2017 was a big year for Sony. After a long absence from the OLED market, the company returned to it with the Sony Bravia A1E, a fantastic addition to the premium TV market.
But that was 2017, and CES 2018 saw Sony unveil the first two models in its upcoming 2018 range of TVs. There's still a lot more that's yet to be announced, but the two models are a promising first start for the Japanese electronics giant.
First up is the flagship AF8 (aka the A8F in the UK). It's an OLED that's very similar to the A1E, but that features a more traditional stand than last year's model.
Second is the X900F (XF90 in the UK). Although the title of 'flagship LCD' still belongs to Sony's 2016 ZD9, the X900F is a premium addition to the LCD lineup.
Read on for a full look at the individual TV models, and an overview of the technology that Sony's using this year.
Sony 2018 TV technology
So far, it looks like 2018 isn't a massive step forward compared to what Sony offered last year. Although it teased a glimpse of the future with its X1 Ultimate processor at CES, the TVs it's shown off so far still use the company's existing X1 Extreme processor.
The good news is that the X1 Extreme appears to be making its way down the lineup to more of Sony's mid-range sets. Where you would have had to spring for the X930E to get the processor last year, this year it's dropped down to the equivalent of the X900E, the X900F.
Sony’s X900F is the sole LCD Sony has shown off so far in 2018
It's a similar story elsewhere in the lineup. While the X900F doesn't have the same brightness as last year's X930E, it is 20% brighter than its own 2017 equivalent.
What we're seeing is a trickling down of technology from the high-end sets to the mid-range. It's not a massive step forward in the grand scheme of things, but if it continues across the rest of the range then it should mean that more of these high-end technologies make their way into the hands of ordinary consumers.
This trickle down is appreciated, but we'd be lying if we said we weren't hoping for an announcement of HDR10+ support, which Sony seems determined to echew in favor of increased Dolby Vision support.
Sony’s AF8 features a redesigned stand that means it doesn’t have to sit at an angle all the time
Sony 2018 TV Models
Sony Bravia AF8 (available in 55- and 65-inch sizes): The AF8 (known as the A8F in the UK) is Sony's OLED TV for 2018. Unfortunately, not much has changed since last year's A1E. The biggest change is the stand. The new model can be stood up without slanting, takes up 84mm less depth on a TV cabinet, and sits 31mm closer to a wall when wall mounted. Check out our hands on review of the AF8 for a full overview.
Sony Bravia X900F (available in 49-, 55-, 65-, 75- and 85-inch sizes): The X900F (known as the XF90 in the UK) is the only LCD TV of Sony's that we've seen so far this year. It features a couple of enhancements over its equivalent from last year, the X900E. For one thing, it's now packing the X1 Extreme Processor, which you previously had to jump up to the X930F to get your hands on, and which should allow for better upscaling of SDR to HDR content. Local dimming has also been improved from XDR x5 to XDR x6, resulting in around 20% more brightness over last year's model. Our hands on review of the X900F has a full rundown of all its enhancements.
- Here's our review of last year's flagship, the Sony Bravia A1E, if you'd like to see the best of what's already available
from TechRadar – All the latest technology news http://www.techradar.com/news/sony-tv-catalog-2018
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