Product Review: Sony OLED 4K Ultra HD With HDR (Sony XBR-77A1E)

With all of the great content showing on networks and streaming services lately, you wouldn’t be crazy to think that TV is the new movies. While Hollywood keeps churning out remakes, reboots and franchise fare, you’re comfortably enjoying all of the top-quality entertainment you can handle in the comfort of your own home. And high-quality content deserves a high-quality display. That’s why we’re taking a look at the Sony XBR-77A1E, the manufacturer’s whopper of a flat-panel. Can it do wonders for your audio video installation? Find out below.

See Also: Save Space With a Sony Ultra-Short Throw 4K HDR Projector

What We Love About It

Sony’s latest attempt at a 4K OLED is a beauty to behold. Offering a great, minimalist design that puts the stand behind (rather than underneath) the unit, you’ll get nice clean lines even before you turn it on. Most TVs include a clunky stand that ruins the aesthetic of the device if you don’t mount it, but Sony decided to indulge the less-than-handy with a good-looking device.

Plus, it’s so thin you can practically use it as a dinner knife. Including the rear-mounted stand, the entire unit maxes out at 2.64 inches. The actual display itself, though, is so razor thin you’ll think you’re watching your favorite movies and TV shows on a piece of paper.

When you’re watching content, this thing looks good. Whether you’re viewing full 4K HDR or you’ve popped in an old 480p DVD, you can count on the unit to deliver top-quality upscaling. Moreover, the screen does well in minimizing the appearance of reflections, so you can enjoy uninterrupted viewing time.

Is OLED Worth It?

It’s a debate as old as the technology itself: is OLED worth the investment? The technology, which uses light-emitting diodes (LED) to show you all of the light and colors on your screen, has had its fair share of detractors. Initially, it was only available on certain LG units and other manufacturers were slow to adopt. The reason? They argued that OLED was more likely to burn out and was a poor investment in the long run.

But times have changed, and now Sony offers full OLED. And it looks incredible. The primary goal of OLED is to provide true black when the backlighting isn’t in use. This helps make the colors look richer, the image look more detailed and the experience of viewing that much more fun. Sony’s version definitely pays off.

Specs:

Dimensions: 67 7/8 x 39 1/8 x 15 3/4" (1,721 x 993 x 399 mm)

Weight: 99.8 lb (45.3 kg)

Resolution: 3840 x 2160

OLED: Yes

HDR: Yes

Refresh Rate: 120hz

MSRP: $17,999.00

Are you interested in purchasing a Sony XBR-77A1E? Contact Reference AVS today for more information!