Sony has taken the wraps off its 2021 LCD and OLED TVs which will be available both in 4K and 8K resolution. As always, Sony’s Master series with brighter OLED Panels rank highest in hierarchy and will be offered in up to 83-inch size. In the LCD line-up, 8K Z9J will be sitting at the top of the portfolio.
Most of the Sony 2021 televisions will include an upgraded ‘Cognitive Processor XR’ video processor, full-array local dimming, Bravia Core, HDMI 2.1, and lot more.
Sony OLED TVs – A90J (A9J) & A80J (A8J)
Sony has unveiled two ‘sOLED TVs for 2021 – A90J and A80J. These are names for European and American models. If past experiences are anything to go by, Sony may launch these same TVs as a successor to A9G (review) and A8H (review) later in other regions including India.
Sony’s flagship OLED A90J is to be offered in 55, 65, and 83 inches and it will be the “brightest OLED” TVs the Japanise giant has launched to date. Sony cites better cooling capabilities of A9J as one of the key reasons behind improvements in peak brightness. The A80J will be available in 55, 65, and 77-inch sizes and will have lower peak brightness as compared to the OLED A90J.
Sony has also adopted new HDMI 2.1 standard with its 2021 OLEDs for offering 4K@120hz for next-generation gaming consoles. Both Sony A90J and A80J will support 4K at 120Hz, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). While 120Hz will be available right out of the box, ALLM and VRR will be available after a firmware update.
Both of them will come with a new XR Motion Clarity and XR Upscaling engine. Sony includes support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, HDR10, HLG, IMAX Enhanced, and Netflix Calibrated Mode on both OLEDs. These new TVs will run Google TV which is nothing but an overhauled Android TV that the search engine giant announced last year. Sony is bundling in Bravia Core it’s new video streaming service that will offer 4K HDR and IMAX Enhanced movies in Blu-ray equivalent quality.
"In collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Bravia Core is where entertainment meets technology and was developed to add value and showcase unique Sony experiences. Pre-loaded on all new Bravia XR models, users can enjoy a selection of the latest SPE premium and classic titles and the largest IMAX Enhanced collection," the company announced.
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Sony 2021 LCD TVs: Z9J,X95J, X90J, X85J and X80J/X81J
Sony Z9J is an 8K LCD TV while the remaining LCD TVs have 4K native resolution. The X90J and other 2021 Sony LCD TVs will have full-array local dimming. Though, Sony didn’t mention the exact dimming zones numbers. Sony will include them with a ‘Cognitive Processor XR’ video processor same as 2021 OLEDs.
"Sony’s intent is to constantly innovate in the TV technology to offer the most immersive viewing experience possible," said Masaomi Ando, head of Sony Europe’s TV business unit. "The new Bravia XR TVs convey reality better than ever, thanks to the processing power of the world’s first cognitive processor, which goes beyond conventional AI," the company said.
Sony’s premium new LCD TVs will have Contrast Booster 15 or 10 or 5 depending on the price. Just as Sony’s new OLEDs, these LCD TVs will run Google TV and will have Sony’s Bravia Core streaming services on board.
The X85J and above models will also have HDMI 2.1 ports onbord with 4K@120Hz support. Gamers will benefit from Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel). X80J/X81J feature only eARC, which can be supported on HDMI 2.0 chipsets.
