The Sony Bravia A80L is a premium OLED TV that boasts a variety of Sony’s proprietary picture and video processing applied sciences that improve the cinematic expertise. This TV handles legacy SD content material and movement with unbelievable efficiency. As well as, HDR10 and Dolby Imaginative and prescient are additionally spectacular, though we observed that shiny components did not get shiny sufficient to pop. Acoustic Floor Audio+ expertise provides realism and improves the general viewing expertise.
It’s price noting that the Sony Bravia A80L doesn’t have a Filmmaker mode with correct colour copy. As well as, as a result of many applied sciences that dynamically optimize picture high quality, it turns into tough to find out whether or not the unique intention of the content material creators has been faithfully preserved.
Sony Bravia XR-A80L overview: specs
Panel measurement: 65-inch (additionally obtainable in 55-, 77-, and 83-inch fashions)
Panel kind: OLED (WRGB), output refresh fee 100 Hz
Panel decision: 3840 x 2160 – 4K
Panel refresh fee: 120 Hz
Supported HDR codecs: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Imaginative and prescient
Audio system: 50 W Acoustic Floor Audio+ (3 drivers + 2 subwoofers)
Supported audio codecs: Dolby Audio, Dolby Atmos, DTS Digital Encompass
Software program: Google TV
Weight (with stand): approx. 24.3 kg
HDMI ports: 4 (2 HDMI 2.1 ports with full bandwidth – HDMI 3, HDMI 4)
Options HDMI 2.1 – 4K@120, eARC, VRR, ALLM
Different connection choices: 2 USB ports, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 4.2, Ethernet, RF connection enter, headphone output, digital audio output
Constructed-in storage: 16 GB
Worth: MRP: 3,49,990; Finest Worth: Rs 2,84,990
Sony Bravia A80L design, distant and software program
Sony continues its minimalist strategy to design, and the A80L is a glossy and trendy TV that additionally feels stable and intensely premium. The skinny aluminum TV stand could be put in in three positions, and every subsequent place at an angle raises the TV a little greater. If the legs are put in straight, the TV can accommodate most standard soundbars in entrance with out obstructing the view of the show.
The ability wire is detachable and simple to exchange. All ports are situated on one facet. The HDMI ports are correctly spaced, and of these, HDMI 3 and HDMI 4 are full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports (HDMI 3 helps eARC). HDMI 1 and HDMI 2 are based mostly on HDMI 2.0. There are two USB-A ports on the again, facet by facet, so it may be a little awkward if it’s good to use each on the identical time for some cause.
The distant management is sort of ergonomic and has 6 scorching keys for in style applications. The buttons are sensibly positioned and we shortly bought used to the association. Nevertheless, they aren’t backlit, and we would not fear about that if we did not expertise such luxurious with the Sony Bravia A95K.
Throughout our testing, the Google TV interface on the Sony Bravia A80L labored completely easily. The TV additionally integrates Google Assistant, Chromecast Constructed-in, Apple AirPlay and HomeKit, so you’ll be able to simply stream from all in style cell units.
Sony Bravia A80L picture high quality
To start with, the Sony Bravia A80L makes use of a WBE OLED (WRGB) panel sourced from LG shows, with none heatsink. Whereas that is a high quality OLED panel backed by Sony’s skillful picture processing algorithms, it ought to be famous that this panel is inferior to the QD-OLED panel Sony makes use of on the A95K or the newest MLA OLEDs obtainable in this yr’s LG G3, each of which may obtain a lot brighter.
If that is your first expertise with an OLED TV, the Sony Bravia A80L will certainly impress you. Deep blacks, excessive distinction, huge viewing angles and quick response occasions are the advantages that make watching high quality OTT content material actually unbelievable. Sony TVs are additionally identified for his or her experience in enhancing the standard of low-quality content material, smoothing gradations and balanced movement processing.
Sony Bravia A80L doesn’t embody a Filmmaker mode to precisely reproduce the creator’s intention. Essentially the most correct profile for viewing colours on a TV is Customized, however most individuals will understandably use the Normal, Vivid, and Cinema modes, which improve colour and distinction to make content material pleasant.
Since customized mode is the closest to correct colour, we examined it utilizing the Spectracal C6 colorimeter and Portrait Show’s Calman Final software program. The Sony has a variety of customized settings enabled by default, and we disabled the ability saving and lightweight sensor settings earlier than our testing.
In SDR, grayscale has a important blue shift, which impacts white level accuracy. As you’ll be able to see, the gamma overshoot meets the usual in the shadow space, ensuing in some compromise in shadow element.
For colours, the typical delta error is under the human-perceived worth of three, with the utmost error occurring at 100% white. Pores and skin tones look pure in each SDR and HDR content material.
Sony Bravia A80L HDR efficiency
Sony Bravia A80L helps HDR10, Dolby Imaginative and prescient and HLG. It doesn’t help HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ. Nevertheless, we do not suppose that is a deal breaker. Total, the nuances of the HDR expertise are dealt with very effectively.
Darkish scenes with some shiny objects are reproduced superbly.
Like all white OLED panels, it performs poorly in the close to black space. For instance, chances are you’ll discover a lot of artifacts in scenes the place a meteor flies by a grey sky.
The general peak brightness of the Sony Bravia A80L is conservative, which is noticeable in the not-so-bright reflections in shiny HDR scenes.
We measured a peak brightness of 1,080 nits at a 1 % window with our luxmeter in shiny mode. In customized mode, we measured about 700 nits in a 10% window, and full subject brightness of 140 nits. That is a higher efficiency than final yr’s Sony Bravia A80K.
As you’ll be able to see in the chart above, grayscale in HDR content material continues to be blue-shifted. The Sony Bravia A80L precisely tracks the EOTF curve in HDR content material, though it barely undershoots the reference image in darkish scenes.
Colours in HDR are once more fairly correct with the utmost error in the white level. We measured a mean delta error of three, which signifies that customers won’t simply discover colour inaccuracies.
By way of colour quantity, we recorded 72.04% of the BT2020’s colour area in XY phrases and 73.67% in UV phrases, which once more is commonplace for white OLED panels.
Sony Bravia A80L gaming
With quick response, easy actions and VRR help, the Sony Bravia A80L is excellent for gaming. The TV has two HDMI 2.1 ports, helps ALLM and 120Hz VRR (NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium). Dolby Imaginative and prescient video games are restricted to 4K@60Hz. It additionally has a devoted sport mode the place you’ll be able to open the sport panel to shortly allow or disable VRR and entry a few different settings.
Excessive-end TVs from Samsung and LG have some extras like 4 HDMI 2.1 ports and HGiG mode for correct tonal show in gaming mode.
Sony Bravia A80L Audio
The Sony Bravia A80L makes use of Acoustic Floor Audio+ expertise, the place the display turns into a speaker, and this provides important realism. The 50W audio system consists of three 10W drivers and two 10W subwoofers.
It is positively among the best TV sound programs we have skilled thus far. Movie dialogue is crisp and clear, whereas the soundstage feels impressively expansive, sometimes mimicking convincing encompass sound results. As well as, the TV provides an auto-calibration choice that makes use of the microphone on the distant management to gather knowledge and optimize audio settings based mostly on typical viewing distances.
Sony Bravia A80L Evaluate – Verdict
The Sony Bravia A80L is a premium OLED TV that boasts a vary of Sony’s proprietary picture and video processing applied sciences to boost the cinematic expertise. This TV handles legacy SD content material and movement with unbelievable efficiency. As well as, HDR10 and Dolby Imaginative and prescient are additionally principally gorgeous, though we observed that the brightness of the highlights was not shiny sufficient. Acoustic Floor Audio+ expertise provides realism and improves the general viewing expertise.
It’s price noting that the Sony Bravia A80L doesn’t have a Filmmaker mode with correct colour copy. As well as, as a result of many applied sciences that dynamically optimize picture high quality, it turns into tough to find out whether or not the unique intention of the content material creators has been faithfully preserved.
The Sony A80L is in the center of the stack and prices extra, nevertheless it justifies the value for moviegoers who watch a lot of legacy content material and for customers who like the way in which Sony processes and enhances content material. Its important competitor, the LG C3, is an OLED TV on the identical value level, and it might have extra enchantment to avid gamers. Taking a look at different OLED choices, the LG G3 and Sony A95K are costly however supply a brighter OLED panel. Nevertheless, in the event you’re on the lookout for a extra inexpensive OLED choice, final yr’s Sony A80K offers a comparable expertise and is now obtainable at a higher value.
