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The high-end Sony A9S TV is excellent for dark room movies because of its inky blacks, 120 Hz refresh rate, wide viewing angles, and excellent reflection handling. However, the ABL, lack of HDMI 2.1 and VRR, and high input lag aren’t great for gaming.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
The Sony A9S TV is a high-quality, 48-inch 4K OLED TV that debuted in 2020. Thanks to its OLED technology, it produces deep blacks, good peak brightness, and life-like imagery.
The compact screen doubles as a speaker, and the TV’s sleek bezel design adds to its aesthetic appeal. Additionally, users can connect the TV to Alexa, Apple AirPlay, and Apple HomeKit.
The Sony Ultimate X1 processor can upscale low-resolution content to 4K, and for bringing out subtle details, the TV features a Pixel Contrast Booster.
The Sony A9S has four HDMI 2.0 ports and three USB connections but lacks HDMI 2.1 support and the ability to display content in 4K at 120 Hz. It has a low response time, but unlike the best TVs, it doesn’t have a variable refresh rate.
Consensus
our Verdict
The Sony A9S TV’s peak brightness (836 nits) doesn’t eliminate glare, and the ABL dims the screen often. No HDMI 2.1 support may deter Xbox and PS5 gamers, but it has four HDMI 2.0 ports.
The TV produces inky black levels (0.238% standard deviation) for dark room screening, and reflection handling is excellent in well-lit spaces.
Although the 1.8ms response time and 120 Hz refresh rate are fantastic for fast motion, the lack of VRR causes some screen tearing. Colors pop with the inf:1 contrast ratio, and bright objects don’t bloom.
The TV upscales DVDs well, and the voice control-enabled remote operates the seamless Android TV OS. While the viewing angles are wide, the tested input lag (10.3ms) is unsatisfactory for competitive gaming.
ReasonS to Buy
Impeccable picture quality in the dark
The Sony A9S TV excels for nighttime movie marathons, delivering inky blacks with its inf:1 contrast ratio (which is the best we’ve tested) and incredible black uniformity (0.238% std. deviation).
Fairly bright
Its tested peak brightness (836 nits) ranks in the top third of all TVs we have tested, and it is suitable for versatile viewing conditions because its glossy display handles reflections effectively. (ref)
Fast response time and low input lag
Films and games with fast-moving sequences are smooth thanks to the 1.8ms response time. The tested 10.3 ms input lag ranks in the top third of our tested TVs, and casual gamers will find it adequate, but it may not satisfy competitive gamers.(ref)
120 Hz refresh rate
At 120 Hz, the refresh rate is ultra-responsive, with reduced motion blur during gaming.
Great off-center viewing
This TV is perfect for hosting movie nights with friends since it exhibits wide viewing angles, with colors washing out only after 54°.
Reason to Avoid
Distracting ABL
Although the TV can get adequately bright, the automatic brightness limiter (ABL) frequently dims the screen, which can be distracting for daytime viewing.
No HDMI 2.1
Gamers won’t be able to experience 4K at 120fps due to the lack of HDMI 2.1.
No Variable Refresh Rate
Screen tearing issues could negatively impact your gaming immersion since there is no VRR
Sony A9S TV Specs
Backlight Type
No
Display Type
OLED
HDMI Inputs
4
HDMI Type
HDMI 2.1
HDR Format
Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
HomeKit Compatible
Yes
Max Resolution
3840 x 2160 (4k)
Number of Audio Channels
2.1
Panel Type
OLED
Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Screen size
48"
Smart Platform
Android TV
Speaker Output
10W + 10W + 5W
Sync Technology
No
VRR
No
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for TVs based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
Color Gamut % (DCI P3 xy)
95.07
Color Gamut % (DCI P3 uv)
98.07
Color Gamut % (Rec 2020 xy)
69.72
Color Gamut % (Rec 2020 uv)
75.8
Color Gamut % (sRGB)
0
Color Gamut % (Rec 709)
0
Color Gamut % (BT.2020)
0
Color Gamut % (Adobe RGB)
0
Color Gamut % (BT.709)
0
Contrast Ratio (x:1)
0
SDR Brightness (nits)
557
HDR Brightness (nits)
693
Input Lag (ms)
18.5
Response Time (ms)
1.8
Color Washout (Degrees)
54
Color Shift (Degrees)
32
Brightness Loss (Degrees)
60
Reflections (%)
1.4
Low-Freq Extension (Hz)
80
Freq Response StdDev @ 70db
3.7
Freq Response StdDev @ 80db
3.83
Weighted Total Harmonic Distortion @80db
0.683
Intermodulation Distortion @80db
0.78
EOTF (600 nit delta)
0
EOTF (1000 nit delta)
0
EOTF (4000 nit delta)
0
All Tests
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The Sony A9S TV is a high-quality, 48-inch 4K OLED TV that debuted in 2020. Thanks to its OLED technology, it produces deep blacks, good…
The Sony A9S TV is a high-quality, 48-inch 4K OLED TV that debuted in 2020. Thanks to its OLED technology, it produces deep blacks, good peak brightness, and life-like imagery.
The compact screen doubles as a speaker, and the TV’s sleek bezel design adds to its aesthetic appeal. Additionally, users can connect the TV to Alexa, Apple AirPlay, and Apple HomeKit.
The Sony Ultimate X1 processor can upscale low-resolution content to 4K, and for bringing out subtle details, the TV features a Pixel Contrast Booster.
The Sony A9S has four HDMI 2.0 ports and three USB connections but lacks HDMI 2.1 support and the ability to display content in 4K at 120 Hz. It has a low response time, but unlike the best TVs, it doesn’t have a variable refresh rate.
The Sony A8H OLED TV has a more consistent SDR peak brightness than the Sony A9S TV, thanks to its less aggressive Automatic Brightness Limiter…
The Sony A8H OLED TV has a more consistent SDR peak brightness than the Sony A9S TV, thanks to its less aggressive Automatic Brightness Limiter (ABL). Additionally, the A8H is available in two sizes (55 and 65 inches), whereas the Sony A9S is exclusively offered in 48 inches. But if you want something slightly bigger than the best 85-inch TV, read our Samsung TU9010 LED 4K TV review.
The Samsung S95C OLED TV has wider viewing angles than the Sony A9S TV. The Samsung S95C supports a variable refresh rate to prevent screen…
The Samsung S95C OLED TV has wider viewing angles than the Sony A9S TV. The Samsung S95C supports a variable refresh rate to prevent screen tearing, while the Sony A9S does not. On the flip side, the Sony A9S is slightly better at upscaling sharpness than the Samsung S95C. To learn more, read our Samsung S95C OLED TV review.
The LG CX OLED TV displays 4k at 120Hz signal, offers low input lag, and boasts VRR support, unlike the Sony A9S TV. The A9S…
The LG CX OLED TV displays 4k at 120Hz signal, offers low input lag, and boasts VRR support, unlike the Sony A9S TV. The A9S has slightly wider viewing angles for less distortion during off-center viewing compared to the LG CX. It also has better gray uniformity when compared to the LG CX. For a Sony TV that displays 4K @ 120Hz signal, read our Sony A80K OLED TV review.
