Sony has unveiled its 2024 TV lineup, introducing next-generation mini-LED technology and a simplified naming system. The new range includes four models, each offering unique features and improvements over their predecessors.
The flagship model is the Sony Bravia 9, a mini-LED TV that promises 325% more dimming zones than last year’s top mini-LED model, the Sony X95L. This model is expected to be 50% brighter and carry three times as many dimming zones, thanks to a new 22-bit mini-LED driver that’s smaller than a grain of rice. This advancement not only allows for increased brightness and higher dimming zones but also enables the Bravia 9 to produce ‘OLED-level blacks’ for even better contrast.
Following the Bravia 9 is the Sony Bravia 8 OLED, the successor to the Sony A80L. This model promises a 10% increase in brightness and is 31% thinner than its predecessor, with narrower bezels.
The Sony Bravia 7 is another mini-LED TV that offers 790% more dimming zones than the Sony X90L. This mid-range set represents a significant upgrade in accurate, high-contrast lighting.
The entry-level set in Sony’s 2024 lineup is the Sony Bravia 3, a direct-lit LED TV. While it’s capped at 60Hz and uses an earlier HDR Processor X1 chip, it uses 8% less power than its 2023 equivalent.
All the new models, except for the Bravia 3, feature a four-way stand and a new ‘Narrow Soundbar’ option. They also support Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, even the entry-level Bravia 3. A new addition is the Prime Video calibration mode, a picture mode that automatically applies the best possible picture settings to any Prime Video TV show, movie, or even sports without having to change picture modes.
The pricing for the Bravia 9 ranges from $3,300 for a 65-inch set to $5,500 for an 85-inch model. The Bravia 8 ranges from $2,000 for a 55-inch panel to $3,900 for a 77-inch display. The Bravia 7 begins at $1,900 for a 55-inch TV and tops out at $3,500 for an 85-inch screen. The Bravia 3 series vary from $600 for a 43-inch set to $1,800 for an 85-inch version.
Sony’s 2024 TV lineup is already available for pre-order. However, some features like the Prime Video mode and Voice Zoom 3 won’t be available until a firmware update arrives sometime this summer. Sony has also revamped its home theater audio selection to match the 2024 TV upgrades, introducing new models like the Bravia Theater Bar 8, Bravia Theater Bar 9, and the high-end Bravia Theater Quad.
Read more at: www.wired.com