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Sony A90K OLED TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.11
Review updated Oct 06, 2022 at 11:15 am
Latest change: Retest Nov 20, 2024 at 07:20 am
Sony A90K OLED Picture
8.6
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Samsung S90D/S90DD OLED (QD-OLED)
8.2
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Samsung S90D/S90DD OLED (QD-OLED)
8.4
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Samsung S90D/S90DD OLED (QD-OLED)
9.1
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: LG B4 OLED
8.7
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: LG C4 OLED
8.8
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Samsung S90D/S90DD OLED (QD-OLED)
8.8
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Samsung S90D/S90DD OLED (QD-OLED)

The Sony A90K OLED is a mid-range OLED TV in Sony's 2022 lineup. It sits above the Sony A80K/A80CK OLED and below the QD-OLED Sony A95K OLED. It's a bit of an oddity in Sony's lineup, as it's only available in a 42" and 48" size, and it offers very similar specifications and performance to the lower-end A80K. It mainly targets PC and console gamers, and it's part of Sony's "Perfect for PS5" lineup, which offers a few unique features that are exclusive to the PS5, including Auto Genre Picture Mode and Auto HDR Tone Mapping.

Note: We also tested the Sony 42 A90K OLED as a PC monitor. Due to differences in the way TVs and monitors are used, the two sizes were tested with different settings and different test methodology, so the scores and conclusions drawn in the reviews aren't comparable.

Our Verdict

8.6 Mixed Usage

The Sony A90K is an excellent TV for mixed usage. It looks best in a dark room, thanks to its near-infinite contrast ratio and perfect black uniformity, with no blooming around bright objects. It makes it a superb choice for watching movies or gaming in the dark. It's also great for watching shows or sports in a bright room, as it has superb reflection handling and passable peak brightness. It has a wide viewing angle, which is great if you have a wide seating arrangement and want to watch sports with a group of friends, as the image remains consistent when viewed from the side. Finally, it's a very good choice for use as a PC monitor, but there are some text clarity issues due to its WRBG subpixel layout.

Pros
  • Near-infinite contrast ratio for deep blacks and bright highlights.
  • Incredible reflection handling.
  • Image remains consistent when viewed from the side.
Cons
  • Low peak brightness.
8.2 TV Shows

The Sony A90K is a great TV for watching shows during the day. It has superb reflection handling and passable peak brightness, meaning it can handle a moderate amount of light during the day. It has an amazing viewing angle, which is great if you have a wide seating area, as the image remains consistent when viewed from the sides. The built-in Google TV smart interface has a great selection of streaming apps, so you can quickly find your favorite content. The TV also supports hands-free voice control, so you can search for content or even control other smart devices around the house without having to search for the remote.

Pros
  • Incredible reflection handling.
  • Image remains consistent when viewed from the side.
Cons
  • Low peak brightness.
  • 480p content isn't upscaled properly.
8.4 Sports

The Sony A90K is an impressive choice for watching sports. It has an amazing viewing angle, which is great for watching sports with a large group of friends, as the image remains accurate when viewed from the side. It also has an incredibly quick response time, so fast action is clear, with no distracting blur around the players. It has superb reflection handling and passable peak brightness, meaning it can handle a moderate amount of glare in a bright room. Finally, it upscales 720p content well, which is great if you're watching sports on cable TV.

Pros
  • Incredible reflection handling.
  • Image remains consistent when viewed from the side.
  • No motion blur or ghosting.
Cons
  • Low peak brightness.
9.1 Video Games

The Sony A90K delivers a fantastic gaming experience. Thanks to its nearly-instantaneous response time, motion is incredibly clear and smooth, and it has low input lag for a responsive gaming experience. It also has a great selection of gaming features, including variable refresh rate support and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on two HDMI ports, allowing 4k @ 120Hz gaming with the PS5 or Xbox Series S|X. It's fantastic for gaming in the dark thanks to its near-infinite contrast ratio, delivering deep inky blacks with no blooming or haloing around bright objects.

Pros
  • Near-infinite contrast ratio for deep blacks and bright highlights.
  • No motion blur or ghosting.
  • VRR support and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.
  • Low input lag for a responsive gaming experience.
Cons
  • Low peak brightness.
8.7 HDR Movies

The Sony A90K is an amazing TV for watching movies in HDR in a dark room. It has relatively low peak brightness in HDR, but this doesn't matter as much with an OLED display like this one, as its near-infinite contrast ratio allows it to display an incredibly impactful HDR experience. It has an excellent color gamut, with nearly full coverage of the DCI-P3 color space used for most HDR content, and it has superb gradient handling, with next to no banding in areas of similar colors.

Pros
  • Perfect black uniformity with no blooming around bright highlights.
  • Near-infinite contrast ratio for deep blacks and bright highlights.
  • Removes 24p judder from any source.
Cons
  • Stutter due to near-instantaneous response time.
  • Limited HDR peak brightness.
8.8 HDR Gaming

The Sony A90K is an amazing choice for gaming in HDR. It delivers a fantastic gaming experience, with low input lag and a nearly-instantaneous response time, so motion is smooth and clear. It also has some great gaming features, including HDMI Forum VRR support and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for 4k @ 120Hz gaming. It can't get very bright in HDR, but HDR content still looks impressive as the near-infinite contrast ratio delivers bright highlights right next to deep blacks, with no blooming around bright objects.

Pros
  • Perfect black uniformity with no blooming around bright highlights.
  • VRR support and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.
  • Low input lag for a responsive gaming experience.
Cons
  • Limited HDR peak brightness.
8.8 PC Monitor

The Sony A90K is a very good TV for use as a PC monitor. It has low input lag and a nearly instantaneous response time, so your actions on-screen are fluid and responsive. It also has a wide viewing angle, ensuring the sides of the screen remain consistent, but there's some color shifting at the edges. It has good visibility in a moderately lit room, with superb reflection handling but just passable peak brightness, so glare is still distracting in a room with lots of light. Unfortunately, its WRBG subpixel layout delivers just decent text clarity, and there's some color fringing.

Pros
  • Incredible reflection handling.
  • Image remains consistent when viewed from the side.
  • No motion blur or ghosting.
  • VRR support and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.
  • Low input lag for a responsive gaming experience.
Cons
  • Low peak brightness.
  • 8.6 Mixed Usage
  • 8.2 TV Shows
  • 8.4 Sports
  • 9.1 Video Games
  • 8.7 HDR Movies
  • 8.8 HDR Gaming
  • 8.8 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Nov 20, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  2. Updated Sep 11, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  3. Updated Jul 17, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  4. Updated May 02, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  5. Updated Feb 13, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  6. Updated Jan 08, 2024: We verified the TV's 1440p support with firmware PKG6.7480.0852NAA. The TV doesn't natively support 1440p, as it either upscales the signal to 4k or simply shows a black screen when trying to force the resolution. Updated the results in the Input Lag, Supported Resolutions, and Variable Refresh Rate boxes.
  7. Updated Dec 05, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  8. Updated Oct 12, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  9. Updated Aug 09, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  10. Updated Jun 07, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  11. Updated Apr 28, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.11. With this update, we've added a new Upscaling: Sharpness Processing test and revamped our Blooming test so the scores and picture better match the real world experience. With this change, it was necessary to remove the Black Crush test. Finally, we've updated our usage scores to better align our scores with user expectations.
  12. Updated Apr 03, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for four months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  13. Updated Mar 09, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.10. With this update we've revamped our Gradient testing, added a new test for Low Quality Content Smoothing, and expanded our Audio Passthrough testing.
  14. Updated Feb 24, 2023: Updated to Test Bench 1.9, modifying our Contrast testing and splitting our local dimming testing into multiple sections covering Blooming, Black Crush, and Lighting Zone Transitions. You can see our full changelog here.
  15. Updated Feb 16, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for two months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  16. Updated Nov 17, 2022: We uploaded the initial brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  17. Updated Oct 06, 2022: Review published.
  18. Updated Oct 03, 2022: Early access published.
  19. Updated Sep 12, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
  20. Updated Aug 22, 2022: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  21. Updated Jul 11, 2022: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 48-inch Sony A90K (XR48A90K), and the results are also valid for the 42-inch model. We also tested the 42-inch Sony 42 A90K OLED (XR42A90K) as a monitor, but note that the scores, test results, and text are all relative to the monitor market, so they're not directly comparable to the results posted in this review.

Size Model
42" XR-42A90K
48" XR-48A90K

Our unit was manufactured in June 2022, and you can see the label here.

Compared To Other TVs

The Sony A90K is an excellent OLED monitor that's only available in smaller 42" and 48" sizes. It performs about the same as the other 48" OLEDs on the market, including the LG 48 C1 OLED, but it comes with a slightly more versatile stand. Unfortunately, it has worse gaming features and higher input lag than the competition, so if you care more about gaming, the LG models are a better choice.

See our recommendations for the best smart TVs and the best TVs for movies.

LG C3 OLED
42" 48" 55" 65" 77" 83"

The LG C3 OLED is better than the Sony A90K OLED. The LG is more versatile for gamers because it has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on all four ports and provides a more responsive gaming experience due to its lower input lag. HDR content has more impact on the LG because of its better HDR brightness, and it can overcome more glare in a bright room due to its better SDR brightness.

LG C2 OLED
42" 48" 55" 65" 77" 83"

The LG C2 OLED is a bit better than the Sony A90K OLED. The LG is significantly brighter in both SDR and HDR, so it can better overcome glare, and bright highlights stand out better in HDR. The LG also has better gaming features, including support for 1440p @ 120Hz gaming, FreeSync variable refresh rate support, and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on all four ports compared to just two ports on the Sony.

Sony A90J OLED
55" 65" 83"

The Sony A90J OLED is a bit better than the Sony A90K OLED, but the differences are very minor. The A90J is a bit brighter than the new model, meaning it can handle a bit more glare, and bright highlights in HDR stand out a bit more. Although sharing a similar model name, the A90K isn't a direct replacement for the A90J, as they're available in different sizes. The A90J is available in a 55", 65", and 83" size, while the A90K is only available in 42" and 48" sizes.

Sony A95K OLED
55" 65"

The Sony A95K OLED is much better than the Sony A90K OLED. The A95K delivers a much more impactful HDR experience thanks to its wider color gamut and significantly better color volume, so bright colors are more vibrant and realistic. There's also less banding in gradients, and it gets significantly brighter, so bright highlights stand out much better. 

Sony A80K/A80CK OLED
55" 65" 77"

Although the Sony A90K OLED is positioned as a higher-end model than the Sony A80K/A80CK OLED, they offer nearly identical performance, but they're available in different sizes. The A80K is available in a 55", 65", and 77" size, while the A90K is only available in 42" and 48" sizes.

Sony A9S OLED
48"

The Sony A90K OLED is the replacement for the Sony A9S OLED. The A9S is a bit brighter, so it can handle more glare overall, but the A90K has better gaming features. The A90K supports variable refresh rate technology and supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth over two of its HDMI ports, allowing for 4k @ 120Hz gaming from the Xbox Series S|X or the PS5.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved No

The Sony A90K has a premium design that looks great in any room. It has very thin bezels on three sides that help it blend into your environment.

Design
Accelerated Longevity Test
Uniformity Pictures

Update 08/09/2023: The brightness of the TV has increased considerably in the 8-month measurements. This TV doesn't seem to have received any firmware updates that would explain this difference, and the settings used are the same as the previous measurements, so we're not sure why it's increased.

Design
Stand

The stand is slim and not very intrusive. It supports the TV well while not taking up much space on your table.

Footprint of the 48" stand: 19" x 8.8". The position, as shown, barely lifts the bottom of the display off your table, so if you place anything in front of it, it'll block the screen. There are extensions included in the box that lift the TV off the stand (as shown here), giving you 3.2" between the table and the bottom of the screen, so most soundbars will fit without blocking the screen.

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 300x300

The back of the TV has a checkerboard pattern similar to other 2022 Sony TVs. There are included covers to hide the downfacing inputs, but nothing to block the inputs on the side. Sadly, there's nothing for cable management.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.31" (0.8 cm)
Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 2.13" (5.4 cm)
9.5
Design
Build Quality

The Sony A90K OLED has fantastic build quality. It feels solid and well-built. There's very little flex to any of the panels, and the metal feet support the TV on the stand really well.

Picture Quality
10
Picture Quality
Contrast
Contrast
Inf : 1
Native Contrast
Inf : 1

The Sony A90K has a near-infinite contrast ratio with perfect black levels in dark rooms. It means it's a fantastic choice for watching content in dark environments.

10
Picture Quality
Blooming
10
Picture Quality
Lighting Zone Transitions
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
No Backlight
Dimming Zones Count Of Tested TV
8,294,400
9.5
Picture Quality
Contrast And Dark Details In Game Mode
6.0
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
Hallway Lights (~1950 cd/m²)
366 cd/m²
Yellow Skyscraper (~700 cd/m²)
288 cd/m²
Landscape Pool (~300 cd/m²)
151 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
618 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
539 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
429 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
236 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
117 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
603 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
530 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
186 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
232 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
117 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.108

The Sony A90K has unremarkable HDR peak brightness. Although bright highlights aren't as bright as most LED displays, like the Samsung QN90B QLED, it still delivers an impactful HDR experience thanks to its near-infinite contrast ratio. Sadly, like with HDR content, there's a noticeable variation in peak brightness with different scenes, as large bright scenes are considerably dimmer than the brightest highlights in dim scenes.

These results are from the 'Custom' HDR Picture Mode with the Brightness at its max, Color Temperature on 'Expert 2', and the HDR Tone Mapping set to 'Gradation Preferred'.

If you prefer a bright image over an accurate one, set the HDR Picture Mode to 'Vivid', Contrast to its max, Color Temperature on 'Cool', and Peak Luminance to 'High'. It results in a noticeably brighter image, reaching a peak of 788 cd/m² with a 2% window, but the picture isn't as accurate.

5.8
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness In Game Mode
Hallway Lights (~1950 cd/m²)
324 cd/m²
Yellow Skyscraper (~700 cd/m²)
250 cd/m²
Landscape Pool (~300 cd/m²)
147 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
626 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
525 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
379 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
212 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
132 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
607 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
519 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
376 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
212 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
131 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.096

The HDR brightness in Game Mode is nearly the same as outside of Game Mode, and there isn't a noticeable difference. These results are with the same settings as outside of Game Mode, but with the Picture Mode set to 'Game'.

9.4
Picture Quality
PQ EOTF Tracking
600 Nit Tracking Delta
0.0040
1000 Nit Tracking Delta
0.0041
4000 Nit Tracking Delta
0.0041

The Sony A90K tracks the HDR PQ EOTF almost perfectly, which means that most scenes are displayed very close to what the content creator intended. There's a smooth rolloff near the TV's peak brightness, ensuring fine details in bright scenes are preserved.

If you prefer a bright image over an accurate one, set the Contrast to its max, Advanced Contrast Enhancer and Peak Luminance to 'High', and HDR Tone Mapping to 'Brightness Preferred'. This results in a brighter image, but it doesn't change the peak luminance.

6.1
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene Peak Brightness
259 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
359 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
358 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
357 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
217 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
122 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
352 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
352 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
351 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
216 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
120 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.073

The Sony A90K's SDR peak brightness is just passable. Like all OLED TVs, it has an aggressive Automatic Brightness limiter that makes large bright scenes dimmer, which isn't ideal if you use it as a PC monitor or watch sports like hockey. It also automatically dims static content, like the HUD in some games, as a burn-in prevention method. This 48" model is slightly brighter than the Sony 42 A90K OLED, but the difference isn't noticeable with real content.

These results are from after calibration with the 'Custom' Picture Mode, Brightness at its max, Contrast at '90', Color Temperature on 'Expert 1', and Peak Luminance on 'High'.

If you want the brightest image possible and you don't care about accuracy, then use the 'Vivid' Picture Mode with the Brightness and Contrast at their max, Live Color, Advanced Contrast Enhancer, and Peak Luminance on 'High', and the Color Temperature on 'Cool'. It results in a peak brightness of 766 cd/m² in the 2% window.

8.8
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
98.97%
DCI P3 uv
99.67%
Rec 2020 xy
73.54%
Rec 2020 uv
78.83%

The Sony A90K has an excellent HDR color gamut. It has perfect coverage of the most commonly-used DCI-P3 color space, and it has decent Rec. 2020 coverage. The tone mapping with bright scenes is good overall, but saturated colors are a bit off, causing a loss of fine details in certain scenes. These results are nearly identical to the Sony 42 A90K OLED.

7.8
Picture Quality
Color Volume
1,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
73.0%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
32.9%
White Luminance
636 cd/m²
Red Luminance
51 cd/m²
Green Luminance
166 cd/m²
Blue Luminance
17 cd/m²
Cyan Luminance
181 cd/m²
Magenta Luminance
66 cd/m²
Yellow Luminance
217 cd/m²

The Sony A90K has good color volume. It displays dark colors well because of its near-infinite contrast ratio. Because of its W-OLED panel and white subpixel, pure whites are much brighter than colors, and it doesn't look as vibrant as the Sony A95K OLED.

7.6
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
3.25
Color dE
2.84
Gamma
2.28
Color Temperature
6,676 K
Picture Mode
Custom
Color Temp Setting
Expert 1
Gamma Setting
0

The Sony A90K has good accuracy before calibration. Except for cyan, most colors are displayed accurately. The color temperature is very slightly on the cold side, but again, it's not noticeable. The biggest issues are with gamma and the white balance. Gamma is slightly darker than our 2.2 target in dark scenes, and bright shades of gray are a bit off. Note that monitors and TVs use different calibration targets, so these results aren't comparable to the Sony 42 A90K OLED.

9.5
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.31
Color dE
1.16
Gamma
2.20
Color Temperature
6,500 K
White Balance Calibration
10 point
Color Calibration
Yes

The Sony A90K is easy to calibrate, and the overall image accuracy is fantastic after calibration to the D65 white point.

You can see the full settings for our calibration here.

8.5
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
1.301%
50% DSE
0.134%
5% Std. Dev.
0.487%
5% DSE
0.102%

The Sony A90K has excellent gray uniformity. The screen is uniform throughout, with very little dirty screen effect in the center that could be distracting while watching sports. Like any OLED, there are thin vertical lines in near-black scenes, but they're hard to spot unless you sit close. There's much less vignetting on the 48" model than there is on the Sony 42 A90K OLED.

10
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Std. Dev.
N/A
Native Std. Dev.
0.286%

Like any OLED TV, the Sony A90K has perfect black uniformity, as any pixel that's displaying black is turned off. It results in a perfectly uniform image with no blooming around bright highlights.

8.8
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
58°
Color Shift
31°
Brightness Loss
61°
Black Level Raise
70°
Gamma Shift
65°

The Sony A90K has an amazing viewing angle. The image remains consistent when viewed from the sides, which is great if you have a wide seating arrangement or like to move around with the TV on. Colors shift a bit at a moderate angle, especially greens, which is a bit noticeable at the sides of the screen if you're using it as a PC monitor and like to sit close to the screen, but it's not a significant issue.

9.1
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Semi-gloss
Total Reflections
1.8%
Indirect Reflections
0.5%
Calculated Direct Reflections
1.3%

The Sony A90K has superb reflection handling. Reflections from bright light sources aren't very noticeable, but the anti-reflective coating gives everything a bit of a purple tint.

7.5
Picture Quality
HDR Native Gradient
100% Black to 50% Gray
6.0
50% Gray to 100% White
8.0
100% Black to 50% Red
6.0
50% Red to 100% Red
10
100% Black to 50% Green
8.0
50% Green to 100% Green
6.0
100% Black to 50% Blue
10
50% Blue to 100% Blue
6.0

The Sony A90K has superb gradient handling. There's a bit of banding in dark shades of gray and green, but even that is hard to notice. You won't see much banding with regular content. There's a Smooth Gradation feature to further improve gradient handling, and it works well with real content.

8.7
Picture Quality
Low-Quality Content Smoothing
Smoothing
9.0
Detail Preservation
8.0
9.0
Picture Quality
Upscaling: Sharpness Processing
Picture Quality
Pixels
Subpixel Layout
RWBG
Type OLED
Sub-Type
WOLED

The Sony A90K uses an RWBG panel, also known as W-OLED, with four subpixels. Because all four pixels are never all on at the same time, you can see different pixel configurations here and here, and here.

Motion
9.8
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
0.3 ms
100% Response Time
3.0 ms

The Sony A90K has a near-instantaneous response time that results in no noticeable motion blur behind fast-moving objects. However, due to the sample-and-hold nature of all OLED panels, there's still persistence blur, especially with low frame rate content.

10
Motion
Flicker-Free
Flicker-Free
No
PWM Dimming Frequency
0 Hz

The Sony A90K isn't technically flicker-free, but it doesn't use pulse-width modulation (PWM) to adjust the brightness of the display. There's a small dip in brightness that corresponds to the display's refresh rate; however, it isn't noticeable.

Motion
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
Optional BFI
Yes
Min Flicker For 60 fps
60 Hz
60Hz For 60 fps
Yes
120Hz For 120 fps
No
Min Flicker for 60 fps in Game Mode
60 Hz

The Sony A90K has an optional black frame insertion feature to reduce persistence blur. Like all 2022 OLED TVs, it only works with 60 fps content, which is disappointing. The BFI score is based on the flicker frequencies at which it works and not the actual performance.

Motion
Motion Interpolation
Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
Yes
Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
Yes

The Sony A90K has a motion interpolation feature to bring 30 and 60 fps content up to 120 fps. It works well with lower settings in most content, but like all TVs, there are some artifacts with fast-moving content.

5.2
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
38.6 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
13.6 ms

Due to the Sony A90K's near-instantaneous response time, there's significant stutter with lower-frame-rate content as each frame is held on longer.

10
Motion
24p Judder
Judder-Free 24p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60i
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via Native Apps
Yes

The Sony A90K removes 24p judder from any source, including 60p/i sources that don't have a Match Frame Rate feature, which helps with the appearance of motion in movies. However, if you enable the BFI feature, it can't remove judder from 60p/i sources.

9.4
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
HDMI Forum VRR
Yes
FreeSync
No
G-SYNC Compatible
Yes
4k VRR Maximum
120 Hz
4k VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
1080p VRR Maximum
120 Hz
1080p VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
1440p VRR Maximum
N/A
1440p VRR Minimum
N/A
VRR + Local Dimming No Local Dimming

The Sony A90K supports HDMI Forum VRR to reduce screen tearing, but like all Sony TVs, it doesn't support FreeSync. It supports Low Framerate Compensation to continue working with low frame rates. Sadly, the lack of FreeSync support is disappointing if you have a PC with an older AMD graphics card, as only the latest AMD GPUs support HDMI Forum VRR.

Inputs
9.2
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
17.5 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
152.4 ms
1080p @ 120Hz
9.1 ms
1080p @ 144Hz
N/A
1440p @ 60Hz
N/A
1440p @ 120Hz
N/A
1440p @ 144Hz
N/A
4k @ 60Hz
17.5 ms
4k @ 60Hz + 10-Bit HDR
17.6 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
17.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
152.3 ms
4k @ 60Hz With Interpolation
144.1 ms
4k @ 120Hz
9.2 ms
4k @ 144Hz
N/A
8k @ 60Hz
N/A

The Sony A90K has low input lag in Game Mode. It's a bit higher than most similar TVs, like the LG C2 OLED, but it's still good enough for a responsive gaming experience.

8.6
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 4k
480p @ 59.94Hz (Widescreen)
Yes
720p @ 59.94Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 144Hz
No
1440p @ 60Hz
No
1440p @ 120Hz
No
1440p @ 144Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
4k @ 120Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 144Hz
No
8k @ 30Hz or 24Hz
No
8k @ 60Hz
No

The Sony A90K supports most common signals under the HDMI 2.1 bandwidth up to 4k @ 120Hz with HDMI ports 3 and 4. 4k @ 120Hz signals are displayed properly on those two ports, including proper 4:4:4 or RGB for clear text, with no resolution-halving issues. The TV doesn't support 1440p; it upscales 1440p signals to 4k or shows a black screen when trying to force a 1440p signal.

Inputs
PS5 Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
No
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

The Sony A90K works well with the PS5, but you have to use HDMI ports 3 or 4 to get the most out of your PS5. It's part of Sony's "Perfect for PS5" program, and it has a few PS5-specific features like the Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode.

Inputs
Xbox Series X|S Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
No
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

The Sony A90K also works well with the Xbox Series X, but again, you have to use HDMI ports 3 or 4 to get the most out of it. It supports Dolby Vision gaming, but only with a fixed 60Hz refresh rate, as you have to choose between VRR support and Dolby Vision support.

Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
HDR10+
No
Dolby Vision
Yes
HLG
Yes
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
HDMI 2.1 Class Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 3,4)
CEC Yes
HDCP 2.2 Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
ATSC Tuner
3.0 (NEXTGEN TV)
USB 3.0
Yes (1)
Variable Analog Audio Out No
Wi-Fi Support Yes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)

The Sony A90K supports the maximum HDMI 2.1 bandwidth of 48Gbps, but only on HDMI ports 3 and 4. HDMI ports 1 and 2 are limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth. Unfortunately, HDMI port 3 is also the eARC port, so if you want to use a receiver with eARC, you can only connect one high bandwidth source, like a console, at a time.

Inputs
Input Photos
Inputs
Total Inputs
HDMI 4
USB 2
Digital Optical Audio Out 1
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 0
Analog Audio Out RCA 0
Component In 0
Composite In 1 (adapter required, not incl.)
Tuner (Cable/Ant) 1
Ethernet 1
DisplayPort 0
IR In 1
Inputs
Audio Passthrough
ARC/eARC Port
eARC
eARC: Dolby Atmos Over Dolby Digital Plus
Yes
eARC: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Yes
eARC: LPCM 7.1 Over Dolby MAT
Yes
eARC: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Yes
eARC: DTS:X Over DTS-HD MA
Yes
eARC: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Yes
eARC: LPCM Channels (Bitstream)
7.1
ARC: Dolby Digital 5.1
Yes
ARC: DTS 5.1
Yes
Optical: Dolby Digital 5.1
Yes
Optical: DTS 5.1
Yes

The Sony A90K supports eARC, allowing you to pass high-quality, uncompressed audio to a compatible receiver through an HDMI cable. You can also connect a compatible Sony soundbar to the S-Center speaker input and use the TV's speakers as a center channel.

Sound Quality
6.3
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
126.99 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
4.02 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
4.58 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
6.36 dB
Max
91.8 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
3.15 dB

The Sony A90K has a mediocre frequency response. Like most TVs, there's very little bass response, so action scenes have very little thump or rump. Above the low-frequency extension (LFE), the frequency response is smooth in the mid and low treble range, so most dialogue is crisp and easy to understand. There's a bit of a drop-off in the mid to high treble range, but it's not noticeable. It gets very loud, but the drop-off in treble is even worse at high volume levels, and there's some compression.

7.5
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.140
Weighted THD @ Max
0.805
IMD @ 80
0.47%
IMD @ Max
2.59%

The Sony A90K has good distortion performance. There's a bit of audible harmonic distortion, and it's a bit worse at high volume levels.

Smart Features
8.0
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS Google TV
Version 10
Ease of Use
Average
Smoothness
Very Smooth
Time Taken to Select YouTube
2 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
2 s
Advanced Options
Many

The Sony A90K comes with the same Google TV smart platform as other 2022 Sony TVs. It's easy to use and fast.

0
Smart Features
Ad-Free
Ads
Yes
Opt-out
No
Suggested Content in Home
Yes
Opt-out of Suggested Content
No

Unfortunately, like most TVs, there are ads throughout the interface. You can opt-out of personalized ads; however, this doesn't change how many ads you'll see; rather, it just limits how personalized they are.

9.0
Smart Features
Apps and Features
App Selection
Great
App Smoothness
Very Smooth
Cast Capable
Yes
USB Drive Playback
Yes
USB Drive HDR Playback
Yes
HDR in Netflix
Yes
HDR in YouTube
Yes

The built-in Google Play Store has a great selection of additional apps, so you're sure to find your favorite content.

8.5
Smart Features
Remote
Size
Small
Voice Control
Many Features
CEC Menu Control
Yes
Other Smart Features
No
Remote App Android TV

The included remote is compact but well-built and has a great selection of features. The buttons are backlit, and there's an ambient light sensor on the remote that automatically activates the backlight when needed. There's a mic on the remote, and the TV also has a built-in mic that allows for hands-free voice control. With simple voice commands, you can change inputs, launch apps, or search for content.

Smart Features
TV Controls

There's a single button behind the TV to turn it On/Off, change channels, adjust the volume, or switch inputs. It also has a switch to turn the built-in mic on or off if you're concerned about privacy.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Remote control
  • 2x AAA batteries
  • Leg extenders
  • Cable management tie wrap
  • User guides

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 87 W
Power Consumption (Max) 171 W
Firmware PKG6.5942.0698NAA