Sony A90K Series 42"

The Sony A90K's 42-inch OLED panel looks great, but the HDR brightness and smart platform are some of the worst we've tested. The bundled wearable speaker is a unique perk, but at $1548, it's hard to recommend when competitors offer so much more for the money. Only buy this if the small size and neck speaker are exactly what you need.

Let's be real, the display is the star here. At the 74th percentile, it's well above average and delivers that gorgeous OLED contrast you expect from Sony. But the picture quality score lands at a mediocre 37th percentile, which is surprising. The HDR performance is a genuine letdown at the 14th percentile, meaning bright highlights just won't pop the way they do on newer OLEDs or good QLEDs. Gaming sits at a disappointing 40th percentile, so while it's technically compatible, the experience isn't going to blow anyone away. Audio is underwhelming at the 34th percentile, which is probably why they bundled the wearable speaker in the first place.

Stacked against the competition, the A90K feels outgunned. The LG OLED evo C5 series will walk all over this Sony in HDR brightness and gaming features, and it has a vastly superior smart platform. If you want to save some cash, the TCL QM7K and Hisense U8 series are massive, bright, and offer way better value, though you lose that pure OLED contrast. Even the Roku Pro Series is a smarter buy if you just want a dead-simple, responsive TV experience. The Samsung Neo QLED is in another league for brightness and gaming. The A90K only makes sense if you absolutely need a premium small OLED and that wearable speaker solves a specific problem for you.

At $1548, this is a tough sell. You're paying a premium for the Sony name and that unique wearable speaker bundle, but the core TV performance lags behind much cheaper options. The display is nice, but when the HDR, smart platform, and gaming chops are this weak, the value proposition crumbles. Unless that neck speaker is a must-have for your setup, you're overpaying for an OLED that gets outclassed by its rivals in almost every other category.

The Sony A90K is a bit of an odd duck. It's a compact 42-inch OLED that Sony clearly aimed at people who want a premium small screen, maybe for a desk setup or a cozy gaming corner. The picture, powered by the Cognitive Processor XR, does that classic OLED thing with perfect blacks and rich colors, but the overall scores tell a more complicated story.

Here's the thing: this bundle includes the BRAVIA Theater U wearable speaker, which is a neckband that beams sound directly to your ears. It's a cool idea for late-night gaming or not disturbing others, but it means you're paying for a very specific audio solution. The TV itself has solid bones, but the smart platform and HDR performance are real weak spots compared to what you'd get from the competition.

Skip this if you want a cinematic HDR experience or a snappy smart TV interface. The dim HDR and sluggish Google TV implementation will frustrate you daily. Also, if you're a serious gamer, look at the LG C5 series instead, it's a much better performer for the money.

This TV is for a very specific person. You need a high-quality, smaller screen for a tight space, and you'll actually use that wearable neck speaker for private listening. If that's you, the core OLED picture is lovely. For everyone else, there are simply better, brighter, and smarter TVs available for less money.