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When Sony launched the Bravia XR A95L in 2023, many reviewers called it the best TV you could buy. It paired a second-generation quantum dot organic light-emitting diode (QD-OLED) panel from Samsung Display with Sony’s acclaimed picture processing, and it won awards across the industry. Sony has since replaced it with the Bravia 8 II, which arrived in 2025 and remains Sony’s top OLED in 2026. This Sony A95L review explains how the A95L holds up today, what it costs on clearance, open-box, and used listings, and when the newer Bravia 8 II or a rival flagship makes more sense.
Quick verdict: The Sony A95L still delivers some of the most vivid, accurate, and natural OLED images you can buy, with excellent upscaling, strong built-in sound, and a premium design. Its drawbacks are only two High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) 2.1 ports, higher input lag than LG and Samsung OLEDs, and raised black levels in bright rooms. At a solid discount, it remains a superb movie TV; at full price, the brighter Bravia 8 II is the better buy. Check the Sony A95L price on Amazon.
Sony A95L at a glance
| Spec | Sony A95L |
|---|---|
| Release | Pre-orders opened August 21, 2023 (US); succeeded by the Bravia 8 II in 2025 |
| Panel | 4K (3,840 x 2,160) QD-OLED panel from Samsung Display, 120 hertz (Hz) refresh rate |
| Sizes and launch prices (US) | $2,799.99 (55-inch), $3,499.99 (65-inch), $4,999.99 (77-inch) |
| Processor | Cognitive Processor XR with XR Triluminos Max color |
| High dynamic range (HDR) formats | HDR10, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), Dolby Vision, and IMAX Enhanced; no HDR10+ |
| Measured HDR peak brightness | About 1,215 to 1,300 nits on a 10% window, according to Tom’s Guide |
| Inputs | Four HDMI ports (two HDMI 2.1, one with enhanced Audio Return Channel, or eARC) and two Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports |
| Gaming | 4K at 120Hz, variable refresh rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Dolby Vision gaming; about 16 milliseconds of input lag |
| Sound | Acoustic Surface Audio+ with screen actuators and subwoofers, Dolby Atmos (60 watts) |
| Extras | Bravia Cam included; Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 tuner; premium backlit remote |
Specs and measurements come from Sony’s launch announcement and Tom’s Guide’s review.
Is the Sony A95L discontinued?
Yes. Sony’s 2025 lineup replaced the A95L with the Bravia 8 II, a QD-OLED TV that uses a newer Samsung Display panel in essentially the same chassis. The name suggests a sequel to the 2024 Bravia 8, but What Hi-Fi and other reviewers treat it as the A95L’s true successor, and Sony stopped making the A95L afterward. Both the Bravia 8 II and the cheaper white OLED (W-OLED) Bravia 8 continue in Sony’s 2026 range, and Sony announced no new OLED for 2026.
The A95L’s price fell steadily as stock cleared. In 2025, deals dropped the 65-inch model to about $2,000 to $2,200 and the 55-inch to about $1,700, according to deal coverage from Tom’s Guide and Slickdeals. The Bravia 8 II launched at $3,499 for 55 inches and $3,999 for 65 inches, though sales have since brought the 65-inch closer to $2,500. Today, the A95L mostly appears open-box, refurbished, or used, and those prices vary widely.
Design and build quality
The A95L looks every bit the flagship. Thin metal bezels sit nearly flush with the screen, and the back uses Sony’s textured pattern. The QD-OLED panel and its heat sink make the A95L deeper than ultra-thin W-OLED sets, but it still sits neatly on a wall with a standard 300 x 300 millimeter Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) mount.
The feet attach at the outer corners, so you need wide furniture. Tom’s Guide reports that the 55- and 65-inch models offer two heights: a low position and a raised position about 3.2 inches tall that leaves room for a soundbar. The 77-inch model adds a centered-foot option. Sony also bundled a premium remote with a brushed-metal finish and backlit buttons, a nice touch that the Bravia 8 II dropped.
Picture quality
Color and brightness
QD-OLED panels use blue OLED pixels with a quantum dot color conversion layer instead of the white subpixels and color filters found in traditional W-OLED panels. That design lets the A95L show bright, saturated colors, which Sony markets as up to twice the color brightness of a conventional OLED. Tom’s Guide measured nearly 100% coverage of the Digital Cinema Initiatives P3 (DCI-P3) color space and about 89% of the wider Recommendation BT.2020 (Rec. 2020) space, among the best results of its generation.
HDR highlights reach roughly 1,200 to 1,300 nits on a small window in Tom’s Guide’s testing, far brighter than the Sony A80L. The catch is the Professional picture mode, which Tom’s Guide measured at only 112 nits in standard dynamic range (SDR). Standard and Cinema modes look much brighter for daytime viewing.
Contrast and black levels
Each pixel lights itself, so the A95L shows perfect blacks and pinpoint highlights without the blooming you can see on liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs that rely on local dimming. Sony’s processing excels at shadow detail, gradations, and natural skin tones. One QD-OLED trait matters in bright rooms: the panel lacks the polarizer that W-OLEDs use, so ambient light can make blacks look slightly gray. In a dim room, you won’t notice.
Accuracy, upscaling, and motion
Sony’s processing gives the A95L a natural, film-like look rather than an exaggerated one. Tom’s Guide still recorded a Delta-E (color error) score of 2.86, which trails the LG G3 and Samsung S95C, so it isn’t the most accurate set out of the box, and some viewers notice a slight blue tint in pale tones. Upscaling of lower-resolution content and motion handling remain class-leading, with smooth panning shots and minimal artifacts.
Gaming performance
The A95L supports 4K at 120Hz, VRR, ALLM, and Dolby Vision gaming, but only on HDMI ports 3 and 4. Because port 3 also serves as the eARC port, a soundbar leaves you with one full-speed input for a PlayStation 5 (PS5), an Xbox Series X, or a gaming PC. Tom’s Guide measured input lag at about 16 milliseconds, perfectly playable but well behind the roughly 9 to 10 milliseconds of LG and Samsung OLEDs.
Sony’s Game Menu adds a crosshair, a Black Equalizer, motion blur reduction, and a smaller screen-size mode. PS5 owners also get Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode. If gaming comes first, our guide to the best gaming TVs for PS5 and Xbox covers sets with four HDMI 2.1 ports.
Sound and the Bravia Cam
Acoustic Surface Audio+ uses actuators behind the screen to make the panel itself a speaker, with subwoofers adding bass and Dolby Atmos support. Tom’s Guide praised its clarity, although it doesn’t get as loud as some rivals. A compatible Sony soundbar can also use the TV as its center channel through Acoustic Center Sync. For bigger bass, add a Sony soundbar with a subwoofer.
Sony included its Bravia Cam, which sold separately for $199.99. It enables video calls, gesture controls, and Ambient Optimization Pro, which adjusts picture and sound based on where you sit and how bright the room is. Tom’s Guide called it fun but trivial. If you buy a used A95L, confirm the camera comes with it.
Smart features
The A95L runs Google TV, with Chromecast built in, Apple AirPlay 2, Apple HomeKit, and hands-free Google Assistant through a built-in microphone. Sony layers its own Game Menu and Eco Dashboard on top, and a firmware update added Multi View for watching two sources side by side. Bravia Core credits came with new sets, but used buyers shouldn’t count on them.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Vivid, natural QD-OLED picture with perfect blacks
- Bright HDR highlights and excellent color volume
- Class-leading upscaling and motion processing
- Strong built-in sound and an included Bravia Cam
- Premium design and backlit remote
- Often far cheaper than the Bravia 8 II on clearance and open-box listings
Cons
- Only two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which doubles as the eARC port
- Higher input lag than LG and Samsung OLEDs
- Blacks look slightly gray in bright rooms
- Dim Professional picture mode in SDR
- No HDR10+ support
- Discontinued, so new stock and full warranties are scarce
Sony A95L vs. current flagship OLEDs
Amazon is our main affiliate partner, and it carries the A95L’s successor and the strongest flagship OLED alternatives. Here’s how they compare:
Compare similar flagship OLED TVs on Amazon
| OLED TV | Panel type | HDMI 2.1 ports | Best for | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony A95L (2023) | QD-OLED | Two | Discount hunters who want a Sony flagship | Check price |
| Sony Bravia 8 II (2025) | QD-OLED | Two | The A95L’s brighter successor | Check price |
| Samsung S95F (2025) | QD-OLED with anti-glare matte screen | Four | Bright rooms and gaming | Check price |
| Samsung S95H (2026) | QD-OLED with anti-glare matte screen | Four | The newest Samsung flagship | Check price |
| LG G5 (2025) | W-OLED (four-layer tandem) | Four | Wall-mounted, gallery-style setups | Check price |
| LG C5 (2025) | W-OLED | Four | Flagship-like value for less | Check price |
- Sony Bravia 8 II: What Hi-Fi measured about 25% higher peak brightness than the A95L and called it clearly the better TV, but it keeps the two-HDMI 2.1 limit and swaps the backlit remote for a simpler one. See the Bravia 8 II on Amazon.
- Samsung S95F and S95H: Samsung’s flagships add a glare-reducing matte screen that tames reflections in bright rooms, plus four HDMI 2.1 ports and lower input lag. The 2025 S95F now costs less since the S95H arrived. See the Samsung S95F on Amazon.
- LG G5: LG’s brightest OLED of 2025 suits flush wall mounting and gamers who need four full-speed inputs. The 2026 G6 replaces it. See the LG G5 on Amazon.
- LG C5 or Samsung S90F: These midrange OLEDs cost far less than a flagship. See our Samsung S90F review for a QD-OLED option. See the LG C5 on Amazon.
Who should buy the Sony A95L in 2026?
Buy the A95L if you find one well below the price of a Bravia 8 II from a trustworthy seller, you watch mostly movies and premium streaming in a room you can control, and you value Sony’s natural processing. Check that the Bravia Cam, stand, and remote are included, and inspect the screen for burn-in or damage on used sets.
Skip it if you game seriously on multiple consoles, if your room gets lots of daylight, or if the price comes close to a new Bravia 8 II or Samsung S95F. Mounting it? A sturdy 300 x 300 VESA wall mount fits the 55- and 65-inch models.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sony A95L still worth buying?
Yes, at a discount. Its picture still rivals current flagships, but the Bravia 8 II is brighter, and Samsung and LG flagships offer more HDMI 2.1 ports and lower input lag.
What replaced the Sony A95L?
The Sony Bravia 8 II replaced the A95L in 2025. It uses a newer, brighter QD-OLED panel in a similar chassis and remains Sony’s top OLED in 2026.
Is the Sony A95L brighter than the A80L?
Yes. Reviewers measured the A95L at roughly 1,200 to 1,300 nits in HDR highlights, compared with about 700 to 800 nits for the A80L, and its colors stay more saturated at high brightness.
Does the Sony A95L come with the Bravia Cam?
New A95L units shipped with the Bravia Cam in the box. Used and open-box units may not include it, so ask the seller.
Final verdict
The Sony A95L earned its reputation as one of the best TVs of 2023, and its vivid, natural picture still impresses today. Its limited HDMI 2.1 ports, higher input lag, and bright-room black levels keep it from being perfect, and the Bravia 8 II now beats it on brightness. If you find one at a clear discount, it’s a wonderful movie TV. If prices are close, buy the Bravia 8 II instead. Check the current Sony A95L price on Amazon.