One of the best TVs (depending on who you ask) - Sony BRAVIA 8 II

Quick Overview

The Sony BRAVIA 8 II TV is deemed one of the best state-of-the-art TVs available, offering phenomenal picture quality with 2630 nits peak brightness in HDR Vivid mode and excellent black levels due to its OLED technology, although some out-of-the-box color settings require adjustment for optimal accuracy.

Key Points: The Sony BRAVIA 8 II achieved a peak luminance of 2630 nits in HDR Vivid mode, dropping to 1988 nits in HDR Professional mode, demonstrating excellent brightness capability. In SDR Professional mode, the TV measured an average dE2000 of 0.93 and a max dE2000 of 3.08 after calibration, indicating very good color accuracy. The TV features two HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 4K 120Hz, with one port supporting eARC/ARC, making it highly capable for modern gaming consoles like the PS5. The built-in speaker system includes 2x 15W Actuators and 2x 10W Subwoofers, utilizing Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology where the screen surface acts as the speaker. The remote control is made with approximately 80% recycled plastic and features dedicated buttons for streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube. The TV offers content-aware picture/sound settings, allowing users to select presets for Videos/Images, Game, or PC input, and also features an Acoustic Auto Calibration function using the remote's microphone. The reviewer notes that while the out-of-the-box Standard mode is usable (Avg dE ITP of 42.12 in HDR), the Professional mode yields superior results after calibration (Avg dE ITP of 10.76).

Context: The video is a review of the Sony BRAVIA 8 II television, focusing heavily on its picture quality metrics, hardware features relevant to modern media consumption (especially gaming), and initial setup process. The reviewer compares the performance of various picture modes (Standard, Vivid, Professional) using standardized testing patterns and software like ColorMatch HDR and ColorChecker to quantify color accuracy and brightness.

Detailed Analysis

The reviewer praises the Sony BRAVIA 8 II as one of the best TVs available, highlighting its superior picture quality, especially its inky blacks characteristic of OLED technology. Initial testing in HDR Vivid mode showed a peak luminance of 2630 nits, which dropped to 1988 nits in HDR Professional mode. For SDR Professional mode after calibration, the average dE2000 was excellent at 0.93 (max 3.08), indicating high color accuracy. The TV is well-equipped for current technology, featuring two HDMI 2.1 ports capable of 4K 120Hz, with one dedicated to eARC/ARC, making it suitable for next-gen consoles like the PS5, which the reviewer demonstrated achieving a low input lag of 8.5 ms at 120Hz. The built-in sound system utilizes Acoustic Surface Audio+ with 2x 15W Actuators and 2x 10W Subwoofers, where the screen itself vibrates to produce sound, which can be calibrated using the remote's microphone. The reviewer noted that the out-of-the-box Standard mode (Avg dE ITP of 42.12) was less accurate than the Professional mode (Avg dE ITP of 10.76). The TV also includes features like content-aware picture settings (which automatically adjust based on whether the source is video, game, or PC) and the ability to use PS Remote Play for streaming games from a PS5 console. The presenter expresses strong satisfaction with the OLED's contrast and brightness, particularly in dark scenes.