Sony Bravia 8 (XR80) vs Samsung QN900D Neo QLED 8K

The Sony Bravia 8 performs commendably in terms of HDR brightness, reaching a peak of 880 nits. This level is sufficient to render lighting effects effectively in most scenes. In tested clips from Life of Pi and Sicario 2, the television demonstrated vibrant, detailed imagery that captured the atmosphere of these films beautifully.

However, challenges arise in scenes with consistently high brightness, such as in The Meg, where the display's limitations become apparent. In these situations, OLED technology can struggle, with brightness levels dropping to around 450 nits, which can be less satisfying when intense illumination is needed throughout a scene. Despite this, the Sony Bravia 8 remains a strong contender, offering excellent DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage and 74% BT.2020 coverage. These attributes result in rich, accurate colours and fine details, enhancing HDR content and providing an enjoyable viewing experience.

Under synthetic testing conditions, the television showcased its impressive light output, achieving 1400 nits, which is undeniably remarkable. This capability was also evident in the opening scene of Life of Pi, featuring a vibrant sunrise. However, due to certain dimming algorithm issues, some drawbacks are noticeable. For instance, in test scenes from Sicario 2 and the second scene of Life of Pi, the brightness levels dropped to an average of 500-600 nits. While this performance isn't poor by Mini LED standards, expectations were higher given the premium price of the TV. Nonetheless, the set should be commended for covering a wide colour gamut of DCI-P3 at around 96%. Although some technologies offer higher coverage, this is still a commendable result.

The best factory mode on the Sony Bravia 8 television is IMAX Enhanced, offering the most cinematic experience, though it isn't perfectly calibrated. The TV attempts to replicate cinematic settings as accurately as possible, but some issues are evident. Starting with white balance, both for SDR and 4K content, there is a noticeable blue dominance, making the image appear too cold and lacking in natural warmth. Colour Checker tests reveal a shift towards cooler tones, affecting colour accuracy and making the image feel less lifelike.

Regarding brightness and contrast, the gamma shows a significant drop towards the end of the spectrum, meaning dark details may become too shadowed, and bright areas too intense, causing a loss of subtlety and detail. This is particularly noticeable in the sky, as seen in the comparison image. Additionally, the EOTF curve is considerably above the reference value, making bright elements overly intense. As a result, users may experience an unnatural image, with bright parts losing detail and negatively impacting the overall viewing quality.

The television includes a Filmmaker mode, intended to present films in the most authentic way possible, but it does come with some issues. For HD content, the white balance shows a dominance of red and blue, giving the image a pinkish hue. Conversely, for 4K HDR content, the levels of blue and red drop, resulting in a warming effect that shifts colours towards yellow tones. Colour Checker tests confirm this tendency, with colour samples visibly drifting in this direction.

In terms of brightness and contrast, the gamma is notably disrupted. The main issue is a marked spike at the start of the graph, indicating that dark details are excessively brightened, which reduces depth in the darkest parts of the image due to zone dimming. For 4K HDR content, the EOTF curve performs reasonably well but falls below the reference level, affecting the overall image dynamics.

The calibration process of the Sony Bravia 8 television resulted in significant improvements in image quality. The white balance was notably enhanced for both SDR and 4K HDR content, with minimal errors in the middle section of the graph. Gamma calibration was one of the biggest improvements, eliminating previous dips that had impacted brightness stability and the reproduction of detail in dark areas. The EOTF curve was also corrected, making bright elements appear more natural and improving the overall tonal balance.

However, the most attention should be given to colour reproduction, where some issues persist despite calibration. Sony has omitted the CMS system in this model, which would allow for more precise colour control. As a result, the Colour Checker test for 4K content still reveals significant colour inaccuracies. Despite these limitations, calibration is still recommended, as the improvements in brightness and contrast are noticeable and greatly enhance the overall image quality.

After calibration, the Filmmaker mode truly lives up to its name. The white balance for both HD and 4K HDR content has been significantly improved, resulting in more natural and consistent colours. The pink hues in HD content and the yellow tint in 4K HDR have been effectively eliminated, enhancing the realism of the image. As a result, the television now offers much better colour reproduction, positively impacting the overall viewing experience.

However, when it comes to brightness, the gamma curve now reveals a noticeable drop at the beginning, making the darkest details more difficult to discern. The EOTF curve for 4K HDR content remains largely unchanged and still falls short of the reference level, meaning the television continues to struggle with maintaining appropriate brightness. This issue is tied to the aggressive dimming algorithm, which affects overall brightness and black levels.

Despite the limitations associated with local dimming, the television has seen an improvement in colour reproduction quality. The Color Checker test results confirm that the colour samples are now much closer to the standards, resulting in a more natural and visually pleasing image.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in lower-quality materials on the Bravia 8 is lacking. Unfortunately, the gentle gradation function, which was available in previous models, is missing, which is a significant drawback. The digital noise reduction feature can improve tonal transitions, but it often removes fine details, such as clouds in scenes from The Martian, which may not be to everyone's taste. On the other hand, the digital processing in the Sony XR80 is quite effective. In test scenes, it performed well without noticeable flaws, and the branches in the background remained smooth without jagged edges. This indicates that the Bravia 8 is capable of handling complex low-resolution image details with relative ease.

The smoothness of tonal transitions in lower-quality materials looks great – the Noise Reduction function effectively smooths tonal transitions while eliminating film grain. Although removing grain is not always desired, the final effect looks very aesthetic, especially for those who prefer a cleaner image.

As for upscaling, the Samsung QN900D demonstrates the enormous capabilities of the new AI technology processor. Photos and materials in lower resolution are upscaled while retaining many details – for example, a photo with a model looks great, devoid of unnecessary jagged edges, and the branches in the background are not overly aliased.

The Sony Bravia 8 offers a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, ensuring smooth viewing of dynamic content such as sports and games, with sharp and fluid motion. For more demanding users, the Sony XR80 features an advanced motion smoothing system, divided into three settings: Smoothness (Film), Smoothness (Camera), and Clarity. The first two settings adjust the level of blur and smoothness, while the Clarity setting will be discussed in more detail below. Each of these parameters can be customised to suit individual preferences, allowing users to fine-tune the settings for the optimal viewing experience.

The Samsung QN900D is currently the fastest television in the world – quite literally. With an impressive refresh rate of 240 Hz at 4K resolution, it offers a remarkable performance that PC gamers will undoubtedly appreciate. Movie enthusiasts will also find much to admire, as Samsung provides a 10-level scale in the picture clarity settings, allowing for extensive image customisation. Users can choose whether they want the television to deliver a smoother, more fluid effect at the highest settings, or a more cinematic experience with visible frames at the lowest settings.

The Sony Bravia 8 has greatly improved its compatibility with consoles compared to earlier models. It supports variable refresh rate (VRR), which eliminates screen tearing and can sync with graphics cards for smooth visuals. The Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) reduces input lag, a crucial feature for fast-paced games. Additionally, Dolby Vision with low latency enhances HDR effects, offering stunning visuals during gameplay.

The Sony XR80 also includes a Game Bar, which provides quick access to settings and monitoring tools during gaming. A notable feature is the option to enable a virtual crosshair on the screen, giving players a potential advantage in shooter games.

However, there are some drawbacks. The TV lacks support for 1440p@120Hz resolution, which would benefit users with less powerful graphics cards. Furthermore, the Sony XR80 has only two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which is typically used for connecting an audio system via eARC, limiting the number of available ports for next-gen consoles.

The Samsung QN900D is excellent for console gaming, packed with features gamers will truly appreciate. It comes with 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, but they do not support the full 48 Gb/s bandwidth. However, for most users, this bandwidth is more than adequate. The TV also supports Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), which ensures smoother gameplay and eliminates screen tearing during fast-paced action. Features like G-Sync and FreeSync are also supported, enhancing compatibility with both consoles and PCs equipped with compatible graphics cards, helping to reduce stuttering and provide a smooth image.

A standout feature exclusive to Samsung is the Xbox Game Pass app, allowing users to stream games directly to the TV without needing an Xbox console. This is a very convenient option for gamers who want to enjoy their favourite games without purchasing additional hardware. The Samsung QN900D also features a Game Bar, which provides quick access to gaming-related settings, making it easy to configure the TV for optimal performance.

The Auto Motion Plus Game function offers a special motion smoothing mode that increases the frame rate (up to 4K@60Hz). Importantly, this does not raise input lag significantly, so players can enjoy smoother visuals without sacrificing responsiveness. With all these features, the Samsung QN900D is a top-tier choice for gamers seeking a television with the best possible specifications.