Sony Is Making The Best TVs For Apple Users And I Got One
Review of Sony Bravia X81J with Google TV
I never cared too much about owning a TV. When I moved out from my parent’s place, I took their old 37" LCD TV that I used for Spotify together with the original Chromecast. After getting a dedicated Bluetooth speaker, I no longer needed the TV, so I sold it.
Fast forward a few years, and I found myself with yet another TV from my parents, a 10-years-old 40-inch Samsung TV. The luck wanted that my girlfriend and I were gifted it right before the unfortunate year 2020. Throughout the pandemic, we used the TV to watch all sorts of TV shows on Apple TV and play co-op games on Xbox One.
Being stuck at home last year made me realize how much joy I get from watching my favorite movies from my apartment, especially when they are out on streaming services almost at the same time as they are being screened in cinemas. The same goes for playing video games, which a part of me missed a lot. With that, I decided that it’s time to upgrade my entertainment setup, so I started a search for a TV worthy of my living room.
Finding the perfect 4K TV
With countless options available, I came up with a lengthy list of criteria to find the perfect TV for my needs. Anything that wasn’t 4K HDR was out, although I didn’t pay too much attention to supporting specific HDR standards. Size-wise, I set on 50–55-inches, which works great for my 20m2 living room. HDMI Arc was a must since I use the Sonos Beam soundbar. I also wanted support for AirPlay 2 and the Apple TV app since my current Apple TV set-top box doesn’t support 4K. Compatibility with HomeKit was welcomed, but I knew that would mean crossing out Samsung as a potential option. Last but not least, I didn’t want to break the bank, so I set the price bar at €800.
I ended up with three brands with TVs that check all the boxes and are available in Germany: Samsung, LG, and Sony. But then, I remembered about one more feature that I wanted: a built-in Chromecast. I was using a dated second-generation Chromecast to cast from Oculus Quest 2. But like me Apple TV, it doesn’t support 4K resolution. With that, Sony was the only option. Their TV run on Android TV or, in the case of this year’s models, Google TV. In the end, I bought a 50-inch Sony Bravia X81J, which cost me less than €600 after a few discounts.
Google’s TV made by Sony
All the latest TVs from Sony run on Google TV, Google’s new take on Android TV. When I first turned on the TV, it felt like setting up a smart home product from Google. I had to launch the Google Home app on my phone, scan a QR code on the screen, and sign in with my Google account. I could even use my saved Wi-Fi password that the Google Home app knew since I used to have Google Home Mini speakers.
The most Google part of the TV turned out to be the home screen. It works similarly to the Apple TV app — it gathers data from multiple services and gives you recommendations from all of them. Unlike the Apple TV app, though, it supports YouTube and, in the case of Sony TVs, Netflix. If you have a Chromecast with Google TV, it will not show your recommendations from Netflix.
It’s possible to use Google Assistant directly on the TV with Sony’s Smart Remote. Unfortunately, I find that it has way more trouble with understanding me than Alexa, Siri, or even Google Assistant on other devices. It’s incredibly annoying when I use dictation on YouTube.
Sony-specific parts of the setup mainly were related to the picture settings that I had to configure individually for each input device and separately for SDR and HDR content. I was also able to connect Alexa using the pre-installed TV Control with Smart Speakers app. Although, in my case, this wasn’t necessary since my Sonos Beam can control the TV with Alexa thanks to its HDMI Arc port.
A TV for an Apple user
Despite running on the Google TV platform, Sony TVs are a great choice for anyone using Apple devices. They have support for AirPlay 2 so that you can mirror your screen or play music. There’s also HomeKit compatibility, which allows for toggling the TV on or off and switching the HDMI inputs. It’s perfect if you want to include your TV in HomeKit automations.
The Apple TV app is now a standard for TVs with Google TV and many other manufacturers. The only thing missing with the Sony TVs is the Apple Music app, exclusive to Samsung’s televisions.
Great picture quality on a budget
I’m far from a specialist in picture quality, but I like what X81J has to offer. There are plenty of settings that can be changed, including the picture modes that include Cinema and Custom, which are supposed to be based on the film industry standards. I also watched some HDR content, including Dolby Vision on Apple TV+ and Netflix. The contrast is far from OLED or TVs with local dimming, but it’s more than enough for my needs.
Sony’s upscaling, Reality Creation, is a great feature for all non-4K content. I use it with my Apple TV HD and Xbox One, and the difference is noticeable. I set it to manual and cranked it up to the maximum setting, which is probably not the wisest decision ever, but I don’t find it too artificial, especially in games. But I don’t think it’s a long-term replacement for having a 4K-ready image source.
The perfect TV for any smart home
Despite being heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem, I want to keep my smart home as cross-platform compatible as possible. TVs from Sony fit this requirement in an excellent way and works great with all major smart home platforms: Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home. If you’re looking for a TV that will play well with all devices in your household, Sony is the way to go.
If you have any questions about the Sony Bravia TV, hit me up on Twitter.
