This is a television for somebody who wants films to look natural rather than simply bright. Sony's processing handles faces, motion and lower-quality broadcasts with unusual care, while the screen itself produces the sound so dialogue seems connected to the person speaking. The result can reduce the immediate need for a soundbar. Sony charges heavily for that polish, and using two modern consoles alongside an eARC sound system requires more planning than on LG or Samsung sets.
Buy it if…
- Films and high-quality drama matter most
- You want better built-in sound
- Natural processing matters more than maximum brightness
Skip it if…
- You have multiple modern consoles and an eARC soundbar
- The room is extremely bright
- Value for money matters more than premium refinement
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What's good
- Natural, cinematic picture processing
- Excellent OLED contrast and colour
- Built-in sound is unusually direct and clear
- Google TV provides broad app support
Worth knowing
- Expensive beside excellent LG and Samsung alternatives
- Only two HDMI 2.1 ports, one shared with eARC
- Not the strongest choice for a very bright room
A closer look, category by category
Films and television
Sony's strength is making material look believable. Motion in films remains controlled, faces avoid exaggerated colour and lower-quality broadcasts are cleaned without looking artificial. Dolby Vision support is included, unlike Samsung's premium televisions.
Sound
Actuators vibrate the screen so voices appear to come from the picture rather than a speaker below it. Bass remains limited by the thin cabinet, but many buyers will find ordinary television and drama clear enough without immediately adding a soundbar.
Gaming and connections
4K high-refresh gaming, VRR and low-latency modes work well, but only two HDMI inputs provide the full feature set and one is also used for eARC. A PlayStation, Xbox and sound system therefore need a switch, receiver or compromise.
Price
The Bravia 8 II must be judged against discounted premium rivals. Around £1,999 it is still expensive, but buyers who would otherwise add a mid-range soundbar can reasonably include the stronger built-in audio in the value calculation.
Price last checked: 30 July 2026Real-world use cases
Film nights
Natural colour, motion and OLED contrast make this the ideal setting.
Television without a soundbar
Screen-based audio keeps dialogue unusually clear and connected to the picture.
Two consoles plus eARC audio
The limited HDMI 2.1 allocation creates an avoidable connection problem.
Where it sits in the market
LG's C5 offers four gaming-ready HDMI ports for much less, Samsung's QN90F is brighter and TCL is the value option. Sony justifies its premium through film processing, motion and sound rather than headline brightness.
How we reached this verdict
This research-based review uses Sony's format and connection specifications plus independent picture, sound and gaming testing. The value assessment credits the better-than-average built-in sound while still deducting for the limited HDMI 2.1 layout.