Sony XR-65A90J
The 55-inch version of Sony’s A90J OLED television was a stone-cold stunner, so can the 65-inch model follow suit?
It is often assumed that if a particular television is great at one size, it will automatically be great at others. But while most core components are carried over from one size to another, many are not – most notably the panel. A 49in panel will likely have a different specification from a 65in one. Audio quality tends to vary with size, too, as a bigger chassis typically results in a fuller sound.
So, having been blown away by the 55in version, we’re eager to follow up with the 65in Sony XR-65A90J. And, despite the potential for inconsistency, it turns out that the 65in A90J is every bit as good as its smaller sibling.
The move to slimmer sets and thinner bezels leaves little room for creativity to make a TV stand out from the crowd, although Sony has managed to squeeze a subtle logo into the bottom-left corner of the A90J’S frame. The feet can be placed in two different positions – by default they are splayed out beyond the main chassis, making the TV even wider and leaving no room for a soundbar. You can switch the feet around, which elevates the TV by about 7cm. This way, the TV has a 137cm-wide footprint, but it creates an ideal gap for a soundbar. The feet have no cable channels, so the wires will be visible through the gap if it isn’t filled.
Viewed in profile, the Sony A90J is a combination of a thin panel section and a thicker enclosure for the sound system, processing hardware and connections. Its panel section is around 6mm thick, but the enclosure covering the rest of the panel’s rear juts out, and is 41mm thick.
The ‘XR’ in the XR-65A90J’S name comes from its XR chip, which combines the AI abilities of its X1 predecessor with a system Sony calls cognitive intelligence. While AI analyses picture and sound signals and uses data based on machine learning, cognitive intelligence aims to add a more human perspective to deliver an experience in line with how humans see and hear the world.
World-first processing
This world-first TV picture processing, according to Sony, begins with a scenedetection stage to identify and enhance the main focal points. The XR processor looks at elements, such as colour, contrast and detail, of each frame and performs a cross-analysis to work out the most important areas. Ultimately, it adds a greater sense of depth to the image
Sony has stuck with its successful Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology, which involves actuators that vibrate the whole screen, creating sound from the display itself. With the A90J, the two actuators are joined by two woofers for added bass weight and depth. You can even use the TV as the centre speaker in a surround system, thanks to the speaker terminals on the rear.
Sony is looking to close the gap on its rivals in terms of next-gen HDMI specs, but is only partially successful. The A90J has two HDMI 2.1 sockets that support 4K@120HZ and ALLM, but one also handles EARC/ARC, potentially limiting you to just one HDMI 2.1 source if you need to use the other for a sound system. VRR is missing at launch, but Sony says it will be added via a firmware update.
There are shortcomings in the A90J’S app offering too: at launch, the set is missing BBC iplayer, ITV Hub and All 4. You can at least use Google Chromecast to send content to the TV from the respective apps on your phone, but this won’t be a satisfactory solution for all.
Otherwise, the app selection is strong. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV are here in all their 4K, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos glory; Disney+ is delivered with 4K and Dolby Vision, but not Dolby Atmos, and the Youtube app works in 4K and HDR10. Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music and Deezer give you plenty of options for music streaming. Exclusive to Sony’s high-end 2021 TVS is the new Bravia Core app, which streams blockbuster movies at bitrates higher than any other app. You need a fast connection (115 Mbps minimum) to hit the highest quality level, but the picture is still impressive over an 80Mbps feed.
Interaction with the TV is through the Google TV operating system, which is an improvement on the Android TV of previous Sonys. It’s snappy and you can jump to a movie or TV show by using the row of personalised recommendations. Along with the new operating system, there’s a smart and stylish remote control furnished with a motion-activated backlight that makes individual buttons easy to find in the dark.
Kicking off with Rogue One in Dolby Vision, there’s an impressive degree of consistency between this 65in version of the A90J and its 55in sibling. Pixel density is slightly lower on the bigger model, but there’s little loss of definition to the image, which pops from the screen with the kind of three-dimensionality that feels as if you could reach into the set and pick up the ships that orbit Scarif.
There’s a little extra richness to our 65in sample, but the two TVS are remarkably alike. You are, essentially, getting the same stunning picture in a bigger and more cinematic size. The marginal extra richness to the 65in A90J’S colour balance gives everything a bit more warmth, but otherwise, it’s the
same performance across both models. That makes it supremely subtle in terms of shading, brilliantly sharp and, most of all, bright and punchy, to a degree that even the LG G1 can’t match.
It’s a brilliantly detailed delivery, too, and not just through the middle of the contrast band: the brightest picture elements are full of nuance, and there’s exceptional insight into the darkest areas, ensuring that you never miss a detail.
Impressive talents
The A90J is a talented upscaler, too. Our 1080p Blu-ray of Spider-man: Far From Home could be mistaken for 4K, such is the crispness of its appearance. The TV does a great job of balancing vibrancy and naturalism when dealing with the colours of the SDR signal. Even standarddef daytime TV looks passable on the A90J, though watching that feels like a waste of such an impressive set’s talents.
The A90J’S authenticity is one of its greatest strengths, in the way it handles colours, but also how it’s incredibly sharp but never oversharpened. The motionhandling, too, is peerless – the A90J sharpens and smooths even the trickiest motion without adding artificiality or losing its grip on proceedings. LG’S 2021 OLEDS, the company’s best yet in terms of motion handling, are a step behind.
“The Sony XR-65A90J boasts an effortless authenticity that means everything looks natural as well as exciting and enticing”
We’re used to the bigger version of a TV sounding a little fuller and weightier than the size below, and so it proves with the A90J. The 65in model digs up and reproduces more of the abundant low bass in the Blade Runner 2049 soundtrack, making it sound more threatening. The 55in model did an admirable job of stretching the sound beyond the screen, but here it sounds even bigger and more spacious.
This A90J is also a little smoother in its delivery too. The leading edges are slightly less impactful, but there’s a more pleasant flow to music and movie soundtracks, with the smaller version of the TV occasionally sounding just a tiny bit forced in comparison. Both versions are head and shoulders above their respective rivals, with a directness, rhythm, tonal balance and scale that few can match.
You could still improve upon it by adding a separate sound system, but here a budget soundbar won’t do the job. Something like the Sonos Arc should be considered the entry-level partner for the A90J, but if you have the budget we’d recommend opting for a full surround sound system – the stunning picture performance deserves audio to match.
The 55in Sony A90J is a stunning TV, and this 65in version is essentially the same, only bigger and more cinematic. It’s brighter and punchier than any other OLED TV we’ve tested, and incredibly sharp and detailed, too. It also boasts an effortless authenticity that means everything looks natural as well as exciting and enticing and the sound is streets ahead of rivals. If you want the best picture and sound available from a TV now and have the budget to match, you should consider the Sony A90J.