Review | Sony Bravia XR 2022: the best TV of 2022

Despite the huge screen competition they face, TVs still look hypnotic, capable of gawping at them. Especially if they are high resolution, good size, with powerful sound and with smart elements that improve and refine the experience even more. They are tempting, and events like the World Cup or Christmas parties become good excuses to renew them.

Indeed, not so long ago, on these same pages we recommended various models to change televisions. And although the offer is very attractive – especially with the entry of new Chinese players, who have further lowered prices without reducing quality – there is a brand that remains at the top of televisions. prime: it’s sony.

The Japanese giant continues to reign supreme in this department, especially on really high-end products, both in terms of the services it offers and the selling price. The two most popular South Korean brands, Samsung and LG, may dominate sales, but there’s an unspoken consensus that Sony TVs are always top notch.

And this year, with one of its flagship models, the Bravia XR but in the A80 K 2022 version – which debuted just a few months ago – we have perhaps the best TV launched during the previous season in our country. True, it does not bring great innovations compared to the 2021 generation, which we review with great praise, but still: it is the highest that exists in this segment. And of course, with an OLED display.

It’s possible to argue about the real innovations that TVs have had in the last five years, beyond their ability to be smart or “intelligent”. What is undeniable is that television screens have become all-terrain stages, capable of satisfying multiple needs: whether listening to music on Spotify, playing high-resolution video games, enjoying the streaming or viewing content in 4K.

What is interesting is to see how the aspects that are “behind” the screen are those that have made the experience of watching television, series or films even more grandiose and spectacular. So let’s get to know the details of the new Sony Bravia XR A80K 2022 available in three large sizes: 55, 65 and 77 inches.

• sizes : 55″ (139cm) / 65″ (164cm) / 77″ (195cm)
• Weight (without stand): 17.9 kg / 23 kg / 34.8 kg
• Filter : OLED 4K Ultra HD (refresh rate: 120Hz)
• Resolution : 3840×2160
• image processor : XR Cognitive Processor
• audio : Acoustic Surface (screen sound with 3.2 audio channels) and Dolby Atmos
• ports : 4 HDMI (2 HDMI 2.1) / 1 RCA input / 2 coaxial (RF) / 2 USB / 1 digital audio output (optical) /
• connectivity : Wi-Fi (2.4 / 5 Ghz) / Bluetooth 4.2 / Ethernet / Chromecast / Apple Airplay
• Operating system : Android TV (Google TV)
• Storage room : 16 GB

We discovered the specifications of the Bravia XR at the Sony Store located in Las Condes, so we did not have the opportunity to make a unpacking As such. From the brand, yes, they pointed out that the packaging of the new generation of televisions uses a high percentage of recycled plastic with SORPLAS, a technology that allows the use of these materials without sacrificing design or resistance, but reducing the use of plastic up to 60% To get an idea, this is roughly equivalent to 140 million compact discs. It’s not minor.

For this test, we focused on the midsize model, a roomy 65-inch that’s bulky and imposing, even when turned off. It’s in stark titanium black, with a very clean and understated design that prevents any kind of distraction. In fact, you can’t even see the brand logo inside the frame with the naked eye. Obviously, this is a TV that takes up a lot of space, designed for more or less large rooms.

La caja, aunque no la vimos, incluye el cable de alimentación, el control remoto (con baterías), enchufe de conversion, las guías de funcionamiento y, por supuesto, el soporte, que se puede adaptar en tres posiciones cuanto a su apertura sobre surface.

When the television is turned on, there is the characteristic user interface of Sony televisions. It’s clean, intuitive and attractive to look at. But beyond that, it should be noted that the model comes with the Google TV platform as its operating system. This means, in other words, that it natively integrates Chromecast, which allows you to control and play content in a very simple and intuitive way.

The best thing about the Google system is that all the services of diffusion —along with many other apps— are available, so it’s really easy to combine everything you’ve contracted in one place. For convenience, the remote includes a microphone that allows voice commands, so there’s no need to even press any buttons. Very convenient.

But there’s more: Sony has bundled an app called Bravia Core across its 2022 lineup, a pre-installed streaming service that offers an exclusive collection of series and movies in 4K, as well as IMAX titles and remastered classics, which can be redeemed via credits or subscription plans. Tempting. Obviously, most of the content comes from Sony Pictures’ extensive catalog, which includes gems from Columbia Pictures and also hit new releases from the last time.

TV is a delight. Its OLED screen is striking, not least for its large size, but above all for its ambient light sensor, which intelligently adjusts the brightness, backlight and contrast according to the current lighting conditions. As expected, contrast perception is fascinating: dark (or black) areas stand out for their intensity, but the emphasis on bright scenes also manages to be vivid and impressive.

As we said, the remote is functional and offers voice commands. This also belongs to other brands, but the innovation here is that there is almost no need to press a button to activate the assistant. Just call it and the artificial intelligence appears, ready to listen to our television needs.

Going through the specs of the TV and comparing them with the experience we’ve had with other models is amazing. Mainly because of its gorgeous OLED screen. We’ve said it before: screens with this technology are undoubtedly the pinnacle of viewing.

A very noticeable detail is how this Sony Bravia XR enhances the focal point of the scene. Whether it’s an action sequence or a goal celebration, the TV knows exactly which elements are in the foreground and enhances them in every way, both visually and sonically. It even generates a kind of depth-of-field perception, much like what Apple uses in its photographs.

Sony prides itself on being an expert in image processing. As pompous as that label may sound, it’s still true when we sit down in front of the Bravia XR. For example, its XR cognitive processor – which gives the model its name – analyzes the context and content of each scene, to recreate it as a person would if we observed it in the real world.

Explained another way, if the protagonist of the film is in the foreground, the cognitive focus of the device will be focused on him, emphasizing his sharpness. The same applies to a car race or the sound of a jet crossing the sky from side to side. The difference, especially in the elaboration of the sound, is perfect and spectacular. (The following video explains it pretty well.)

To say the sound is surround would be an understatement. In the strict sense, it is 3D, which gives it a much richer and denser spatiality. As for the images, the processor manages to distribute the sound harmonically according to its emission point, which can be any space of the screen. Since the Bravia XR includes speakers in the display itself, sound will come from where it’s produced, such as the actor’s face or the singer’s mouth. All this with excellent and very powerful amplification which, truth be told, makes the option of a soundbar absolutely unnecessary.

Logically, connecting a video game console, in particular a PlayStation 5 -developed by Sony itself-, is a delight. Obviously, the TV is optimized to receive content from its own console, and automatically applies game modes or high dynamic range (HDR).

The HDMI 2.1 connector with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) makes streaming content much faster and smoother, and animations and cutscenes run smoothly. That’s why 4K is more than glorious, with strong, noticeable contrasts between blacks (very black) and whites (very white and bright). And if the source content isn’t ultra HD, like cable TV, it doesn’t matter: the machine is capable of upscaling images and upscaling them to 4K on its own.

Aspiring to a TV with an OLED screen is the ultimate in visual quality, which this model from Sony generously delivers. It’s a top-of-the-range model, with all the necessary features to satisfy any user, whatever general use you want to give to the screen: whether it’s for video games, watching a concert or watching a movie. . For all that content, there’s no better TV on the market than this.

Considering that televisions remain the main window for viewing content at home, having a good screen can become essential, especially to appreciate the high quality in which almost all content is currently broadcast. There are cheaper alternatives, sure, but when it comes to high-tech video and sound refinement, there aren’t many that can give the Bravoa XR a fight. Regardless of the price, of course.

To note : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

*Prices for products in this item are updated as of January 4, 2022. Values ​​and availability may change.