Sony's TV and gaming divisions have teamed up to label two of the newest flatscreens on the market as "Ready for PlayStation 5." This is a rarer occurrence than some might think, as there has never been a significant overlap between the television production arm of the corporation and its PlayStation division. Even when PlayStation was running a cord-cutting service called PlayStation Vue, the app was not pushed by the TV end of the company more than any other similar service. The PlayStation Now service did appear preinstalled on some LCDs released by the company, but it was never supported much beyond the PlayStation 3 era.

Of course, most PlayStations have not displayed cutting edge display tech upon their arrival. The PlayStation and PlayStation 2 were from a simpler SD time where the graphics were impressive, but they could run on anything from a giant screen to an old tube with rabbit ears. As time went on, games began to surpass HD TV and DVDs as some of the most impressive products you could show in your living room, especially if you were shelling out a lot of cash. While only Netflix and Ultra HD discs are supporting 4K in the visual medium, the interactive arts seem poised to fully embrace the latest display tech.

Stemming from that, it makes sense that two of Sony's top of the line TV for this year would be positioned as the best for prospective PlayStation 5 owners. According to TechRadar, the cheaper of the two is the Sony BRAVIA X900H, a mid-range 4K display that supports up to 120 frames per second. The higher-end model is an 8K display the supports the same FPS, the Z8H Smart LED. Both units also automatically switch the screen into "game mode," which is a low latency setting that removes some of the delay seen on modern big flatscreens during gaming.


As you might expect when pairing a PlayStation with a Sony-branded TV, the console will integrate smoothly with your living room setup. The "Game Mode TV" feature will allow the TV and console to awaken from a single press of a button on the PS5's DualSense wireless controller. In addition, both sets will have "Acoustic Multi-Audio" technology, which tries to emulate a surround sound setup without the extra speakers. The 4K X900H will start out at a $999 USD price tag and go up from there, while the 8K Z8H will cost consumers at least $7000 USD to start.

Pricing for the two "Ready for PlayStation 5" television sets is quite eye-popping, and that gets worse when it's revealed that some of these gaming-friendly features will be exclusive to sets with that label. While it's likely not too difficult for rival manufacturers to work some of this tech into their own machines, it shows Sony closing off its platform at the same time that Microsoft is opening its. When one manufacturer is locking console functionality into specific TV sets and the other is not too bothered if consumers don't even buy its hardware in the first place, it makes for a very interesting next-gen showdown.

PlayStation 5 is set to arrive in Holiday 2020.