It’s a great time to buy a new TV. Never in my years as a reviewer have I been flanked by so many fantastic options, from the brightest OLEDs ever made to mid-tier mini LED TVs that perform more like premium models. You can easily spend a mint on a killer flagship display, but with so many choices, you can tailor a great buy to your needs and budget—and save a lot of cash in the process.
Sony’s Bravia 7 lands as an intriguing new entry in this bountiful TV landscape. As a mini LED TV powered by Sony’s new XR Backlight Master Drive technology, it offers many of the performance qualities for which Sony’s top TVs are praised at a price just below most premium models. This TV looks great in a variety of settings thanks to flashy brightness, sharp and clear picture processing, and naturalistic colors that bring your favorite content to life.
There’s one notable flaw that holds the 7 back from loftier aspirations: really bad side-angle viewing. That’s something we used to expect from even the best LED TVs – giving OLED models a real leg up over their backlit counterparts – but newer premium models like Samsung’s QN90 and Sony’s own X93L offer screen tech that improves the issue. The Bravia 7 does not, limiting the allure of an otherwise posh package.
Simple Setup and Settings
Hoisting the 65-inch Bravia 7 review model from its box took some muscle, as it weighs in at around 60 pounds, thanks in large part to its potent mini LED full-array backlighting system. Its checkered backside is reminiscent of flagship models like the A95L (9/10, WIRED Recommends), while chrome bezels at the side give it a touch of style.
From the front, the Bravia 7 looks more utilitarian than many competitors, due in part to its use of feet stands instead of a pedestal, but the trade-off there is a versatile setup. Locking the feet in place is remarkably simple, and with four stand positions, you can largely tailor their height and width to your console and/or soundbar size. Larger soundbars may need to be set atop the slender feet, which isn’t ideal but works in a pinch.
The remote is ergonomic, and I like that it’s made from mostly recycled materials. On the downside, it’s not backlit, and its old-school battery requirement is a step down from options like Samsung’s latest solar remotes or Roku’s USB-C-powered Voice Remote Pro.
Once you’ve got the TV up and running, Sony’s version of Google TV makes everything from loading streaming services to customizing Google Assistant a breeze. There are personalization options like adding your Google Photos as backgrounds. The hardest part is scanning for over-the-air channels, which seemed to take eons (it was just a few minutes).
You’ll find it equally easy to get a great picture, with little need to fine-tune the settings. If you want a slightly brighter image without any changes, the Cinema mode is great. I mainly used the Professional mode with a few tweaks like raising the backlight for daytime viewing, and Dolby Vision Bright mode for Dolby Vision HDR. (I used the latest Spears and Muncil benchmark discs with a Panasonic DP-UB9000 Blu-ray player as part of my testing.) To get the best brightness, you’ll want to turn off the Eco mode and disengage the optical sensor below the Picture settings.