Review of Sony Bravia XR A95K. The QD-OLED (Quantum Dot OLED) screen used in the Sony A95K is the company’s first use of the technology in a premium smart TV, promising improved brightness and best-in-class color fidelity. For genuinely amazing visuals, this is combined with the most recent AI edition of Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR and cutting-edge XR OLED Contrast Pro technology.
To give it its full name, the Bravia XR A95K Master Series also features the innovative Acoustic Surface Audio+ sound system from the company, which employs actuators to vibrate the glass surface instead of traditional forward-facing speaker drivers, and a built-in Bravia Cam camera for video chats.
Review of Sony Bravia XR A95K:
The panel is supported by a cutting-edge Dual Stand that can be hidden at the back or utilized forward facing to allow the set to sit close to a wall. To make room for the two sound actuators, the screen is a bit deeper than those of some rivals.
But there are limitations, not the least of which are the high price and the availability of only two 4K 120Hz compatible HDMI inputs.
Can the A95K rival devices like the Samsung S95B, then? Let’s look more closely.
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Design & Features:
- One Slate Design
- Google TV smart TV
- Plug in Bravia Cam
The bezel and panel wrap of the A95K are wafer-thin, and it has a casual, fashionable appearance. There are two ways to expand the screen-width stand: forward or backward. The latter is referred to by Sony as Front Position Style. The appropriate height for your AV furniture should be rather low because the set reclines at a small slant.
The Back Position Style, which reserves the pedestal, is an option if you wish to move the TV closer to a wall.
The recognizable Sony checkerboard plastic back panel adorns the back. Four HDMI ports are available here, two of which support 4K 120Hz for use with an Xbox One or PlayStation 5. Additionally supported on these inputs are VRR and ALLM, as well as eARC.
There are two satellite inputs for the Freesat (or generic satellite) tuner in addition to the terrestrial aerial input, two USB ports, an AV minijack, a CI card slot, a digital optical audio output, and—more atypically—a connection for the center speaker.
If you wish to use the TV’s sound system as the center speaker in a multichannel configuration, the latter is helpful.
A plug-in Bravia Cam camera and microphone equipment are also included in the box. The bolt-on has a small, dedicated bus located at the top and back of the screen.
A button-heavy zapper remote and a slimline remote with specific buttons for several streaming services, such as Bravia Core, Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video, are included with the TV.
Google TV, a more explicitly content-driven version of Android OS, is the smart platform. The customary content guidelines and suggestions are present. YouView in the UK is in charge of terrestrial responsibilities, although it is beginning to look rather worn out.
Additionally, the TV has Apple Home Kit, Apple AirPlay, and Chromecast support.
Picture Quality:
- QD-OLED panel
- Cognitive Processor XR
- Dolby Vision HDR
Both the A95K’s industrial style and visuals are enticing. The brand’s remarkable Cognitive processor—which prioritizes processing power on the areas of the image that the human eye naturally gravitates toward—has maybe found its best expression here, as we’ve seen on other Sony models.
Natural-looking tonal gradations and intrinsic sharpness are combined in native 4K photos. Review of Sony Bravia.
There are many different pictures presets available from Sony, including Standard, Cinema, Game, Graphics, Photos, Vivid, and two Pro settings. The Standard and Cinema settings consistently provided the most enjoyable experience for me.
There is also an Auto Picture option that automatically chooses what it believes to be the correct image, however, it only works with video from HDMI sources that are connected, and it doesn’t always choose correctly.
Chasing the Rains, a breathtaking 4K wildlife documentary produced by Sky, ARTE France, and Love Wildlife Canada, chronicles the antics of a variety of cute creatures. Sony’s Auto Picture system determined that Cinema was the proper preset for this situation. But both Standard and Custom provided more individualized information.
Even so, the footage shot in Northern Kenya was stunning.
The sony a95k has a calming cinematic quality. Dune’s use of HDR may be understated, but panel technology is still having a hard time keeping up. No banding or abrupt posterization is used to illustrate the sandstorms. No sense of overworking the image is present.
However, given what we’ve seen from Samsung’s application of QD-OLED self-emissive panel technology in the S95B, the A95K isn’t quite as bright as you might anticipate.
I used a 10% window to calculate the peak HDR brightness, which was 946 nits. This is not class-leading, but it is bright enough to give specular highlights on content mastered up to 1000 nits, which is the general standard.
Unfortunately, the set does not support HDR10+ or Dolby Vision IQ. If HDR10+ support is crucial to you, the Samsung S95B does support it.
In game mode, latency was measured at 16.6ms (1080p/60fps). This is acceptable but not exceptional. The brand will address the lack of a specific gaming interface on its upcoming A95L second-generation QD-OLED.
Sound Quality:
- Dolby Atmos
- Acoustic Surface Audio+
- Acoustic Centre Sync
Regarding the audio quality of the A95K, I have mixed feelings. Although Sony’s Acoustics Surface Audio system has demonstrated its worth on other OLED TVs from the brand, this one reveals its limitations.
Two actuators that are fixed to the panel vibrate to produce sound, while two regular subwoofers fill out the lower bass. A powerful 60W is produced overall (2 x 20W + 2 × 10W).
Vocal intelligibility is especially high, and the crossover to lower frequencies is virtually seamless. Standard, Dialogue, Cinema, Music, Sports, and Dolby Audio are among the sound mode options.
The sound quality is good, and it keeps up with activity onscreen. Overt steerage is there in both the Illuminations Studio logo, which fronts Minions: The Rise of Gru, and the action-packed motorcycle chase that follows.
The presentation, however, sharpens as the mix gets incredibly busy.
Acoustic Centre Synchronisation is the last audio function. If you have a suitable Sony soundbar or home theater system, you can use the TV’s built-in audio system as a central channel.
Price & Availability:
The Sony A95K is currently offered with screens that measure 55 and 65 inches (XR-55A95K and XR-65A95K, respectively). They are available from the Sony store for £2,199 and £2,999, respectively. Amazon, Currys, John Lewis, AO, Box, Very, and Laptops Direct also sell it.
The same two versions are offered in the US for $2,799 and $3,499, respectively. It’s also available through BestBuy.
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For more choices, view our list of the top TVs or consult our comprehensive guide to Sony TVs.
Specs:
- 55in (65is also available)
- QD-OLED 4K display technology
- Resolution: 3840 x 2160
- HDMI: x4
- HDR support: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision
- Google TV smart platform
- Acoustics Surface Audio+ with Dolby Atmos support
- Dimensions: 1225(w) x 728(h) x 280(d)mm
- Weight: 21.2kg