Sony’s 2021 TV line runs Google TV and fully adopts HDMI 2.1

Sony’s TV programming last year received some criticism, as several devices failed to take advantage of the next-generation gaming capabilities of the PlayStation 5 released in November. Even if you look now, the spread of HDMI 2.1 features is very sad. Sony never recognized this as a mistake, believing that customers buy their TVs for different reasons and not everyone needs every box checked.

What a difference a year makes.

In 2021, Sony is correcting the course: all of its premium “Bravia XR” 4K TVs (and yes, 8K) support 4K at 120 Hz, VRR (variable refresh rate), ALLM (low latency auto mode) and eARC . No asterisks, pranks or promises to add things later with firmware updates.

In addition to embarking on the 4K120, Sony is giving a lot of importance to what it calls “cognitive intelligence” on these TVs. Powered by a new Cognitive Processor XR chip, Sony says its new system goes beyond traditional signal processing – in which Sony TVs already excelled – and beyond artificial intelligence analysis on most TVs. “While conventional artificial intelligence (AI) can only detect and analyze image elements such as color, contrast and details individually, the new processor can analyze a series of elements at once, just like our brains,” Sony press release said. TVs say. “In doing so, each element is adjusted to its best end result, together with the others, so that everything is synchronized and real – something that conventional AI cannot achieve.”

Sony is also talking about what the XR processor can do for sound. An “Image Sound Reality” feature is claimed to “align the position of the sound with the images on the screen to provide a unique and realistic experience”. Samsung has promised similar results for its own 2021 Neo QLED TVs.

The two Master Series TVs (8K LCD and 4K OLED) have a new sensor to detect the color temperature of the ambient light in your room, and this allows them to automatically adjust the TV’s white balance to match. (This setting can be disabled for your purists, of course.) More importantly, the OLED in the Master A90J series also has a brighter output than previous Sony OLEDs, thanks to a new aluminum thermal shield attached to the panel. Making OLEDs brighter is big business, as this is an important area where LCD devices still tend to win.

As one of the first TV manufacturers to embark on Android TV, it seems appropriate that Sony be one of the first to make the transition to Google TV. All of these TVs offer a software experience incredibly similar to the latest Chromecast: Sony still has its own customizations in the settings menu (and for quick shortcuts like its HDMI inputs), but everything else – the personalized page For you, recommendations from content, etc. – it basically hasn’t changed from Google’s latest streaming device.

Sony also focused on small touches, such as adjustable legs that can be configured to allow enough space for a sound bar in front of the TV without obstructing the image. Down the line, you lose certain subtleties (like an exclusive anti-glare coating for the 8K set), but all TVs support Dolby Vision HDR. And again, you have all the HDMI 2.1 standards considered.

Instead of switching to a new display technology like Mini LED, Sony seems to be evolving its current strategy of full-array local dimming and iteration in its excellent OLED sets. The company does not disclose how many dimming zones its TVs have or actually talks about maximum brightness, believing that competitors are too attached to these numbers.

Specific pricing and availability information will be announced this spring.