Choosing a flagship OLED TV means balancing top-tier picture quality, gaming performance, and long-term value. The Sony BRAVIA 8 (2024) delivers an excellent all-round OLED experience with Sony’s signature processing, strong HDR, and PS5-focused features. Meanwhile, the Sony BRAVIA 8 II (2025) takes that foundation and pushes it further with a QD-OLED panel, higher brightness, and a more refined slim premium design.
In this article, we’ll compare the BRAVIA 8 II vs BRAVIA 8 in detail and answer the key question: what is actually better in the Sony BRAVIA 8 II, and is it worth choosing over the BRAVIA 8?
Sony BRAVIA 8 II (2025) Short Overview
The Sony BRAVIA 8 II is the 2025 evolution of this line and brings several meaningful upgrades, most notably in panel technology. Instead of a standard OLED, the BRAVIA 8 II uses a QD-OLED (Quantum Dot OLED) panel, which combines self-emissive pixels with a quantum-dot layer.
The result is brighter highlights, wider colour volume, and better viewing angles compared to the conventional OLED panel of the BRAVIA 8. QD-OLED technology also helps reduce the slight pink or blue tinting that can appear on some standard OLED panels at extreme viewing angles. It delivers improved panel uniformity with fewer visible vertical bands and cleaner near-black handling, so dark scenes look smoother and more consistent.
Sony pairs this panel with its Cognitive Processor XR and an enhanced colour system (such as XR Triluminos Max depending on region), aiming to deliver richer colours and more impactful HDR. Sony also markets the BRAVIA 8 II as offering its highest OLED brightness yet in this class, which helps HDR movies and games look more vivid, especially in rooms with some ambient light.
Design is another area where the BRAVIA 8 II steps ahead. It embraces a very slim “One Slate” design, with a clean, minimalist front and a thin profile that looks excellent on the wall or on its stand. Small touches in the stand and bezel finish reinforce the 8 II’s more premium look and feel compared to the already-nice BRAVIA 8.
Smart features remain familiar: Google TV, Dolby Vision / HDR10 / HLG, Chromecast built-in, AirPlay 2, and Sony’s own content integrations are all here. For gaming, the BRAVIA 8 II supports 4K/120 Hz, VRR, ALLM, and PS5-focused features, plus Dolby Vision Gaming on compatible devices.
One limitation to note is that the BRAVIA 8 II still offers only two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports, which can be a constraint for users with multiple next-gen consoles or high-end gaming PCs. Nonetheless, as a complete package, the BRAVIA 8 II clearly positions itself as a brighter, more refined, and more premium version of the original BRAVIA 8.
| Sony BRAVIA 8 II Prices | |
| 65-inch (K-65XR80M2) | Check Today’s Price (Amazon.com)… |
| 55-inch (K-55XR80M2) | Check Today’s Price (Amazon.com)… |
Sony BRAVIA 8 (2024) Short Overview
The Sony BRAVIA 8 serves as Sony’s premium 2024 OLED series. It uses a self-emissive OLED panel with over 8 million self-lit pixels to deliver perfect blacks, high native contrast, and very good shadow detail, backed by Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR and XR Triluminos Pro colour system. This combination gives the BRAVIA 8 its characteristic cinematic look with rich colours and accurate skin tones.
In terms of core specs, the BRAVIA 8 offers 4K (3840 × 2160) resolution and a native 120 Hz refresh rate, making it suitable for both high-end movies and fast-paced games. It supports major HDR formats, including Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG, so you get full benefit from modern streaming and UHD Blu-ray content.
On the audio side, Sony equips the BRAVIA 8 with Acoustic Surface Audio+, where the screen itself acts as a speaker. This system helps dialogue feel like it comes directly from the picture and can sound surprisingly immersive for a built-in TV audio solution.
Gaming is another strong point: with 4K/120 Hz, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and Perfect for PS5 features (such as Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode), the BRAVIA 8 is well-tuned for console gamers—especially PS5 owners.
All of this is wrapped in a slim, premium design with Google TV as the smart platform. You get access to all major streaming apps, Chromecast built-in, and Apple AirPlay 2, making the BRAVIA 8 an excellent all-round premium OLED choice.
| Sony BRAVIA 8 Prices | |
| 77-inch (K-77XR80) | Check Today’s Price (Amazon.com)… |
| 65-inch (K-65XR80) | Check Today’s Price (Amazon.com)… |
| 55-inch (K-55XR80) | Check Today’s Price (Amazon.com)… |
Sony BRAVIA 8 II and Sony BRAVIA 8 Specs Comparison Table
The table below highlights the key specification between the Sony BRAVIA 8 II and Sony BRAVIA 8.
| Specification | Sony BRAVIA 8 II (2025) | Sony BRAVIA 8 (2024) | |||||
| Panel Type | QD-OLED (Quantum Dot OLED) | OLED (self-emissive, non-QD) | |||||
| Available Sizes | 55″, 65″ | 55″, 65″, 77″ | |||||
| Resolution | 4K (3840 × 2160) | 4K (3840 × 2160) | |||||
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |||||
| HDR Formats | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | |||||
| Processor | Cognitive Processor XR (enhanced tuning) | Cognitive Processor XR | |||||
| Colour System | XR Triluminos Max | XR Triluminos Pro | |||||
| Peak Brightness | ~1,400–1,800 nits | ~800 nits | |||||
| Gaming Features | 4K/120 Hz, VRR, ALLM, Dolby Vision Gaming, PS5 features | 4K/120 Hz, VRR, ALLM, PS5 features | |||||
| HDMI Ports | 4 ports (2 × full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1) | 4 ports (2 × HDMI 2.1) | |||||
| Audio System | Screen-based audio with refined tuning | Acoustic Surface Audio+ | |||||
| Smart Platform | Google TV, Chromecast built-in, AirPlay 2 | Google TV, Chromecast built-in, AirPlay 2 | |||||
| Price | Higher | Lower | |||||
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The Differences Between Sony Bravia 8 II and Bravia 8
If you’re torn between the BRAVIA 8 II and BRAVIA 8, here are the most important key differences between those two TVs:
- Panel Technology: OLED vs QD-OLED
The BRAVIA 8 uses a standard OLED panel, while the BRAVIA 8 II upgrades to QD-OLED. QD-OLED delivers richer colours, higher colour volume, and improved viewing angles, giving the 8 II a clear technical edge in pure picture quality. - Brightness and HDR Impact
The BRAVIA 8 II is designed to be significantly brighter than the BRAVIA 8. This improved peak brightness makes HDR highlights stand out more, improves visibility in bright rooms, and gives movies and games a more punchy, dynamic look. The BRAVIA 8 still looks excellent in dim or moderately lit rooms, but the 8 II pulls ahead when there’s more ambient light. - Design and Aesthetic
Both TVs look premium, but the BRAVIA 8 II pushes the design further with a slimmer “One Slate” profile, a more minimal bezel, and a more elegant stand design. If you’re wall-mounting or building a high-end living-room setup, the 8 II’s cleaner, more modern design will be more appealing. - Gaming Features and HDMI 2.1 Ports
Gaming support is strong on both models: you get 4K/120 Hz, VRR, ALLM, and PS5-oriented features. The BRAVIA 8 II adds Dolby Vision Gaming support on top. However, both models still limit you to two HDMI 2.1 ports, which means users with multiple next-gen consoles and a gaming PC may need to use an HDMI switch or prioritise devices. - Price and Value Positioning
As the newer 2025 model, the BRAVIA 8 II launches at a higher price. The BRAVIA 8, being older, is more likely to be discounted and represent better value while still offering excellent performance. In other words: the 8 II is better, but the 8 may be “good enough” for many buyers at a lower price.
What is Better in the Sony BRAVIA 8 II?
If we directly answer the question “What is better in the Sony BRAVIA 8 II?”, the main improvements are its QD-OLED panel, higher brightness, richer colour performance, and more premium, slimmer design. These upgrades give the BRAVIA 8 II clearly better overall picture quality, especially for HDR movies and games in brighter rooms, and make it feel like the more future-proof, high-end choice. If you want the best image Sony offers in this line and are comfortable paying a bit more, the BRAVIA 8 II is the one you should choose.
| Sony BRAVIA 8 II Prices | |
| 65-inch (K-65XR80M2) | Check Today’s Price (Amazon.com)… |
| 55-inch (K-55XR80M2) | Check Today’s Price (Amazon.com)… |
However, the Sony BRAVIA 8 still remains an excellent premium OLED TV and may be the smarter pick for many buyers. It offers deep blacks, great colour, strong gaming features, and the option of a larger 77-inch size, often at a lower price once discounts are considered. If you mostly watch in a darker room, don’t absolutely need the extra brightness of QD-OLED, or you’re focused on maximising value, the BRAVIA 8 is still a very easy TV to recommend.
| Sony BRAVIA 8 Prices | |
| 77-inch (K-77XR80) | Check Today’s Price (Amazon.com)… |
| 65-inch (K-65XR80) | Check Today’s Price (Amazon.com)… |
| 55-inch (K-55XR80) | Check Today’s Price (Amazon.com)… |