Cheryl Tan
Mar 23, 20213 min
When we’re watching something on the television, we don’t focus on everything on the screen at once. Rather, we tend to focus on a single object at one time. Sony’s new BRAVIA XR TVs take that into account, and the new Cognitive Processor XR chip inside uses cognitive intelligence to figure out exactly where the focal point of each scene is so that it can enhance that object and adjust the overall picture for the best viewing experience.
More than just picture, the sound is just as important, and the new TVs are able to analyse sound position in the signal, upconvert it to 3D surround sound and match the sound signal with what’s being shown on screen.
The TV lineup will introduce the new Google TV operating system, with personalised recommendations and more. There’s also hands-free voice control built-in, so users will be able to control their smart home devices directly by speaking.
The new BRAVIA XR TVs will also support HDMI 2.1 and e-ARC, with 4K 120fps, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), making it one of the best TVs around to pair with a PS5 or Xbox Series X or S.
Credit: Sony
There’s a whole host of new televisions, so let’s start off with the flagship MASTER Series Z9J.
The Z9J is an 85″ 8K LED TV with all the features we mentioned above, as well as XR 8K Upscaling, XR Contrast Booster and more. The Z9J also supports Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos, while also offering a Netflix Calibrated Mode, which means you’ll be able to watch Netflix content exactly as the creator intended.
It uses a three-way stand, with a narrow position for a smaller footprint, a hero position to reduce distractions and a sound bar position that elevates the television enough so that a sound bar can fit under the display.
It doesn’t come cheap though, at S$26,999, but if you want a big TV that can display 8K content, this is it.
Credit: Sony
If you want something a bit smaller, the MASTER Series A90J comes in 65″ and 55″ models, but they use a 4K OLED panel.
There’s XR 4K Upscaling, Netflix Calibrated Mode, Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos, as well as a Seamless Edge bezel that’s flush to the edges of the TV frame and thus less distracting.
It comes with a two-way stand, with the hero position to eliminate distractions and the sound bar position.
Prices for the A90J start from S$5,999.
Credit: Sony
The A80J is mostly similar to the A90J, with the same features, although there’s a 77″ model here in addition to the 65″ and 55″ televisions. This series also comes with a three-way stand similar to the one in the Z9J.
Prices for the A80J start from S$3,999.
Credit: Sony
If you want a big TV but don’t want to fork out over S$20,000, you might want to consider the X95J series. There’s an 85″ model as well as a 65″ model, with both using a 4K LED display.
Similarly, there’s XR 4K Upscaling, Ambient Optimisation, XR Contrast Booster and more. There’s also Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, along with a three-way stand for the 85″ model and a two-way stand for the 65″ TV.
Prices start from S$4,499.
Credit: Sony
Last but not least, there is the X90J series with 75″, 65″, 55″ and 50″ models. These are all 4K LED TVs, and also offer all the benefits of the Cognitive Processor XR. Even though they’re the most affordable of the new lineup, they still have HDMI 2.1 compatibility, so they’ll work just fine to get the most out of the newest gaming consoles.
Prices start from S$2,599.
The new BRAVIA XR range will be available at Sony Stores, Sony Centres and authorised Sony dealers from April 2021 onwards. More information about the BRAVIA XR televisions can be found on Sony’s website.