Sony U-turns on its flagship Bravia 9 mini-LED TV and announces a 65-inch model will get released in Europe
DA Gadgets
Sony
has
revealed
that
a
65-inch
model
of
its
2024
flagship
TV,
the
Bravia
9,
will
be
released
in
Europe,
including
the
UK,
with
a
planned
release
in
November.
An
Australian
release
is
yet
to
be
announced.
Currently,
there
is
no
official
EU/UK
pricing
for
the
new
65-inch
model,
but
in
the
US
it
retails
for
$2,999
(launched
in
July
at
$3,299),
so
it’s
likely
to
retail
in
the
UK
for
a
similar
amount.
Originally,
only
the
75
and
85-inch
models,
which
retail
for
£3,999
and
£4,499,
respectively,
were
set
to
be
available
in
Europe,
with
the
65-inch
set
to
be
a
US-only
release.
The
headline
news
with
the
Bravia
9
upon
its
initial
release
was
Sony’s
decision
to
drop
OLED
in
favour
of
mini-LED,
and
at
the
time
it
was
a
surprising
move.
But,
when
we
saw
Sony’s
new
backlight
tech
in
action,
which
uses
new
22-bit
drivers
and
new
XR
Backlight
Master
Drive
tech,
we
were
suitably
impressed
–
especially
by
its
OLED-level
contrast
and
blacks.
Other
headline
features
for
the
Bravia
9
include
its
2.2.2-channel
speaker
array
with
new
Beam
Tweeters
and
Acoustic
Multi
Audio+
for
immersive
sound,
a
Prime
Video
Calibrated
picture
mode
created
to
display
Prime
Video
TV
shows
and
movies
as
intended,
and
a
‘Perfect
for
PS5’
Auto
Tone
Mapping
feature
for
gaming.
Since
its
release
we’ve
reviewed
the
Bravia
9
–
check
out
some
of
our
thoughts
below.
Great
news
for
the
other
side
of
the
Atlantic
While
some
of
the
best
75-inch
TVs
and
best
85-inch
TVs
may
be
popular,
if
not
standard,
in
the
US,
in
the
UK
and
Europe
65-inch
remains
one
of
the
most
popular
sizes
overall.
So,
it
seemed
a
very
odd
decision
by
Sony
to
release
the
65-inch
Bravia
9
in
the
US
only.
This
U-turn
is
welcome
news
for
Sony
fans,
and
here’s
why.
In
our
review,
we
found
that
the
Bravia
9
put
itself
forward
as
a
contender
in
the
best
TV
category.
The
new
mini-LED
backlight
tech
that
impressed
us
so
much
in
a
demo
proved
just
as
excellent
in
real-world
testing.
Its
black
levels
and
contrast
did
indeed
rival
that
of
the
best
OLED
TVs
and
its
high
brightness
was
effectively
implemented,
which,
combined
with
its
anti-reflection
screen,
make
it
one
of
the
best
TVs
for
sport.
The
Bravia
9
also
wowed
with
its
built-in
audio,
delivering
a
‘full-bodied’
sound
that
was
expansive,
extending
beyond
the
screen
itself.
Combining
it
with
a
compatible
Sony
soundbar
also
unlocked
even
more
features.
Thanks
to
its
gaming
features,
especially
the
effective
Auto
HDR
Tone
Mapping
for
PS5,
and
gaming
performance,
we
named
the
Bravia
9
as
the
‘best
elite
TV
for
PS5’
in
our
best
gaming
TVs
guide.
The
Bravia
9
does
carry
a
premium
price
in
all
sizes,
so
it’s
a
shame
that
people
in
Europe
had
to
settle
for
the
larger,
and
pricier,
75-
and
85-inch
models.
Now,
with
the
65-inch
coming,
it
could
tempt
more
buyers.
It’s
looking
to
still
be
pricier
than
other
premium
sets
such
as
the
Samsung
S95D
and
LG
G4,
but
here’s
hoping
Sony
gets
the
price
right.
