Okay, Google”
Note: If you have Alexa or Homekit devices, you can also connect those to your Sony TV.
#4: Active community
I don’t know about you…
But the first thing I do if my TV breaks aren’t to call customer service.
I go on Google.
And, since Sony is a sought-out brand, it has an active online community.
Which can help whenever you encounter an issue with Sony TVs.
3 common Sony TV problems
#1: Android TV lag
Sony TVs come with Android OS.
There are a lot of good things that come with Android TV, like:
- Customizability.
- User-friendly UI.
- Wide range of apps.
But, it’s also controversial for a reason:
It has a laggy interface.
This lag is rooted in the bloatware that comes with the OS.
These are pre-installed apps on your TV and eat a large chunk of your storage.
What’s worse is that your system can’t delete most of them.
So, if you’re impatient like me…
Think twice.
Fun fact: Already have a Sony TV? Don’t worry.
I can tell you how to remove some of its lag.
All you have to do is:
- Go to the ‘Settings’ menu of your TV.
- Under the ‘About’ page, look for the ‘Build Number.’
- Double-click it to activate Developer Mode.
- Return to ‘Settings’ and go to ‘Developer Settings’.
- Look for the 3 animation settings, and toggle them all off.
For Sony TVs, these are animation settings you should be looking for:
- Animator Duration Scale.
- Window Animation Scale.
- Transition Animation Scale.
Doing this would turn off all the unnecessary animation, slowing down your system.
#2: Not good for your wallet
Sometimes, we just want an excellent affordable TV.
Sadly, Sony isn’t the brand for that.
If you want the best…
You’re paying for the best.
Just a little warning, this next part is not for the fainthearted but…
Arranged from lowest to highest, here are the prices Sony’s flagship OLED or 8K TVs start at:
- X90K 4K LED TV: $1399.
- Master Series A90K and A80K 4K OLED TV: $1399
- A90J Master Series OLED 4K TV: $2299.
- A80J OLED 4K TV: $2299.
- X95K 4K Mini LED TV: $2799.
- Master Series A95K QD-OLED TV: $2999.
- Z9J Master Series LED-LCD 8K TV: $7999.
#3: Entry-level models can be better
“Okay, if they’re so expensive, I’ll just get their cheaper models.”
You’re forgiven for thinking that.
After all, Sony does make entry-level TVs.
But, are they worth your money?
To answer that, let’s take the Sony X80J 55-inch…
And pit it against 2 budget LED TVs around the same price:
- TCL 55-inch 6-Series.
- VIZIO M-Series Quantum 55″ Class.
Here’s what we found:
| Brand | Local Dimming | True 10-Bit Display | Dolby Vision | Refresh Rate |
| Sony | No. | No. | Optional. | 60Hz. |
| TCL | Yes. | Yes. | Yes. | 120Hz. |
| Vizio | Yes. | Optional. | Yes. | 60Hz. |
Frequently asked questions:
Is it worth buying a Sony TV?
It’s worth buying a Sony TV if you have the money for it.
With that, you can get one of the best TV displays on the market.
Which, in my opinion, justifies its hefty price tag.
Is Sony TV better than LG?
Sony TV is better than LG.
In terms of hardware, the 2 are almost identical.
But what separates them is Sony’s processor technology.
This technology allows Sony to have better:
- Audio clarity.
- Noise reduction.
- Motion smoothing.
- Resolution upscaling.
That said, LG prices their TV lower than Sony.
Fun fact: LG makes Sony’s OLED panels.
Is Sony a better TV than Samsung?
Sony is not a better TV than Samsung.
Sony and Samsung share many similar characteristics and features.
But their key difference is which HDR and LED panel they’re using.
On the one hand, Sony uses Dolby Vision and OLED…
While Samsung goes with HDR10+ and QLED.
Let me help you decide which one’s better for you:
HDR10+ vs. Dolby Vision
There’s no discernible difference between HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.
However, Dolby Vision currently supports more devices than HDR10+.
OLED vs. QLED
The difference between OLED and QLED is where their brightness comes from.
For the former, it’s from the backlight panel. For the latter, its pixels self-illuminate.
What this means is that QLED is generally brighter…
But OLED offers a crisper and more detailed picture quality.