If you're in the market for a new TV and are specifically looking to take the plunge into OLED, then you've come to the right place. The Sony Bravia 8, which was recently bestowed the Product of the Year title, is the best on the market if you're looking for cinematic excellence.
Available in three sizes – 55-, 65- and 77-inches – the Bravia 8 delivers a picture and sound performance that exceeds peers from LG, Samsung and Philips. This shouldn't be a surprise, as it carries forth the baton left by its equally impressive predecessor, the Sony A80L, which we also gave the same commendations to last year.
In a year where MLA-OLED and QD-OLED appeared to be truly hitting their stride, the Bravia 8 proved that there is plenty of life left in "traditional" OLED TVs. We praised its "balanced, immersive picture" as well as its excellent motion handling and "wonderfully natural" colours. It takes a slight bit of fiddling in the settings menu to get this TV to perform at the best of its ability, but when we do dial the TV exactly how we like it, we're treated to a spectacular show.
It even sounds great by TV standards, especially when compared with direct rivals such as the LG C4 or Philips OLED809. The Acoustic Surface Audio+ feature uses actuators behind the screen to create sound by vibrating the panel, which gives the Bravia 8 an advantage in placing audio in relation to subjects on the screen.
Features-wise, the Bravia 8 lags behind the LG C4 when it comes to gaming specs, as it only has two full bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets, as opposed to four on the C4. However, both ports support 4K/120Hz gaming with VRR and ALLM, as well as having some synergistic features with Sony's own PS5 console.
The Bravia 8 supports HDR in the HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG formats, as well as Dolby Atmos immersive audio over the HDMI eARC socket. While it does excel at built-in audio, we would still recommend pairing a quality Dolby Atmos soundbar with this TV to get the best experience; might we suggest the Bravia Theatre Bar 9 which is also an Award-winner and pairs perfectly with its Sony sibling?
With that rundown of the Sony Bravia 8 complete, you should be clued up on why we like this TV so much, so what could possibly make it any better? A Black Friday deal that slashes hundreds on the price is the answer to that rhetorical question, and you can find the best deal for each size below:
Sony Bravia 8 (K55XR80PU)
Launch price: £2199 / $2000 / AU$3495
The smallest of the bunch, Sony's 55-inch Bravia 8 will likely appeal to most as it strikes the balance between not being too large for most living rooms and retaining cinematic scale. It's also the cheapest of the trio, which makes it an excellent entry point for those looking for an Award-winning picture performance at a slightly more wallet-friendly price.
We haven't tested the Bravia 8 at this size, though our findings from the five-star 65-inch model (see below) should carry across to its smaller counterpart.
We've seen it drop to just £1499 recently, which is a saving of £700 – certainly the lowest recorded price we've seen thus far.
Sony Bravia 8 65-inch (K65XR80PU)
Launch price: £2999 / $2600 / AU$3995
This is the model that we put through our paces in our AV testing room and is the size we personally recommend. Here is where we discovered the Bravia 8's detailed, engaging and nuanced picture performance.
It remains a subtle upgrade over the A80L, which certainly isn't a criticism, as we thoroughly approved that TV in equal measure. Improving on a Product of the Year-winning TV is no mean feat, which is why we felt the Bravia 8 was deserving of its accolades. If you're serious about picture performance and still want a "conventional" screen size, then the 65-inch Bravia 8 is the best model for you.
Sony Bravia 8 77-inch (K77XR80PU)
Launch price: £3999 / $3900 / AU$6995
If you've got space (and money) to spare, then the 77-inch Bravia 8 should scratch the cinematic itch. This huge OLED TV isn't cheap, but if you want the biggest and best, then this is the model to go for; and a Black Friday saving of £1160 might even be enough to tempt you to spring for this super-sized model.
We haven't tested this size, however we have it on good authority that performance should be indicative of the above 65-inch variant.
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Find the best deals on OLED TVs here
As well as the best overall TV deals
And read our full Sony Bravia 8 review
