Sony A90J OLED TV: Yes, this $3,000 TV is worth the money

Sony's A90J OLED TV is an expensive option that offers the best picture of any TV we've tested.

It's our pick for best luxury TV since it hit the market in spring 2021, and it still delivers a great picture in a striking design with solid sound and a smart Google TV interface.

So what makes this TV worth a $2,798 asking price?

Get out the popcorn, sit on the couch, and we'll give you the info.

who, what and how

Who's this for:

Sony's A90J display offers impressive picture quality in a surprisingly slim design, all for an ultra-premium price.

For the cost, you'll get a great OLED panel, solid sound, and plenty of smarts.

What you need to know:

The A90J is an OLED TV.

And while this technology has historically struggled to impress with overall brightness, Sony flips the switch with this improved panel, offering more vibrant colours.

It's the best image we've seen and it still looks great in a room with natural light.

Plus, a built-in smart Google TV interface lets you easily stream from major services, though like most flat TVs, the internal speakers deliver decidedly average sound.

How This Compares:

 The Sony A90J outperforms any TV we've previously tested in terms of picture quality, ensuring whatever content you watch (720p, 1080p or 4K) looks amazing.

Here you will find hyper-precise colors, tight details and an immersive image.

Of course, at this price, it's not for everyone.

Those who don't need the absolute best picture will be better suited to the TCL 6-series. Smart-wise, Google TV's interface is on par with others on the market, allowing you to request content through Google Assistant, al just like the latest Chromecast.

And while the speakers are about as good as you can get in a slim panel, we'd suggest you consider a standalone soundbar.

shine brighter than the rest

As an OLED TV, the Sony A90J outputs and creates an image through individual pixels, which are not only responsible for the images, but also for the brightness in any given scene.

Plus, you can turn off individual pixels so darker scenes look exceptionally dark.

Unlike QLED or LED technologies, which allow LED lights to be filtered through a backlit panel to create an image, OLEDs generally offer more accurate colors, and have taken top spots in homes, apartments, or living spaces. I could control the lighting.

In our extended tests, we were impressed that the Sony A90J's updated OLED panel could boost brightness with a built-in heatsink.

This allows for, and compensates for, more heat by combating higher temperatures, subsequently creating brighter colours, enhanced vibrancy and some of the most immersive visuals we've ever seen.

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You can buy the Sony A90J in three sizes;

the lowest price of $2,798 scores it at 55 inches, the smallest of the bunch.

For $3,799 you'll get a 65-inch, and if you're ready to spend $5,999 you can buy the huge 83-inch screen.

The standard TV test we run at CNN Underscored is watching "Avengers: Endgame" - yes, it's a hard life - it was a good challenge for the Sony A90J.

Overall, it was brighter than other OLEDs we've tested, like the Sony A8H, but still delivered accurate color reproduction.

The climactic battle was realistic and immersive, with fast playback and a great atmosphere.

For the price, it's no surprise that the A90J supports a host of standards like Dolby Vision, HDR and HDR+.

You also have several modes to choose from, such as Vivid or Director, both of which keep the brightness level higher.

Sony's A90J will also upscale your content to near 4K resolution.

That means 720p and 1080p movies or TV shows will look sharper and reflect colors better.

Upscaling is done in real time, along with adjustments for standards thanks to Sony's Bravia XR Cognitive processor, using an AI (artificial intelligence) layer to adjust the area it thinks you'll see first.

An eye-catching design with two supports

Along with great images, Sony built an eye-catching design that extends the image to the edges of the frame.

This results in super slim black bezels and an even more beautiful screen to look at.

The included stand is also adjustable, allowing you to prop the TV directly on any table, cabinet, or home entertainment build, or sit it on top of a sound bar.

Setup was simple.

The stand was easily secured, allowing us to connect power to lights and other devices with the four HDMI ports, which is plenty of room for connectivity.

Sound-wise, Sony uses a set of speakers that move and vibrate, resulting in a well-balanced mix that can fill a smaller room.

Ultimately, if you're willing to spend the money on such an impressive picture, we'd suggest pairing it with a soundbar for comparable sound.

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Lastly, you get a big, basic remote, though it doesn't have the impressive array of solar panels and rechargeable battery like Samsung's newer TV remotes.

A trio of intelligence

Sony's agnostic approach to smart home ecosystems is still available with the A90J, as well as the rest of the company's 2021 TV lineup.

You can add the A90J to your Apple Home via HomeKit, connect it with Alexa, or use the Google Assistant, which is built right into the Google TV interface.

But the biggest change to the software comes with the addition of the Google TV platform.

Its grid-like options may not be as straightforward or intuitive as Roku, but it does offer access to all the major streaming players.

Plus, we like that you can use the remote's built-in microphone to simply ask Google Assistant for content and personal recommendations.

Just pressing a button, like the Siri Remote on Apple TV, allows you to make a voice request.

Also, YouTube TV is integrated directly into Google TV and subscribers have access to a special tab at the top.

Content from popular streaming services like Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max, Apple TV+, and Hulu launched quickly and was easy to navigate with the included remote.

You can cast content from your phone, tablet or laptop through the Google Cast feature and those with Apple devices can use AirPlay 2 to cast.

In conclusion

The Sony A90J is our pick for best luxury TV, offering the best picture currently available.

It is a high price to pay, but we think it is worth it for all the advantages that this OLED panel offers combined with highly detailed and immersive images.

Along with this high-end image, Sony includes support for just about any smart home assistant you choose, all while packing a well-reviewed Google TV interface and respectable audio.

Those who want an admirable image for less money, we recommend the TCL Series 6.

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