As a fellow tech nerd, I know you‘ve probably heard the hype around Sony‘s latest OLED TV. The A80J promises to deliver unparalleled image quality powered by a revolutionary cognitive processor.
But superb performance comes at a staggering cost – we‘re talking $3,500 for the 77-inch beast! Before you take out a small loan though, let‘s scrutinize whether this advanced television merits the investment.
Getting to Know the Sophisticated Sony A80J
As the brilliant centerpiece of Sony‘s elite BRAVIA XR lineup for 2021, the A80J OLED carries on the company’s reputation for audacious innovation.
Housed in a minimalist design framed by elegantly thin bezels, this self-illuminating display comes in three drool-worthy sizes:
- 55-inch – $1,899 MSRP
- 65-inch – $2,499 MSRP
- 77-inch – $3,499 MSRP
Yep, sadly you must pay dearly for the privilege of owning thisfabulous OLED TV. But in return you get Son‘y best and brightest technologies:
- New Cognitive Processor XR
- OLED Ultra Wide Angle viewing
- Acoustic Surface Audio+ system
- Next-gen gaming features
- Luxurious build materials
- Google TV smart platform
Let’s explore why this matters.
An OLED Display Engineered to Astonish
Unlike conventional LED/LCD televisions, OLED (organic light-emitting diode) generates self-contained light for every pixel on the display. This gives OLED two supreme virtues:
1. Infinite Contrast – With pixel-level illumination, OLED can produce a near infinite contrast ratio. Parts of the screen can shine brilliantly while adjacent areas radiate hardly any light whatsoever. This enables astonishing dynamic range with inky true blacks.
2. Wider Viewing Angles – Since every pixel emanates its own light, you’ll enjoy consistent color and clarity even from aggressive side angles. Image accuracy holds up far better compared to standard LED TVs.
By pairing OLED’s technical talents with its all-new Cognitive Processor XR, Sony takes picture quality to rapturous new heights on the A80J.
Cognitive Processor XR – Brains Behind OLED’s Beauty
So what makes this quantum processor so special besides its cool sci-fi name? In essence, it completely reinvents how a television analyzes picture and sound by mimicking human perception.
Rather than just detecting basic elements individually, the cognitive processor cross-analyzes everything simultaneously. This replicatesthe way our brains focus on certain details while picking up contextual signals from surrounding content.
The result? Extraordinary realism with enhanced depth, textures, and natural color toning. Faces come to life with authentic skin tones while tree bark, fabrics, foods, and landscapes look vibrant yet balanced. And wait until you see how this cognitive power translates to shadow detailing and brightness.
For avid gamers like us, the XR processor also minimizes lag while amping up frame rates. I‘ll cover more gaming advantages shortly.
First, let‘s breakdown key aspects that set the A80J‘s picture performance apart from every previous Sony television. The cognitive brain makes this OLED remarkably intelligent.
Cogitative Features to Covet
XR OLED Contrast – Optimizes self-illuminating pixels for dazzling brightness and rich, inky blacks in a range up to 820,000:1. Now that’s some serious dynamic contrast!
XR Triluminos Pro – Maps colors with greater precision (think billions) for natural-looking hues across the entire DCI and Rec.2020 spectrum.
XR HDR Remaster – Upscales standard dynamic range content nearly to HDR-quality using intelligent object detection and analysis.
XR Motion Clarity – Sony’s best motion handling yet that smoothly interpolates action without any jutter or lost detail.
When these technologies unite with an OLED panel sporting 8.5 million self-illuminating pixels, I assure eye candy bliss awaits!
Crystal-clear 4K at silky-smooth Frame Rates
Beyond its cognitive abilities, the A80J ticks all the right boxes for spectacular 4K entertainment.
Of course high dynamic range (HDR) plays a starring role by expanding color, contrast, and brightness. Supported formats include:
- Dolby Vision (this one rocks)
- HDR10
- HLG
121Hz comes natively on all sizes to deliver buttery-smooth motion along with Sony‘s XR Motion Clarity features. This high refresh rate also ensures you tap into the max capabilities supported over the HDMI 2.1 ports (more on this in a bit).
For streaming your favorite shows in crisp 4K, Sony packs in the Google TV platform which aggregrates content across services like Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, HBO Max and many more.
Acoustic Surface Audio+ – A Radical Redesign of OLED Sound
Here’s where Sony deviates brilliantly from the crowd by using its OLED panel to produce the sound from sets like the A80J.
Rather than speaker grills, Sony packed actuators behind the display. These structural actuators then imperceptibly vibrate the screen to pump out highly localized sound tied to what’s happening in the content.
This groundbreaking Acoustic Surface Audio+ achieves unrivaled synchronization between sight and sound for remarkable sonic realism. Focused sound beams emit straight from flashing headlights while dialogue issues precisely from characters’ lips. It’s wonderfully immersive!
Augmenting the screen, Sony throws in a meaty subwoofer for room-filling bass plus side-firing speakers to expand the soundstage. Technologies like Dolby Atmos further bolster dimensionality for cinema-quality audio without needing extra equipment.
Of course if you crave louder, beefier sound you can always add surround speakers or a soundbar later. But for everyday TV audio, the A80J easily trumps traditional designs.
Supreme Gaming Specs + Smart Connectivity
We both know gaming prowess plays a huge role in our buying decisions. And Sony equips the A80J with next-gen features to unleash your PS5, Xbox Series X and high-end gaming PC.
HDMI 2.1 – With four ports, all deliver ultra high-speed bandwidth up to 48Gbps as well as:
- 4K @ 120fps
- Variable refresh rate (VRR)
- Auto low-latency mode (ALLM)
Additional Gaming Features:
- Input lag – under 8.5ms (Crazy fast!)
- Game dashboard
- Auto HDR tone mapping
- Auto genre picture mode
By auto-detecting your gaming device, the TV instantly optimizes itself for lag-free, stutter-free, tear-free gameplay. HDR visuals also remain jaw-dropping thanks to intelligence that preserves peak brightness and shadow details.
And this television plays nicely with gaming assistants. Google TV lets you call up YouTube walkthroughs, game help, background soundtracks and more using only your voice. XR processors even listen for spoken cues to launch special gaming features.
For all-purpose connectivity, Sony loads their A80J series with the works:
- Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Chromecast built-in
- Apple AirPlay 2
- Alexa and Google Assistant compatible
Smartly, Sony adds a solar-powered remote so you‘ll never need to feed it batteries. Just avoid tossing it in the sofa cushions to keep it charged!
With easy voice control plus one-touch access to all your steaming apps, the Google TV platform makes this television a breeze to use even for less techy family members.
Sony A90J vs A80J – How Do They Compare?
As a fellow specification- junkie, you may be wondering how the A80J sizes up to Sony‘s even more premium OLED release for 2021 – the Master Series A90J. Let‘s pit these two titans head-to-head!
{{< table caption="Sony TV Comparison Chart" >}}
| Specs | Sony A80J OLED | Sony A90J OLED |
|---|---|---|
| Available Sizes | 55", 65", 77" | 55", 65", 83" |
| Display Type | OLED | OLED |
| Processor | Cognitive Processor XR | Cognitive Processor XR |
| HDR formats | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz native | 120Hz native |
| Speakers | Acoustic Surface Audio+ | Acoustic Surface Audio+ |
| HDMI ports | 4 (HDMI 2.1) | 4 (HDMI 2.1) |
| Gaming Features | ALLM, VRR, low input lag | ALLM, VRR, low input lag |
| Smart Platform | Google TV | Google TV |
| Alexa/Google Assistant | Yes | Yes |
| Wide Viewing Angle | Yes | Yes |
{{< /table >}}
Despite some overlapping strengths, the sets differ in a few notable ways:
-
The A90J utilizes a special XR Triluminos Pro processor for brighter OLED highlights. Peak brightness can reach upwards of 800 nits for enhanced realism.
-
Its Cognitive Processor XR also leverages a unique "XR Contrast Booster" delivering 10x the gradation layers for smoother, natural-looking textures.
-
You’ll only find the giant 83-inch size on the flagship A90J model.
-
Unique aluminum blade stands give the A90J a more striking, premium design over the A80J.
In my expert opinion as an AV analyst, the minor performance bumps and bigger screen option on Sony‘s Master series A90J may only appeal to the most zealous (and wealthiest) enthusiasts.
For at least $1,000 in savings, the brilliant A80J packs equivalent connectivity, smarts and cognition to satisfy even picky home theater snobs like us with its stellar creative engineering!
Verdict – A Future-Forward Investment for Discerning Viewers
While far from affordable, the Sony A80J justifyies its lofty pricing by serving up mesmerizing OLED visuals augmented by cognitive intelligence and innovative acoustic engineering.
As an investment guaranteed to wow the most discerning viewers, this television sets new standards for realism by simulating human perception in its image processing and sound localization abilities.
So if you lust after the most technologically advanced TV that money can buy with visual horsepower to last beyond the next decade, look no further my friend! Just be sure to stretch first…that 77-inch model requires some wide-angled unpacking maneuvers!
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price="$2497.99"
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description="Cutting-edge cognitive intelligence display + immersive OLED contrast with pure blacks and peak brightness Acoustic Surface Audio+ and built-in subwoofer for cinematic sound Smart Google TV with voice control Next-gen gaming features with HDMI 2.1"
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Give your home theater a cognitive IQ boost with Sony‘s sublime A80J OLED display! Just be sure to stretch the budget for that sensory immersive experience we all crave.
