PROS:
Outstanding for HDR
Reference image quality
Great image processing
Best motion system for OLED so far
Good and innovative sound system
CONS:
Android doesn't live up to full potential
Poor remote
Vertical bands on darker grey tones
Mediocre input lag
High power consumption in standby
PICTURE QUALITY
97%
FEATURES
79%
USER EXPERIENCE
69%
Total: 86%
Conclusion
A1 is actually the second OLED TV from Sony but it is the first one that counts. It took 8 years but apparently this is the time required to mature a technology such as OLED. A1 separates itself from the competition in terms of appearance and seems more of a contender to LG W7 design-wise. The collapsible backside that doubles as stand is different in a cool way.
A1 employs an innovative speaker system that utilizes the panel itself as tweeter to deliver sound. The built-in subwoofer cannot go as deep as some soundbars with more units built-in, but as a whole the speaker system in A1 does a decent job.
The implementation of Android is identical to other Sony TVs that we have tested over the past six months (even the SoC). It is possible to bring the system to its knees with simple measures such as feeding it with too many media files on a USB stick. We can’t help but feel that Android has failed to live up to its full potential. Chromecast built-in is a nice band-aid, but it is not a cure for a lacking smart platform.
In the picture department OLED rises above anything else and A1 is no exception. Gray scales are reproduced with conviction and A1 manages to separate even the darkest tones. We measured a slight offset on colors and the lack of a CMS made it impossible for us to correct it. The OLED panel delivers peak brightness only slightly higher than last year’s models and placed side-by-side we suspect that few people would be able to spot the difference on a 100% white background. Where the A1 does move past LG’s E6 is in motion handling and image processing. Upscaling/motion is more convincing on A1 that builds on the same great motion engine that Sony also employed in Z9D and X93E.
Sony A1 underperforms compared to LG E6 in some areas (OS and speed), performs almost identical in others (homogeneity and color reproduction), and outperforms in yet another (image processing and motion). Overall Sony’s A1 is a step up from the highly acclaimed LG E6 mostly because it offers improved motion clarity and processing that some have been asking for. As the first 2017 OLED on our bench, Sony A1 is worthy of our Reference Award. Time will tell if LG and Panasonic’s 2017 OLED TVs can match or even surpass A1.
Sony A1 OLED review - FlatpanelsHD