Sony XR-55A80L

Incontrovertible proof that there is plenty of life in the OLED dog yet

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While all of the OLED attention may well be focused on the super-bright new MLA and QD-OLED models, the truth is that they are prohibitively expensive right now, and the vast majority of OLED TVs sold this year will be step-down models such as the Sony A80L that we have before us today.

Not that this is a terribly cheap TV, mind. The only price so far confirmed for the XR-55A80L is the £2399 UK price, although official US and Australian pricing will likely be lower than this.

That makes it significantly more expensive than the 55in LG C3, which launched at £2099. In fact, it’s not much more affordable than the 55in LG G3, which nominally comes in at £2599, and features a new brightness-boosting MLA panel. Then again, it does boast a fancy actuator-based audio system that those LGs do not.

Design highlights

The A80L looks very similar to the A80K it replaces. That’s fine, but the minimalist design is beginning to look a bit bland.

As before, the set is just a touch thicker (53mm) than rivals such as the LG C3 (45mm), and it is thicker over more of its rear, largely because it needs a larger enclosure to house the actuators that are placed behind and vibrate the whole panel in order to generate sound.

Rather than a pedestal stand, the A80L comes with feet that can be positioned angled either outwards or in. It looks more stylish with them angled out from the set’s edges – as long as your supporting furniture is wide enough.