I use this Award-winning Sony OLED TV every day, but I don't think you should buy it – especially while this LG OLED TV is over £900 off

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My alternative pick is cheaper, newer, and equally as talented

OLED TV: Sony XR-55A80L
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi? / Netflix, Agent Elvis)

The Sony A80L is a highly regarded OLED TV amongst the AV team here at What Hi-Fi?. It held a spot in our reference home cinema system for well over a year before being replaced by its successor, the equally brilliant Sony Bravia 8, and it's also the TV that I use every single day.

Despite being over two years old, stock appears to have resurfaced just in time for Black Friday, meaning you can snag the 55-inch version for £1044 at Amazon; not a bad deal when you consider that we reviewed it at a whopping £2399.

It's still a fantastic TV, and it gives many 2025 models a run for their money when it comes to picture and sound performance, but it's not the TV that I would recommend buying this Black Friday.

Instead, I'll continue pointing buyers towards the spectacular 55-inch LG OLED C5, as it's a newer, more affordable, and feature-rich TV that delivers a seriously competitive picture performance – and it can be yours for just £989 at Amazon.

LG C5 55-inch (OLED55C5)
Save £911
LG C5 55-inch (OLED55C5): was £1,900 now £989 at Amazon

The LG C5 is a real crowd pleaser. Its rich, dynamic and sharp image is spectacular for movies and TV shows, and the fact that it has four HDMI 2.1 sockets (all capable of handling 4K/144Hz signals) will undoubtedly appease gamers. Throw in Dolby Vision HDR support and the full-featured webOS smart platform for streaming movies and games directly to the TV for good measure, and you have a TV that is guaranteed to impress, especially at this price.

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With a staggering £911 discount attached, the C5 remains my top recommendation for prospective TV buyers this year. It's a versatile and hugely talented television that's guaranteed to impress.

It features a slightly brighter OLED panel compared to last year's C4 OLED (also a five-star TV), as well as LG's Alpha 9 Gen 8 processor, which runs the latest version of webOS for comprehensive streaming, gaming and lifestyle app support.

Cinephiles will swoon over the C5's crisp, contrast-rich and vibrant image, which balances punchy and authenticity with impressive finesse. We compared the C5 and Sony A80L directly against one another in our C5 55-inch review, finding that the two TVs delivered a similarly brilliant performance with impressively sharp and three-dimensional images.

Moreover, it's a superb choice for gamers, thanks to the inclusion of four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets; comparatively, the Sony A80L only features two, both of which are occupied on the TV in my living room. Furthermore, the C5 supports a slightly higher refresh rate of 144Hz, which makes it more compelling for PC gamers.

The C5 does take a back foot against the Sony A80L in one instance, however. When it comes to built-in audio, the C5 is wholly unremarkable, delivering a fairly thin and uninspiring sound, whereas the Sony is much more spacious, detailed and weighty.

Regardless, we'll repeat our usual guidance when it comes to built-in TV speakers: budget for a Dolby Atmos soundbar if you can. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a superb option, and it's on sale for just £335 at Amazon.

While the Sony A80L is still a TV that has countless admirable qualities, I'm convinced that the C5 is the better buy in this instance. The £55 saving is already a compelling reason, but with the LG being two years newer than the Sony, I believe it's also a smarter long-term investment.

Lewis Empson
Senior Staff Writer

Lewis Empson is a Senior Staff Writer on What Hi-Fi?. He was previously Gaming and Digital editor for Cardiff University's 'Quench Magazine', Lewis graduated in 2021 and has since worked on a selection of lifestyle magazines and regional newspapers. Outside of work, he enjoys gaming, gigs and regular cinema trips.

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