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The smart TV market has been oversaturated with new releases from some of today’s biggest tech giants and Sony’s latest budget offering, the Bravia 2 II, is one of the most recent to add its name to hat.
Released in April 2025, the Bravia 2 II burst onto the scene as the entry-level offering in the brand’s well-known but still relatively new TV lineup. It doesn’t boast as many bells and whistles as the other four models in the range, but manages to gain props for being the shiniest new toy in the family as it’s brand-new for 2025, compared to the 2024-debuted Bravia 3, 7 and 9.
For those households looking for a worthwhile upgrade for fall movie nights and at-home series binges, this TV covers most of the bases incredibly well and comes with a few features that also make it a smart home companion that’s more of an asset than a distraction.
While it does place high on the spectrum of “budget” by today’s standards (the Hisense Class QD6 Series QLED Smart Fire TV is almost $300 cheaper), its premium parent brand and well-vetted ensemble lineup make it somewhat worth the minor splurge. But let’s be honest — a budget buy this is not. But by sizing, branding and dependability standards, “relatively affordable” or even “budget-friendly” are much more fitting key descriptors.
Sony Bravia 2 II Smart TV with Google TV
Sony Bravia 2 II 65-Inch 4K Smart TV with Google TV
A modern smart TV with an approachable-yet-generous screen size with top-of-the-line picture quality
Product Specs
- Standout featurePicture vibrancy
- Smart integration?Yes
- Assembly required?Yes
- Dimensions12.8 inches D x 57 inches W x 35.6 inches H
- Other sizes available43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch and 75-inch
What we love
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Thin bezels and framingMore screen real estate that lends to a seamless viewing experience
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Apple HomeKit and Google Home IntegrationIf you have an Apple or Google device like an iPhone or Nest Hub, you’ll be able to control your TV remotely
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Picture qualityThe TV automatically upscales everything to near 4K for better clarity and detail
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Bravia Connect AppAccess the TV’s virtual remote control from your phone
What could be better
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Lacks Dolby Vision supportSupports HDR10 and HLG formats, but not Dolby Vision. This may still be immersive enough for most casual viewers
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Limited to 60Hz refresh rateThough it falls short here, it still manages to be extremely responsive, especially when gaming
Our Verdict
The Sony Bravia 2 II is a well-designed and competent smart TV for daily use and fits the needs of the everyday viewer who isn’t looking for the latest and most innovative features to propel its performance.
It passed my basic setup and assembly tests with flying colors with the box’s top-removal structure allowing for a simple and damage-free removal of the unit. Keep in mind, though, that two people are recommended to effectively and safely remove the unit from the box to avoid potential damage.
While the TV comes with hardware for both wall-mounted and free-standing configurations, I opted for the latter and ran into a minor issue. After attaching the TV’s legs and carefully placing it on my entertainment center, I was noticed that it left little room for the comfortable placement of a soundbar.
For both devices to fit, I had to push the rear feet grips on the stand over the back of my entertainment center. This didn’t pose an issue with the TV’s balance or viewing angle, from both seated and standing positions.
All in all, the Sony Bravia 2 II is a commendable and decent smart TV that’s best suited for viewers who prioritize casual-yet-clear, no-frills viewing over a cinematic theater-comparative experience.
The sound, though solidly expelled through X-Balanced speakers, leaves a bit to be desired, so I’d recommend pairing this TV with a high-quality soundbar to give it an instant upgrade that you’ll notice from the jump.
How we test
We put all of our products through a rigorous testing process and TVs are no different. We test every television’s picture quality, brightness levels, contrast ratio, input lag, sound performance without the inclusion of external speakers and more.
Ease of use and value for money are also major factors that we test to determine if a TV is worth recommending to our readers.
You can read more about how we test tech products on our dedicated page.
Why trust us
While implementing and enforcing a thorough testing process is essential for producing honest and well-researched content, we also believe that experience is invaluable. This is why all of our testers are experts in their field.
Moriba has been testing and reviewing tech products for over six years and formulates the testing methodologies and rubrics we use in our tech, men’s fashion and travel reviews and buying guides.
His reviews are honest, impartial, direct and don’t shy away from highlighting the bad as much as the good to help you make the most informed buying decision.
The Sony Bravia 2 II home page displays a plethora of apps with Google TV features built-in
Sony Bravia 2 II Smart TV with Google TV review
Performance and picture quality: Upscaling and 4K optimization
For everyday use displaying DTH or streaming channels, HD YouTube videos or 4K-optimized series, the Sony Bravia 2 II absolutely delivers, and that’s all thanks to Sony’s 4K X-Reality Pro engine.
This TV’s upscaling feature also works beautifully when viewing those nostalgic series and films. I tested this with a few episodes of Scandal (the political drama which first aired in 2012 and is now my current re-binge), and noticed that the Bravia 2 II solidly cleaned up the lower resolution from those earlier episodes.
They were visibly less pixelated, especially when adjusted for the wider 65-inch display, and were optimized in real-time to look as close to 4K as possible without oddly affecting the picture quality. There was no hazy “perfected” pseudo filter that lower-end 4K TVs tend to produce and faces, text, and even background subjects looked natural and detailed enough to make the content look like over a decade hadn’t passed.
Performance and picture quality: Gaming
I also tested the display performance through a gaming lens to see if there were consistencies across both formats. This TV’s gaming mode was optimized for use with the PlayStation console. Graphics are said to be vivid and crystal clear with this pairing, and the TV’s Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) synchronizes the display’s refresh rate with the gaming system’s output to prevent screen tearing. It’s supposed to be pretty epic.
Here’s the thing: I own a Nintendo Switch and not a PlayStation, and it’s worth noting that I did not witness the advertised graphic masterpiece that’s said to come with the latter’s pairing with this TV.
While the graphics weren’t awful, by any means, they were a bit dull and lacked that precision and vibrancy that I was hoping to see, especially with the dynamic color stories in games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
On a positive note, I did notice that Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) automatically switched the TV over to low-latency mode when it detected my Switch’s gaming signal. This feature helps reduce any input lag and while I did notice that the input switch-over was seamless with the Nintendo Switch, considering that this TV was optimized to work best with the PlayStation console, I imagine that that pairing would lead to a much faster result.
The Sony Bravia 2 II doesn’t lack in ports, with designated spaces for connecting a gaming console, soundbar, streaming device and more
Design, features and remote control
Though the Sony Bravia 2 II is the brand’s entry level introduction into the lineup, it doesn’t skimp in the connectivity department. In the past, I’ve tested TVs with more premium specs that lacked connectivity options and variety.
This unit just about covers all bases, housing four HDMI inputs for gaming consoles, set top boxes, streaming devices and more, and two USB ports for physical plug-in accessories like a streaming stick, flash drive for viewing media on the TV or to even charge USB-connectable devices.
You’ll also find an Ethernet LAN port for wired internet, an optical audio output, and Coaxial/RF and IF ports for connecting a cable TV box.
Most soundbars today require HDMI eARC support for its devices to connect and work as intended and the Sony Bravia 2 II includes this on the HDMI 3 input. I connected my Sonos Arc Ultra through this port as it was made specifically for high-quality audio passthrough to a soundbar or any other external audio speaker system.
Once I connected both devices, the setup basically handled itself. This was a refreshing finding, especially when considering the pain in connectivity I’ve experienced when connecting soundbars to older TV models in the past.
The remote is equipped with quick-launch app-specific buttons and a dedicated Google Assistant button
The remote control, made of 80% recycled plastic, is pretty standard and extremely lightweight. It has dedicated app buttons (YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, etc.), a built-in mic and a Google Assistant button for voice control.
Buttons for input switching and IR+Bluetooth operations are also easily accessible. After repeated use, I’ve noticed that the remote does lack that premium feel and is a bit too light-as-a-feather, for my taste. The buttons are also extremely soft and close together — so much so that I found myself accidentally pressing the “back” button when I intended on hitting the “volume up” button instead.
So, as far as the “budget” moniker goes, the remote meets the mark, but still doesn’t compromise on reliability or responsiveness.
Value for money
So, is the Sony Bravia 2 II worth the investment? If you’re looking for a TV that’s feature-packed and gimmick-heavy, this model won’t impress you. There’s nothing inherently flashy about it and its lack of Dolby Vision support puts it a step behind some of its contemporaries.
However, the areas where it excels — 4K picture quality, vibrancy, responsive actions and controls, port variety, upscaling, smart integration, etc. — are expertly executed, making this a clear “bang for your buck” unit that you’ll surely have and enjoy for years to come.
Sony Bravia 2 II 65-Inch 4K Smart TV with Google TV
A modern smart TV with an approachable-yet-generous screen size with top-of-the-line picture quality
FAQs
Is a Google TV like a smart TV?
Yes — a Google TV is essentially an Android TV, which is a type of smart TV. It connects to the internet and comes with streaming services, native TV apps, free channels (exclusive to the Google TV platform), and several other smart TV features built in that standard smart TVs also have.
What makes it different, though, is the Google TV experience that lets you personalize your smart home page to fit your needs by downloading different apps from the Google Play Store to create your own customized dashboard. Most standard smart TVs come with a set of apps built-in that can neither be deleted nor built-upon.
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