Explore the top features of the Sony BRAVIA 5 that I have tested reminds me that its 65″ are essential to have a picture and sound show—see what stands out.
Table of Contents
The Sony Bravia 5 is a TV that integrates very well into the home and adjusts to the needs you have as a viewer. All thanks to BRAVIA Theatre and Dolby Vision Atmos.
I’ve spent two months with the 65-inch Sony BRAVIA 5 TV, a TV that has made me recognize that size does matter, and also versatility in this type of equipment, in addition to the fact that it can boast a clear image and sound with dozens of customization options without going over the price.
When I was asked to review this product, I had my doubts about whether I was really going to have a pleasant experience. Not because the TV isn’t worth it, but because I’m used to my silly TV, which works with a traditional Chromecast, and I don’t have to spend too much time setting it up.
The reason? I’ve always preferred plug & play to TVs that have it all, as I always feel like I don’t take enough advantage of their functionalities. Let’s say that I have never cared so much about the quality of the film, neither visual nor auditory, but rather that it is easy to start and have in the background while I work.
As they say colloquially, this Sony BRAVIA model has shut my mouth: yes, it needed a modern and complete TV. In addition, having a product like this at home completely changes the way you understand and enjoy movies and series.
Is the 65″ Sony BRAVIA 5 worth buying?
When we buy a product like this, the usual thing is to look at the price, since today many brands develop televisions, and some of them have the benefit of promoting an ecosystem that allows other devices to be connected. This is the case of Samsung with SmartThings. You may not have that advantage with Sony, but you do have a more reasonable price.
Take, for example, the 65-inch Samsung S95F, which is currently sold on the manufacturer’s website for $1,298. This one from Sony has practically everything that the other one has (for example, this screen is not OLED, but it can offer content in high resolution and 4K) and has very simple AI functions that will not generate rejection from those less enthusiastic about this technology.
65 Inch TV, Mini LED, 4K Smart Google TV, XR Processor with AI Technology,120hz Television with Dolby Vision/Atoms, Exclusive Features for PlayStation®5, K-65XR50, 2025 Model
Features of the Sony BRAVIA 5 65″
| BRAVIA 5 (65″) | |
|---|---|
| Screen | LCD 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160) 120Hz refresh rate 55, 65, 75, 85 and 98″ |
| Image Processor | XR Processor |
| HDR Formats | HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision |
| Accessories | Remote control Voice remote control Desktop stand |
| Operating system | Android TV |
| Storage | 32 GB |
| Sound | Dolby Atoms Four speakers x10 W Bluetooth A2DP |
| Home automation | N.A. |
| Connectivity | HDMI x4 USB-A x2 WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.3. |
| Dimensions | With stand: Approx. 144.7 x 91.1 x 34.5 cm Without stand: Approx. 144.7 x 83.2 x 5.8 cm Stand: Approx. 2.2 x 3.1 x 34.5 cm |
| Weight | With stand: Approx. 26.3 kg Without stand: Approx. 24.9 kg |
A design that blends into the home and has no danger of falling
One of the many reasons why I hadn’t tried a TV of this size before is precisely that—the place it needs and that I precisely don’t have in my living room. It just so happens that the place where I can put the screen is narrow, so until now, I hadn’t dared to choose a 65-inch like this.
We are talking about a width of 1.45 centimeters and 83 centimeters high, with very thin edges that do not reach half a centimeter. In this way, this model gives the feeling of being even smaller than it is, since it does not have wide black edges that can give it greater volume in the room.
Both the bezels, which are flat, and the legs are dark silver (to me, personally, it looks black), and I can say that they have surprised me for good and have allowed me to completely forget about it.
Let me explain: with the television placed near a door and with two cats weighing more than six kilograms, it had crossed my mind that the TV would end up on the floor, and it has not been like that. Thank goodness, by the way. These, by the way, can be placed in two positions, to leave the relevant space for the soundbar if you want to add it as a complement.
They are also super stable and give it an air of lightness that you probably wouldn’t get with a base necessarily more robust and more striking than its legs, of course. It’s not that they’re too long and, although I’ve tried it directly on the floor, I put my hand in the fire that can be placed on any medium-sized TV cabinet.
With this stand, which is very easy to attach, the product reaches a weight of 26.3 kilograms, quite surprising despite the fact that it is very thin, so that to move it from one place to another or even to take it out of the box (without the stand, the weight of the TV is 24.9 kilograms), I needed a hand.
In terms of connectivity, it lacks nothing: it has four HDMI inputs, simultaneous sound output with the speaker compatible with an A2DP Bluetooth device and two USB ports, among others, which are placed on the side and also support different USB drive formats. These include FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS.
On the other hand, it supports WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E, which already denotes that it will take time to become obsolete, because other TVs with similar features and even higher prices only come with WiFi 5. This means that you will be able to enjoy this TV without any problem for at least five or six years.
In addition, this TV comes with two remotes: one dedicated to smart TV services and another that serves as a controller for traditional television. I have not used this one and, in fact, I think it could be avoided in some way. I propose, for example, to integrate it into the other remote, so that it can be used better.
About the main controller, which works with batteries, I only comment that it incorporates the usual buttons (the arrows to navigate, the Google voice control, the buttons to increase and decrease the volume, the Home button to return to the main interface, etc.). but it comes with some presets that do not convince me.
Under the Settings and Play/Pause button, there are three pairs of facing buttons, which work as shortcuts to certain streaming platforms. This is very common in today’s TVs, to prevent you from taking extra steps looking for the content you want to watch.
As expected, there is no shortage of Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, or YouTube, but I don’t understand how the Crunchyroll platform (which is not exactly well known and not HBO) is also integrated. Okay, this one has changed its name several times, but avoiding it seems to me a mistake, being one of the most used.
Perfect image, with the imperfections you expected in old movies and series
It goes without saying that this TV is not OLED, which means that its contrast is lower and it does not offer what are usually called “pure blacks.” However, its LCD technology with Mini LED backlighting does not leave it in a bad place, and it defends itself very well, with a sharp image (better in light colors, by definition) and a high level of detail.
The best thing, in this case, is that it respects the age of the films that are not remastered and brings out the imperfections that make them special. As a big fan of vintage and fried foods and that sound when I play an old vinyl, I admit that I have been very curious to see the treatment he has given to the cinema of the 2000s.
It does not have spectacular brightness (its maximum value is 45 and jumps in intervals of 5, so that the change between one and the other is very well appreciated), but it has enough to have access to a good image, enhanced by color enhancement technologies such as XR Triluminous Pro or Live Colour, with no reflections or sparkles.
In terms of image mode configuration, it’s not that it has too many options, but just enough so that it doesn’t take you half an hour to choose the one that best suits what you’re looking for. For example, you can choose the type of image you want, whether it’s for Pictures/Video, Game, or PC. The latter, by the way, clarifies the interface too much, for my taste, but offers a more monitor-like experience.
Picture modes for gaming are also not abundant, as it only offers the Standard format, FPS Game for first-person shooters, and RTS Game for real-time strategy games. Then you can configure the usual values in this type of equipment, such as brightness, color, clarity, or movement, to reduce blur during games or activate movie mode.
It should be noted that, although I have not had the opportunity to test it with the console manufactured by this company, PlayStation 5, this TV has automatic HDR tone mapping and an automatic genre picture mode that I am sure will please everyone looking for gaming specifications in this product.
The sound, on the other hand, deserves a special mention: it has four speakers with an audio output power of 10 W that, in addition to not distorting, reflect all the nuances of the content you are watching, both music and dialogue from movies or series. However, I didn’t like it so much when I used the TV to watch YouTube concerts.
All those virtues that it shows it has with cinema (interesting its compatibility with Dolby Audio and Audio 360, which can be customized, accompanied by the BRAVIA Theatre cinematic experience technology) disappear when it comes to putting on a live performance by my favorite band.
I also understand that this is not only a matter of the TV but of the quality of the content itself, although there is a detail that I liked a lot regardless of what I have played on the TV: with a volume of 30, it is enough to set up the party at home. I have not tried the maximum value out of respect for my neighbors, but it is clear that it does not lack power.
In any case, it is possible to configure the sound to be surround, an option that is already predetermined and can be deactivated at any time. It is also possible to choose the surround effect, the voice zoom, or manipulate the equalizer to adjust the sound based on different frequencies. In other words, if you watch a movie unwillingly, it will not be for lack of alternatives.
AI is not the protagonist, and that is appreciated when you come from less modern television
At the software level, it is worth remembering that this model works with Google TV, an operating system that allows you to link the device with your Google account to have access to details such as screensavers—this, however, is also in the Settings section of the TV, with Nature Scenery and Monochrome image and sound configuration options, the WiFi network, and the ability to distribute the different applications installed on the device at your convenience and on the interface.
Beyond that, the TV gives you the opportunity to choose what to do automatically, without you touching a single button on the controller, in addition to the behavior it has to have when it is turned on. That way, you can decide what to watch at the moment it is turned on, whether it is the Google TV Home screen or the last input used, to resume the episode of your favorite series.
On the other hand, I must admit that going from a humble TV from a decade ago to this Sony beast might not have been so easy if it weren’t for the fact that it incorporates modest artificial intelligence functions. That, in fact, was my fear, because there comes a time when AI overwhelms me because of everything it is capable of, and I prefer to use any technological product the old way.
One of the things I liked the most was the Ambient Optimization Pro functionality, which allows you to automatically adjust the ambient light to avoid reflections. This means that it adjusts the brightness level of the screen according to the light in the room to reduce brightness and improve the viewing experience.
I firmly believe that it is a feature to highlight because I have always had a big problem in my living room: a lot of light enters, and that is something that is desired in any home, but, at the same time, it harms the screen, regardless of what you are watching. I still remember how bad I was when I started Game of Thrones, where poorly lit scenes abound. Well, with this TV I would not repeat that nightmare again.
In addition to this, I think it is important to comment on the sustainable approach to the TV. Not only do I mean that it has a relatively acceptable certification (there are TVs in its range that move between F and G), but also the screen configuration options aimed at spending less.
More specifically, this model has an Eco Panel, where you can customize the turning off of the TV when it is inactive or do it during viewing, as well as access an energy consumption report of the model you are using.
I admit that I came to this option almost by chance, since after those four hours that I mentioned, the TV would turn off, and when the time came, I thought it was a system failure, but it was quite the opposite: only then can you make sure that you are doing a good job to reduce your environmental impact.
