Sony BRAVIA 8 II E1SNK65XR80M2 65"

The Sony BRAVIA 8 II is a 65-inch QD-OLED TV with gorgeous color accuracy and deep blacks, but it's held back by HDMI 2.0 ports and mediocre HDR performance. At $2,498, it's a tough sell unless you're a movie purist who doesn't game. The LG G3 and TCL QM8K offer better value for most people.

The BRAVIA 8 II's QD-OLED panel is the star here, and in our database it lands in the middle of the pack for display quality at the 53rd percentile. That's solid but not spectacular for a TV in this price bracket. The XR Triluminos Max tech pushes extended color volume, and Sony's Studio Calibrated modes, developed with major streaming services, do a genuinely good job of reproducing creator intent. If you watch a lot of movies and prestige TV, you'll notice the color accuracy.

But the numbers tell a more complicated story. Picture quality sits at the 36th percentile, which is underwhelming for a flagship OLED. HDR performance is at the 34th percentile, and audio comes in at the 28th percentile despite the Acoustic Surface Audio+ system that turns the screen into a speaker. Gaming is at the 63rd percentile, which sounds okay until you realize the TV only has HDMI 2.0 ports. That means no 4K at 120Hz with full bandwidth, no VRR over HDMI 2.1, and no ALLM. For a 2025 TV at $2,498, that's a real miss. The 120Hz panel is there, but the ports bottleneck what it can actually do.

Stacked against the LG OLED evo G3, the BRAVIA 8 II has a tough fight. The G3 is a proven OLED performer with better gaming support and generally stronger HDR output. Sony counters with superior out-of-the-box color accuracy and those Studio Calibrated modes, which LG doesn't match as well. But the G3's HDMI 2.1 ports make it the better pick for anyone with a PS5 or Xbox Series X.

The Samsung QN990F is another direct competitor, and it brings 8K resolution and Samsung's aggressive brightness to the table. The BRAVIA 8 II's QD-OLED panel will give you better blacks and viewing angles, but Samsung's gaming features and overall brightness are ahead. Then there's the TCL QM8K, which isn't OLED at all but delivers shockingly good picture quality for the money. If you're not married to OLED, the QM8K gets you 90% of the way there for a lot less cash. The Hisense U8 Series is in a similar boat, offering strong QLED performance at a mid-range price.

At $2,498, the BRAVIA 8 II is asking a lot. The affordability percentile sits at just 17th, which means you're paying a premium for the Sony name and the QD-OLED panel. The bundle does soften the blow a bit with the wall mount, cables, surge adapter, and extended protection, but those are accessories, not core performance. For comparison, the LG OLED evo G3 and Samsung QN990F both offer strong OLED alternatives, and TCL's QM8K delivers impressive QLED performance for significantly less. If you're budget-conscious, this TV is hard to justify. If you want Sony's color science and don't mind paying for it, that's a different conversation.

The Sony BRAVIA 8 II E1SNK65XR80M2 is a 65-inch QD-OLED TV that sits in the premium tier of the market, and at $2,498 it's priced like it knows it. This is Sony's 2025 flagship OLED line, built around the XR Processor with AI tech and a QD-OLED panel that controls 8 million self-illuminating pixels individually. The pitch is simple: deeper blacks, more accurate color, and a picture that gets closer to what filmmakers actually intended.

People searching for this TV usually want to know if it's worth the Sony premium over cheaper OLEDs from LG or value-focused QLEDs from TCL and Hisense. The short answer is that it depends on what you value. The BRAVIA 8 II is strongest as a smart home hub and streaming display, with Google TV built in and solid smart features. But its gaming chops are held back by HDMI 2.0 ports, which feels like an odd choice for a 2025 TV at this price.

This particular listing is a bundle that includes a wall mount, two HDMI cables, a surge adapter, and a beginner's home theater guidebook, plus a 26-month extended protection plan on top of the manufacturer warranty. The bundle adds practical value, but the core question remains whether the panel itself justifies the cost.

Gamers should skip this one. The HDMI 2.0 ports are a dealbreaker for anyone with a PS5, Xbox Series X, or a gaming PC that can push 4K at 120Hz. You'd be paying flagship money for last-gen connectivity. Budget-conscious buyers should also look elsewhere, since the TCL QM8K and Hisense U8 Series deliver excellent picture quality for significantly less. And if you want the best HDR performance, the LG G3 or Samsung QN990F will serve you better. This TV is for a specific person: someone who watches a lot of movies, cares deeply about color accuracy, and doesn't mind paying the Sony tax.

Should you buy the Sony BRAVIA 8 II? If you're a movie lover who prioritizes color accuracy and creator intent above all else, and you don't game much, this TV will make you happy. The QD-OLED panel is genuinely beautiful, and Sony's processing is still among the best in the business. The Google TV interface is clean, and the built-in smart features cover all the major assistants.

But if you're a gamer, or you want the best HDR performance for your dollar, or you just don't want to spend $2,498 on a TV with HDMI 2.0 ports in 2025, look elsewhere. The LG G3 and Samsung QN990F are better all-rounders, and the TCL QM8K is a smarter value play. The BRAVIA 8 II is a niche product that excels at one thing and falls behind at several others.