If you’re not using any, the TV offers some advanced auto-calibration features, including a new Prime Video auto-calibration that pulls metadata from videos. It looks very similar to the Pro mode for movie-like content like Jack Ryan or The wonderful Mrs. Maiselbut when I show Patton Oswalt’s new game show The 1% It noticeably brightened the image without it looking saturated or washed out. I wasn’t able to test the feature for sports Thursday Night Footballbut it actually seems to be among the best options I’ve tried.
Solid booty
The Bravia 7 is fairly well equipped elsewhere, especially for gaming. The TV offers standard features like HDMI 2.1 support for VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) at up to 120Hz to provide a tear-free gaming experience, and ALLM (Automatic Low Latency Mode) for quick response. Sony’s Game Bar lets you quickly add crosshairs and optimize many options, including split-screen mode for watching YouTube clips on screen. PlayStation 5 owners can also access Auto Genre Picture Mode and Auto HDR Tone Mapping to further improve performance.
One notable drawback is that, like the more expensive A95L, only two of the TV’s four HDMI ports support 4K at 120Hz, one of which also has HDMI eARC for connecting a soundbar or other audio device. Cheaper options like Hisense’s U8N offer two separate HDMI 2.1 ports, while higher-end models like LG’s C4 OLED and Samsung’s QN90D and S90D OLED offer four. Regardless of the inputs, I love using the TV for gaming. Its pristine clarity is almost distracting, evoking minute details like gold spikes glowing in the sun on a worn leather shoulder brace.
The 7’s built-in sound system is serviceable, thanks to its dual woofers, dual side-mounted tweeters, and features like Voice Zoom 3 digital enhancement that’s designed to pinpoint dialogue, but is also fairly thin and sharp. I recommend purchasing an external audio device like one of our products Best speakers or Best bookshelf speakers Selects sound on par with visual experience.
Other key Bravia 7 features include support for multiple HDR modes, including Dolby Vision, HLG, and HDR10 (but not the more advanced HDR10+ version), streaming via AirPlay 2 and Chromecast, and a new Eco Dashboard 2 for deep power monitoring.
Punch, balance, and positioning
I was immediately impressed by the Bravia 7’s precise, attractive picture, and in most respects, I’ve become more enamored with it over time. There’s a beautiful precision in the way Sony’s best TVs handle everything from subtle detail and color to dark corridors and brilliant HDR. The Bravia 7’s combination of quantum dots for extended colors, advanced micro-LED backlighting for excellent control and Sony’s latest XR image processing helps build on this legacy with great results.
The 7 doesn’t offer the full, intense brightness of popular value options like the Hisense U8N (8/10, WIRED recommends) or TCL’s latest QM8 (Which I haven’t tested yet). The 7 puts out around 2,000 nits, but that kind of brightness is still quite strong for SDR (standard dynamic range) and HDR content alike. Laser shots sparkle in sci-fi movies, explosions go off, and nature scenes like shimmering coral reefs are rendered with sunny realism.