The Sony A9 OLED brings rich color and contrast together to create a phenomenal viewing experience. And with wide viewing angles, the entire family (and more) can enjoy its picture quality. For gamers, 120Hz is out of the question, but 60Hz, 4K, and ultra-fast response time make it a great option for taking on hordes of enemies in action-packed video games. However, be careful of burn-in since OLEDs are known for that if varied content isn’t played from time to time.
PICTURE QUALITY
4K
- The Sony A9 OLED runs native 4K content beautifully, reviewers found. And that applies to upscaling lower resolution content, too, like Blu Ray or even 480p DVDs, which its X1 Ultimate picture processing handles wonderfully. For users looking to enjoy legacy formats, like DVD, this is the Best OLED TV for the job. You can also check out the Sceptre A658CV-U.
Color
- Testers really loved the Sony A9 OLED’s out-of-the-box color accuracy, a huge step up from the average out-of-the-box accuracy of the Sony A9G OLED. A few small adjustments and the picture quality only gets better.
- Only in a few instances (very bright scenes) does the gamma get too bright.
Black
- The Sony A9 OLED TV is loved by reviewers for its near-perfect, inky black levels. Part of its success is through the use of its Cognitive XR Processor. By enabling XR Contrast Booster 15, both black levels and brightness are increased to create that stark difference.
Brightness
- Reviewers were disappointed by the discovery of a subpar SDR peak brightness on the Sony A9 OLED. It can be unreliable during bright scenes—especially when more of the screen is lit up. To increase its effectiveness, use the Vivid picture mode.
Contrast
- The Sony A9 OLED uses its Cognitive XR Processor to create inky pure blacks, in turn producing a contrast ratio that is rich and makes colors and brighter areas pop without overshooting its goal, according to TechRadar.
Dimming
- The Sony A9 OLED TV doesn’t have local dimming so we cannot comment further. Instead, it shuts off individual pixels to create a richer, more intense contrast ratio.
Gaming
- Reviewers felt the Sony A9 OLED was adequate for gaming, though it’s missing a few wanted features for next-gen gaming. It does have 120Hz, but because it isn’t HDMI 2.1, both the Xbox Series X and PS5 can’t take advantage of it. Furthermore, it lacks a Variable Refresh Rate. What it can be is a responsive gaming screen, due to a super-fast response time and low input lag—1.8ms and 18.4ms, respectively.
HDR
- The Sony A9 OLED is definitely capable of producing a fantastic High Dynamic Range picture quality, which testers were thrilled to uncover. This is because its infinite contrast and near complete DCI P3 color space work intandem, with Pixel Contrast Booster improving colors. It covers over 98% of DCI P3, and just under 76% of Rec 2020, so users are getting phenomenal colors and hues. Not to mention the addition of Dolby Vision, HLG, iMAX Enhanced, and Netflix Calibrated Mode, which all enhance the picture quality in various ways depending on the content. It lacks HDR10+, however.
Motion
- Testers were delighted to see the Sony A9 OLED TV’s nearly instantaneous frame transitioning. With a response time of 1.8ms Black Frame Insertion, X Motion Clarity, and Motion Interpolation (Soap Opera Effect), there was hardly any motion blur to speak of. It isn’t until the TV has to deal with lower frame content, which Motion Interpolation can handle.
Refresh
- Technically speaking, the Sony A9 OLED has a native 120Hz refresh rate, but top experts were disappointed it couldn’t be used on next-gen hardware. Yes, 60Hz will do just fine for gaming, but that means the PS5 and Xbox Series X won’t be able to reach their full potential. Not to mention the lack of VRR (Variable Refresh Rate). Its refresh rate is otherwise smooth.
Response
- Testers loved how fast the Sony A9 OLED TV responded, clocking in at 1.8ms during a 100% color transition, though Game Mode has to be enabled. That makes it near instantaneous.
- However, content with lower frame rates might experience stutter, so motion interpolation is needed (which it has).
Viewing Angle
- The Sony A9 OLED has incredibly wide viewing angles, testing revealed. Users can sit at sharp angles of 60 degrees, without a huge hit in quality; however, anything past that may be uncomfortable. This makes the Sony A9 OLED a fantastic choice for big groups to enjoy movies and TV shows together.
Burn-in
- RTings notes the Sony A9 OLED 4K HDR TV, like all OLEDs, is susceptible to permanent burn-in. It’s highly recommended users vary their content or leave static images on the screen for too long. Also, use Pixel Shift and Panel Refresh to keep burn-in at bay.
DESIGN
Stand
- Product reviewers didn’t like the stand design on the Sony A9 4K OLED TV, since it lowered the TV closer to the table. If a user were to place a soundbar in front, then the soundbar will obstruct their viewing experience.
Back
- The Sony A9 OLED’s back design left testers indifferent. It’s plain, all except for venting. Some notable features, however, were side-facing ports and subpar cable management. It fares better screwed to a wall mount.
Borders
- Reviewers liked the ultra thin bezels as they didn’t find them distracting from the content on the screen. After all, it only measures 0.31”.
Thickness
- The Sony A9 OLED is mostly thin, except for its hardware housing, which only gets as thick as 2.09”. However, reviewers didn’t find any substantial issues with its design.
FEATURES
Tuner
- Yes, the Sony A9 OLED supports a tuner, though reviewers found its inclusion unnoteworthy.
Input
- While reviewers liked the number of ports available behind the Master Series OLED A9, they were ultimately disappointed by the exclusion of HDMI 2.1; instead, it has four HDMI 2.0 ports. Users will also find two USB 2.0, one USB 3.0, LAN, Wi Fi, optical out, composite, satellite, aerial, 3.5mm out, and CI+ 1.4.
Remote Control
- The Sony A9S OLED’s remote control was pleasing to many testers, due to the better layout and better-feeling buttons. They’re much more tactile than past generations, and the universal remote feature is a nice touch. Voice control is also part of the equation. Use your voice to control the TV, with users having options between Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa (if Amazon’s smart home devices are connected).
SMART TV
Apps
- Another feature reviewers really enjoyed was the selection of streaming services, and not just the popular ones (like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu, and Disney+). Since the Google Play Store is the library, users will even gain access to apps like Apple TV.
Streaming
- Streaming relies on your internet connection, but if casting content is preferred, the Sony A9 OLED has Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay 2. Any missing streaming services can be filled in by mobile devices.
Menu
- Testers found the Sony A9 OLED to be hit or miss with its Android TV-based menu; some appreciated its smooth response and simplified interface, but others felt it was cluttered and unable to move past it. Popular apps are grouped together, with an additional option to create a customizable channel menu for quicker access.
SOUND QUALITY
Audio, Bass, and Soundstage
- The Sony A9 OLED has a well-balanced audio profile, testers found. A dedicated sound system will provide a more immersive sound quality, but treble and bass do well together in most instances.
- Users will notice its audio shortcomings when bass hits very low notes, which lack that crunch one would expect from a big action scene. With a sound system, it can really take advantage of Dolby Atmos.
