Sony 2017 TVs, 4K, HD, OLED – everything you need to know

Sony made a splash at CES 2017 by unveiling its first range of OLED TVs - the Bravia 4K OLED A1 series - as well as a new line-up of LCD panels in Ultra HD 4K and Full HD.

New to the 4K OLED A1 TVs is the "speaker-less" and "stand-less" design. Inside of using conventional speakers placed at the bottom of the TV (or along the sides, or stored in its stand), the OLED A1 instead uses Acoustic Surface sound technology, where the panel itself vibrates and generates the sound.

No speakers, just a vibrating panel. You'll effectively be hearing audio coming straight from the TV panel. Sony claims this will offer a much wider sound distribution to complement OLED's wider viewing angle. How well it sounds remains to be seen.

The "stand-less" concept is a bit of a misnomer: there is a stand that props the TV up, but you certainly can't see it from the front. All you see is the stunning OLED panel, rather like a picture frame on an easel.

Sony has also implemented HDR (High Dynamic Range) into every 4K and Full HD TV set in 2017. With the Full HD models, this has been done to take into account the HDR ability of Sony's PS4 Slim and Pro games consoles. Out of the box, they'll be HDR10 compatible. There's also support for Dolby Vision on the OLED A1 and XE93 sets, too.

Sony is also planning to roll out updates to bring the HDR broadcast format, HLG, to all 2017 and 2016 Android-enabled TVs.

Android TV makes a return as Sony's smart home interface, but 3D is officially dead - none of Sony's 2017 TVs support the format.

MORE: Sony introduces its first Bravia 4K OLED TV range

Bravia 4K OLED A1

The OLED A1 uses the X1 Extreme 4K HDR processor that we've already encountered in its premium ZD9 series. It makes sense as the ZD9 series was launched in the latter half of 2016, meaning the technology is still relatively new for Sony (and for us).

Sony claims the X1 Extreme is responsible for delivering more accurate noise reduction and detail enhancement. And in the case of the OLED sets, the X1 Extreme is tasked with accurately controlling all eight million self-illuminating pixels on the panel to deliver the pitch blacks, rich colours and strong viewing angles we expect from OLED panels.

OLED A1 (55in, 65in, 77in)

KD-77A1 - £20,000

KD-65A1 - £5000

KD-55A1 - £3500

4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme

Acoustic Surface "speaker-less" technology

Object-based HDR remaster

Super Bit Mapping 4K HDR

Triluminous Display

4K X-Reality PRO

Dolby Vision HDR

Android TV

Google Chrome Cast

Content Bar

MORE: What is OLED TV? The tech, the benefits.

Bravia 4K HDR LCD

The 75in XE94 tops the 4K HDR LCD range

The 75in XE94 tops the 4K HDR LCD range

Of the LCD range, it's the XE94 (available in 75in only with a full-array backlight) and XE93 that stand out. The XE93 comes in 65in and 55in screen sizes, and offers Sony's new Slim Backlight Drive+ technology with a quad-edge LED structure.

A new entry-level range - XE70 - has also been recently announced. Consisting of XE7002, XE7003 and XE7073 models in four different screen sizes, the XE70 range rounds up Sony's 4K LCD sets for 2017. All TVs come with Netflix and Amazon, and prices will be announced when they launch in July.

XE94 (75in)

KD-75XE9405 - £5500

Slim Backlight Drive+

Full-array LED backlight

4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme

Object-based HDR remaster

Super Bit Mapping 4K HDR

X-tended Dynamic Range PRO

Triluminous Display

4K X-Reality PRO

Android TV

Content Bar

Voice Search

Google Chrome Cast

Google Play

HDMI, USB

XE93 (55in, 65in)

KD-65XE9305 - £3200

KD-55XE9305 - £2400

Slim Backlight Drive+

Quad-edge LED backlight

Dolby Vision HDR

4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme

Object-based HDR remaster

Super Bit Mapping 4K HDR

X-tended Dynamic Range PRO

Triluminous Display

4K X-Reality PRO

Android TV

Content Bar

Voice Search

Google Chrome Cast

Google Play

HDMI, USB

XE90 (75in, 65in, 55in, 49in)

KD-75XE9005 - £4500

KD-65XE9005 - £2500

KD-55XE9005 - £1700

KD-49XE9005 - £1500

4K HDR Processor X1

Object-based HDR remaster

Super Bit Mapping 4K HDR

X-tended Dynamic Range PRO

Triluminous Display

4K X-Reality PRO

Android TV

Content Bar

Voice Search

Google Chrome Cast

Google Play

HDMI, USB

The 49in XE70 is one of Sony's entry-level 4K sets

The 49in XE70 is one of Sony's entry-level 4K sets

XE85 (75in, 65in, 55in)

4K HDR Processor X1

Object-based HDR remaster

Super Bit Mapping 4K HDR

Triluminous Display

4K X-Reality PRO

Android TV

Content Bar

Voice Search

Google Chrome Cast

Google Play

HDMI, USB

XE80 (55in, 49in, 43in)

Triluminous Display

4K X-Reality PRO

HDR

Android TV

Content Bar

Voice Search

Google Chrome Cast

Google Play

HDMI, USB

XE70 (65in, 55in, 49in, 43in)

4K X-Reality PRO

HDR

Android TV

Content Bar

Google Play

HDMI, USB

MORE: HDR TV: What is it? Where can you get it?

Bravia Full HD HDR

The 40in WE6 model features Full HD and HDR

The 40in WE6 model features Full HD and HDR

WE75 (49in, 43in)

HDR

Triluminous Display

X-Reality PRO

ClearAudio+

YouTube, Netflix, built-in wi-fi

WE66 (49in, 40in)

WE61 (32in)

HDR

X-Reality PRO

ClearAudio+

YouTube, Netflix, built-in wi-fi

RE45 (40in)

HDR

X-Reality PRO

ClearAudio+

No internet

MORE: CES 2017 news, highlights, best new products

MORE: The best flagship TVs of CES 2017

Kashfia Kabir
Hi-Fi and Audio Editor

Kashfia is the Hi-Fi and Audio Editor of What Hi-Fi? and first joined the brand over 10 years ago. During her time in the consumer tech industry, she has reviewed hundreds of products (including speakers, amplifiers, turntables and headphones), been to countless trade shows across the world and fallen in love with hi-fi kit much bigger than her. In her spare time, Kash can be found tending to an ever-growing houseplant collection and shooing her cat Jolene away from spinning records.