Sony’s strategy for its 2024 TV lineup is bold and unconventional. While many manufacturers showcase a full range of brand-new TVs with advanced OLED models as their flagships, Sony is backing the Mini LED technology with the Bravia 9.

This model is one of three new additions for 2024, while the rest of Sony’s lineup includes TVs from previous years. Given Sony’s almost flawless track record recently, it wouldn't have surprised anyone if they released a lineup with modest upgrades. However, Sony has grander plans.

The brand is taking a significant risk by leveraging its film production expertise as the core philosophy behind the new Bravia range. Since Sony is involved in content creation through Sony Pictures, using cameras and mastering monitors for Hollywood films, it aims to deliver the perfect screen for viewing such content.

This brings us to the Bravia 9, which draws its lineage from movie studio editing bays. Sony likens this TV to its new 4000-nit mastering monitor, the BVM-HX3110, and subtly suggests that the Mini LED backlight might be the next big leap in panel technology. So, did Sony’s gamble pay off?

Price

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We hit our first snag with the Bravia 9 TV: it's only available in 75-inch (the model we have today) and 85-inch variants in the UK and Australia, priced at £4499 / $4000 / AU$6995 and £4999 / $5500 / AU$7995 respectively. A 65-inch version exists but only in the US, where it costs $3300. This could be an issue for those with smaller living rooms and tighter budgets, so you might want to consider another option if these sizes don't work for you.

Although the Bravia 9 is Sony’s newest flagship TV, it's not replacing the impressive A95L (£3699 / $3500 / AU$5995) in Sony’s lineup. The A95L is staying around a bit longer, having launched later than expected last year. Instead, the Bravia 9 serves as a replacement for the X95L (£2199 / $2199), Sony’s high-end Mini LED TV for 2023.

Competing with the Bravia 9 are strong contenders from LG and Samsung. The LG G4, which we have in our testing room for comparison, features Micro Lens Array technology for brightness enhancement. Meanwhile, the QD-OLED packed Samsung S95D has also scored highly in our reviews, and both are available in 77-inch sizes for less than the Bravia 9. The silver lining is that the Bravia 9 is priced lower than the 77-inch A95L, which debuted at £5999 / $5000 / AU$9495.

Build

When it comes to construction, the attention to detail truly stands out. The robust and sleek design makes a lasting impression, ensuring both durability and style. Our focus on high-quality materials guarantees longevity while providing a premium feel to the touch.

This thoughtful design doesn't just stop at aesthetics. Every element is carefully crafted to deliver exceptional performance. The seamless integration of components ensures a smooth and efficient operation, contributing to an overall superior user experience.

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Standing tall at 75 inches, the Bravia 9 is a formidable competitor to the more traditional 65-inch LG G4 positioned next to it. While it's noticeably thicker than OLED models, this backlit TV makes up for it with robust features. The back showcases a crosshatched design crafted from Sony's recycled SORPLAS material, which makes up 65% of the TV's body—a commendable choice for eco-conscious consumers.

One standout feature of the Bravia 9 and other 2023 Sony models is its adjustable stand. The TV rests on two minimalistic feet that can be configured for wide or narrow spacing, depending on your TV stand's width. Additionally, you have the option to choose between two heights: a sleek, low-profile setting or a higher position to accommodate a soundbar underneath.

Sony has also introduced a revamped remote with the new Bravia series. The Bravia 9 comes with the standard array of buttons, complemented by a new Eco Remote. Made from recycled SORPLAS material, the Eco Remote has a speckled green design hinting at its environmentally friendly construction. It features a USB-C port for recharging its internal battery, retains the backlit buttons from the previous generation, and includes a built-in speaker for the convenient “find my remote” function as well as a microphone for Google Assistant interaction.

Features

Discover the top features that set this product apart from the rest. With advanced technology and user-friendly design, it offers superior performance that meets your needs.

Intuitive Design

The product features an intuitive design that ensures ease of use for everyone. Its sleek and modern look adds a touch of elegance to any setting.

Cutting-edge Technology

Equipped with the latest technology, this product delivers unparalleled performance and efficiency. Enjoy seamless operation and top-notch functionality.

• High-speed performance

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The standout feature of Sony's Bravia 9 is its Mini LED backlighting system, making its much-anticipated debut. This exclusive system is enhanced by Sony's advanced Bravia XR processor and sophisticated LED drivers. These drivers allow for more precise backlight control compared to other Mini LED TVs, boosting overall performance and display quality. Each driver manages six channels, each with four LEDs, functioning as individual dimming zones.

Although Sony hasn't disclosed exact figures, the Bravia 9 is said to have three times more dimming zones than its predecessor, the X95L, and is 50 per cent brighter. An unofficial count at a recent event suggested the 75-inch model might host 7680 LEDs, 320 LED drivers, and 1920 dimming zones, though these numbers are approximations.

This increase in dimming zones dramatically enhances picture quality. Sony emphasizes that the key lies in the superior control the drivers have over the Mini LEDs' brightness, improving contrast and local dimming efficiency. This reduces unwanted blooming and halo effects.

Brightness also sees a significant boost. While exact figures remain under wraps, rumors suggest around 4000 nits is a reasonable estimate. Even with this brightness jump, the Bravia 9 is 30 per cent more energy-efficient than the X95L. The Eco Dashboard feature helps track and optimize energy usage, although disabling these settings can maximize brightness.

The Bravia 9 operates on the Google TV system, consistent with Sony's 2023 lineup, ensuring broad app compatibility. Popular global streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Sony's own apps like Sony Pictures Core and Crunchyroll are accessible. Local apps such as BBC iPlayer, ITV X, Channel 4, and Channel 5 are also supported, streaming seamlessly in 4K HDR where available.

New to the Bravia 9 is the Amazon Prime Video Calibrated mode. This feature adjusts picture settings based on cloud data to optimize viewing. Testing it with the 2024 Road House showed impressive tweaks to color and lighting, though this mode can be disabled. Calibrated modes for Sony Pictures Core and Netflix are also included.

Performance-wise, the TV sometimes feels sluggish despite the powerful Bravia XR Processor. Menu navigation and the Google TV home screen could be more responsive, although this may improve with future updates.

In terms of connectivity, the TV features two HDMI 2.1 sockets, one of which doubles as an HDMI eARC port. This might frustrate gamers with multiple consoles or sound systems. However, both HDMI 2.1 ports support 4K/120Hz gaming with VRR. The remaining two HDMI ports support 4K/60Hz gaming, with all four supporting ALLM. Additional connections include optical, ethernet, and two USB ports.

Wireless connectivity is robust with wi-fi, Bluetooth 5.3, Apple AirPlay, Apple HomeKit, and Google Chromecast Built-in.

Regarding HDR support, the Bravia 9 includes HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG. However, HDR10+ is not supported, despite the new Prime Video Calibrated mode. It does include IMAX Enhanced mode for content available on Disney Plus.

The TV's new 70W 2.2.2 channel speaker system aims to deliver impressive audio. Featuring two front midrange drivers, two side tweeters, two top beam tweeters for Dolby Atmos, and two rear subwoofers, it offers a 'sound from the screen' experience similar to Sony's OLED models.

Picture

The visual quality of this television is top-notch. Its vibrant colors and deep contrasts bring every scene to life, making it a feast for the eyes. You're guaranteed to enjoy a cinematic experience right in your living room.

Sound

The sound quality matches the impressive visuals. With clear dialogues and rich audio, this television ensures you don't miss a moment of your favorite shows and movies. The enhanced bass and treble provide an immersive auditory experience.

Design

This TV's sleek, modern design is a perfect addition to any home decor. Its slim profile and elegant finish make it a statement piece in any room.

Usability

Ease of use is another strong point. The intuitive interface and user-friendly remote control make navigating through various features effortless. Whether you're streaming your favorite app or switching between inputs, this TV makes it simple and convenient.

Connectivity

Stay connected with multiple ports and wireless options. Easily link your other devices and enjoy a seamless entertainment experience. Its smart features and connectivity options cater to all your entertainment needs.

Conclusion

In summary, this television excels in picture and sound quality, boasts a sleek design, and offers incredible usability and connectivity options. It's sure to elevate your home entertainment experience to new heights.

The highlight of any TV’s performance is undeniably its picture quality. Sony’s Bravia 9 sets high expectations, especially at its price point. We tested this TV with our trusted Panasonic DP-UB820EB 4K Blu-ray player and a selection of reference movies like Oppenheimer, The Batman, Top Gun: Maverick, and Blade Runner 2049. We also included films like Pan (mastered at 4000 nits) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2500 nits) to push the limits of its brightness capabilities.

Before diving into the Bravia 9’s detailed picture analysis, we must address a couple of critical issues. As observed, this TV hasn’t achieved a perfect rating. This is primarily due to a few picture performance glitches that seem unresolvable for now. These issues appear to be software-related, so there is potential for future updates from Sony to address them. However, given that the TV is currently on the market, we have to review its present performance.

The first notable issue is with the local dimming feature, causing noticeable brightness fluctuations that are quite distracting in bright scenes like those in Pan and Mad Max: Fury Road. For example, in the scene from Pan when the floating pirate ship exits the cave into a bright quarry, the brightness jumps are glaringly evident. This issue is prevalent regardless of the local dimming setting. We experimented with numerous setting combinations but found that the only way to completely eliminate these brightness jumps was to turn off local dimming, which introduces its own problems.

Turning local dimming off makes the TV’s picture flat, lifeless, and dull. Thus, viewers are left with a compromise – endure occasional brightness jumps or turn off local dimming and sacrifice picture quality entirely. Adjusting the local dimming intensity (low, medium, high) alters when these brightness changes occur, with the highest setting slightly preempting these shifts.

For Mad Max: Fury Road (2500 nits), the situation is even more perplexing. The brightness issue appears from the very first shot, though inconsistently. Switching picture modes can sometimes prevent the problem, but a minor settings tweak can cause it to re-emerge when replaying scenes.

After extensively testing scenes from Pan and Mad Max repeatedly (we've memorized the "is this… Canada?" line from Pan), we've concluded that a bug in Sony's system is the culprit. While this is disappointing, especially for a TV made for bright films, we realize that not many will buy this TV solely for the 2015 Peter Pan adaptation with its 26% Rotten Tomatoes score. Thankfully, this issue wasn’t present in movies mastered at a lower brightness like Oppenheimer and The Batman.

The Bravia 9 faces another major issue: its picture presets. All presets are noticeably compromised, which is rare for a modern premium TV. Even after extensive tweaking, the TV never seems to fully reach its potential. It perpetually feels like there's untapped capability.

We began with Cinema and Professional modes (Sony’s Filmmaker Mode equivalent) but found the image dull and edges soft—contrary to Sony's reputation for sharp, contrasty TVs with depth. Surprisingly, the standard picture mode came closest to meeting expectations.

However, this required significant tweaks: changing the Colour Temperature from its cool default to the cinematic Expert 1 setting, switching off all noise reduction, setting Motionflow to 1, and reducing Reality Creation to 50. This made the TV perform impressively for Pan but introduced over-sharpening in Mad Max, necessitating more adjustments.

In the end, continually tweaking settings for every film isn’t practical. We recommend optimizing the settings as best as possible and tolerating minor oversharpened details for a bright, striking image.

Despite its fussiness and occasional frustration, the Bravia 9 is dazzling. The highlights, especially when the ship in Pan descends through space into a floating ocean, shine with rich oranges and detailed sunshine—something not seen in the LG G4.

The TV's contrast capabilities stand out with vibrant colour variation, especially in the floating bubbles which have emerald greens melting into sparkling blues. These bubbles also demonstrate the Bravia 9’s superb contrast, with sharp outlines creating a three-dimensional, touchable effect.

With darker content, like Oppenheimer, the Bravia 9 excels in local dimming. Black levels aren't OLED-level but are impressive for a backlit TV. In a challenging runway-at-night shot (which the Samsung QN95D struggled with), the Bravia 9 controls light display tightly, with minimal haloing and solid black depths by LCD standards.

Colours are balanced well, although we'd prefer slightly warmer skin tones. The Live Colour Enhancer feature adds needed richness, best set to medium—high can appear overdone. LG, however, retains better colour volume in low-light scenes, as the Sony can look pale in comparison.

Top Gun: Maverick continues the brightness show with sunlight glinting off cockpits and visors, unaffected by fast-moving jets. Dialing down Motionflow hasn’t caused judder, but more aggressive presets make movement unnaturally smooth.

Watching Blade Runner 2049 solidifies our view on this TV’s performance. The neon-lit dystopian skyline and detailed scenes of Officer K and Joi on a rain-soaked roof are mesmerizing. We just wish Sony could resolve these picture bugs for a consistently impressive experience.

Sound

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Why Our Audio Stands Out

Our audio solutions stand out due to their crisp clarity, balanced tones, and deep, resonant bass. You’ll hear every detail as it was meant to be heard, whether it’s your favorite track or a crucial dialogue in a movie. Our commitment to audio excellence ensures that you get the very best out of every listening session.

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The Sony Bravia 9 continues the tradition of great audio performance found in previous Sony TVs. While it shares similarities with the X95L model, the Bravia 9 stands out thanks to its new height speakers and improved frame tweeters, which enhance the spatial sound and directionality. Watching Blade Runner 2049, our go-to audio test disc, demonstrates that although a soundbar or an AVR and speaker package offers superior sound, the Bravia 9's built-in system is exceptional.

The second chapter of Blade Runner 2049 showcases the TV's vocal clarity and low-level dynamics, especially during the “baseline test” scene. The sound direction is so precise we can identify where Officer K and the interviewer's voices are coming from, even with our eyes shut. Additionally, the Bravia 9 can reach high volumes and fills our AV room effectively. The Voice Zoom 3 feature also impresses by making dialogue more prominent without overwhelming other sound effects.

However, Sony's conservative tuning of its built-in speakers results in slightly weaker bass. The Flight To The LAPD track, which accompanies Officer K's drive back into the city, lacks some heft. While a bit more punch in the dynamics would be welcome, Sony’s approach ensures the sound remains within the system’s capabilities, avoiding any distortion.

The height channels shine as one of the Bravia 9's best features. The upward-firing beam tweeters, automatically calibrated during setup, adjust the sound to the room shape perfectly. This leads to a more spacious feel, with effects like rainfall in Blade Runner 2049 being particularly immersive.

Verdict

Has Sony’s big Bravia 9 gamble paid off? Maybe not entirely yet, but there's a strong possibility it will. The next-gen Mini LED backlight is a technological wonder, even though the TV isn't perfect as a complete package. A few frustrating bugs prevent it from achieving true greatness, but future updates from Sony could potentially fix these issues.

As it stands, the Bravia 9 is already impressive – delivering dazzling brightness, deep blacks, vibrant colors, and a pleasant (if somewhat modest) sound experience.

Should Sony tweak its picture settings for a more balanced experience and fix the local dimming bug, the Bravia 9 could be a real contender. Additionally, the decision to not release the 65-inch model in the UK might be worth reconsidering...