Sony BRAVIA 5 Ultimate Review: A Solid Mid-Range TV With a PlayStation 5 Advantage

Sony’s BRAVIA 5 arrives as the heir to the X90L throne, a 2023 favorite. Forget annual overhauls – Sony plays the long game. They meticulously stagger their TV releases, meaning it wasn’t until 2025 that their mid-range miniLED marvel finally donned the new BRAVIA badge.

The BRAVIA 5 occupies the sweet spot in Sony’s 2025 TV universe, a compelling middle ground. It outshines the BRAVIA 2 II and 3, yet remains eclipsed by the flagship BRAVIA 7, 8, 8 II, and the dazzling BRAVIA 9 QLED. One intriguing twist: the BRAVIA 8 siblings break the mold, sporting OLED panels instead of the miniLED found elsewhere in the range.

Sony’s BRAVIA line is no stranger to premium price tags, and the BRAVIA 5 is no exception. Starting at $1,399 for the 55-inch model, it climbs all the way to just under $6,000 for the massive 98-inch screen. Available in 65, 75, and 85-inch options as well, the BRAVIA 5 positions itself squarely in the mid-range of Sony’s offerings, yet the cost might raise an eyebrow. But don’t let the price fool you; this isn’t a case of style over substance. Especially when compared to alternatives like the Hisense U8, which hovers around the same price point, the BRAVIA 5 might surprise you with its performance, despite its brightness profile.

Sony BRAVIA 5 Specs

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Sony BRAVIA 5 Review: Design and build quality

The BRAVIA 5 doesn’t stray far from Sony’s design playbook, sporting the familiar textured back – a clever checkerboard pattern that practically begs to be flush-mounted. Cable clutter? Vanished, thanks to thoughtfully designed port covers that maintain a pristine silhouette. And while you might expect the now-ubiquitous angled feet, Sony surprises with straight-laced supports. The real kicker? They’re adjustable, letting you customize the TV’s stance to perfectly suit your space, be it a wide media console or a more compact setup.

Navigating the back of my TV is like exploring a strangely organized cave. The power cord stubbornly clings to the left, while a party of ports huddles on the right. It’s a minor annoyance, this asymmetry, but one I suspect I’ll forever accept. While I can’t exactly fault Sony it seems to be an industry-wide quirk a streamlined, single-sided cord situation remains a wishful dream.

Crammed onto the right flank, you’ll find a connectivity cornucopia. We’re talking four HDMI ports – count ’em, four! Two are blazing-fast 2.1, with one pulling double duty as an eARC portal for pristine audio. Beyond that, there’s a trusty Ethernet jack, a cluster of speaker ports for the audiophiles, a pair of USB-A slots for your peripherals, and, believe it or not, a coaxial connection for those steadfast cable subscribers still rocking the old school.

The TV’s face is a study in minimalism. Razor-thin bezels surround the screen, offering an almost edge-to-edge viewing experience. Eschewing the typical branding plastered across the front, it presents a clean, uninterrupted black frame – a sophisticated and undeniably stunning design choice.

Behold! Sony’s eco-chic remote, crafted from recycled materials, arrives not with a bang, but a quiet promise. Yes, it’s a remote, but this isn’t your grandma’s clicker. Familiar functionality meets thoughtful innovation. Dedicated buttons provide instant access to streaming giants: Sony Pictures Core, Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Crunchyroll, and YouTube, putting a universe of entertainment at your fingertips. But the real magic? A streamlined shortcut to your settings. No more diving into menus and losing your cinematic immersion. Adjust audio, tweak picture settings, all without missing a beat. This remote isn’t just a tool; it’s a seamless extension of your viewing experience.

While the construction feels solid and the weight is surprisingly manageable for a 65-inch screen, the real story lies in its luminosity. Compared to the blazing glory of the Hisense U8, which boasts a retina-searing 5,000 nits of peak brightness, this TV’s picture feels almost…subdued. It’s a trade-off, perhaps, for the lighter build, but one that leaves you yearning for a brighter, more vibrant visual experience.

Sony BRAVIA 5 Review: Picture Quality

Stepping down from the Hisense U8 to the BRAVIA 5 felt like trading a sports car for a sedan. Don’t get me wrong, the BRAVIA 5 delivers a crisp, clear picture, but the U8 had spoiled me rotten. Where the BRAVIA 5 truly shines, however, is its color. Predictable? Maybe. But Sony’s pedigree as a major movie studio is undeniable. They understand color science, ensuring that the images on their screens pop with accuracy, not oversaturation. It’s a picture calibrated for cinematic purists.

Beneath the BRAVIA 5’s stunning display lies the beating heart of its brilliance: Sony’s third-generation XR processor. This isn’t just a chip; it’s the conductor of a visual symphony. It meticulously orchestrates every pixel, breathing life into colors and seamlessly transforming lower-resolution content into dazzling FHD or even breathtaking UHD.

But the XR processor is more than just a scaler. It’s a visual detective, analyzing each scene with uncanny precision. Is it a close-up of a face, a sprawling landscape, or crisp text? The processor instantly recognizes it and applies tailored enhancements, optimizing every detail for a viewing experience so immersive, it’s almost tangible.

Sony’s pedigree in filmmaking shines through in the picture quality. Expect nothing less than cinematic brilliance they’re invested in making sure their screens showcase movies, their movies, in the best possible light.

The BRAVIA 5’s initial setup is a letdown. Plagued by an aggressive eco mode, the screen emerges from the box disappointingly dim. In a moderately lit living room, the picture was practically invisible. Cranking up the brightness after disabling eco mode dramatically improves the viewing experience, but this shouldn’t be necessary. Sony needs to rethink this default setting. While a commendable feature for energy conservation, eco mode’s activation straight out of the box is detrimental. Including a setup option to disable it from the get-go would solve this initial hurdle.

Want to truly experience the BRAVIA 5’s brilliance? Dive into Sony Pictures Core. Forget generic streaming – this is Sony’s own vault, brimming with cinematic gems and binge-worthy shows. Plus, with IMAX Enhanced support, you’re not just watching a movie; you’re unlocking a visually stunning experience that surpasses what other services offer. See your favorite films like never before, optimized for the BRAVIA 5’s exceptional display.

Perhaps the best TV for PlayStation 5

Unleash the PlayStation 5’s True Potential with Sony BRAVIA: It’s no secret – a Sony BRAVIA TV isn’t just a screen; it’s the PS5’s soulmate. Imagine a symphony of sight and sound, meticulously crafted because, well, Sony orchestrates both the BRAVIA and PlayStation worlds. This synergy elevates Sony TVs to a premium experience. Sony’s fingers are in every part of entertainment: blockbuster movies, binge-worthy shows, and immersive gaming – all meticulously optimized for the BRAVIA’s dazzling display.

If you’re a PlayStation 5 owner, Sony is going to be the best experience for playing games.

Unleash the full potential of your PlayStation 5 (or Xbox Series X) on the BRAVIA 5. Boasting dual HDMI 2.1 ports, this TV renders games in stunning 4K at a blistering 120fps, provided the game is optimized for it. Dive into a world of vibrant colors and incredible contrast with Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Dolby Vision for Gaming. Auto Genre Picture Mode intelligently optimizes the picture settings for each game, while ALLM and VRR ensure a silky-smooth, tear-free experience. Plus, with the PS Remote app, you can stream your PS5 games directly to the BRAVIA 5 and game from anywhere in your home.

Sony BRAVIA 5 Review: Sound

Sony thoughtfully included the BRAVIA Bar 6 with the BRAVIA 5, but I deliberately ignored it for a couple of weeks. I wanted to push the TV’s native speakers to their limit, to truly understand what they were capable of. The verdict? Surprisingly impressive.

The BRAVIA 5 is an audiophile’s dream, swallowing up every audio codec you can throw at it, from the immersive expanse of DTS:X to the cinematic grandeur of Dolby Atmos. While the mids and highs sparkle with clarity, the bass response is… well, typical TV fare. Think polite suggestion, not earth-shattering rumble. Only the Hisense U8GQ dared to buck this trend, cramming dual subwoofers into its frame. The tradeoff? A noticeably thicker, heavier design that made it a bit of a heavyweight champ in the 65-inch class.

Forget tinny, blown-out sound at high volumes. The BRAVIA 5 laughs in the face of distortion, even when cranked up to a window-rattling 80. I pushed it, I tested it, and it held its own. Honestly, I rarely venture past 25-30, but it’s reassuring to know that clean, crisp audio is there if I ever need it. Finally, built-in speakers that actually deliver.

To be quite honest, if you’re not an audiophile, the built-in speakers are going to be perfectly fine for you.

Sony BRAVIA 5 Review: Software

For over a decade, Sony has been a dedicated partner, diving headfirst into Google’s TV vision. Ever since Android TV burst onto the scene in 2015, Sony has been on board. Now, they’ve embraced Google TV, a souped-up version of Android TV, brimming with personalized recommendations and a slicker interface. This specific model rocks Android 12 under the hood, promising a seamless and cutting-edge viewing experience.

TV updates are usually a snore – a desert of silence. This TV broke the mold, not with an OS overhaul, but a remote control update. Yeah, you read that right. In all my years, I’ve never seen that. The result? Anticlimactic. I’m betting it was a ninja-level bug squashing mission, operating in the shadows.

Google TV: It’s everywhere. The experience is nearly identical whether you’re using the Google TV Streamer, a Hisense, TCL, or even a Sony TV… almost.

Sony, of course, adds its own flavor. Prepare for a splash of pre-installed apps like Sony Pictures Core, Crunchyroll, My BRAVIA, and more. While some are mere shortcuts, they do crowd that "Your apps" row on BRAVIA TVs, like the BRAVIA 5.

Frustratingly, you can’t banish these additions from the prime "Your apps" real estate. The workaround? Strategic rearranging. Shove those seldom-used Sony apps to the right, prioritizing your favorites on the left. Think of it as digital decluttering, Sony style.

The spec sheet says 32GB, but realistically, you’re looking at 16GB for your Google TV apps and downloads. Is that enough? So far, so good! I haven’t hit any performance snags, which is a relief. We’ve all been there, battling lag on TVs with paltry 8GB drives. This feels noticeably smoother. While I wish the interface offered a storage breakdown, I’m not sweating it… yet.

Navigating the settings can feel like a treasure hunt. Some display and audio tweaks live in Google TV’s realm, others within Sony’s exclusive domain. Imagine if all the controls were unified, or at least neatly tucked away in Sony’s section! Thankfully, a shortcut exists: tap the wrench button – nestled just beneath the power – and a magical menu slides up from the depths. Tweak picture mode on the fly, dim the lights for late-night viewing, or pump up the bass without ever leaving your show. Content type, brightness, power saving, voice zoom, sound field, and night mode are all at your fingertips. Dig deeper and find BRAVIA Notifications, plus dedicated Picture and Sound settings, all a wrench-press away.

Flick a switch, andbam– you’re not watching a movie anymore, you’replayinga game. That instantaneous transformation? It’s a game-changer. Seriously. A few seconds and a whole new experience explodes to life.

Pluto TV on this TV? Let’s just say it’s having a moment. While other apps stream smoothly, Pluto TV throws a pixelated party, complete with stuttering visuals and the occasional freeze-frame encore. I’m pointing fingers at Pluto TV, not Sony, even though it streams flawlessly on other TVs in my home. It’s a head-scratcher, especially since similar channels on The Roku Channel and Google TV FreePlay run without a hiccup. So, it can’t be my internet speed, can it? The mystery of the stuttering Pluto continues.

Otherwise, performance has been great on this TV, when it comes to Google TV.

Should you buy the Sony BRAVIA 5?

So, the million-dollar question: Should you drop $1399 on this Sony TV? That’s a tough one. While it’s positioned as a mid-range model, that price tag raises eyebrows. Let’s not beat around the bush; the "Sony Tax" is in full effect here. You’re paying a premium. The problem? Samsung’s QLED contenders, specifically the QN70F and QN80F series, are lurking in the same price bracket (the QN70F is evencheaper), and frankly, they boast a superior panel. Is the Sony badge worth the extra cost? That’s what we need to figure out.

For PlayStation 5 aficionados like myself, Sony TVs aren’t just a suggestion they’re the ultimate portal. Beyond the future-proof tech like HDMI 2.1 unlocking pristine 4K at 120Hz, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), lies a deeper synergy. Think of it as a hand-in-glove scenario: Sony crafts both the console and the display, resulting in a meticulously optimized gaming experience you simply won’t find anywhere else.

You should buy the Sony BRAVIA 5 if:

You want a Sony TV without breaking the bank.
You want a TV with an incredible PlayStation 5 experience.
You want an environmentally-friendly TV that will also save electricity.

You should not buy the Sony BRAVIA 5 if:

You want an OLED TV – grab the Sony BRAVIA 8 or 8 II.
You want a good, cheap TV.

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