ARTICLE
How Sony TVs take picture and sound to new levels
Published May 19, 2023 • Updated May 4, 2026 - 3 min read
Sony TVs stand out for their powerful picture processing, built-in screen speakers and gaming-ready refresh rates, helping you get sharper 4K and 8K visuals with sound that feels more natural. This article explains the main features that make Sony sets different, and what they mean for everyday viewing.
Key takeaways from this article
The 4K X1 Ultimate processor helps sharpen 4K and upscale lower-res content well.
TRILUMINOS and X-Tended Dynamic Range boost colour and contrast for better HDR.
Screen-based speakers improve dialogue and reduce the need for a louder volume.
Some models can act as a centre speaker, making home theatre setups cleaner.
High refresh rates suit next-gen gaming and fast-moving sport better.
It is no surprise that, in 2023, Sony’s TVs are renowned for having the best processing chips and the most innovative built-in TV speakers around.
Sony TV: Benefits Of 4K X1 Ultimate Processor And Built-in Speaker
4K X1 Ultimate: Sony’s Next-gen TV Processor
There is a lot more to making a TV look good than just the screen. A beautiful OLED panel without a good processor is like having the body of a Lamborghini Aventador with the engine of a VW Beetle. It will get you there, and it will seem OK, but it is not exactly the car of your dreams.
The 4K X1 Ultimate Processor is like the V12 engine, allowing Sony TVs to have the power they need to display such stunning 4K and 8K pictures. It not only processes 4K images to look their best, but upscales non-4K into close to 4K, or even 8K depending on the model, enabling you to get the most out of your TV while still enjoying all those old DVD and Blu-Ray box sets you have held on to, as well as live sport — no matter how it is broadcast.
The X1 Ultimate also boosts the colour with TRILUMINOS Display, which enhances deep colours to look closer to perfect, essential for getting the most out of HDR textures. It works well with the X-Tended Dynamic Range enabled by X1 Ultimate, which gives more oomph to the contrast, making colours look even more vibrant and textures more realistic.
Viewing good HDR for the first time will change the way you watch TV or play games. You probably did not even realise what you were missing, but other screens will look flat and dull.
“It is no surprise that, in 2020, Sony’s TVs are renowned for having the best processing chips and the most innovative built-in TV speakers around.”
How Sony’s In-screen TV Speaker Boost Sound
Most TVs have the speakers on the back because of how thin the screens are. Plus, the bezel has disappeared, leaving fewer places to hide the tweeters and woofers required for optimal listening. But placing speakers on the back means that all the sound has to bounce off the wall before it reaches you. Your wall texture and distance from the TV may absorb a lot of the sound, leaving you with a muddy, muffled mess, which just doesn’t match your spectacular screen quality. While a sound bar or surround sound system would help, that may not be feasible depending on the room set-up.
Sony has found a rather novel solution for this: turn the screen itself into a speaker. It works surprisingly well; Sony TVs have the best sound of any TV with a thin bezel. Where it shines most is in how it conveys dialogue, because it’s not losing so much of it to the wall. A good front-firing speaker may mean you don’t have to turn the volume up so loud. People usually turn up the TV because they can’t understand what’s being said, which is often the fault of rear-firing speakers, rather than their hearing.
If you do upgrade to a home theatre system, some Sony TVs can be put into “TV Centre Speaker Mode” which, as the name implies, turns the TV into the centre speaker. This reduces what you need to have on your TV stand and takes advantage of psycho acoustics (having the sounds coming from where you’d expect them to), which makes whatever you are watching far more immersive.
What To Know About Sony TVs And Gaming
With the new Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation consoles expected to come out later this year, one of the big challenges for TV makers has been coming up with a TV with a refresh rate able to keep up. Sony is one of the few TV brands to have a model up to the task — the X9500G range with its X-Motion Clarity 200Hz refresh rate.
Sony TV And Google Assistant
Watch your favourite catch up content, streaming services and YouTube without needing a separate device. Take advantage of the TV’s smart Google Assistant to change the channel, turn up the volume, pick a movie, or even control your smart home devices. Plus, if you have another Android device, you can even cast videos, content and photos to your TV for a seamless experience.
Sony TV Standout Features
One of the best processors available for TVs.
Truly innovative built-in speakers in some models.
One of the highest refresh rates for TVs in some models, making it ready for next generation gaming consoles.
