Hey everyone! I finally treated myself to a new Sony 4K smart TV and I am absolutely blown away by the picture quality so far. I primarily use it for gaming on my PS5, but I feel like I am not fully taking advantage of everything this display can do. I want to make sure I have the right setup to get the most out of the 120Hz refresh rate and HDR features.
Right now, I am just using the stock cables and the TV's built-in speakers, which are okay, but I know it could be better. I have been looking into high-speed HDMI 2.1 cables to ensure I am getting a stable 4K/120Hz signal without any flickering issues. I am also curious about audio; would a dedicated soundbar with eARC support make a huge difference for directional sound in shooters? Also, since I play in a darker room, I have heard people mention bias lighting or LED strips to help with eye strain, but I am not sure which ones work best with Sony's interface.
I am trying to stay under a budget of about $400 for a few key upgrades. Aside from the obvious things like a controller charging dock, what are the absolute must-have accessories you would recommend to really level up a Sony 4K gaming setup?
sooo i was thinking about your setup and honestly, you might not even need to spend money on a new cable!! the one that came in the ps5 box is actually already a full 2.1 cable, so i guess u can save some cash there right? if u really want a spare tho, maybe grab the Zeskit Maya 8K 48Gbps Certified Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable 6.5ft for like $20. it is super reliable for 4k/120hz. for sound, a dedicated bar makes a massive difference for hearing footsteps... i would suggest looking at the Vizio M-Series 5.1.2 Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos M512a-H6. it is usually under $400 and the eARC support is literally essential for that uncompressed ps5 audio. also, for the lights, the Govee TV LED Backlight T2 is GREAT for sony tvs because it uses a camera to sync colors. it really helps with eye strain in dark rooms, you know? gl with the upgrades!! peace
Seconding the recommendation above about the stock cable. Seriously, the one in the box is already Ultra High Speed, so dont let some salesperson talk you into a $50 cable. I've had issues with cheap gear in the past... I actually ruined a HDMI port on my old set because of a short, which was a huge bummer. Now I'm super cautious about what I plug in. If you want to stay under $400 and keep your hardware safe, here is my list:
Honestly, seeing people talk about cables reminds me of the headaches I had trying to maintain a stable FRL link for 4K/120Hz. IIRC, even with certified cables, I started getting these weird black screen dropouts every hour or so. Turns out, it wasnt just the cable quality but the physical stress on the HDMI port itself. Those high-speed cables can be pretty thick and heavy, and over time, the weight can actually compromise the solder joints on the TVs mainboard. I ended up using some basic ties to create a service loop so the weight of the cable wasnt pulling directly on the port. Not sure if its still an issue with the latest Bravia XR processors, but I think I heard some users mentioning HDMI-CEC handshake loops causing the TV to reboot when switching between the PS5 and audio gear. It might be worth being very deliberate with your cable routing to avoid interference. Anyway, just something to keep in mind for long-term reliability... you dont want to be dealing with flickering signal issues six months down the line because of EMI or physical port strain. Tbh, a little bit of cable management goes a long way for protecting that investment. Here are a few things I usually double-check:
Any updates on this?
> Those high-speed cables can be pretty thick and heavy, and over time, the weight can actually compromise the solder joints To add to the point above, I had some real issues with some of the bigger brands recently and it was pretty disappointing tbh. Youd think spending more would get you better quality but it wasnt as good as expected... kinda felt like a waste. If youre trying to compare brands for the best Sony compatibility, honestly just check out Reddit or YouTube. There is this one really detailed video, just search for Sony 4K TV gaming accessories comparison and its basically the first thing that shows up. It does a way better job of explaining the brand differences than I can here. Just search for it and youll find everything you need.