[CES 2022]TV wars! Sony’s second-generation BRAVIA XR moves to Mini LED

One of the highlights of CES can be regarded as the battle for the transfer of several TV brands every year. The focus of this year’s TV development lies in the use of new screen technology. Looking back last year, Samsung and LG started to use Mini LED as screen backlight technology to improve the black performance of LCD screens. Sony has developed a brand new XR Cognitive Processor to compete by improving image quality and processing quality. Perhaps it is Sony’s conservative attitude towards new screen technology and only introduced Mini LEDs to flagship 4K and 8K LCD TV models this year.

Sony’s Mini LED TV models include the 8K TV BRAVIA XR Z9K and the 4K TV BRAVIA XR X95K. Both use Mini LEDs as direct backlighting and are called Backlight Master Drive. Readers who have printed images will remember that when Sony launched the Z9D in 2017, it already adopted the title of Master Drive and applied the intensive LED backlight technology developed by itself. At that time, the Master Drive was still an LED light source, but the light area has been increased to 500, which has significantly improved the contrast and black performance of the picture. It is a pity that the high cost of Master Drive technology made the Z9D so expensive that it will not be used in the next-generation Z9F until the 8K TV Z9G is used once more.

Mini LED is more detailed than traditional direct-back-illuminated LED backlight technology, and the light control partition is denser, reducing mutual influence. It has been applied to two major Korean TV sets last year, and the effect is remarkable.

Compared with other Mini LEDs, Sony said that its Mini LED light control will handle better and will not overexpose. More details between light and dark can be preserved.

Switching to the Backlight Master Drive technology of Mini LED, the light control zone is more detailed, reaching 2,500. The black and white contrast and light control performance should be greatly improved. Can show more details between light and dark. However, Z9K and Z95K use different Mini LED backlight brightness. 8K Z9K ​​has the brightness performance of Contrast Booster 20, while X95K has Contrast Booster 15. Both TVs have 85-inch and 75-inch models, and X95K also has 65-inch models. It is relatively easy to enter the house.

Sound effects are also one of the main features of Z9K and X95K, emphasizing the sound effect in the center of the screen. However, Sony has used this as a selling point for many years, and it is not a breakthrough.

Many BRAVIA XR 2022 models from Z9K to X90K can be equipped with BRAVIA Cam, which corresponds to the new normal of adding video conferencing functions to smart TVs.

BRAVIA Cam can detect the use of gestures to control the TV, which is convenient when there is no remote control in your hand. For example, you can control the volume by moving your fingers up in a circle. Close the fingers to turn off the power. Although it seems novel, in fact, televisions have done similar functions many years ago.

The new remote control cancels the number keys, shortens the length, and has a luminous control function.

This time Sony’s BRAVIA XR second-generation TV has another feature that is smart Web cam. In addition to being used for video conferencing, Web Cam also provides smart control of the TV. You can use gestures to control loud and low voices, shut down and so on. The new remote control has also been redesigned to reduce the number of very useful keys, the size (especially the length) is much smaller than before, and it has a luminous function. Web cam also has a monitoring function. For example, when the user in front of the TV is detected, the TV will temporarily dim the screen, which saves energy and protects the screen. And when the user is sitting in front of the screen, the Web cam will also respond to whether the user is sitting on the left or right side of the screen, and then move the center of gravity of the sound to that direction, so that the user can hear the position of the emperor. Sound effects.

The current generation of BRAVIA XR still uses PS5 support as the selling point of Game Mode. Although it still supports up to 4K 120Hz, this time the Game Mode will automatically link with PS5. For example, if you use PS5 to watch streaming videos or DVDs, BRAVIA XR TV will automatically leave Game. Mode enters the movie mode instead of forcibly using Game Mode to watch the movie.

The 8K TV Z9K is available in 85-inch and 75-inch models.

Except for Mini LEDs, most of Jinneng is regarding the same as last year. It’s just that there is more Web cam support.

Starting from 65 inches, X95K is easier to enter the house than 8K Z9K. With Mini LED blessing, it should be able to narrow the difference with OLED TVs.

Compared with the Z9K, in addition to understanding the image, the highest luminosity of HDR is also different. In my impression, it is the first time I saw an official luminosity level on a Sony TV. Only Samsung did this before.

In addition to Mini LEDs, BRAVIA still has the OLED A95K series, the fine-sized A90K and the more popular A80K. Among them, A95K has 65-inch and 55-inch models. It uses the latest QD-OLED screen developed by Samsung. It combines the advantages of Quantum Dot quantum dots and OLED self-luminescence. The brightness and contrast will be better than previous OLEDs. Sony also uses the A95K. The contrast enhancement technology is called XR Triluminos Max, and the picture quality is expected.

The flagship OLED TV A95K is switched to QD-OLED flat panel. QD-OLED is a new OLED technology produced by Samsung. It combines the advantages of Quantum Dots and OLED. The picture brightness is higher, and the improvement of contrast is obviously helpful.

A95K’s newly designed foot can be installed forward or backward to facilitate the placement of the Soundbar.

The color and brightness of A95K are higher than other models of OLED TVs, and the technical description is also distinguished by the word MAX.

The fine-sized A90K still uses ordinary OLED panels.

The popular version A80K has the same function as the trial A80J, except that it can be installed with a Web Cam…

The mainstream direct-back-illuminated LED models also have the updated X90K, but the difference is not big, and there is no Mini LED blessing, which is less attractive. It is better to buy the X90J now.

As for the A90K, the successor to the A9S the year before, it is a fine-sized OLED model, available in 48-inch and 42-inch models. A80K has three models of 75, 65 and 55 inches. The luminosity will be slightly lower, but the price/performance ratio is higher.