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Sony releases its 2023 TV prices with one very big exception

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If you’re in the market for a new TV and you’ve been patiently waiting to see how much Sony is asking for its 2023 models (and when you can buy them), today’s the day you find out. Unless of course, you’ve been waiting to see what Sony wants for its latest flagship, the A95L 4K QD-OLED. In that case, we’re the bearers of bad news: That model, in all three of its planned sizes (55-, 65-, and 77-inches,) is still MIA, and Sony hasn’t indicated when that will change.

Sony Bravia A95L 4K QD-OLED TV Sony

Despite the absence of official pricing on the A95L , we can give you a potential hint as to what you can expect when Sony finally releases the info. According to Sony watchers on AVSforum, Sony’s Canadian website briefly displayed A95L pricing in early March. These prices have since been removed, so Digital Trends can’t confirm them, but here’s what was reportedly seen: 55-inch, $3,800; 65-inch, $4,800; 77-inch, $6,800. Keep in mind, these prices were in Canadian dollars. The approximate U.S. dollar prices would be $2,800, $3,500, and $5,000, respectively.

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If we look at Samsung’s prices for its 2023 S95C (55-inch, $2,500; 65-inch, $3,300; 77-inch, $4,500), which uses the same QD-OLED panel, those converted U.S. dollar prices for the A95L definitely feel like they’re in the right ballpark.

Now, on to the officially released Sony 2023 prices and release dates. All four 2023 models released today share a few common features and technologies. The smart TV experience is powered by Google TV, continuing the Sony-Google partnership that has been in effect for several years.

Under the hood, Sony is using its updated Cognitive Processor XR, which in some cases comes with a new XR Clear Image option (only on select models),which the company claims will improve noise reduction and clarity with motion, reducing blur. All four models also come with Acoustic Center Sync, which synchronizes the TV’s audio system with the center channel of a compatible Sony soundbar via an analog cable. This can help the soundbar deliver a more realistic experience, especially for on-screen dialogue.

Sony Bravia XR A80L 4K HDR OLED with Google TV

Sony / Sony

While not quite the class-leading experience we expect to get from the QD-OLED A95L, Sony’s A80L is nonetheless its best OLED TV. It’s equipped with Acoustic Surface Audio+, which uses the entire OLED panel as a speaker. This gives the TV very good audio performance when not connected to a soundbar and helps it deliver even better performance when using Acoustic Center Sync.

  • 83-inch: $5,500, available to preorder in June
  • 77-inch: $3,600, available to preorder on May 15, 2023
  • 65-inch: $2,600, available to preorder on May 15, 2023
  • 55-inch: $1,900, available to preorder on May 15, 2023

Sony Bravia XR X95L 4K HDR Mini LED with Google TV

Sony / Sony

Available only in an 85-inch size, the X95L is Sony’s best 4K Mini-LED TV. It incorporates Sony’s XR Backlight Master Drive, which the company has claimed offers better control of mini-LED backlights than other companies’ TVs. We put this claim to the test when we reviewed the 2022 X95K and found that while brightness levels were truly impressive, there was nonetheless some detectable blooming around bright zones. On this particular metric, Samsung’s mini-LED TVs fared better. We’ll see if Sony has improved the technology for 2023.

The X95L also gets the XR Clear Image feature we noted above, plus XR 4K upscaling. This model also has Sony’s best LED TV sound system, Acoustic Multi-Audio+.

Sony Bravia XR X93L 4K HDR Mini LED with Google TV

Sony

The X93L is very similar to the X95L, with XR Backlight Master Drive controlling its thousands of mini-LEDs, but you don’t get XR Clear Image.

Sony Bravia XR X90L 4K HDR Full Array LED with Google TV

Sony

Sony’s X90L  uses a conventional full-array LED backlight system with the company’s XR Contrast Booster technology controlling its many zones. This keeps the prices of the X90L more accessible than Sony’s mini-LED models. Included is support for HDMI 2.1, along with key gaming features like variable refresh rate (VRR), 4K at 120Hz, and automatic low-latency mode (ALLM).

  • 98-inch: $10,000, available to preorder in July
  • 85-inch: $3,300, available to preorder in June
  • 75-inch: $2,200, available to preorder in June
  • 65-inch: $1,600, available to preorder in June
  • 55-inch: $1,300, available to preorder in June

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Simon Cohen
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