The world of televisions is a battlefield, a constant war for our eyeballs and wallets. Every year, a new contender emerges, promising to be the one, the only, the last TV you’ll ever need. And let’s be honest, it’s usually a lot of fancy words and not much else. But then, Sony waltzed in with their latest creation, the BRAVIA 5 65”, and something felt different. It was like finally getting a solid night’s sleep after a week of terrible hangovers. You just know this one is a serious contender.

What’s the Big Deal?

This isn’t some flashy, over-the-top, look-at-me-I’m-so-expensive TV. The BRAVIA 5 is the quiet genius in the back of the class who casually aces every test. It’s for the person who wants a cinema in their living room without having to sell a kidney to pay for it. The moment I lifted it out of the box, it felt sleek and premium, with a design that says “I belong here” instead of “I’m just visiting.” It’s elegant, not gaudy, and blends into your home décor like a ninja. It’s the kind of TV you get for movie nights that feel less like a binge-watch and more like a pilgrimage.

Features & Performance: The Good, The Great, and The Cinematic

Now, let’s talk turkey. The BRAVIA 5 has some seriously impressive tech under the hood, but it’s not trying to hit you over the head with technical jargon. It’s all about results. The star of the show is the XR Backlight Master Drive. It’s basically Sony’s professional-grade monitor tech smuggled into a consumer TV. The result? Deep, inky blacks and stunningly bright whites that make you feel like you’re not just watching a movie, you’re in the movie. It’s like the difference between a charcoal drawing and a photograph. Both are good, but one is just on another level. The colors are vivid without being oversaturated, and the motion is so smooth it makes sports look like a beautiful ballet of human athleticism. Even old, grainy YouTube videos get a spa day, thanks to XR Clear Image which intelligently upscales content to near-4K.

But here’s the kicker: this TV is a cinema fanatic’s dream. Sony’s deep ties to Hollywood, from professional cameras to monitors, mean they know a thing or two about what a director’s vision looks like. The Studio Calibrated modes, especially the one for Netflix and Prime Video, are like a secret handshake with filmmakers. It’s as if the TV is saying, “Hey, I know what this is supposed to look like, so let’s get it right.” And let’s not forget the cinematic heavyweight combo of Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®. It’s a great audio experience for a TV this flat but in order to feel the explosions rumble and the whispers float by, you should pair it with a BRAVIA Theatre sound system. Even if it’s paired with one of Sony’s soundbars, you’re not just getting sound; you’re getting an emotional, soul-stirring experience that fills every corner of your room.

Software and Interface

The BRAVIA 5 runs on Google TV, and for the most part, it’s a smooth, intuitive experience that gets out of your way and lets you get straight to the content. It consolidates all your favorite shows and movies from different streaming services into a single, personalized feed, which is a lifesaver for anyone tired of jumping from app to app. It feels zippy and responsive, thanks to Sony’s XR Processor handling the heavy lifting. Coming from an older TV you will really feel the speed.

Google TV may not be for everyone, but thanks to the App store, it has everything you need. The interface is clean, and the voice control with Google Assistant is a fantastic touch, letting you find content or control your smart home devices, via Google Home, without ever lifting a finger. It’s a smart TV that actually feels smart, not just a dumb TV with a bunch of apps shoved onto it. 

The Bravia 5 has a Screensaver mode. When paired with the Living Decor app brings the TV close to The Frame, while most people won’t care, this definitely beats having a big black square on your wall. The biggest drawback is that this isn’t a matte screen and so the picture will look realistic only if there are no reflections, and also we need to consider the planet. I loved the Art Gallery theme, but you have quite a few options, some of which have sounds or are videos. The customisations of this mode is just enough. A great thing to have running at parties, but not something you should use regularly.

We can’t talk interface without talking about the remote. This TV comes with the RMF-TX820M, which is a reasonably sized remote, not miniscule but not huge. It does away with any unnecessary buttons, but brings in lots of dedicated buttons for services. The Crunchyroll and YouTube Music buttons are a bit annoying since I do not use those services. But you get what you get. I do appreciate having Netflix, Price Video and YouTube there. One annoying oddity of this remote is the colour, it has some kind of speckled design which meant that I was constantly wiping the remote thinking it had lint or dust on it. Very distracting and definitely not a good colour, but again you don’t really get a choice here.

Pros & Cons: The Highlights and the Hilarious

Pros

• Cinematic Prowess: This TV lives and breathes cinema. The Studio Calibrated modes are no joke—they bring the director’s vision right to your couch. It’s like having a private screening room.
• Picture Quality: The colors, the contrast, the sheer visual pop. It’s truly a sight to behold. It makes watching a documentary about a snail feel like a high-stakes adventure.
• Design: It’s sleek, it’s elegant, and it’s not trying to be the center of attention. It’s the kind of TV that makes your living room look classier without even trying.
• Gaming Features: Gamers, rejoice! PS Remote Play on a big, beautiful screen is a game changer. Say goodbye to hogging the main TV in the living room and hello to gaming in your bedroom.
• Google TV: Very powerful, lots of apps, Voice Assistant to find content quickly.

Cons

• No QLED: While the picture quality is incredible, it’s not an OLED or QLED screen. If you’re a pixel purist who needs to count every atom of light on your screen, you might notice the difference. But for 99% of us, it’s not a dealbreaker.
• The Price Tag: At AED 6,999, it’s not exactly a budget buy. Think of it less as a purchase and more as an investment in your mental well-being and future movie nights. It’s like paying for a gym membership you’ll actually use.
• Google TV: Some might not like it. (yes it’s a pro and a con)

The Showdown: BRAVIA 5 vs. The Rest

So how does the BRAVIA 5 stack up against the competition? Well, think of it this way: if a standard TV is instant noodles, this is a fancy ramen bar with homemade broth and perfectly marinated pork belly. Sure, instant noodles get the job done, but the experience just isn’t the same. The BRAVIA 5 stands apart from its rivals by not just focusing on flashy specs but on the emotional core of what makes content great. It’s less about the numbers and more about the feels. It takes the best of what Sony has to offer in their professional gear and democratizes it. The result is a TV that feels smarter, more intuitive, and more connected to the art of filmmaking than its peers.

The Verdict: A TV that Cares

After all the binge-watching, gaming, and general cinematic bliss, my verdict on the BRAVIA 5 is simple: it’s a slam dunk. This TV isn’t just about watching a show; it’s about experiencing it. It’s for the person who loves movies, who wants to feel every emotion, and who appreciates the little details that make a story great. It’s a premium product without the pretense, a technological marvel that feels accessible and genuinely helpful. So if you’re in the market for a TV that will elevate your home entertainment game, make your friends jealous, and maybe, just maybe, make you fall in love with movies all over again, the BRAVIA 5 is the one. Just be prepared to have fewer excuses for not having a movie night.