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Sony’s flagship RGB LED TV is incredible
Sony has released the Bravia 9 II, its flagship RGB LED television, which reviewer John Higgins of The Verge calls the best RGB LED TV he has seen this year. The set builds on the RGB backlight technology Sony first showed in prototype form in early 2025, using individual red, green and blue LEDs rather than a traditional blue backlight, allowing for a wider colour range. This matters because RGB LED technology is being positioned as the major television development of 2026, and Sony's flagship models have historically set the benchmark whenever a new display technology emerges.
Compared with the Bravia 7 II, reviewed in May, the 9 II offers more dimming zones, an anti-reflective screen and greater brightness, but costs $1,000 more at the 65-inch size, with the gap widening for larger screens. It shares the same processor and distinctive lenticular stand as the 7 II, and matches or exceeds it on colour and greyscale accuracy, though both models are limited to just two HDMI 2.1 ports out of four. The Verge awarded the Bravia 9 II a score of 9, praising its colour accuracy, brightness and matte screen, while noting it remains pricier than flagship OLED TVs and still shows some off-axis blooming typical of LED displays.
In short
- Sony's Bravia 9 II is its best RGB LED TV yet, says reviewer
- Better brightness and dimming than Bravia 7 II, but $1,000 pricier
- Scored 9/10; strong colour accuracy but still costs more than OLED rivals
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
RGB LED technology represents genuine advances in colour accuracy and range compared to traditional LED, and Sony's flagship status means this model sets industry benchmarks for technology poised to define 2026. The Bravia 9 II's improvements—additional dimming zones, anti-reflective coating, enhanced brightness—deliver measurable picture quality gains justifying the premium for colour-critical viewers willing to invest in next-generation display technology.
The case against
The Bravia 9 II commands a £1,000 premium over the 7 II for incremental refinements, with identical processor and design, whilst costing more than flagship OLED televisions offering superior contrast, zero blooming, and proven long-term reliability. Early-stage RGB LED technology remains unproven compared to mature OLED, making this an expensive wager on unproven technology when demonstrably superior, more affordable alternatives already exist.
Explained simply
RGB LED is a new television display technology that uses individual red, green and blue light-emitting diodes to produce the picture, rather than the traditional blue backlight used in most televisions. This approach allows screens to display a wider range of colours more accurately. The technology is being positioned as a major television breakthrough for 2026.
Sony is one of the world's leading television manufacturers, and its flagship models have historically set industry benchmarks whenever a new display technology emerges. The company first demonstrated its RGB LED approach in prototype form in early 2025.
The Bravia 9 II is Sony's flagship television in this new technology category. As the television industry evaluates RGB LED as a significant development for 2026, Sony's flagship offering will likely influence whether manufacturers more broadly embrace this approach.