Take your PlayStation experience to the next level with a Sony 4K gaming TV featuring dedicated Game Mode for a smoother, more responsive gaming experience. Sony’s best processor analyzes content to bring out OLED’s intense contrast with pure blacks, peak brightness and natural colors. Stream smart camera feeds with your voice. Through an Alexa enabled device, just ask Alexa to play music, launch video apps, turn up the volume, and more. Seamlessly integrate your iPhone and Siri devices with your Sony TV for effortless smart home management and content streaming. Reveal more in Sony XBR-77A9G 77 inch TV Master Series Bravia OLED review.
In the box
- 77″ OLED TV
- Pedestal base
- 2 Pedestal brackets
- 6.5′ AC power cord
- Remote control (RMF-TX600U)
- 2 “AAA” batteries
- Eight M5 x 14mm screws (lock-/flat-washers attached)
- 2 Pedestal base rear-covers
- 3 Rear-panel covers
- Cable-tie
- Reference Guide
- Setup Guide
- Warranty Information
- Safety and Regulatory Booklet
- End User License Agreement
- “Child Safety” note
- “Hands-free Voice Search Experience” note
Specifications – Sony XBR-77A9G 77 inch TV Master Series Bravia OLED
General Features & Info:
- Voice Remote with built-in microphone
- dimensions: 67-7/8″W x 39-1/2″H x 12″D with stand; 67-7/8″W x 39-1/4″H x 2″D without stand
- weight: 87.5 lbs. with stand; 77.8 lbs. without stand
- detachable pedestal stand (“footprint” is 19-3/4″W x 12″D)
- wall-mountable (bracket not included, see Accessories)
- VESA mounting hole pattern: 300mm x 300mm
Smart TV Features:
- dual-band Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) provides fast, reliable wireless streaming
- Netflix Recommended TV — offers a unique feature set that makes Netflix even easier to use and enjoy
- Netflix Calibrated Mode mimics the settings on Netflix’s mastering monitors to ensure an accurate picture
- compatible with Apple® HomeKit and AirPlay® 2 to allow wireless streaming from your iPhone®, iPad®, or Mac (via future firmware update)
- mobile-to-TV wireless mirroring with Miracast™ enabled phones and tablets
- Android TV™ with Chromecast built-in lets you cast your favorite entertainment apps and video content from your Android™ or iOS® device, or laptop
- supports voice control of compatible apps:
- built-in Google Assistant — controls basic TV functions and works with compatible voice control assistants
- works with Amazon Alexa-compatible voice control assistants
Picture:
- 76.7″ screen (measured diagonally)
- 4K screen resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels)
- High Dynamic Range (Dolby Vision®, HDR10, HLG) extends picture contrast and brightness when viewing HDR content
- 4K X-Reality™ PRO upscales images to near-4K clarity while working at the pixel level to clean the picture and reduce noise
- IMAX Enhanced certification for improved performance with IMAX Enhanced 4K/HDR content (via future firmware update)
- TRILUMINOS™ Display technology for a wider color range
- 10-bit panel can display over one billion colors
- MotionFlow™ XR blur/judder reduction
- self-illuminating OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display panel produces infinite picture contrast and absolute black
- pixel-level dimming enables each of the panel’s 8.3 million pixels to brighten, dim, or power off completely, displaying exceptional picture detail, contrast, and depth
- Pixel Contrast Booster enhances color contrast in high-luminance scenes
- Picture Processor X1™ Ultimate includes powerful real-time image processing for ultra-detailed pictures
- Object-based Super Resolution identifies up to hundreds of on-screen objects and enhances their resolution individually for exceptional picture accuracy and detail
- Object-based HDR remaster improves color and contrast for SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) content
- Super Bit Mapping™ 4K HDR employs 14-bit processing to minimize color banding and create smooth transitions between shades of a color
Video Source Compatibility:
- watch streamed 4K video sources like Netflix®, Amazon Instant Video, and YouTube (requires internet speed of at least 20Mbps)
- tuner receives over-the-air HDTV broadcasts (antenna required)
- Clear QAM tuner decodes unencrypted digital cable signals up to 1080i without a set-top box (subscription required to receive cable channels)
Connections:
- 4 HDMI 2.0b
- all inputs are HDCP 2.3 compatible for connecting to copy-protected 4K video sources
- to view 4K and HDR content from connected sources, use a compatible high-bandwidth HDMI cable
- HDMI 3 input supports eARC/ARC
- 1 composite video (3.5mm A/V minijack — adapter cable required)
- RF input for antenna/cable signals
- Toslink optical digital audio output (can pass Dolby® Digital/DTS multichannel or 2-channel audio from connected sources)
- 3.5mm stereo minijack headphone output — can also be connected to a sound bar or other audio system
- pair of speaker binding post terminals for connecting to an A/V receiver when using the TV’s Center Speaker Mode
- Ethernet port for the fastest, most secure internet connection
- 3 USB inputs (two 2.0, one 3.0) for connecting a thumb drive or hard drive
Sound:
- Acoustic Surface Audio+ makes the entire screen a speaker (2.2-channel system with 60 watts total power)
- Center Speaker Mode allows dialogue, effects and music to come directly from the screen, complementing an existing home theater system
- Bluetooth® wireless audio streaming to a compatible speaker or set of headphones
- the TV’s built-in speakers and audio outputs are disabled when streaming audio to Bluetooth headphones or speakers
- can send Dolby Atmos® audio to the TV’s speakers, or to an A/V receiver via HDMI/eARC, when using the TV’s HDMI inputs or built-in streaming apps
Compare Sony XBR-77A9G 77 inch TV Master Series Bravia OLED
| A9G MASTER Series | A9S MASTER SERIES | Z8H Series | |
| Screen Sizes | 55″ / 65″ / 77″ | 48″ | 75″/ 85″ |
| Display Technology | OLED | OLED | LED (Advanced Full-Array) |
| Display Resolution | 4K HDR | 4K HDR | 8K HDR |
| Picture Processor | X1 Ultimate (Best of Sony) | X1 Ultimate (Best of Sony) | X1 Ultimate (Best of Sony) |
| Contrast | OLED + Pixel Contrast Booster | OLED + Pixel Contrast Booster | 8K XDR Pro 14x |
| Refresh Rate | MotionFlow XR – 120HZ | X-Motion Clarity – 120HZ | X-Motion Clarity – 120HZ |
| Viewing Angle | OLED Wide Angle | OLED Angle | X-Wide Angle |
| Netflix Calibrated Mode | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Dolby Vision & Atmos | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Sound Technology | Acoustic Surface Audio+ | Acoustic Surface Audio | Acoustic Multi-Audio |
| Android TV w/ Google Assistant | Yes (Hands Free) | Yes | Yes (Hands Free) |
| Alexa/AirPlay/HomeKit Compat. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Sony XBR-77A9G 77 inch TV Master Series Bravia OLED review
Design
The TV itself is trimmer and sleeker than its predecessors, measuring just 57 x 32.8 x 1.6 inches and weighing 46.7 pounds. The design is also surprisingly sturdy for an OLED that at certain points is barely thicker than the glass of the display. It also features built-in cable management, with a cover to hide the panel of ports and connections, as well as cable routing and a second cover built in to the TV stand.Advertisement
The Master Series A9G is Sony’s best 4K TV, and it shows, from the stand that puts the display nearly flush with the table to the back panel of the A9G’s chassis, which is covered in a checkerboard design, the same pattern that covers the back of Sony’s Z9G 8K TV.
Stand & VESA mount
You can also hang the TV on the wall, as the set will work with any 300 x 300mm VESA mount. Sony also offers its own wall-mount bracket, the SU-WL855 ($248), which sits closer to the wall and offers adjustable positioning and has a proprietary bracket mount that is supposed to be easier to use than the standard VESA mounts.
The flat base of the stand measures a fraction of an inch tall, placing the A9G’s large OLED panel nearly flush with the table or stand it’s set on. One reason this model can use this unusual design is that there are no downward-firing speakers. Thanks to Sony’s unique Acoustic Surface Audio+ system, which uses the glass panel of the display as the vibrational surface for the TV’s speakers, there’s no need for a gap so that sound can be issued from the TV and reflected out into the room.
Ports
The ports and connectors on the A9G are divided between two separate panels on the back of the set. The most accessible, a left-facing input panel, offers a single HDMI port, two USB ports, a 3.5mm jack for headphones, a similar 3.5 mm jack for composite video and pin connectors for wiring up a center speaker. For wireless connectivity, the A9G is equipped with 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 for wireless audio; it also features a built-in Google Chromecast for content sharing from a smartphone or tablet.
Sony Master Series A9G OLED performance
The A9G offers excellent color reproduction, with a color gamut of 127.7% of the Rec. 709 color space. That’s not particularly surprising, since OLED panels routinely deliver better than 100% in color gamut tests — the LG C9 OLED (132.1%) and last year’s Sony A9F OLED (130.8%) both offered similar performance — and all outperform the likes of the LCD-based Samsung Q90 QLED (99.8%).
Color accuracy is also very good, with the TV achieving a Delta-E rating of 2.7 (closer to zero is better). While that doesn’t make this set quite as precise as the Samsung Q90 QLED (1.5) or the LG C9 OLED (1.9), it is an improvement over the score from last year’s Sony A9F OLED (3.5) and still manages to make the A9G one of the best-looking displays we’ve seen all year.
This was especially clear when watching clips from Planet Earth II, as scenes of tropical islands were lush and vibrant, with dense green foliage, brilliant blue oceans and white sandy beaches. Another scene of lizards crawling across rocks and sand was not only richly detailed, but also offered such variation in the many similar shades of gray and brown that even stone was distinct in a shot that would be very drab on a lesser TV.
When I was watching Creed II, a sun-drenched workout montage in the desert was filled with bright blue skies, vibrant orange flames, and an array of colors and tones. Whether it was the perfect blue of the sky or the subtle skin tones of close-up faces, the color looked excellent.
High-dynamic-range content also gets some love, with support for most major HDR formats, including HDR10, hybrid-log gamma (HLG) and Dolby Vision. This set also supports the IMax Enhanced format, a Sony-exclusive format that has its own standards for color, contrast and picture clarity.
Lastly, Sony’s TVs offer a special Netflix-calibrated mode. This preset is designed to display Netflix shows with the same color and brightness balance as the streaming gurus at Netflix HQ use when fine-tuning their series.
Gaming support
This set also delivers respectable responsiveness, with a lag time of 26.8 milliseconds. That’s a slight improvement over the previous Sony A9F OLED’s time (27.5 ms) and only slightly slower than the showings from the LG C9 OLED (21.2 ms) and the Samsung Q90 QLED TV (24 ms).
The Sony A9F OLED offers 4K gaming at 60 Hz, with broad support for every format offered by the Xbox One X. Gaming support includes both 4K and HDR10 support, as well as 4K and HDR10 clips and screenshots for capturing gameplay. For streaming TV and movies, the A9G offers full 10-bit support at 24, 50 and 60 Hz, as well as support for both HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
Sony Master Series A9G OLED audio
The quality of the sound produced is superb, with crystal-clear audio and deep, rich bass. When I listened to The Glitch Mob’s “Bad Wings,” I was pleased to hear real heft to the low, droning bass line, and everything from the fine synthesizer fills to the ethereal vocals that were layered in sounded clear and distinct.
The A9G’s sound is impressive in more ways than one. First, it stands out from a design and technology perspective, thanks to Sony’s Acoustic Surface Audio+ sound, which uses a pair of 20-watt actuators and a pair of 10-watt subwoofers behind the glass of the OLED panel, effectively turning the entire panel into the vibrational surface of a speaker. The results are stunning, with sound that emanates directly from the subjects on screen, lending a new level of realism to dialogue and sound effects.
Smart features
Google Assistant is built in, with microphone support through the TV and support for all of the same Google Home commands as a dedicated smart speaker provides, alongside content search. If yours is an Amazon household, you can also pair an Alexa-enabled device with the TV for voice interaction.
The Sony A9G is outfitted with the latest version of Android TV (version 8.0, code-named Oreo), and the result is one of the best smart-TV experiences available. The interface is easy to use, with rows of tiled apps and recommended content. The home screen includes ready-to-play selections for primary apps, like Netflix and YouTube, and the integration with Google’s Play store offers one of the best app selections around.Advertisement
The other great Google capability that’s built in is Chromecast, which offers dead-simple sharing of content and apps between the TV and users’ phones and tablets.
Sony Master Series A9G OLED remote control
I am thrilled to say that the Sony A9G’s remote control is excellent. The 2019 sets get a redesigned remote that may be the biggest year-over-year improvement of any feature on the TV, replacing the much-maligned (and deservedly so) remote offered on Sony’s 2018 models.
The new remote design keeps the same overall layout, with buttons for numbers, contextual buttons for menus, a ring-shaped directional pad, basic smart-TV navigation controls for home, back, settings, input and live TV, along with media-playback controls and buttons for adjusting volume and changing the channel.
Sony XBR-77A9G 77 inch TV Master Series Bravia OLED customer review
Not a Perfect Set, But a Truly Extraordinary Picture
Style: OLED-A9G Size: 55-Inch Configuration: TV
We’ve had 4K TVs since the technology first went mainstream three or four years back, including a Sony XBR85X850D, which is currently our primary television. Even without a ton of 4K content—though we do have 4K blu-rays and Apple TVs—the picture quality on an Ultra HD TV is still light years ahead of regular HD sets. Add in HDR, and the picture is just really, really hard to beat.
This is our first time experiencing OLED 4K and even with high expectations, my initial reaction to the picture is … Wow. The blacks are inky and the colors rich and full. Don’t think I’ve ever had a TV that needed so little out-of-the-box adjustment. Just stunning.
I usually tweak and fuss with the settings on a new TV for hours initially; but this one, while infinitely adjustable, took just a couple minutes. So happy it doesn’t arrive with artifact creating settings turned on by default. The built-in “auto-switch” settings (which, unfortunately, only work on compatible inputs) that sense what you’re watching and change the picture settings to match are a game changer. Put in a 4K blu-ray and it changes your screen to Cinema Pro mode, watch Netflix and it auto-selects the best screen for that, too. Really cool and unlike a lot of default video settings actually seem to genuinely enhance the screen, even for someone like me who is pretty picky about video.
The auto-brightness setting also works wonders. This set is in a bedroom and the difference between watching at daylight or in the dark just before bed is immense and the sensor does seem to work, making adjustments to keep the picture stunning in any light setting.
Not that set-up was without flaw. The remote I received was either a lemon, or something else is up with the IR reception here. Even after replacing batteries with three fresh sets it would only work every third or fourth press, and usually only after taking the batteries out and shifting them around. Possible it was a short somewhere and I just had a dud, but it made the lengthy checkbox set-up process very cumbersome, as it wouldn’t even work with the remote actually touching the TV’s IR sensor.
I use a universal remote to control all our home theater hardware, so once I had the initial set-up complete I could switch to that and it controls the set flawlessly (using TV’s built-in bluetooth which you have to get a pairing code for, which can’t happen until after initial set-up), but still not something you should be struggling with on a TV this pricey.
My other complaint, and why I can’t rate this 5-stars, is the iteration of smart TV used here isn’t as navigable as our other Sony Android set. The apps you download don’t automatically appear on the apps line on the home screen, and you have to go to an additional menu setting or sidebar to access them. Just a clumsy process and the layout of the menu/home screen also isn’t quite as intuitive; The tweaks they’ve made are definitely not for the better.
The one-button Netflix access does work totally flawlessly and is near-instant, but feels like they’ve made getting to apps that didn’t pay for consideration purposely more difficult to get to. Which, again, when you’re talking about a $3,000+ TV is fairly galling.
We did have one other set-up snafu where we had sound, but no picture (menus were visible, but video didn’t display), that I messed around with for way too long before just resetting the system (hold power button on remote for 10 seconds until unit restarts with Android logo), which fixed it immediately.
Other than those fairly minor gripes, both ameliorated for us by other devices (Logitech remote and Apple TV), this TV is simply stunning. Thinner than finger-width it was simple to mount on the wall and comes with plates that cover all the input areas, making it look almost as sleek from the back, as the front. (We did have to leave one plate off, because it wouldn’t fit over 3 HDMI + ethernet and antenna cables.) Attention to small details like that, and built-in cord management, make this an aesthetic, as well as functional, display device.
By the way, when I say this TV is thin, I’m not kidding around. It made the three-year-old Samsung it replaced look like a clunky tube TV in comparison. Definitely a futuristic design with an emphasis on thinness.
The built-in sound, if you’re using it, is solid; better than most flat screens, which is, again, impressive in a model this narrow, and the picture really is second to none, even in a house with multiple high-end TV sets.
Gorgeous TV, and if you’ve got the money to spend, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Editor’s recommendations
- LG 55NANO866NA 55 inch NanoCell 4K Ultra HD Smart TV reviews
- Sony XBR65X900F 65 Class LED 4K Ultra High Definition HDR smart android TV
- Philips Ambilight 70PUS8545 review and price – 2020 model
- LG 65″ class 4K UHD 2160p LED smart TV with HDR 65UM6950DUB review
- ViewSonic X10-4K UHD short throw Portable Smart LED Projector review