Sony BRAVIA XH8 49" Smart LED 4K Ultra HD HDR Android TV Sony BRAVIA KD49XH8196BU

SHS The Score - XH81 4K LED TV

Recommended for: Sports fans and movie watchers looking to maximise their budget.  

Following an award-winning 2019, Sony are back with a brand new TV range for 2020 featuring exceptional processing power and motion clarity. The XH81 offers the great features we’ve come to expect from large-screen Sony TVs at a more affordable price point, including both a 4K HDR X1 Processor and Motionflow 400Hz technology for smoother motion and clear, contrasting colour. With the same spec as the XH80, the XH81 has been refined to offer premium features such as a sleek Metal Blade Stand and Premium TV Remote to make the TV a real centrepiece in the home. 

Choose between a 43”, 49”, 55” or 65” screen to suit the size & layout of your room. Read our handy blog on choosing the right screen size for your room here.

SHS Top Sony XH81 Features (Explained)

1. 4K HDR LED TV - The XH81’s HDR LED screen offers superb 4K performance that provides better contrast, colour and clarity. 
2. Dolby Vision Atmos - The XH81 will perfectly pass through Atmos recorded content into a connected soundbar and Dolby Vision quality picture from connected devices. This gives you the very best of surround sound cinema at home.  
3. Sony X1 HDR Processor - This class-leading Processor offers first-rate movement clarity and colour realism by reducing image grain and offering exceptional contrast from a 4K HDR colour spectrum. Imagine a car chase rushing across the screen or a ball flying across the pitch; the X1 will prevent these visuals from being anything other than crisp, clear and true to life.  
4. Smart Features: Access all your favourite entertainment in record time with Android TV, featuring Google Play Store and Chromecast. A separate processor enables all Sony TVs to launch apps, such as Netflix, 3 times faster than a conventional smart television. Works with Apple Homekit and Airplay. 

Similar TV Comparison

Model Below: Sony BRAVIA XH80 - The XH80 offers the same great features as the XH81 but without the Metal Blade Stand and premium remote supplied with this model. The XH80 is available in the larger sizes of 75” or 85”.

Model Above: Sony BRAVIA XH85 - Offering a 100Hz native panel and 800Hz MotionFlow XR, the XH85 will offer cleaner motion with lower levels of blur. This is great for watching sport or gaming, as the XH85 won’t miss a piece of the action. 

Even Better: Sony BRAVIA XH90 - Acoustic Multi-Audio positions the TV’s tweeters on the side of the screen for a more immersive, 3D listening experience. The XH90’s Full Array LED screen will also improve contrast and colour. 

Jargon Buster: Breaking Down The Spec

• 4K X-Reality Pro: The XH81 X1 Processor will upscale pixels in any image to bring them closer to true 4K definition. This is achieved through image noise reduction techniques and AI detail enhancement.
• X-Balanced Speakers: The downward firing speaker drivers in the XH81 have been reimagined in an innovative new shape, combining the anti-distortion properties of a circular driver with the slimline form of an oval driver.  
• Motionflow XR 400Hz: Motionflow will create a smoother and more natural picture by combining a higher refresh rate with frame insertion to control blur. Great for gaming, sports and action movie viewing. 
• Triluminos Display - Sony TVs  reproduce more colours than conventional televisions by analyzing and processing data in every image to make colours more precise.

Best Matched Soundbars

Sonos Beam - The compact yet powerful Sonos Beam will add great surround sound functionality to your XH81. Pair this with a Sonos Sub and 2x Sonos One SLs for a full 5.1 system.

Sonos Arc - HDMI-ARC on the Sony XH81 will pass on Dolby Atmos sound content to your sound bar, allowing Arc to play in Dolby Atmos and use its upward firing speaker drivers for a more immersive home-cinema experience.   

Sony HT-X8500 - 2.1 channel soundbar with built-in dual subwoofer offers an all-in-one upgrade for your TV with support for Dolby Atmos and Bluetooth.

Sony HT-G700 - 3.1 channel soundbar and subwoofer package with support for Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Bluetooth 5.0 for hassle-free connection. Designed to enhance your TV audio with cinematic surround sound and impressive vocals.

Lens To Living Room

Sony is used across a vast array of film production houses, meaning it’s very likely that Sony equipment was used to shoot and develop many of your favourite films and TV shows. As a product of this, Sony TVs are expertly calibrated to match the filming and audio equipment used to create the content you watch, ensuring that what you see is exactly what the director or producer intended. 

All of Sony’s Android TVs including the XH81 are recommended by Netflix due to their better performance, easier app access and new features that ensure a better TV watching experience.