Sony TV line-up 2019: every Sony BRAVIA and Master Series TV coming this year

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Word on the first few Sony TV models of 2019 is finally trickling in. Sony made their usual round of announcements at CES 2019, the massive international tech expo that heralds the start to the tech industry's calendar year, and it's more of what we wanted to see.

Sony will be bringing out a massive new 8K model, the Master Series Z9G / ZG9, in 85 and 98 inches. If that sounds a bit intense for most of you, there's also a handful of 4K smart TVs – the high-end A9G / AG9 Master Series and A8G / AG8 Bravia OLED, as well as the more mid-range X9500G / XG95 and X8500 / XG85 HDR TVs.

While it didn't get much fanfare at the expo itself, we'll also be seeing an upgrade to last year's entry-level Full HD HDR TV, the WF66, with a similar spec model called the WG66 for more modest budgets.

2018 was a bumper year for Sony, with its new premium Master Series range, a glut of capable Sony Bravia televisions, a continued assault on OLED panels with the Sony Bravia X900F/XF90, and a dedicated Netflix Calibrated Mode for an all-round optimized living room experience.

There's certainly be more surprises and upgrades in the coming months, but for now here are all the Sony TVs we expect to see in 2019 – all kept in one place so you can know your Bravia from your elbow. 

And don't worry, we'll update this list going forward, so do check back in every few weeks to see what the latest announcements have been.

Sony Master Series Z9G is pushing to the 8K limit

Sony 2018 TV technology 

To make better TVs, it takes a better processing. Sony's next-generation X1 Ultimate processor was first unveiled at CES 2018, and will be powering both high-end Master Series sets and top-range 4K sets we're seeing come out this year. The 8K set certainly needs, for upscaling regular HD or 4K content to make use of all those 33 million pixels.

The A8G / AG8 OLED, is still carrying its predecessor's X1 Extreme – though the organic OLED display should mean rich visuals regardless. And the X1 Extreme is now firmly entrenched among Sony's mid-range sets, bringing sharper 4K to the X9500G / XG95 and hopefully more besides.

On the audio front, Sony is learning from the Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology it showed off in last year's OLED, with strategically placed drivers across the chassis of the set – amid growing demand for in-built audio that can stand on its own two feet. 

The more high-end models here can then use Sony's 'Sound-from-Picture' technology to accurately emit audio from where its source is located onscreen – meaning you when someone speaks, it actually comes from their mouth.

Last year's Sony A9F OLED (2018) made much of its Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology, which uses various drivers to emit sound across the surface of the screen.

Sony don't particularly like to release specs on the brightness of their TVs, but as usual we expect the OLED offering to lag behind on this front: the organic LED film used in the panel is self-emitting, so doesn't have the benefit of a big backlight.

The Z9G, however, is bringing back the popular Backlight Master Drive technology that defined Sony's Z Series sets back in 2016 – allowing for hugely precise use of white LEDs, to use brightness where it's needed, with sharpened contrast and minimal bleeding into surrounding dimming zones. It makes for a thicker / heavier set, but if you're buying an 85 or 98-inch set, space probably isn't a problem.

All of Sony's 4K sets share the Android TV platform and YouView. While Dolby Vision was limited to the X900F and Master Series sets last year, this is thankfully trickling down, and will come to all four 4K sets listed below so far – and it seems Sony will be pursuing Dolby's video format over the rival HDR10+ format. Google Assistant meanwhile has been rolling out to all of Sony's 4K HDR TVs in the UK and Europe (albeit a year after the US) allowing hands-free voice control.

• Here's why Sony isn't following its rivals to HDR10+

Sony Master Series 2019 Models 

Sony Master Series Z9G 8K (2019)

Sony Z9G 8K (available in 85, 98 inches): An 8K wonder powered by Sony's X1 Ultimate processor, with a resurrected Backlight Master Drive from Sony's 2016 Z Series TVs promising enhanced contrast and precision controlled brightness. Available in the second half of 2019, with a monstrously large 98-inch option for those who can house it, and a dedicated viewing mode for watching Netflix. Intrigued? Read more in our hands on Sony Bravia Master Series Z9G 8K HDR TV review.

Sony A9G 4K (available in 55, 65, 77 inches): Arriving in September 2019, this second-tier Master Series set uses the X1 Ultimate to power some serious 4K visuals – as well as the same Netflix Calibrated Mode as the Z9G. With an OLED panel, you'll also be getting some vivid color contrast and deep blacks, even if high-end LED tech is starting to give it a run for its money.

Sony Bravia 2019 Models

Sony A8G OLED (available in 55, 65 inches): Featuring the same X1 Extreme processor and Acoustic Surface Audio as last year's A1 OLED, the A8G / AG8 sticks to 55 and 65-inch models, leaving the 77-inch size to its Master Series OLED counterpart. In a snazzy design choice, you can also adjust the height of the TV stand to make room for a soundbar.

Sony X9500G (available in 55, 65, 75, 85 inches): Now onto the 4K LCDs... This model still packs in the Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support of its more expensive siblings, and the more advanced X1 Ultimate processor for enhanced upscaling and image processing. You get the welcome choice of four distinct size options, including a massive 85-inch display.

Sony X9000G 4K HDR TV (available in 49 inches): A mid-priced, X1 Extreme powered version of the above – and coming in at a more size-friendly 49 inches.

Sony X8500G 4K HDR TV (available in 55, 65, 75, 85 inches): A step down again, the X8500G / XG85 goes back to a simpler X1 processor (no Extreme or Ultimate upgrade) and more basic backlighting and dimming zones. Last year's model came with edge LED lighting, which simply couldn't meet the demands of today's HDR pictures – but we'll reserve our judgement on this one until it's come in to review.

Sony Full HD 2019 Models

Sony W66G (2019)

Sony WG6/W66G (available in 43- and 50-inch sizes): If you've got a hankering for an HDR-capable TV but aren't too keen on 4K, Sony's entry-level W66G (WG6 in the UK) is exactly what you've been looking for. Perfect for Full HD HDR gaming, or just squeezing some extra-rich colors and depth out of 1080p resolution TV, this 2019 model is a smart compromise between cost and performance.

• Check out all of TechRadar's CES 2019 coverage. We're live in Las Vegas to bring you all the breaking tech news and launches, plus hands-on reviews of everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets.

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