Sony Electronics officially revealed pricing and availability for the first model (the 55-inch screen size) in its 2021 A90J OLED BRAVIA XR Master Series TVs featuring a new high-brightness panel.
Sony said Monday that the A90J model will have a unilateral pricing policy of $2,997.99 and is available now for pre-sale at authorized dealers nationwide. As previously reported by HD Guru, suggested retail prices for many of Sony’s top 2021 TV models were leaked online by a Sony retailer shortly after CES 2021.
The 55-inch model is one of three screen sizes (official availability and prices on the other two to be announced later). The other screen sizes include: 65-inches and the new massive 83-inch model, all with high bright capabilities. The 83-inch high-bright panel model will be exclusive to Sony at launch.
You can check the unofficial pricing here for what to expect. Sony’s official price for the 55-inch 55A90J matches information in that earlier report. We presume the other prices listed will be similarly accurate, although any price and its availability is always subject to change.
Like many of its better performing TV models for 2021, the Sony XBR-55A90J will incorporate the company’s much highlighted Cognitive Processor XR technology.
The processing brings an improvement on the X1 Ultimate picture and sound processor from last year. In addition to AI processing enhancement it adds Cognitive Intelligence to better analyze both incoming pictures and sound to help the advanced processing engine present an experience better suited to human perception for a more emotional result. In general, this means better brightness highlights, shadow detail, more impactful contrast highlights and more natural and emotion-inducing color reproduction.
For background, in past years the company sought to achieve “Kando” (or human emotion derived from a product) around the faithful delivery of the creative intent reproduced on its television sets.
Sony said the system was developed to create something that is “both faithful” to the content creator’s vision, as in previous years, and more beautiful and exciting to the experience of the viewer watching it.
Interestingly, the BRAVIA XR processor has been developed in association with the Sony Pictures team to power a new 4K/HDR streaming platform, called XR Core. This will present specially enhanced movies and shows in 4K and HDR with Ultra HD Blu-ray quality 80 Mbps bitrates and “lossless quality” using new PureStream technology. The forthcoming new streaming platform will also send to BRAVIA XR sets special content mastered for the IMAX Enhanced System with DTS HD surround sound presented as close as possible to the way the content creators want it to be seen in super widescreen IMAX theaters. The service will carry the best of Sony Pictures’ newest releases along with the studio’s “all-time classics,” plus it will include some 100 IMAX Enhanced titles with IMAX remastered pictures and sound.
See What Your 4K UHD TV Can Really Do With The Spears & Munsil 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc, $39.95.
Amazon’s Best Selling 4K Ultra HDTVs
Amazon’s Camera, Photo & Video Deals
Amazon Fire TV Cube Media Adapter with Alexa
Amazon Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote
Amazon Echo Smart Speaker with Alexa Voice Control
Amazon Echo Dot Speaker with Alexa Voice Control
Amazon Echo Dot with Clock Voice Controlled Speaker
Amazon Kids’ Echo Dot (Tiger Design)
Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) Smart Screen with Alexa
Best Selling Soundbars and 5.1 Surround Systems
What’s the big deal? Sony said the Cognitive Intelligence XR processor leverages “an improved cross analysis, multi-element process that happens at the input level to have a better understanding of what is happening on the screen and we then pass that through the technologies developed over the past several decades, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, while taking into consideration the human perception focal point. We then ensure everything is presented as fast and accurately as possible.”
Other features in the XBR55A90J include high contrast performance for the brighter OLED picture. The set also incorporates Sony’s latest minimalist design aesthetics.
It also includes Sony’s XR Triluminos Pro picture processing suite that Sony says will present billions of accurate colors that will engage the human visual system.
Sony also adds its XR OLED Contrast Pro circuitry that is said to provide images with greater depth and realism by leveraging the self-emitting OLED panel’s ability to present “ultimate blacks” and Sony’s “brightest-ever OLED picture.”
The Android TV smart TV system has been re-badged Google TV to underscore the updated user-friendly user interface that rides atop the Android TV platform. This packages hundreds of popular streaming apps providing access to more than 700,000 movies and TV programs (paid and free) across service providers services.
Among the apps available are the biggest: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube, Apple TV and more.
In addition, purchasers of Sony 2021 TVs with the BRAVIA Cognitive Processor XR, like the 55A90J, will have the ability to access the aforementioned BRAVIA Core streaming service from Sony Electronics and Sony Pictures.
Online purchases made using links provided on this site might generate a small commission for HD Guru.com. We thank you for your support!
By Greg Tarr
Have a question for the HD Guru? HD GURU|Email
Copyright ©2021 HD Guru Inc. All rights reserved. HD GURU is a registered trademark.
Stay connected