Sony gives curved a try with the Bravia S90 4K TV
Sony's first curved TV looks set to be a 4K stunner, if you're into that sort of thing
IFA Berlin is only a few weeks away, and that can only mean one thing for the tech industry: pre-announcements ahead of the show itself. Sony was among the first out the gate this morning when it revealed the S90 – the company’s first 4K model with a curved screen.
Set to launch in 65in and 75in screen sizes, the contoured screen is designed to put the viewer in the centre of the action, although based on our experiences with curved displays the sweet spot that grants the full effect is rather limited. Still, if you’re after a cinema-style experience at home but can’t justify a projector, a curved display could be the next best thing.
Sony was also keen to point out the S90’s audio capabilities in the official announcement. It will be the first TV to use the company’s 4.2 channel, multi-angle speaker system that is supposed to create immersive, 360-degree sound from a single source. We’ll believe it when we hear it, but compatibility with Sony’s wireless subwoofer will at least mean low-end bass will be able to compete with dedicated sound systems.
Apart from the curved screen, the S90 looks very similar to the existing X9005a we reviewed earlier in the year – meaning Triluminos display for improved colour vibrancy, X-Reality Pro picture engine for upscaling all inputs to 4K resolution, Sony’s Social Viewing smart TV system for tweeting along with your favorite shows, one-touch smartphone mirroring and the usual selection of catch-up and on-demand services.
Sony has used IFA to reveal new TVs in the past, most recently the S990a at last year’s show. This too was a curved set, but only had a 1080p resolution panel. Although it eventually went on sale in the US, it never came to Europe, suggesting Sony wasn’t convinced that curved panels were the way forward. That could have changed for 2014, although we’ll have to wait and see if the S90 actually makes it on sale.
The company has yet to announce an official release date or price for the S90, but with the flat 65in X9 4K TV costing roughly £3,600, we would expect the curved S90 to at least cost the same amount. We expect to learn more at IFA in September, so be sure to check back for our coverage from the show floor.