Sony Bravia 7 (XR70)

BRAVIA 7 / XR70

Available screen sizes: 65”75”85”

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Panel technology: LCD VA Brand: SONY Resolution: 3840x2160 Operating system: Google TV Model year: 2024

Our verdict

8.1

Overall rating

Testing the Sony Bravia 7, we quickly noticed that this TV can do quite a lot. Although it is the "lowest" model from the Japanese manufacturer in the new 2024 lineup, it certainly doesn’t feel like a compromise. The picture impressed us with its deep blacks and the detail in bright scenes – thanks to Mini LED technology, which makes a difference. When we played movies in Dolby Vision, it was immediately obvious how much HDR adds life to every scene. The intense colors and great dynamics made watching evening shows a true pleasure for us. Daily use of this TV also positively surprised us. The Google TV system worked flawlessly, and the choice of apps was so extensive that we easily found everything we wanted to watch. The backlit remote is a small but practical addition – we really appreciated not having to fumble around for buttons in the evenings. The older content we watched improved in quality thanks to advanced image processing. When we tried the TV for gaming, it also made a good impression on us. The 120 Hz refresh rate provided smooth visuals, and the low input lag allowed us to enjoy fast-paced and dynamic gameplay. We particularly liked the Game Bar feature – easy access to settings during the game is something that every gaming enthusiast will appreciate. The TV handled even more demanding titles excellently. However, not everything was perfect. Only two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which is dedicated to eARC, may pose a problem if someone plans to connect several devices simultaneously. Additionally, when we watched the TV from an angle, we noticed that the picture quality was not as good as when looking straight on – the lack of a layer to enhance viewing angles was noticeable here. Nevertheless, the Bravia 7 is a TV that positively surprised us. It combines excellent picture quality with functionality that works well for both everyday use and evening shows or dynamic gaming sessions. The minor limitations are noticeable, but they do not overshadow the overall experience, which definitely deserves attention from buyers.

Advantages

  • High brightness

  • Good contrast

  • Great Dolby Vision support

  • Google TV – intuitive system, easy access to apps, backlit remote

  • Very good built-in speakers

  • Great digital processing

  • Good for gamers - HDMI 2.1, many features, low input lag

Disadvantages

No like

  • No expansion coating for the viewing angles at this price

  • Only 2 HDMI 2.1 ports - one of which is ARC

  • Movies and series in UHD quality

    7.6

  • Classic TV, YouTube

    7.6

  • Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

    7.6

  • Gaming on console

    8.4

  • TV as a computer monitor

    7.6

  • Watching in bright light

    8.4

  • Utility functions

    9.5

  • Apps

    10.0

  • Sound quality

    7.8

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TV appearance

HDMI inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps

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Contrast and black detail

7.7/10

Funkcja lokalnego wygaszania: Tak, ilość stref: 512 (32 x 16)

Result

190,000:1

Result

14,700:1

Result

45,000:1

Result

4,400:1

Result

4,800:1

The Sony BRAVIA 7 television with a VA panel and MiniLED backlighting technology offers excellent black levels. The tested 65-inch variant is equipped with 512 dimming zones, which allows for very good contrast, especially in demanding movie scenes. Naturally, larger TV sizes have more zones, which positively affects contrast and image depth. During testing, in scenes from the movie "Oblivion," the BRAVIA 7 managed to depict dark and bright areas excellently, ensuring decent light separation (the light effect did not merge too heavily into one large spot) from deep black. However, as is often the case with televisions that have local dimming features, certain difficulties arise with small bright light elements. In more demanding segments (e.g., scenes 4 and 5), it can be observed that the television "struggles" to maintain high brightness for these elements, which affects contrast – bright objects are either too dark (in which case contrast results are poor) or a slight halo effect appears around them. In the scene from the movie Sicario 2, the influence of the zones is visible, which causes the aforementioned effect, but it is minimal. Despite these minor imperfections, the overall impressions are positive – the local dimming algorithm works really well, ensuring that the image retains high contrast, and the quality of blacks and details is satisfying.

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

HDR effect quality

6.8/10

Supported formats: HDR10, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 96.0%, Bt.2020: 79.0%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Result

1322 nit

Result

624 nit

Result

1133 nit

Result

457 nit

Result

989 nit

Since we know that the television performs well with contrast, let's check how it fares in terms of HDR effects. The luminance graph shows the very high capabilities of this model – 1500 nits is truly an impressive result. HDR effects are particularly striking in scenes where most of the screen is covered in light, as seen in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th test scenes. Minor shortcomings, typical of this technology, are still noticeable with very small light effects, such as in the scene from the movie "Sicario 2," where brightness drops to 500 nits. Although these are not stunning results, they can be considered decent. Additionally, it is worth praising the television for its high coverage of a wide color gamut – DCI-P3 at 96%, which allows for vibrant, saturated colors.

Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)

Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)

Let's now check how the television performs in very difficult film scenes, such as those from the film "Pan," mastered at 2800 nits, or from "Billy Lynn," which was mastered at around 1100 nits. Generally, in the first scene, the television performs excellently – it's clear that it has a very large power reserve in brightness and has no problem rendering high light effects. The shades of sunlight in the distance are perfectly separated, and the details in the form of clouds look great. The same can be said for "Billy Lynn" – the most challenging light effect, the fireworks, looks incredible – they do not blend into a single blob, and various shades of the pyrotechnics are visible. However, there is a slight caveat regarding details in blacks – the television tends to either slightly lighten or overly dim those elements. Despite this, the overall presentation is very good – this is also thanks to the properly applied dynamic tone mapping function, which adapts excellently to film scenes. Here, one can see how effectively the graphics processor impacts the image quality in the tested Sony model.

HDR luminance chart:

Sony BRAVIA 7 supports both static and dynamic HDR metadata, which translates to varied image quality depending on the type of content. In the tested scene with Dolby Vision, the television performed remarkably well – it perfectly reproduces details, and elements like the forest and grass are full of depth and clarity. Unfortunately, in the case of static HDR10, noticeable issues arise – the image is overly brightened, which negatively affects the viewing experience, especially in more demanding scenes. It is worth noting that despite the lack of Dolby Vision IQ certification, the television offers an "automatic tone curve" feature that adjusts the image to the lighting conditions of the room. This is quite unique, as most automatic features of this type often degrade image quality, but in this case, the results are truly satisfying.

Static HDR10

Dynamic: Dolby Vision

Factory color reproduction

6.7/10

The IMAX Enhanced mode on the Sony BRAVIA 7 television is definitely the best mode available on this model, although it is not without its flaws, as its name might suggest. The biggest issue is white balance – both in HD and 4K HDR content, there is a noticeable dominance of red color, which makes the image take on pinkish shades. This is particularly evident on the tested snow screen, where the pinkish hue becomes very noticeable. Errors in the Colour Checker test also confirm these deviations – although they are not catastrophic, there is a tendency to lean towards warmer tones. As for brightness characteristics, gamma remains at a decent level with a slight bump but without major issues. However, the biggest challenge is 4K materials. It is clear that the EOTF curve is significantly above the reference chart, which causes the image to become too bright.

Factory Mode

After calibration

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Color reproduction after calibration

9.1/10

Sony BRAVIA XR70 offers a wide range of tools that allow for customizing the picture to personal preferences, which has enabled us to make significant adjustments to the settings. The white balance has been free of the issue of red hue dominance – snow no longer ends up with pink shades, which was previously noticeable. Although one can detect minor deviations at the end of the white balance chart concerning a drop in blue color, they are acceptable and hard to notice in everyday use. The Colour Checker test confirms that color reproduction errors are no longer as pronounced and rarely exceed a value of 2, which is a very good result. As for brightness, gamma, while not requiring significant improvement, has been slightly adjusted. However, the most notable change has been observed in the EOTF curve – the television no longer has issues with overly brightening the entire image in 4K content. However, upon closer analysis and enabling EOTF characteristics in films, certain limitations of the television arise due to the previously discussed dimming algorithm. Some small elements may be slightly more illuminated, but these errors are so minor that most users will not notice them. Overall, the calibration results are very, very positive.

Smoothness of tonal transitions

9/10

The Sony XR70 TV handles gradation excellently. In the test sequence, only a few scenes show slight issues with tonal transitions in dark areas, however, most of these problems disappear when the gentle gradation option is turned on. Overall, the TV offers great gradation that will satisfy even the most demanding users.

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

8.5/10

OK Smooth transition function

OK Image without overscan on the SD signal

Since we know that the television performs very well with high-quality materials, it is worth checking how it fares with lower-quality content. Here the television shows its potential, and the applied graphics processor works really well. On the test board with the light bulb, there are no visible issues with color transitions, and the smooth gradation function works very well – we recommend setting it to "Medium".

When it comes to digital processing, or so-called upscaling, the television sharpens the image quite a bit, which leads to slight aliasing, for example on branches in the background, but it does not remove desired details. Nonetheless, the overall appearance is truly attractive and may appeal to most users. However, if we prefer a softer, more plastic image, this effect can be reduced in the settings by adjusting the sharpening level to our personal preferences.

Blur and motion smoothness

8.3/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 120Hz

Film motion smoothing option: Yes

Blur reduction option: Yes

BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 120Hz (double contours)

BFI function 120Hz: Yes, 120Hz

Brightness drop with BFI: 1%

The Sony BRAVIA 7 television with a 120 Hz panel will satisfy most users in terms of motion smoothness. Additionally, Sony offers the Motion Flow feature, which allows for the selection of three different picture settings, adjusting them to personal preferences: Smoothness – Film: This setting improves motion smoothness, giving the image a more cinematic or theatrical character. Smoothness – Camera: This setting provides even greater smoothness, useful when watching dynamic scenes such as sports broadcasts. Clarity: This setting focuses on minimizing noise and motion artifacts, resulting in a more stable and clear image.

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

Blur (BFI function enabled):

Although the Sony XR70 television has a VA panel, it handles the problem of motion blur exceptionally well – the effect is really decent and will satisfy most users. Additionally, the use of the BFI (Black Frame Insertion) function helps improve motion smoothness, but it should be noted that this can lead to the effect of double contours, which is noticeable in our test with the little alien. There is a so-called overshoot effect here – a shadow appearing in front of the spaceship.

Console compatibility and gaming features

8.1/10

  • Yes ALLM: Yes
  • Yes VRR: Yes
  • Yes VRR range: 48 - 120Hz
  • Yes Dolby Vision Game Mode: Yes
  • No Correct implementation of HGIG: No
  • Yes 1080p@120Hz: Yes
  • No 1440p@120Hz: No
  • Yes 4K@120Hz: Yes
  • Yes Game bar: Yes

Sony Bravia 7 has significantly improved its capabilities for cooperation with consoles compared to previous models. The TV supports variable refresh rate (VRR), which eliminates screen tearing, and it is compatible with graphics cards, ensuring smooth display. The auto low latency mode (ALLM) effectively reduces input lag, which is crucial in fast-paced games. Dolby Vision with low latency additionally provides impressive HDR effects that look great during gameplay.

Sony Bravia 7 also offers a Game Bar feature that provides quick access to settings and allows monitoring of parameters during gameplay. An interesting option is the ability to enable a virtual crosshair on the screen, which can give a slight advantage in shooting games. However, compared to the Bravia 9 model, the HGIG feature in the Bravia 7 does not perform as well, which may be noticeable for more demanding gamers – especially since the HGIG mode is becoming more popular in the gaming world as the preferred method for reproducing HDR effects.

A downside is the lack of support for 1440p@120 Hz resolution, which could make gaming easier for users with less powerful graphics cards. Additionally, the Sony Bravia 7 is equipped with two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which is often used to connect an audio system via eARC, limiting the number of available ports for connecting next-generation consoles.

Input lag

9.7/10

Sony BRAVIA 7 provides remarkable results in terms of input lag, particularly with 120 Hz materials, where the delay is around 11 ms – this is an excellent result that will satisfy even the most demanding players. The Dolby Vision mode also deserves recognition, which is typically associated with higher input lag, but here it works really well, providing a comfortable gaming experience. However, we deducted 0.3 points for results with values above 20 ms for 60 Hz content, although we believe that for most users, this difference remains more of a placebo effect.

SDR HDR Dolby Vision
1080p60: 20 ms 2160p60: 20 ms 2160p60 DV: 20 ms
1080p120: 10 ms 2160p120: 10 ms 2160p120 DV: 11 ms
2160p60: 20 ms
2160p120: 10 ms

Compatibility with PC

7.6/10

Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes

Font clarity: Very Good

Readability of dark text and shapes: Good

Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 11ms

Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR

Max refresh rate: 120Hz

G-Sync: Yes

Viewing angles

3.4/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 61%

The Sony BRAVIA 7 TV has poor viewing angles, which is typical for VA panels. The picture quickly loses quality when viewed at a larger angle – colors fade, and contrast decreases. Considering the price of the device, it's a pity that a coating wasn't used to expand the viewing angles, which would certainly improve the viewing comfort from different places in the room.

TV efficiency during daytime

8.4/10

Matrix coating: Satin

Reflection suppression: Good

Black levels during daytime: Good

BRAVIA 7 performs excellently when viewed in bright surroundings. The satin finish effectively suppresses reflections, while simultaneously minimal blurring of elements to the sides, resulting in very good visibility during the day. A brightness level of 1000 cd/m² in SDR mode is astonishing and ensures that the image remains clear even in well-lit rooms.

Matrix brightness

Average luminance SDR

Sony Bravia 7 (XR70): 1014 cd/m2

Details about the matrix

Backlight Type: Mini-LED QLED

TV features

9.5/10

  • System operacyjny: Google TV

  • TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C

  • Yes Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): Yes
  • Yes Recording programming: Yes
  • No Picture in Picture (PiP): No
  • Yes Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
  • Yes AirPlay: Yes
  • Yes Voice search in native language: Yes
  • Yes Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
  • Yes Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
  • Yes Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: Yes
  • Yes Audio only mode: Yes
  • Yes RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): RF
  • Yes Backlit remote control: Yes
  • Yes Teletext: Yes

Sony Bravia 7 operates on the Google TV system, which offers an intuitive and fast interface, providing easy access to a multitude of applications. Google Assistant supports the Polish language, making television usage even more convenient and personalized. The interface is clear, and access to functions and applications is quick and hassle-free. It's worth mentioning the remote, which is charged via a USB-C port. Additionally, the remote is backlit, which greatly facilitates its use at night.

Sony Bravia 7 offers a wide range of capabilities that will satisfy most users. The ability to record programs and easily connect devices via Bluetooth are significant advantages. Unfortunately, it lacks the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) feature, which could be useful for watching two sources of video simultaneously.

XR70 stands out with its practical and elegant design. The television is equipped with a 4-position base that allows for adaptation to various spaces and settings – this is particularly useful when flexibility in interior design is desired. Additionally, the slim aluminum frame gives the device a modern and stylish appearance. Although it is not as sleek as some competing Korean models, it still looks very attractive and sturdy.

Playing files from USB

8.6/10

Maximum photo resolution:Supported photo formats:
Yes 4 Mpix
Yes JPEG
Yes 6 Mpix
Yes HEIC
Yes 8 Mpix
No PNG
Yes 10 Mpix
No GIF
Yes 12 Mpix
No WebP
Yes 16 Mpix
No TIFF
Yes 20 Mpix
No BMP
Yes 24 Mpix
No SVG
Yes 28 Mpix
Yes 32 Mpix

The built-in player handles most popular video and audio formats, allowing you to enjoy a wide range of content without any issues. Although there are minor shortcomings when playing photos, the Google TV system makes it easy to install other applications that effectively solve this problem and expand the multimedia capabilities of the television.

Apps

10/10

OK
Disney_Plus
OK
Amazon_Prime_Video
OK
Viaplay
OK
Player_TVN
OK
Polsat_Box_Go
OK
Canal_Plus_Online
OK
TVP_VOD
OK
Apple_TV_Plus
OK
SkyShowtime
OK
Rakuten
OK
CDA_Premium_Browser
OK
Spotify
OK
Tidal
OK
Netflix
OK
YouTube
OK
MAX
OK
Kodi

Sound

7.8/10

7.8/10

Subjective sound quality

Yes Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

No Dolby True HD 7.1

Yes Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

No Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

Yes DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

Yes DTS-HD Master Audio

Although the Sony Bravia 7 television is equipped with only a 2-channel speaker system (2.0), there are two speakers for each channel with a total power of 40 W. This provides really good sound quality, and the bass is noticeable, making watching movies and listening to music more enjoyable.

Manufacturer's marketing solutions:

  • XR Backlight Master Drive – A precision Mini LED backlight control system that manages thousands of LEDs, delivering impressive contrast and deep blacks.

  • Cognitive Processor XR™ – An advanced processor that analyzes content in a way similar to human perception, optimizing image and sound in real-time for more realistic experiences.

  • XR Triluminos Pro – A technology that expands the color palette, allowing for the display of more vibrant and natural colors, resulting in richer and more realistic images.

  • XR Contrast Booster – A feature that enhances contrast by precisely balancing bright and dark areas, allowing for deeper blacks and brighter whites.

  • Acoustic Multi-Audio™ – A sound system in which additional tweeters positioned at the back of the TV synchronize sound with the image, creating a more immersive audio experience.

  • XR Motion Clarity – A technology that improves motion sharpness, reducing blurriness in dynamic scenes, providing smoother and more realistic experiences when watching sports or action movies.

  • Google TV – A Smart TV platform that provides access to a wide range of apps and streaming services, allowing for content personalization and integration with the Google voice assistant.

  • Ambient Optimization – A technology that automatically adjusts brightness and sound balance depending on the lighting and acoustic conditions in the room, ensuring optimal viewing experiences.

Sony BRAVIA 7 test – exceptional picture quality

Sony BRAVIA 7 test shows that this model offers incredible picture quality that will satisfy even the most demanding users. Thanks to advanced panel technology, BRAVIA 7 test presents deep blacks and vibrant colors, making watching favorite programs a true pleasure. Additionally, access to a wide range of TV tests allows for a thorough comparison of Sony BRAVIA XR70 with others on the market.

Test Sony BRAVIA 7 – innovative features and design

During the test Sony BRAVIA 7, particular attention was paid to the modern design and intuitive user interface. The Sony BRAVIA XR70 stands out not only with its aesthetics but also with functionality, offering advanced smart TV options and easy integration with other devices. The BRAVIA 7 test confirms that Sony XR70 is an excellent choice for those looking for a television that combines style with the highest quality picture.