Sony Bravia A8H OLED TV review

Our Verdict

The Sony Bravia A8H OLED Idiot box'due south beautiful 4K picture, impressive movement smoothing and abundant smart home compatibility make it a competitive sell, fifty-fifty for an Android Goggle box of its price.

For

Competitive price past OLED standards
First-class blacks
Authentic color reproduction
Highly customizable UI
Google Assistant congenital in, plus Alexa and HomeKit back up
Mic status low-cal on the remote

Against

Only two size options
Ambient light sensor feels express
Remote isn't backlit
No HDMI 2.1

Tom'south Guide Verdict

The Sony Bravia A8H OLED Tv'southward beautiful 4K picture, impressive motion smoothing and arable smart habitation compatibility make it a competitive sell, even for an Android Television of its price.

Pros

+
Competitive price by OLED standards
+
First-class blacks
+
Authentic color reproduction
+
Highly customizable UI
+
Google Assistant built in, plus Alexa and HomeKit support
+
Mic status light on the remote

Cons

-
Just 2 size options
-
Ambient lite sensor feels limited
-
Remote isn't backlit
-
No HDMI 2.i

Sony Bravia A8H OLED Tv set: Specs

Price: $two,799.99
Model Number: 65A8H
Screen size: 65 inches
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
HDR: Dolby Vision HDR, HGL, HDR10
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Ports: 4 HDMI, 3 USB, i ethernet
Sound: two Channel x ten-Watt, 2 Channel x 5-Watt
Smart Boob tube software: Android TV
Size: 57 x 33 x ii inches
Weight: 48 pounds

Sony's reputation for manufacturing fantastic OLED sets has been undermined past an important factor: price. Just with the Sony Bravia A8H OLED TV'southward surprisingly competitive entry price and user-friendly size options, it'southward 1 of the about accommodating appealing OLEDs yet, and the arguable star of Sony's 2020 TV lineup. It'due south not but one of the best 4K TVs we've reviewed, it's also one of the best OLED TVs available.

Editor'south Annotation: Since our initial review in June of 2020, the Sony Bravia A8H OLED TV has dropped in price, and we've updated the review to reverberate this. The rating and overall recommendations of our review remain unchanged.

The Sony Bravia A8H OLED TV sits a tier below the make'due south "Main Serial" sets, but benefits from the key features from last year'due south Sony Main Serial A9G OLED TV like the X1 Ultimate Picture Processor, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, Pixel Contrast Booster, Acoustic Surface Audio and the latest version of Android'due south smart TV platform. It also gained X Motion Clarity, which creates a natural motion outcome without suffering from the brightness loss acquired past black frame insertion.

But Sony isn't the only manufacturer that's upped its OLED game this year — This Sony Bravia A8H OLED Television set review explains why, despite the LG CX OLED Television set leading our rankings amidst best TVs, this Sony set is the ultimate choice for dwelling theater enthusiasts.

LG CX vs. Sony A8H: Which OLED Idiot box wins?
The best TVs right now overall

Sony Bravia A8H OLED Tv: Toll and availability

We reviewed the 65-inch model of the Sony Bravia A8H, which costs $2,499 (downwards from the $2,799 cost offered at the fourth dimension of this review). The OLED Television receiver is bachelor in one smaller, 55-inch size for $one,899.99.

The limited size models could turn off those with larger spaces, but in our experience most people should be able to accommodate 55-inch or 65-inch sets. To assist you determine which version makes sense for you, nosotros created a 'What size TV should you purchase?' guide.

55-inch XBR55A8H: $1,899.99
65-inch XBR65A8H: $2,499.99

No matter which you choose, y'all should expect to see like performance in the 55-inch variant compared to our 65-inch examination model. Both sizes offer the same collection of features, from a bountiful port array to Sony's X1 Ultimate Movie Processor.

Sony Bravia A8H OLED TV: Design

Sony is sticking to its minimalist artful for the A8H with a sleek-yet-boxy design that pairs a slim OLED panel with a middle-seated, squared-off compartment for the TV's internal components. The event is very attractive, and the metallic chassis framing the fix only adds to the allure.

Sony Bravia A8H OLED TV review — (Image credit: Tom'due south Guide)

A discrete Sony logo sits on the external lesser bezel of the 57 x 33 x two-inch set, while the in-panel bezels are nigh one inch thick.

Unlike the flat stand of the A9G, the Sony Bravia A8H sports a pair of adjustable, cable-concealing anxiety that allow it sit down near-flush to a table or lift up a few inches. It can't be raised quite high plenty for large soundbars (nosotros meantime worked on our Sonos Arc review while testing the set) but some of the smaller choices on our list of the all-time soundbars could squeeze betwixt the feet. Sony's new G700 soundbar would pair nicely, too.

Consider mounting the A8H to the wall with the Sony SU-WL855 or a 300 x 300-millimeter VESA mount if you lot're looking to design a fuller habitation theater, but the feet feel sturdy enough if you prefer to proceed it grounded.

Sony Bravia A8H OLED TV: Ports

The port array is located behind the left side of the panel, with a headphone output, composite video input, 2 USB Type A ports and ane HDMI port facing out for like shooting fish in a barrel admission.

At that place is a third USB port and 3 HDMI ports facing the wall, including one with HDMI ARC/eARC support. You'll also find an ethernet port and RS-232 input for connecting certain AV peripherals on the dorsum of the panel.

For those who desire a Sony TV with HDMI 2.ane for an optimum gaming experience, y'all might want to look at the Sony X950H 4K LED Tv instead, or the LG CX OLED if you need OLED for your gaming Boob tube. Both support the newer HDMI 2.1 standard, while all of the HDMI ports on the A8H are 2.0a.

Sony Bravia A8H OLED Idiot box: Performance

For anecdotal testing we spent the nearly fourth dimension viewing in standard picture mode as it seemed to offer the nigh accurate color, although the Tv also offers an Machine moving picture style that automatically selects a setting based on the content. Vivid punches upwards the picture's vibrance and dissimilarity, while Cinema mode adds a subtle yellow filter.

There's also an optional light sensor that will optimize the set'south brightness co-ordinate to ambience light, although information technology's non available for HDR content and we didn't notice obvious adjustments when watching cablevision.

We did notice this Sony Bravia A8H OLED Idiot box's inky blacks while watching "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," though. From the clangorous depths of space to the dark and tangled tresses of Adam Driver's signature mane, black looked truly black even when challenged in high-contrast images. As he waded through eerie Exegol, Kylo Ren's crossguard lightsaber flickered with an intentional red halo; and, upon discovering Emperor Palpatine, a haunting strobe effect flashed the screen between dark and intense bright. Many sets struggle when challenged with such speedy transitions, specially while maintaining cinematic dissimilarity.

Similarly, as Rey took off on her Jedi-approved obstruction course, she appeared to glide through the Ajan Kloss jungle without sacrificing the mantle details of her caped getup. Overall, we institute the set'south X Motion Clarity capabilities delivered a clear picture equally advertised, cheers to the individually controlled pixels that are precisely used to minimize blur and maintain effulgence.

But not all textile comes in 4K like the Star Wars disc nosotros used for testing, and then nosotros swapped it out for the standard Blu-ray one to encounter how it upscales regular HD content. Though some of the depth dissolved, we didn't run into any artifacts, graininess or other signs of an inferior picture.

We switched over to Planet Earth for the residual of performance testing, vindicating the set of mutual concerns like banding and discoloration when viewing off-middle. The cloudless heaven of the Antarctic maintained a seamless ombre, while the effulgence of the blueish-tinted icecap held upwardly from several viewing angles.

Sony Bravia A8H OLED TV: Exam results

The A8H looked bang-up in anecdotal testing, just sometimes Tv manufacturers calibrate their displays in a way that makes the film less true-to-life. For instance, a fix may heave the brightness or color saturation of a movie scene to brand images pop more than, fifty-fifty if that's non what the content's director intended. That'due south why we run a series of lab tests — and in this case, the A8H both is, and isn't, as accurate as nosotros thought.

When we tested the Sony Bravia A8H with our X-Rite i1 Pro spectrophotometer and SpectraCal CalMAN Ultimate calibration software, the brandish was able to reproduce 108.94% of the Rec 709 colour infinite. While this is excellent compared to premium LCD TVs, it's worse than the Sony Chief Series A9G (127.96%) and its most immediate rival, the LG CX OLED (134.57%).

This means you'll observe a broader selection of colors on the Sony A9G or LG CX, though that'south non to say you'll be disappointed by the A8H, specially because it excels with colour accuracy. In fact, information technology's among the most accurate TVs we've tested. Accuracy is measured using a Delta-E rating, which is the deviation between how color is supposed to look and what actually shows up on screen. A smaller score is better (0 is perfect), and the A8H OLED earned an impressive ane.54.

That'southward meliorate than nosotros've seen on other elevation performers, like the Sony A9G (2.7), the 2019 LG C9 OLED (1.88) and, yes, amend than the newer LG CX (ane.95). The only similarly-premium set up to practise better than the Sony Bravia A8H is the 2019 Samsung Q90 QLED (one.51).

Finally, while Sony claims that the A8H OLED isn't meant for gaming (and the lack of HDMI 2.one will hamper it when the new consoles come out this fall), it does offer decent gaming performance. We measured a lag fourth dimension of 18 milliseconds, which is respectively responsive. Just the LG CX'southward lag fourth dimension is just xiii.1 milliseconds, making it the meliorate OLED for gaming.

Sony Bravia A8H OLED TV: Audio

Acoustic Surface Audio has arrived for the Sony Bravia A8H OLED Telly. With less powerful speakers it's a slight footstep down from the Acoustic Surface Audio+ we liked in our Principal Series A9G OLED review, but we experienced similarly premium sound. A pair of 10-watt actuators and a pair of 5-watt subwoofers behind the glass turn the entire OLED panel into the vibrational surface of a speaker.

The benefit to this stereo system is sound that seems to stalk from where the subjects appear on screen. As ships zoomed from the left side of the screen towards the right and down towards a planet in The Rise of Skywalker, their buzzes and hums followed with precision.

Thanks to a combination of Acoustic Surface Audio and Voice Zoom, speech came out clear and favored. In fact, Planet Earth's narrator sounded ethereal.

When listening to music at full book, there's a bit of vibrational distortion and vocals lose their clarity. But its max audio output is house-shakingly loud, so in that location's really no demand to turn the audio upward that loftier.

Sony Bravia A8H OLED TV: Smart functions

Though Android TV is establish on many midrange and budget sets, it proves it'south worthy of a higher caliber. On the Sony Bravia A8H, the ultra-responsive UI is a breeze to navigate, with Android TV'south rows showing a steady mix of your favorite content and recommendations for what to spotter adjacent. There's too a customizable input menu and quick settings menu for making minor adjustments with limited visual intermission.

Chromecast comes built in and worked smoothly when we tried casting our Chrome browser to access a recorded Zoom workout class, but you might non find you demand it much thank you to the +5,000 apps available to download through the Google Play store. Whether you want to enjoy your new HBO Max or Disney Plus subscription, watch free shows with Pluto or hop on the cable-cut carriage with Sling, yous should detect about every service y'all similar on the A8H.

As an Android Goggle box-powered prepare, the A8H leans on Google Assistant for vocalization controls and smart home integration. When we signed in to our Google account, the set automatically showed up among our smart speakers and smart lights in the Google Home app. Though nosotros could modify privacy settings and parental controls from the app, there'southward likewise the option to make such adjustments right on the set.

The Sony Bravia A8H OLED lets you take advantage of the all-time Google Assistant commands and the all-time Google Home commands, so you can printing your remote'due south wake button to ask for the weather, change the aqueduct or control your smart home devices. This proved helpful when we wanted to dim the Philip Hue lights in our home for moving-picture show nighttime without getting up from our comfy nook on the couch.

And if yous're not not bad on Google, the set is too compatible with Amazon Alexa (via Google Play app) and Apple HomeKit systems. iPhone, iPad and Mac users tin too utilize AirPlay instead of Chromecast — an option we'd like to see more manufacturers offer.

Sony Bravia A8H OLED Television: Remote

The Sony Bravia A8H OLED remote is practically a clone of the 2019'south A9H one, which nosotros found to be a spectacular improvement over the controller included with the visitor's older sets. This i is long and slender, with soft matte buttons and defended launchers for Netflix and the Google Play library.

While a useful microphone status light contrary the power push that lets you lot know if Google Assistant is active, we wish the unabridged remote came backlit. Given the well-spaced and intuitive button layout, we didn't find it particularly hard to find what we were looking for in the nighttime, simply information technology would still exist nice to have visual help.

Sony Bravia A8H OLED TV: Verdict

The Sony Bravia A8H OLED Tv delivers on everything y'all could look for in an OLED: Pure blacks, smooth motion and a sleek body to match. The fluidity of Android Tv set and thorough smart domicile compatibility are then complete that it feels similar an reconsideration, as though we should expect zero less from a premium set.

If y'all desire a practically-perfect OLED TV with premium picture show and sound, nosotros're confident the Sony Bravia A8H is worth the cost. As for whether information technology'southward the best OLED overall this year, some specific features and test results reveal it falls brusque of the slightly-cheaper LG CX OLED. But for those who care well-nigh watching movies at home through the perspective of the director's chair, this is the ultimate premium option on the market.

More than: Sony 2021 TV lineup: OLED, 8K and Google TV

Kate Kozuch is a senior author at Tom's Guide covering wearables, TVs and everything smart-home related. When she's non in cyborg mode, you lot can find her on an do bike or channeling her inner celebrity chef. She and her robot regular army volition rule the world one twenty-four hour period, but until and so, reach her at kate.kozuch@futurenet.com.