OLED televisions have long been the unattainable holy grail of home theater enthusiasts. With their per-pixel illumination and infinite contrast ratio, OLED panels unlock unrivaled levels of picture quality for the ultimate immersive viewing experience. The rich inky blacks, vibrant colors, and razor-sharp clarity simply can‘t be matched by conventional LED/LCD screens.
But achieving OLED visual splendor has always come at a steep price…until now. Recent manufacturing improvements have steadily reduced production costs, making this once ultra-premium display technology far more affordable for the average consumer.
We‘ve now entered a new era where outstanding OLED TVs can be purchased for well under $2000. Among the most eager to court this burgeoning budget OLED segment are leading TV makers LG and Sony. Both have introduced new model lines that package visual excellence into attractively priced packages:
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LG B2 Series – Part of LG‘s mid-range OLED lineup, the B2 Series delivers LG‘s cutting-edge "EVO" panel technology along with their latest α9 Gen5 AI Processor to enhance color, contrast, and clarity powered by deep learning algorithms.
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Sony A80K Series – Representing Sony‘s push into more affordable OLED TVs, the A80K may discard some of the flashy features of Sony‘s high-end offerings but still retains key Sony technologies – like the cognitive XR processor – for outstanding OLED picture quality.
But which company‘s budget OLED offering reigns supreme? I‘ve done an in-depth comparison exploring how these amazing thin-screen TVs stack up across critical categories – from motion handling and sound quality through smart platforms and gaming capabilities. After scrutinizing every element determining real-world home entertainment performance, one emerges as the superior value buy.
Dazzling OLED Picture Quality
Any examination of a modern television must start with picture quality. No amount of ancillary features can compensate for sub-par images and video. But thankfully buyers can expect nothing less than excellence from the LG B2 and Sony A80K, both leveraging the visual virtues of OLED panels.
Unlike conventional LED/LCD televisions that rely on separate backlighting elements to produce illumination, OLED screens utilize organic compounds that light up individually at the pixel level. This enables unparalleled control – completely deactivating pixels for perfect, endless blacks while energizing others to their maximum brightness capacity for dazzling colors and specular highlights.
The results are images blessed with stunning contrast, vibrant and accurate colors, and life-like clarity. Photos and videos take on extraordinary realism and depth – transforming blockbuster movies into immersive cinematic experiences and conjuring an "in the stadium" feeling during live sports broadcasts.
Both LG and Sony further augment their OLED TVs via proprietary processor-based image enhancements:
LG α9 Gen5 AI Processor – LG‘s latest α9 processor taps artificial intelligence and deep learning to automatically optimize picture parameters in real time based on ambient conditions and on-screen content. For example, the auto brightness control leverages a light sensor and face detection to modulate screen brightness whether you‘re watching news headlines or the intense climax of an action film.
Sony Cognitive Processor XR – Sony‘s Cognitive Processor XR mimics human perception by detecting focal points in an image and enhancing texture, depth, contrast, and other elements in those areas to better attract viewer attention. This cognitive intelligence means images look sharper, more three-dimensional, and closer to real life.
So are images noticeably better across either model? In practice, reviewers have found little significant difference – both OLED TVs render imagery with spectacular color gamuts, perfect blacks, and impressive clarity. You can expect exemplary pictures whether watching movies in a darkened theater or streaming CNN on a sun-filled Saturday morning.
Winner: Tie
But evaluating overall picture quality extends beyond the panel and processors. Factors like brightness sustainability, anti-reflective treatments, and viewing angles also impact performance – along with high dynamic range (HDR) format support. Let‘s explore these additional aspects more closely:
Brightness & Anti-Glare – Sony OLED panels have traditionally struggled sustaining peak brightness over long durations compared to LG models which leverage heatsinks and anti-reflective coatings to combat heat dissipation and glare. The latest A80K series has improved brightness sustainability but remains a step behind LG.
Viewing Angles – One downside of OLED can be color shifting (loss of accuracy) at wider viewing angles. But LG has developed special polarization and anti-reflection layers to maintain color consistency at even aggressive off-center angles. Sony‘s OLEDs are still very good, but can‘t quite match viewing stability.
HDR Support – HDR formats like Dolby Vision and HDR10+ help TVs enhance color, contrast and brightness for improved dynamic range during streaming/disc-based video playback. Both models cover core formats, but LG offers more advanced CalMan auto-calibration to ensure color accuracy across various HDR specs.
The LG B2‘s hardware and software advantages give it a slight overall edge – but Sony‘s Cognitive Processor XR and OLED panel render brilliant, realistic imagery sure to satisfy even discerning videophiles.
Cinematic Acoustic Audio on Sony OLED
A television‘s sound system often gets overlooked by shoppers dazzled by beautiful OLED visuals. But audio remains a vital aspect of the viewing experience for movies, streaming shows, and gaming. Here Sony gains a clear, resounding advantage courtesy of their unique Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology:
Rather than relying on traditional downward- or forward-firing speaker drivers, Sony‘s acoustic system replaces those components with actuators affixed to the panel backside. These actuators essentially energize and transform the entire OLED screen into a giant speaker surface pulsating desired audio frequencies.
This innovative technique unlocks a few major benefits:
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More cinematic audio – With sound emitting directly from the display rather than surrounding cabinets, visuals and audio remain in perfect sync for a cohesive, engaging experience.
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Wider soundstage – Actuators stretch across the entire panel enabling larger perceived soundstages where effects seem to emanate beyond the screen borders just like a movie theater.
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Improved clarity – Unimpeded by narrow driver enclosures, the open screen concept provides remarkable audio clarity across treble, mids, and bass frequencies.
Sony further augments their panel audio via onboard intelligence: separate actuators focus exclusively on midrange and bass signals while detection microphones continuously monitor and optimize acoustic output. Support for Dolby Atmos 3D audio and other surround formats complete the package.
And according to most soundbar-less reviewers, the scale, spaciousness, and clarity achieved by Sony‘s acoustic system sets a new benchmark – making built-in TV audio feel truly cinematic. LG‘s downward-firing speaker array puts up a noble effort but lacks the scale and immediacy of Sony‘s innovation.
Winner: Sony A80K
Cutting-Edge Gaming Features
Modern video game consoles like the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X unlock unprecedented performance – enabling 4K gaming at up to 120 frames per second. This high-frame-rate gameplay provides much smoother, lag- and blur-free experiences but requires compatible display hardware. Specifically, an HDMI 2.1 port and critical capabilities like:
- 4K 120Hz – Enables up to 4K resolution at 120 frame per second
- VRR – Variable refresh rate synchronizes display output with unstable frame rates
- ALLM – Auto low-latency mode minimizes input lag
Thankfully both the LG B2 and Sony A80K OLED TVs carry full HDMI 2.1 connectivity along with ALLM and VRR support – perfectly suited for buttery-smooth high def, high action gameplay. In fact, their OLED panels with near-instantaneous pixel response times provide a key visual benefit over LCD/LED rivals prone to slower transitions and smearing.
But a few factors give LG’s B2 slight gaming domination:
4x HDMI 2.1 Ports – The B2 offers four 48Gbps HDMI inputs ready for 2.1 devices compared to just two on the Sony A80K. This provides extra flexibility for complex home theater setups with multiple consoles and A/V gear needing the extra bandwidth.
Unique Gaming Features – LG stuffs in dedicated gaming amenities lacking on the Sony option. Game Optimizer menus provide genre-specific calibration (FPS, RPG, RTS) while G-SYNC and FreeSync compatibility combat stutters and tearing.
So while both OLEDs ace the critical gaming benchmarks and offer outstanding motion clarity for fast-paced shooters and racers, the LG B2 goes farther to cater specifically to gamers.
Winner: LG B2
Smart Platforms: webOS vs Google TV
Streaming media, apps, and services have become integral parts of the modern TV experience. Whether you enjoy 4K Netflix, YouTube videos, or casual web browsing directly on the big screen, smart platforms tie these functions together into a cohesive and intuitive package.
Both the LG B2 and Sony A80K integrate leading smart TV operating systems. But each takes a markedly different approach:
webOS – Acclaimed for its speed and simplicity, LG webOS provides effortless access to virtually every major streaming service along with LG‘s own apps in an elegantly smooth interface. Customizations like profile support, personalized recommendations, and home dashboard editing give LG an edge in usability.
Google TV – As the name implies, Google TV revolves around tight integration with the search giant‘s ecosystem – placing frequently-used Google services front and center while also surfacing content recommendations across top apps. Hands-free Google Assistant controls boost convenience.
In practice, both smart platforms cover the essentials with all major 4K/HDR streaming services readily available via dedicated apps or built-in Chromecast functionality. Choices come down to subtle differences in style and capabilities:
webOS advantages include faster navigation, easier customization, plus a few extra specialty apps. But Google fans may favor Google TV‘s simplified voice searches, YouTube supremacy, and frictionless casting from Android/Chrome devices.
There‘s no universally "superior" option – your preference ultimately depends which ecosystem you‘re most invested in. Fortunately neither platform locks you into any single content provider.
Winner: Tie
FAQ – User Concerns and Questions
Q: How much better is Sony‘s OLED picture quality?
With both LG and Sony leveraging premium OLED panels and advanced video processors, real-world image quality differences are negligible. Sony‘s cognitive processor may provide subtle contrast and color enhancements in certain scenarios. But most buyers will be extremely satisfied by the stunning OLED visuals achieved on either model.
Q: Is the Sony A80K worth the price premium over LG B2?
At $500+ more for the 65" model, the Sony A80K does command a significant price premium largely attributable to the proprietary acoustic audio system unmatched by LG. Justifying the higher cost ultimately depends how important sound quality is over other considerations. For budget-focused shoppers, the LG B2 provides tremendous overall value.
Q: Which TV has the better smart platform and apps?
LG webOS and Sony Google TV both provide excellent smart TV experiences granting access to all the most popular streaming services. Unless you have specific needs tied to Google ecosystem integration, neither platform outshines the other across core capabilities like 4K playback and voice controls. App coverage is comparable as well.
Q: Does 120Hz refresh rate matter for non-gamers?
While crucial for gaming, a 120Hz refresh rate provides little discernible benefit for television/movie watching. Most cinematic content is filmed at standard 60Hz frame rates. Only soap operas and sports programming exceeding 60fps would leverage 120Hz displays. For non-gamers, a 60Hz OLED will look effectively identical during typical viewing.
Bottom Line Verdict
The budget OLED arena has never offered more incredible options for attaining the best-in-class picture quality once exclusive to extravagantly-priced flagship televisions. With outstanding 4K visuals untouchable by LED/LCD rivals, both LG‘s B2 Series and Sony‘s A80K Series finally bring the prestigious OLED category to mainstream buyers.
But minor differences separate these two affordable flagships: While Sony‘s Cognitive Processor XR and acoustic audio system earn rave reviews, LG counters with a gorgeous EVO panel, robust gaming amenities, wider viewing stability, and friendlier pricing. Ultimately any buyer will land a superlative OLED TV guaranteed to wow guests with cinematic images.
Yet if choosing one champion, the LG B2 strikes the best balance of performance and value. For shoppers seeking a future-proof OLED television with every cutting-edge spec – from HDMI 2.1 through HDR – without breaking budgets, LG‘s latest budget wonder should absolutely dazzle.
