Upgrade your at-home movie nights with the best TVs under $500
By Jada BowmanJul 25, 2023
On a budget and need to upgrade your TV? For less than £500 you can snap up a new Samsung, Roku or LG model, without compromising quality. Shop now.
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The best Sony TVs of 2023: Shop 4K, OLED models & more
Sony is a standout brand when it comes to its range of top-performing televisions. Here, we review the tech brand’s best models.
Compare Sony TVs | ||||||||||||
Sony 55-Inch Class BRAVIA XR A90J Series OLED 4K UHD Smart Google TV | Sony 43-Inch Class X80K Series LED 4K HDR Smart Google TV | Sony BRAVIA XR 55-Inch Class X90J 4K HDR Full Array LED with Google TV | Sony 65-Inch Class X77L 4K HDR LED Google TV (2023) | Sony 75-Inch Class X85K 4K HDR LED Google TV | ||||||||
Price $2,198 | Price You save $50 (9.09%) $499.99$549.99 | Price $899.99 | Price $689.99 | Price You save $200 (14.29%) $1,199.99$1,399.99 | ||||||||
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Consumer ratings 4.6 stars at Walmart | Consumer ratings 4.8 stars at Best Buy | Consumer ratings 4.6 stars at Best Buy | Consumer ratings 4.3 stars at Sony | Consumer ratings 4.8 stars on Best Buy | ||||||||
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Smart? | Smart? | Smart? | Smart? | Smart? | ||||||||
Resolution 4K | Resolution 4K | Resolution 4K | Resolution 4K | Resolution 4K | ||||||||
Special features Cognitive Processor XR, Contrast Pro, Dolby Vision | Special features HDR Processor X1, Motionflow XR, Dolby Vision | Special features Cognitive Processor XR, XR Contrast Booster, Dolby Atmos | Special features Processor X1, XR-Reality PRO, Dolby Audio | Special features HDR Processor X1, Motionflow XR, X-Reality PRO | ||||||||
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Since 1960, Sony has been consistent in delivering high-quality televisions. Today, it’s a leader in the tech world, making sleek, modern and high-tech TV systems.
The brand’s selection is wide, with a line-up of LED, 4K, curved, and smart options, which makes it a bit of a process to choose the best Sony TV — especially if you’re not the most tech-savvy person.
Luckily, our editors are on the cutting edge of TV trends and understand the brand’s offerings inside and out. To help you choose, we curated a roundup of the best Sony TVs to shop now.
Read more: Discover the best HP laptops for work, school, gaming and more
Our picks for the best Sony TVs
Best OLED TV model
Sony 55-Inch Class BRAVIA XR A90J Series OLED 4K UHD Smart Google TV
Best OLED TV model
Specifications
Screen type: OLED
Resolution: 4K (2160P)
Operation system: Google TV
Pros & Cons
Beautiful OLED pictures
Features a backlit remote control
Great audio quality
Seems too fragile
Reviews complain about screen failure
If you prefer an OLED TV model, this Sony Class BRAVIA XR A90J Series Smart Google TV is considered Sony’s best-ever OLED TV. The XR OLED Contrast Pro delivers immersive depth and bright pictures for a quality experience, while the XR Trilumos Pro Color ensures accurate colors for everything you watch.
This TV features the Cognitive Processor XR, a cutting-edge TV processing technology that delivers natural colors and intense contrast. It supports XR 4K upscaling to offer HD content, and its ultra-slim design fits seamlessly on your wall or TV stand. This Sony Bravia OLED TV also supports IMAX, Dolby Vision, HDR, and Netflix for an engaging movie experience.
Top choice for gaming
Specifications
Screen type: LED
Resolution: 4K (2160p)
Operation system: Google TV
Pros & Cons
Compatible with BRAVIA CAM
Supports PlayStation
Quite simple to set up
Unstable Bluetooth connection
Too bright at night for some users
Whether you love Fortnite or Grand Theft Auto, this Sony 4K Ultra HD TV is ideal for all your gaming needs. The set has exclusive features for the PlayStation to enhance the picture quality. It also features the 4K HDR Processor X1 for smooth pictures and stunning colors, while the HDR and Dolby Vision support deliver an immersive experience when gaming.
This TV has a flush surface narrow bezel design to complement your gaming setup, and it's compatible with optional BRAVIA CAM for in-game conversations with your friends. The Motionflow XR delivers blur-free picture quality for fast-moving and action-packed content. It also runs on Google TV to ensure a seamless smart TV experience.
Best 4K TV
Specifications
Screen type: LED
Resolution: 4K
Operation system: Google TV
Pros & Cons
High-quality 4K pictures
Fast and responsive performance
Offers a variety of smart features
Incompatibility with some PCs
Unreliable Wi-Fi connection
This BRAVIA XR X90J TV makes the ideal addition to your living room if you’re looking for a 4K TV. It features the Cognitive Processor XR for natural colors, high peak brightness, and intense contrast. With the XR Triluminos Pro, you will get to enjoy impressive picture quality, whether you’re watching sports or a movie.
The XR Contrast Booster delivers real-life depth and stunning detail for quality images, and the two sound positioning tweeters on the sides offer an acoustic multi-audio experience. This TV features the BRAVIA CORE, which delivers a private studio for enjoying movies, and it supports Alexa for voice control using simple commands.
Top 65-inch TV
Specifications
Screen type: LED
Resolution: 4K
Operation system: Google TV
Pros & Cons
Supports intelligent motion handling
A slim narrow bezel design
Optimized picture quality for streaming
Seems highly reflective
Stand feet might be too wide for some
The Sony Class X77L 4K HDR LED TV is a great pick if you want a 65-inch set. This premium smart TV supports different features including AirPlay, Alexa, Google Assistant, and a variety of streaming apps. Its 4K Processor X1 offers lifelike pictures with sharp details and rich colors for enjoyable movies and sports.
With intelligent motion handling, you get to enjoy blur-free picture quality for your action movies or games. The 4K XR-Reality PRO offers near-4K resolution to add texture and detail to your content. This X77L TV also has features for the PlayStation 5 like Auto HDR Tone Mapping for improved gaming experience.
Best 75-inch model
Specifications
Screen type: LED
Resolution: 4K
Operation system: Google TV
Pros & Cons
A native 120Hz refresh rate
Immersive sound experience
Enhanced gaming picture quality
Incompatibility with some PCs
Some reviews complain about flickering
When it comes to watching movies, larger is better. This Sony Class X85K TV is the perfect pick for a dramatic statement in your living room. At 75 inches, the TV places you right in the action with lifelike pictures. Thanks to the 4K HDR Processor X1, this Sony TV offers a native 120Hz refresh rate for vivid and smooth movies, sports, and games.
The Motionflow XR ensures blur-free images for action movies or fast-moving content, and you get an immersive sound experience too, thanks to Dolby Vision and Atmos support. This X85K TV features the 4K X-Reality PRO and Triluminos PRO for near-4K resolution and accurate colors that deliver impressive picture quality.
Buying a Sony TV? Here’s what you need to know
Wondering what to know about Sony TVs before buying one? Here, we answer some commonly asked questions.
Which size TV should you buy?
TV size is a key consideration when shopping for a new set. Most people always opt for a size that fills their entertainment center, space on the wall, or TV stand. For the most part, this offers a non-technical approach to picking the right size, and it somewhat works.
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) provides a technical approach, recommending that a TV should take up a minimum of 30 degrees of your field of view. In this case, if you sit 7.5 feet away, the ideal TV size range is 55 to 65 inches
Most homes have TVs in the range of 32 to 50 inches. In this case, sitting 2 to 6 feet away will be ideal. A simple formula you can use is the following: viewing distance (in inches)/2 = recommended TV size.
What is the life expectancy of a Sony TV?
The average life expectancy of a Sony TV is 7 to 10 years. You’re likely to get fewer years with continuous use — about 4 to 6 years. The factors that determine the lifespan of your TV include brightness, maintenance and care and frequency of use.
With light to moderate use, you can expect your TV to serve you for more than 7 years. Extensive use usually affects the backlights, causing them to overheat, especially when brightness is set at the highest levels.
Which is the best Sony TV?
Sony offers some of the best TVs, with amazing features for audio and video. Here are the picks our editors like the most.
Sony 55-Inch Class BRAVIA XR A90J Series OLED 4K UHD Smart Google TV: With awe-inspiring contrast and premium blacks, this Sony A90J TV is the best OLED set that adds color and texture to your content.
Sony 43-Inch Class X80K Series LED 4K HDR Smart Google TV: For gamers, this Sony 43” X80K features 4K HDR Processor X1 for a natural and immersive gaming experience. It has different PlayStation features for better gaming picture quality.
Sony 75-Inch Class X85K 4K HDR LED Google TV: If you prefer a large Sony TV, we believe this Sony 75” X85K TV makes the perfect addition to your space. It supports 4K HDR resolution and motion handling for quality pictures.
Prices updated on 07/25/2023. We are not responsible for any changes to the prices mentioned above.
Written by
Odinga Fanuel
With over nine years working within media, Odinga Fanuel is passionate about sharing reliable information with everyday readers. For Smart Shopper, Odinga specializes in writing about tech products, household appliances, travel, automotive and more.
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