Sony’s new TV lineup claims to see like a human

Sony’s 2021 range of TVs makes some understandable claims, like better picture quality, higher detail and more vivid colours – but the new Bravia XR range claims to do something outlandish.

The new Cognitive Processor XR is the new image processing engine behind the upper end of Sony’s TV range, and it can find the focal point of any image on screen.

By dividing the screen into a number of zones, the processor can select one as the focal point of the scene and adjust picture elements like colour and contrast to deliver an excellent image for every frame.

Audio is also passed through this processor, which can convert any audio signal into 3D surround sound with compatible home cinema systems for an immersive audiovisual experience.

Whether or not this processor is actually working like the human brain as Sony claims, or is just clever algorithmic picture enhancement is up for debate, but the result is excellent image quality on every Bravia XR TV with the processor.

Other improvements to the Bravia XR range include the Google TV interface that makes finding your favourite content easy, HDMI 2.1 compatibility for variable refresh rate and eARC compatibility with the latest gaming consoles, and Netflix Calibrated Mode making a return from past Sony TVs for top quality streaming content.

The new lineup is comprised of the following:

  • Master Series Z9J 8K LED TV – 85-inches
  • Master Series A90J OLED TV – 55 and 65-inches
  • A80J OLED TV – 55, 65, and 77-inches
  • X95J 4K LED TV – 65 and 85-inches
  • X90J 4K LED TV – 50, 55, 65, and 75-inches

Local pricing and availability is yet to be confirmed for these models, and feature sets may differ between them.