Sony releases PS5-ready OLED 4K TV this month, but it'll cost you

Sony's new 2021 TVs are about to arrive, and first in line is the Sony A90J, it's flagship OLED 4K TV for the year. Sony has confirmed that the set will go on-sale in the UK and Ireland in March, and has also announced the prices for these countries, which we can add to the US prices we already knew.

The Sony A90J will cost £2,699/$2,999/€2,999 for the 55-inch model, £3,499/$3,999/€3,999 for the 65-inch model, and £6,999/€6999 for the 83-inch model (we're still waiting on a US price for that).

That's a lot of money, but it's in line with other flagships models from the likes of LG and Samsung, and we're absolutely expecting this set to trouble the top of our list of the best TVs.

Sony is promising that the A90J will have one of the brightest OLED panels so far – it's thought to peaking at around 1,000 nits of brightness, which is a big boost over what most OLED sets can manage, though we'll test this ASAP in a review. Brightness has always been one of OLED's weaknesses, because while the tech can go almost infinitely dark, not being able to go especially bright means it can only dazzle so far with its dynamic range when compared to elite LED screens. More brightness means an even wider HDR gamut, which means more realism. It will also help visibility in rooms where you can't black out the light so easily.

Another exciting addition to the A90J is HDMI 2.1, which Sony has never included on an OLED set before, criminally. It means this TV is ready for all the new display features of PS5 and Xbox Series X, including 4K 120Hz, Variable Refresh Rate and Auto Low Latency Mode, plus eARC for higher-quality audio connections to compatible soundbars. 

It should mean that this is line to be one of the best gaming TVs of 2021, though the competition will be hotter than ever, as more and more TVs include HDMI 2.1 features.

The Sony A90J is also the first TV to use the new 'Cognitive Processor XR' for image processing, which claims to discern which part of the image is the "focal point", and can really put its processing power into improving the image in the area (it thinks) you're looking at. Sony also says it analyses picture elements including colour, contrast and detail all as one holistic view of the image, rather than as individual elements.

Elsewhere, you've got Dolby Vision and Atmos support, Google TV powers it (with Alexa and Google Assistant voice control), a new version of Sony's excellent Acoustic Surface Audio technology provides sound, and a two-height stand gives you the option of positioning it for minimalism or higher for a soundbar to go in front.

It also has some fancy image quality options, including Netflix Calibrated Mode again, plus a new Bravia Core streaming option that lets you watch Sony movies in 80Mbps UHD Blu-ray quality over streaming, plus it's Calman Ready, so you could calibrate it finely yourself, if you're the kind of person for whom it being Calman Ready means something.