Bang & Olufsen BeoVision Avant 85 Express Review: This 4K TV is the ultimate luxury tech

To start with, this 85-inch 4K television costs a cool Rs 29,99,990, what most of us would pay — over many years — to own a house. Yes, this is not gadget for us.

But that does not mean no one in India can own something like this. There are lot of people who can afford luxury of this type.

What is good?

An 85-inch screen is as good as going to the cinemas. In fact, there are cinemas with smaller screens. And with 4K, the picture quality is better than what you would see in most cinemas. But to add to the experience the television does not switch off, instead it has a curtain effect that adds to the entire cinema experience. The television comes with a Chromatic Room Adaptation feature, that analyses ambient light from two sensors and adjusts the picture to ensure clarity. Plus, there is a high-grade anti-reflection coating that dramatically softens reflections.

Even those who haven’t heard it have heard about the audio quality of Bang & Olufsen. And that is something that sets this television apart. The audio quality is to die for. Or let’s say if you are watching a James Bond movie the sound quality could end up killing you. It is that real, that good. The television comes with three channel speakers that come out from under the screen as you switch on the television and go up when you switch it off. Of course, you can spend a million rupees more to upgrade the audio to a 7.1 surround.

If you pay extra, Bang & Olufsen has motorised wall brackets that can bring the screen out by 90 degrees. It is optional, of course, but can make the set up more valuable.

The TV has been made for homes where even a single wire can look odd. So, there are cavities to hide your Apple TV or a hard disk drive with 4K content. Even the power cable can be neatly hidden.

The BeoRemote One is the most stylish I have ever seen. It has a unibody aluminium remote that offers one-hand and one-touch access for most things you want to do on the TV. It has a small display to help you customise the experience. Thankfully, there is also a app-based remove, which in these days might make more sense for buyers.

What is not that good?

Well, if I’m paying Rs 29,99,990 for a television, I better get a remote with it. But B&O is out to save money for those who can spend Rs 3 million on a television by saying the Rs 40,000 remote is extra. Yes, you don’t need that stylish remote as there is an app that works even better. But why don’t you just raise the price tag to Rs 30,50,000 and give the remote as free? This piece of economics just beats me.

Also, with an 85-inch 4K television you better have access to 4K ultra HD content, for watching even HD quality content on screen this good and large can be a pain for your eyes. It is just not what this television is made for.

Verdict

Well, if you are the sort who can afford this television, then there is no better choice to splurge than this at the moment. Yes, this is one of the best televisions money can buy. But you need that sort of money in the first place. If you can’t afford it, there are smaller versions for Rs 10 lakh and Rs 20 lakh for 55 and 75 inch screens.