The Korean AV titan is celebrating a slew of CES 2027 innovation awards, with commendations in a wide array of categories from gaming monitors to hair dryers, and two of the Awards that it has picked up are for its new W7 OLED TV and its existing Signature OLED T6 transparent TV.

The latter was featured as part of its CES showcase last year, and it features a see-through 4K OLED display paired with a retractable contrast backing that can switch the TV from transparent to opaque.

It also comes with LG’s “60GHz-based uncompressed 4K wireless transmission” system, which is essentially a box that houses the processing power and essential connectivity, which is beamed wirelessly to the TV.

This remains an exclusive and very expensive OLED TV, with LG asking $60,000 (it’s not currently available in the UK) for the 77-inch set. It must be pre-ordered, too, as each model is made to order and takes around six weeks to ship.

For those wanting something brand new (and a bit more mainstream), the W7 OLED TV is the more exciting of the two models mentioned here.

This TV seems to be a follow-up to last year’s W6 OLED, which revived LG’s iconic Wallpaper TV line and replaced the wireless M-series OLEDs from past lineups.

Rather frustratingly, LG already released a super-thin OLED TV called the W7 back in 2017; it actually launched the Wallpaper series as a whole. However, there is one sure-fire way to distinguish this new model already, and, you guessed it, it’s all thanks to AI.

Details on this new set are as slim as the TV itself, but we do know it will feature “LG’s latest agentic AI, designed to better understand users’ needs and deliver more personalised experiences.”

Important picture and sound upgrades are yet to be revealed, and we probably won’t learn about those, or the rest of LG’s 2027 range, until CES 2027 in January. Stay tuned for more updates coming then.

MORE:

Read our LG W6 hands on review

As well as our LG C6 65-inch review

And check out our picks for the best OLED TVs

Jump over to our best Mini LED TV buying guide, and you’ll see an entirely new set of recommendations, covering everything from cutting-edge True RGB options to mid-range performance-per-pound champs.

But if you’re more interested in the top-tier category of Mini LED, while I stand by our recommendations in the buying guide and will confirm that the Bravia 9 II listed as the best premium option has a lot going for it, I have a word of caution to share.

The Bravia 9 II is the best Mini LED at that price, but it’s not the best TV you’ll find for that amount of money.

Look at our TV Award winners this year, and you’ll see there is only one Mini LED on the list: the affordable TCL P8L.

That’s because, despite great strides in the mid- and lower-end of the market, and the arrival of the next-generation RGB Mini LED panel tech this year, after our latest Awards-group test, it’s clear that, at the top end of the market, OLED is still the best option.

The reason remains the same as it has since Mini LED tech first arrived.

Modern Mini LEDs certainly have their perks, such as the ability to go brighter than OLEDs, and their cheaper manufacturing costs, which can then be passed on to the end consumer (which is why you can get sub-£500/$500 sets using the technology).

But OLED’s pixel-level light control and the ability to deliver perfect blacks, when used well, is a strength that no backlit TV, including Mini LED, we’ve tested can beat.

We have said as much, time and time again – including in our Bravia 9 II review where we bluntly state:

“Comparisons with Sony’s own Bravia 8 II reveal that even this exceptional implementation of RGB Mini LED still can’t quite match the fundamental strengths of OLED. The Bravia 9 II’s local dimming system is extraordinarily accomplished, yet it still can’t quite replicate the pixel-level precision of OLED.

“The result is a picture that looks just a touch flatter than the Bravia 8 II’s. Objects don’t separate from their backgrounds with quite the same solidity, and scenes lack just a little of the three-dimensional depth and effortless dynamism that OLED consistently delivers.”

That’s why, to any reader considering buying a Mini LED, my advice is simple: if it costs OLED money, that should be a red flag.

Our tests have shown that, outside very specific circumstances, you will almost certainly be better off with one of the OLEDs we recommend when shopping in the top tier of the market.

MORE:

These are the best OLED TVs we’ve reviewed

We rank the best cheap TVs

Our picks of the best 65-inch TVs

Included in there are, inevitably, some rather dated advertisements, to go along with a treasure trove of technology. And that means we can follow the history of every important piece of home entertainment equipment of the past half century – it’s like Who Do You Think You Are? for home cinema and hi-fi brands.

Looking back, of course, we got some things more right than others – hindsight is 20/20, after all. Here, we take a journey back through our archives to see which innovations quickly got off the ground, and which never quite took off.

Win: Smart TVs becoming the norm

In the early 2010s, there were whispers that smart platforms would change how we interact with our TVs. Instead of relying on strict channel schedules and bulky external boxes, more companies were introducing TVs with internet access and downloadable apps.

The first smart TV to hit the shelves came in 2008 in the form of the Samsung PAVV Bordeaux 750. By CES (the enormous annual consumer electronics show that takes place in Las Vegas every January), in 2011, brands such as Sony, Panasonic and LG had joined the party and released their own smart TV models.

We said in our CES report that you could expect app support from sites such as Facebook, eBay, Skype and Napster. (If that list doesn’t make you feel old, I’m not sure what will.)

The landscape has, of course, shifted massively since then towards streaming, meaning services such as Apple TV and Disney+ are built-in to platforms.

In 2012, Samsung also launched the LED ES8000, which threatened to “make our remote controls redundant” thanks to voice and gesture controls. While we are not quite at the point where your TV set doesn’t come with a remote, voice control is now very much built into the DNA of the majority of TVs.

We had not accounted for the huge leap in AI technology that was on the horizon, where TVs can answer questions about movies and shows with personalised recommendations (take Sky’s newly upgraded OS, for example).

We added in our reporting that “there looks to be plenty of added content coming to a clever, internet-connected TV near you,” and that has certainly become the norm for sets today. In fact, it’s hard to imagine a movie-viewing experience without a smart platform.

Miss: 21:9 ratio TVs

We are all familiar with the standard 16:9 aspect ratio on most sets, but in 2009, a TV tried to shake up that traditional look.

Enter Philips’s Cinema 21:9 – a TV designed to make the most of movies filmed in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio. That’s wider than the traditional TV aspect ratio, and Philips aimed to “further immerse you in the action,” as we reported in our review of the set.

“The main benefit to this”, we said, “is the removal of the black bars from the top and bottom of the screen when you’re watching a movie”.

It measured 146cm wide and 74cm high, making it a rather unconventional addition to your living room. Philips’s signature TV feature, Ambilight, was on board to add “perceived image depth”.

When watching a film in the 21:9 aspect ratio, we were impressed by this Philips set’s performance and said the company should be “applauded for its efforts”. The TV got to show off its picture chops, as we noted in our review that “movies look the business” thanks to the “awesome” level of detail.

With 16:9 content, though, you had to either stretch or crop the image. You could switch to a 16:9 picture format via the remote, but that just resulted in black bars on the left and right instead.

Another issue was that, when watching with subtitles in 21:9, the text was cropped out along with the black bars at the bottom. The only viable practical solution was to pair the TV with a Philips Blu-ray player to show subtitles without squashing the picture.

All of which meant that, even though the technology resulted in an ultra-wide screen with the content in the suitable aspect ratio, switching to anything else resulted in a disappointing image that called for too many compromises.

That’s not to say that 21:9 screens are a thing of the past. There is a range of curved premium ultra-wide monitors for gamers wanting a more enveloping experience. But they are yet to hit the mainstream when it comes to home cinema.

Win: Slimmer TVs

“Slimmer is the new flat!” That was one of the biggest headlines from CES 2010, following the increasingly thin TVs that were coming onto the market. After all, it was only less than ten years before that home cinema moved away from the chunky CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) TVs, and flat-screen panels were available to the public.

At CES 2010, we were shown Samsung’s flagship C9000, which measured just 3.4cm / 1.3 inches deep, and was displayed as one of the thinnest models available.

We said that “the slimline screen has to be one of the most desirable of modern gadgets, freeing up valuable living room estate and adding style to any home.” And that is certainly a trend that has continued, as TVs have got only thinner and slimmer.

One of the thinnest TV screens on the market right now is the LG W6 – just 0.9cm / 0.4 inches thick. It has never been a cheap proposition to get a super-thin TV, as this the 77-inch W6 model proves: it comes in at an eye-watering £4699 / $3700.

Still, these days, even mid-range and budget TVs have become significantly slimmer compared with the average model back in 2010 – and we saw it coming.

Miss: 3D TVs

When 3D TVs first hit the shelves, they were the talk of the town for home cinema nerds. A three-dimensional picture that fully immerses you in your favourite movie? It sounds like a dream come true.

In 2011, we wrote: “From the increased prevalence of 3D films in cinemas and on Blu-ray, to the flood of 3D technology in TVs, Blu-ray players, games consoles, and more; it’s clear that 3D is here to stay – and it’s only growing in importance.”

Plenty of brands went all-in on the emerging technology. There was a barrage of different models that passed through our test room, each with varying levels of success.

That included the Samsung UE40C7000, which we awarded five stars for its “scintillating” picture performance, as well as the less successful LG 47LD950, which scored a middling three stars due to its lack of detail and punch.

Despite the technology’s promising start, you will be hard-pressed to find a set dedicated to 3D on the market these days. By the end of the mid-2010s, the hype for 3D was already winding down. That’s partly down to the lack of 3D content being made, but probably more because of the cost and the faff of wearing 3D glasses.

Having said that, we have recently seen some promising 3D projector technology displayed by the likes of Xgimi at IFA this year that really shows off the magic of 3D picture. So perhaps 3D images aren’t gone for good, but we may have to wait a little while for a resurgence.

Win: OLED screens

In 2012, we said OLED TV screens “could have a huge impact on what takes up space in our test room,” and, frankly, we hit the nail on the head.

OLED screens had been around before then, with the first 11-inch screen emerging in 2007. But the technology really caught on and became more accessible for home cinema fans only in the early 2010s.

Unlike Mini LED, OLED panels don’t need a backlight. Instead, they use self-emissive organic light-emitting diodes that generate their own light, which is then passed through a colour filter. The advantage is that, when an OLED pixel is turned off, it is truly off and therefore looks pitch-black.

One of the first OLED TV reviews we can see in our magazine archives is of the Samsung KE55S9C, a curved screen that came in at an astonishing £7000. Luckily, OLED has become much more affordable these days. The best OLED on the market now, for instance, is the Samsung S99H, which will set you back £1899 for the 55-inch set.

MORE:

These are the best OLED TVs

Check out the best TVs on the market

And here are the best soundbars

After all, featuring a long list of options, all of which have jargon-heavy labels and technical descriptions, it can be daunting, and it's easy to make things worse if you don't know what you're doing.

But that's where picture presets come into play.

While I urge new TV owners to avoid the dreaded "Vivid Mode" like the plague, these presets can usually get you most of the way to a top-notch picture experience, and traditionally our favourite has been Filmmaker Mode.

As the name suggests, this mode is intended to capture the creator's intent, meaning it turns off a lot of the processing that your TV adds on top, such as motion handling, contrast and colour enhancement, and sharpening.

For picture purists, such as ourselves, those settings are often worth avoiding anyway, and we've seen many prominent Hollywood figures such as Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, The Wolf of Wall Street), Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049, Dune), and Ross Duffer (creator of Stranger Things) advocate for the picture mode.

You may be surprised to hear that the technical specifications for what counts as a true Filmmaker Modearen't set by the companies making TVs and projectors. Instead, it's an independently managed certification.

As stated by the UHD Alliance, which oversees Filmmaker Mode, to achieve certification, you must meet these exact standards listed on the Filmmaker Mode website:

• Maintain source content frame rate & aspect ratio
• White Point: D65
• Motion Smoothing/Interpolation: OFF
• Overscan: Only if signaled with the image
• Sharpening: OFF
• TV Noise Reduction: OFF
• Other image “enhancement” processing: OFF

This means that when we're faced with a new TV, our first port of call is changing it into Filmmaker Mode (or its equivalent mode, more on that later), as it levels the playing field by dialling those settings right in. Even if Filmmaker Mode doesn't achieve a completely perfect picture, it gets us most of the way there, leaving us to tweak small things like motion or brightness.

Switching off all of the unneeded processing in one click of a button is very handy, and seeing a TV go from its out-of-the-box Standard (which is usually garish and over-smoothed) or Eco (often dull and dim) setting to something I'd actually want to watch is always a relief.

That being said, Filmmaker Mode isn't a fix-all solution, and I've noticed a shift in the last couple of years. Specifically, some manufacturers seem to be stepping away from it to prioritise their own picture processing modes.

Sony is a prime example of this; it's never had Filmmaker Mode on its TVs, instead opting to prioritise its own set of internal standards for matching picture performance to the creator's intent. As such, it includes a Professional Mode on its TVs instead.

More recently, and this is what sent me down this rabbit hole, is Philips opting to leave Filmmaker Mode off its 2026 TVs. I've just finished testing the OLED911 – stay posted for the review – and it swaps out Filmmaker Mode for a new Reference picture preset.

Philips assures me that the goal here is the same, although I did have to toggle a few settings to get the picture exactly where I liked it.

Its justification was that users were reportedly confused by the naming of Filmmaker Mode, thinking that it was a setting used if you were creating movies. I'm not sure how much I buy that, especially in a world where we can quickly whip out our phones to Google something like that, but it's an interesting change nonetheless.

That said, these companies each have their own approach to "authenticity", and it's not one that we can always verify. Settings are applied even though it's "reference" or "professional" mode; take the Philips OLED911, which applies an HDR upscaling system to SDR content. While it can look good, we certainly felt that it wasn't very authentic for a reference mode.

Filmmaker Mode is also having to face the reality of TV picture processing becoming not only quite good, but also integral to how these TVs work.

Samsung, Sony, LG, Philips, TCL and all the rest still have picture processing happening in the background even if you opt to switch everything off in the settings menu. Modern TVs need picture processing to function, and as such, these manufacturers have gotten quite good at implementing it.

Sony especially excels here with its XR Processor, which handles a huge array of picture processing elements at all times, including identifying the focal point of the image and applying depth mapping to create a superbly three-dimensional image, even with all of the relevant settings disabled in Professional mode.

I've also found that TV manufacturers are stepping up their game when it comes to the picture modes that they implement themselves. Samsung's Movie Mode, for example, is excellent on the OLED TVs we've tested recently, as it enriches the picture with more brightness and impact (provided you turn the motion processing way down), and Sony's Cinema Mode is a similar story.

That said, LG and Panasonic TVs seem to respond best to Filmmaker Mode; our cheat sheet with any LG OLED is to put it into Filmmaker Mode and change the motion setting to True Cinema for the best picture experience.

Ultimately, I hope that Filmmaker Mode is here to stay, as it's a seriously valuable tool for those intimidated by TV settings menus, and I hope to see it keep evolving with the times. Having an easily accessible and consistent launch point for all TVs with standardised settings makes things easier for everyone.

Getting the best out of your TV shouldn't be an uphill battle, and Filmmaker Mode is one of the best ways to level out and simplify that process. I'm a huge advocate for having transparent and consistent guidelines.

While Filmmaker Mode has changed and evolved to adapt to things like Dolby Vision and ambient light sensors, I hope that it continues to be featured on TVs and projectors for a long time to come.

MORE:

Read our full Samsung S99H review

Here are our picks for the best TVs

As well as the best OLED TVs

That makes it a very interesting set, despite its bottom-of-the-range status, as, if it delivers on LG’s performance promises, it could be the most accessible OLED we’ve ever reviewed and a step closer to our ultimate wish – a truly affordable OLED TV.

While its price is still slightly above what we’d call truly affordable, after putting it through its paces in our test rooms including against its arch-rival, we can confirm it’s a step in the right direction. But there’s still work to be done.

Price

LG’s B-series is the most affordable option in its current OLED portfolio in most regions, but it’s never been truly “cheap” – which we describe as being below £500 / $500.

That continues on the latest B6 line. The smallest, 48-inch option launched with a £1300 RRP in the UK (LG decided not to launch this size in the US). The largest 83-inch B6 model went for an even more wallet-busting £3600 / $4500.

The 65-inch LG B6 model we have in our review rooms cost £2400 / $2400 / AU$3300 when it first launched – £100 more than its main Samsung rival, the S85H.

But since then, the B6 line has had its price slashed at most UK and US retailers (Australian discounts are much less widespread), and at the time of writing, you can grab the 65-inch model for £1399 / $1300.

While there are regular fluctuations in the prices of both models, Samsung’s S85H is generally available for roughly the same price as the B6.

As you would hope, in the UK at least, the B6 is available for a good deal less than the ever-popular C6, which is currently around £1699. In the US, though, the price difference is just $100 right now, and in Australia the two TVs are inexplicably identically priced, which rather complicates the value argument.

Design

No one expects much from an entry-level TV when it comes to aesthetics, even an OLED – especially one from LG, which hasn’t really tweaked any of its B-, C- or G-series TV designs for a while. That remains the case for the B6, which is a fairly chunky unit, featuring a textured, fake marble-like plastic back, and attachable screw-in feet that are also, you guessed it, made of slightly cheap-feeling plastic.

Thankfully, despite feeling cheap, the build quality is solid, and the feet manage to hold the TV up without any wobble (as happens on many rival cheap TVs), leaving us fairly certain it will withstand the odd bump, or cat/toddler attack, without toppling.

But we do have a couple of issues with its design. First, its feet only have a single, wide set-up option. This means if you have a smaller cabinet or rack, it won’t fit. You’ll need one that’s at least 60 inches wide, based on our measurements. This isn’t unheard of on affordable TVs, but it’s annoying when its main rival, the S85H, does offer a central placement option for its feet.

Second, like the LG G6 and LG C6, the remote remains unchanged. You’ll be forced to use the same ageing, shiny plastic remote LG has paired its OLEDs with for nearly half a decade. Are the motion controls useful? Sometimes. But in today’s world, we’d like to see USB-C charging and backlighting added sooner rather than later. Both are fairly standard, especially on rival TCL and Hisense Mini LED sets, and even Samsung’s S85H at least has USB-C charging.

Features

You don’t normally expect to be writing “first” when reviewing an entry-level TV, but we’re 99 per cent certain it's an accurate description for one key element of the B6: its panel tech.

While LG Electronics never reveals the specific panel it uses on its TVs, all evidence suggests the B6 is one of the first-ever TVs to feature LG Display’s new OLED SE panels, as unveiled at the start of the year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

This is a variant of the base WOLED seen in most entry-level and even step-down OLED sets. Unlike the premium Primary RGB Tandem OLED and QD-OLED tech you see on flagship sets, OLED SE is bespoke-designed for cheaper sets, and hopes to gradually bring entry-level OLED costs down, making the tech more accessible.

But the part we found most interesting when we attended its launch is that LG Display claims it will simultaneously improve the performance of cheaper sets in a few key metrics, including peak brightness.

The B6 has a quoted 1000 nits peak brightness. While peak brightness isn’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to picture quality, that’s still pretty amazing considering even five years ago a flagship OLED would probably struggle to go over 700 nits.

Outside of that, the B6 offers two main upgrades over the outgoing LG B5. The first is its use of LG’s Alpha 8 Gen 3 CPU. This still places it below LG’s G6 and C6, which feature the more powerful Alpha 11 Gen 3, but it is a step up from the Alpha 8 Gen 2 sported by the B5. Key claimed improvements include more refined picture upscaling, more intelligent and accurate dynamic tone mapping and superior SDR-to-HDR conversion.

The second is Dolby FlexConnect. This is a new audio technology that aims to let TV owners create Dolby Atmos wireless surround sound packages using a mix of compatible speakers. It even lets you use the TV’s built-in speakers as the central channel. While the first system we reviewed with the tech, the LG Sound Suite, didn’t blow us away with its audio quality, its clever room calibration powers did impress us enough to view support for the tech as a bonus.

Outside of that, the TV offers the stellar library of features we’ve come to expect from LG OLEDs.

For gamers, the TV has four full-speed HDMI 2.1 inputs and support for 4K/120Hz, ALLM and VRR. So console gamers are sorted, and truthfully, even if you have a PC, it would have to be an incredibly powerful one to run triple-A titles at frame rates above 120Hz.

As a final perk, Dolby Vision Gaming HDR and Bluetooth low-latency controller support are both on board. The latter is a nice touch if you want to connect a third-party Bluetooth controller to the set and play via the cloud on GeForce Now or Xbox Game Pass.

HDR support is strong, with the B6 playing nice with the big three: Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG. That gives it a slight edge on its Samsung rival, which, like all the firm’s TVs, doesn’t support Dolby Vision. Samsung instead continues to push its homebrewed, open-source HDR10+ tech as the superior option.

WebOS 26 then ensures robust app support with all the major services, including Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ present and running correctly. Local catch-up support is also solid, with BBC iPlayer, Now and more all available in the UK.

Pretty impressive specifications for an “entry-level” OLED.

Picture quality

While the B6 doesn’t make the best first impression, that’s primarily down to the less-than-ideal default picture settings.

Playing our 4K Blu-ray copy of F1: The Movie, while running in its Standard mode, the set initially falls victim to some familiar pitfalls we experience with cheap TVs.

Movements feel floaty, with the cars appearing to be sliding, rather than driving, across the track. The contrast isn’t quite right, either, with the picture raising the brightest parts a tad too much, adding a cel-shaded, artificial feel to the picture.

Thankfully, as happens on nearly all of the modern LG OLEDs we’ve tested, things rapidly improve after switching to Filmmaker Mode.

Once done, the overbrightening disappears, and the image takes on a pleasingly punchy, but not overbaked feel.

There are only two minor quibbles. First, that motion still appears a tad smeary, compared to the C6 and Samsung S85H, even with all processing off – though not to the point that it's a deal breaker.

Second, that characters’ skin tones, in particular, feel a smidgeon green, an issue we sadly can’t easily fix, as the B6 doesn’t have colour profiles, instead relying on a slider control that only adjusts its temperature – and not with a great deal of finesse, making it better to leave it in its neutral setting.

Those points aside, the brightest part of the picture shines with a sparkle we didn’t expect from an entry-level OLED, with the fireworks shooting over the track holding a pleasing and distinct three-dimensional positioning in the night sky.

Our peak brightness stress test, Pan, is atypically mastered to 4000 nits. While the LG C6 is punchier than the B6 and retains a wider range of colours in the setting sun, the cheaper model delivers a performance that, even a few years ago, would have been considered unfathomably bright for a mid-range, let alone entry-level, model.

In isolation, the picture is pleasingly immersive.

But as we swap to our Sinners 4K Blu-ray, the green issue is exacerbated, to the point of being distracting. In the dim speakeasy, characters' faces appear jaundiced, and the intended red light effect is lost, replaced with a mellow yellow vibe. This gives the images a slightly smudgy, flatter feel than the S85H, which is a shame as it otherwise handles colours with more care, and more subtlety, than its affordable Samsung rival.

But, more pressingly, blacks are not uniformly perfect, as they should be on an OLED. Parts of the picture are raised, giving them a grey, almost backlit look. Sadly, reducing the Near Black Detail from 0 to -1 doesn’t fix the problem; some blacks still look raised, there’s just less detail in them.

Pressing the point with the opening scene of Alien: Romulus, there is evident flickering during the opening credits that are meant to be fully black as the logos emerge, then recede. Then, while parts of the picture are deep and a cut above that which you’ll experience even on the best Mini LED, including the five-star TCL C8L we are testing it against, they still aren’t perfect. Some parts of the black void of space still look slightly grey, compared with what we experience on the S85H and C6.

It’s a conundrum, one that means, while the picture is very good for the money, it ultimately doesn't match what we’d expect when investing in an OLED – whose primary selling point is its pixel-level light control and ability to deliver perfect blacks.

Switching to our SDR copy of True Grit, the set does a decent job with the grainy, spaghetti western feel of the movie. Though the picture is slightly flatter than the C6 next to it, the falling snow over the black background retains a pleasingly realistic feel, never falling victim to noise.

Throughout the movie, although the B6 does occasionally feel fizzy, struggling with the intentionally grain, it never becomes unwatchable or overtly distracting – as it can on many of the sets we test.

Our only minor issue is that, as is the case on the S85H, the picture feels a bit soft compared with the step-up C6 model, though this is more than forgivable given the difference in price.

Sound quality

The B6 comes with a basic 2.0 channel, 20W downward-firing speaker system that relies on clever AI processing to deliver a virtual Dolby Atmos experience.

Like nearly all modern LG OLEDs, it also has a very select number of audio modes. The two big ones are its Standard and AI Sound Pro options.

Starting with the out-of-the-box Standard mode playing F1: The Movie, the sound is generally fine, but slightly too congested for our liking. The rumbling engines, race commentary and character dialogue all feel flat, and too tied to the centre of the TV.

Switching to AI Sound Pro, the soundstage opens up, but there’s a lack of finesse. Engine noise doesn’t match the cars’ on-screen movements, and voices take on a hard, artificial edge.

The issue is exacerbated with Sinners, where during the complex medley scene, the ‘voice of God’ narrator comes in too heavy-handed, drowning out the intermingling music tracks as it rises. Then, as the psychedelic guitar swells in volume, distortion creeps in.

Switching to the Standard mode, the audio sprints back to the centre, creating a muddy wall of sound. Ideally, we’d like something in the middle between the two options.

Moving to our Blade Runner 2049 chapter two, low-end stress test, the B6 fails to deliver the booming, menacing synth with enough force to do it justice, but is conservative enough not to veer into distortion – as many TV speakers do.

Dialogue lacks direction, but the speakers are good enough to hear characters' voices, and, to our surprise, the higher frequencies don’t sound too hard-edged or veer into sibilance during the subsequent interview scene – so long as we stick to Standard mode.

So, like all recent LG TVs, the speakers are fine for casual TV viewing, but you will want to invest in a separate soundbar system for serious movie watching.

Verdict

The LG B6 is a good entry-level OLED in most ways. Its gaming features, HDR support and app offering are excellent. And its picture in isolation is solid, especially if you are yet to make the jump to OLED, or on a very early model with the panel tech.

But there is definite room for improvement. Audio, like most recent LG OLEDs, is middling, even by TV speaker standards. But more pressing are the issues we’ve encountered with its black level and handling of dark scenes. Yes, blacks are still better and more immersive than anything you’ll find on a Mini LED at this level, but they’re not perfect. And the TV’s tendency to push greens too hard can become distracting during certain scenes.

This means that, for those who can afford the extra outlay, the step-up LG C6 is a better option. Those who can’t also have other options, including the equivalently priced Samsung S85H OLED, or, if you’re not wedded to OLED, TCL C8L.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 3
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Samsung S85H

Also consider the LG C6

Read our Samsung S90F review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

Various Chinese media outlets (via FlatPanelsHD) are reporting that a Chinese state-owned investment firm has made a significant investment to upgrade the production of large-screen OLED panels outside of South Korea.

Global marketing and research firm TrendForce reports that Guangzhou Development Zone Holdings Group Co., Ltd. and LG Display will jointly invest RMB1 billion (around £112.45 million) into LG Display Optoelectronics Technology (China) Co., Ltd's Guangzhou production plant.

The plan is to add assembly lines for 77-, 83-, 97-, and 111-inch OLED displays at its Chinese manufacturing plant. TrendForce reports that "the 111-inch production line is the world's first dedicated module production line of the same size based on the large OLED technology route".

As such, it claims that "the 111-inch module line is a major highlight of this project", and this is the first time we could see 100-inch-plus models that don't feature a backlit panel.

Furthermore, the investment in manufacturing could see more competitively priced large-screen OLED TVs in the future.

The high cost of OLED TVs at this size has long been attributed to the failure rate of producing these large-sized panels, but a more efficient manufacturing process could change all of this.

Now, there's no guarantee that the brands will opt to pass the savings on to consumers, or even opt to use these panels in their own sets; however, it certainly appears that some foundations for bigger and cheaper OLED TVs have been laid.

Only time will tell if larger and cheaper OLED TVs do start rolling off production lines.

MORE:

Read our full LG C6 review

As well as our Samsung S99H review

And check out our pick of the best OLED TVs for every budget

The new iPad Mini comes with a whole host of new picture and sound upgrades that are sure to have on-the-go cinephiles salivating.

The iPad Mini 2026 is the first model outside of the Pro series to feature an OLED display, with Apple's Super Retina XDR technology on board for sharper visuals and richer colours.

The Mini also gets less mini with a new 8.7-inch display (up from 8.3 inches on the previous generation), although the size of the tablet actually stays the same thanks to Apple shrinking the bezels by an impressive 24 per cent.

According to Apple, the display can go as low as one nit and reach a peak brightness of 1200 nits – that's twice the brightness of the previous model – and it sports a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio.

Apple is also offering its Nano Texture display coating, which can be found on the iPad Pro, and more recently the iPhone Duo, for reduced display glare. You'll need to spring for the pricier 256GB or 512GB configurations to add that option, though, as the 128GB model is only available with a glossy display finish.

The Californian tech giant hasn't confirmed if the Mini is sporting the same brightness-boosting Tandem OLED technology as the Pro, but we do know that ProMotion (Apple's high refresh rate technology) is, unfortunately, not on board.

This means that the new iPad Mini is stuck with a 60Hz refresh rate. Thankfully, it retains support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG.

While the display upgrade is monumental, what's under it is arguably even more impressive. Apple has introduced an all-new Acoustic Display speaker system on the iPad Mini. This features specially-designed under-display woofers that are "paired through the display" to produce "punchier bass and more volume".

Custom tweeters, which are hidden beneath the display, for crisper and clearer high frequencies, are also onboard. Dolby Atmos support is also sticking around, both via supported headphones and through the Acoustic Display system.

This is a first for an iPad, and we can't think of any other tablets to use this type of sound system. Our nearest frame of reference is Sony's actuator-based sound systems in its OLED TVs, which vibrate the panel to produce sound in a seemingly similar fashion.

This speaker system means the new iPad has no speaker holes, helping it achieve IP67 water- and dust-resistance. It's also now just 5.4mm thin and weighs 255g or 263g for the wi-fi and cellular versions, respectively.

Inside the new iPad Mini is Apple's A20 Pro chip, which it has borrowed directly from the Award-winning iPhone 18 Pro. It features support for Siri AI via iPadOS 27 and is rated to be powerful enough for heavier workloads, including video editing and gaming.

The 128GB and 256GB models feature a five‑core CPU with two super cores and three efficiency cores and a 16‑core Neural Engine, whereas the 512GB model introduces a hexa-core CPU and a Dual 16‑core Neural Engine for increased AI efficiency.

On sale in two dashing finishes – Midnight and Starlight – the new iPad Mini is available to pre-order now starting at £699 / $699 / AU$1099, with availability starting on the 6th of November.

That's a substantial step up from the £499 / $499 / AU$799 launch price of the previous model, but with a global RAM crisis on our hands, this increase isn't unexpected.

MORE:

Check out our iPad Air 13-inch M4 review

As well as our list of the best tablets

And find the best streaming services for movies and TV here

But ahead of that, we’ve already had one huge shake-up in a key category: best OLED TVs.

After months of comparative testing in our dedicated viewing rooms, running all the latest sets we could get our hands on that are still on sale head-to-head, it was a bit of a bloodbath, with our advice completely changing last week.

And while the focus may be on the Samsung S99H dethroning the Sony Bravia 8 II as the best premium OLED TV – a development that surprised everyone on the team, including TV and AV Editor Tom Parsons – or the 65-inch C6 finally replacing the older C5 as our mid-range recommendation, it was another smaller set that caught my attention.

Specifically, the 48-inch LG C6.

Why this set? Because it's the biggest upgrade we’ve seen to small OLEDs in nearly half a decade.

In case you’re new to What Hi-Fi?, the home cinema team and I have long lamented the lack of innovation happening in small OLED TVs compared to their larger siblings.

Larger OLEDs, especially flagships, have been flooded with new hardware over the past few years. Within LG’s stack alone, we’ve seen not one, but two next-generation panels launch – first, Micro Lens Array, then the current Primary RGB Tandem OLED tech seen on the LG G6.

And that’s a huge shame for buyers who can’t accommodate big sets as, though there have been teething pains, the new panel tech has holistically been a positive.

Higher peak and operating brightness levels, better colour volume and accuracy, especially during dark scenes; the tech, when utilised correctly, can radically improve picture quality.

We’ve run the new TVs against basic WOLED and previous-generation MLA sets to confirm that.

So, it should make sense that we wanted to see it trickle down to smaller, more affordable sets.

And while LG has remained cagey, bluntly refusing our requests for confirmation of the specific panel used on the 48-inch C6, our testing suggests our wish may have finally been granted.

Comparing it to older models, its peak brightness, colour accuracy and general similarity to larger Primary RGB Tandem OLED sets add up to make a compelling case. Our primary reviewer, and senior staff writer, Lewis Empson said as much in our review, where he reported:

“If our theory is correct, it’s likely the cheapest way to acquire an RGB Tandem OLED TV, and if it’s not, then we’d really like to know how LG has pumped the brightness and vibrancy up to this extent. Regardless, it’s fully featured, talented in the picture and sound departments, and it proves that you don’t need to sacrifice a considerable chunk of your living room to achieve a cinematically satisfying experience.”

So even if it doesn't have it, the 48-inch C6 is the best small OLED we’ve ever tested – which is a huge positive and the reason we’ve had to completely change our OLED TV buying advice this month.

Here's hoping it's the start of a trend in the small OLED TV market...

MORE:
These are the best TVs we’ve reviewed

We rank the best small TVs

Our picks of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

But if you can't wait that long, there's no need to worry. That's because I've spotted a rather excellent deal on LG's flagship OLED TV, the G6, which is already down to £2159 at Hughes. That's £841 off the £3000 launch price and the lowest price we've seen yet.

You'll have to jump through a few hoops to get it this cheap, however – the code TV200 will take off £200 at checkout, and then you can claim an extra 10 per cent cashback from LG. Full details on how to claim cashback are here.

We put the LG G6 to the test with its predecessor, the five-star G5, used as a comparison. It didn't take long during a viewing of Civil War to see several small refinements that added up to a better overall experience.

“The flames in a burning night-time forest continue to offer an enthralling amount of extra detail as well as higher peaks, but, more crucially, characters’ skin tones look nicely realistic, retaining reds far better, to the point that the G5’s picture makes them look slightly jaundiced by comparison," our LG G6 review reads.

Moving to a daytime scene in a military camp, “balanced” quickly becomes the word that best describes the G6. As a helicopter swoops into the camp over a forest, it’s clear that LG has backed away from its previous focus on aggressively pushing its TVs’ peak brightness at all costs.”

This impressive picture quality is helped, no doubt, by its Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel, new display technology that uses a ‘four-stack’ panel structure to achieve higher peak and operating brightness levels while retaining colour volume and accuracy.

This is coupled with the new Alpha 11 Gen 3 AI processor and LG's Hyper Radiant Colour Technology, which enables higher peak brightness than the already dazzling G5.

Gaming support is also particularly strong. All four HDMI 2.1 inputs support up to 4K/165Hz gameplay with VRR, ALLM, and Dolby Vision Gaming HDR, which is pretty much flawless in our eyes.

Speaking of Dolby Vision, the regular version is also supported for movies and TV shows, along with HDR10 and HLG. LG's WebOS 26 also houses pretty much every streaming service you can think of, including heavy-hitters such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video.

Audio quality has also seen a big step forward for LG, with the G6 capable of a fuller, more robust sound than its predecessors. We still recommend pairing a TV this good with a dedicated sound system, but it's great to see LG address one of the biggest weaknesses of its TVs.

The LG G6 was a five-star TV even at full price, so with an £841 discount at Hughes it's quite the bargain. For anyone who can't wait for Black Friday, you won't be disappointed by this saving on such a stunning OLED.

MORE:

Here’s our pick of the best TVs for every budget

Want a cheaper LG OLED? Check out our LG C6 review

For last year’s model, head over to our LG G5 review

While there are a few regulars and old reliables in there, we have had a few shake-ups this year, courtesy of a clever USB-C dongle, the revival of a six-year-old classic, and a surprise £35 budget offering.

Whether you’re after the convenience of wireless, a trendy wired pair or are open to either, there’s an Award winner whatever your budget.

We have found some great deals on several of them too – so why don’t you take a look?

Our budget wireless pick for another year, the Sony WF-C510, continues to impress by nailing the basics for the price of a round of drinks. We have seen them as low as £28 before, but £34 at Smart Home Sounds for an Award-winner is still quite the bargain.

If you want to go wired and can live without noise cancelling, then the Austrian Audio Hi-X15 is unmatched at this price. Austrian Audio headphones rarely go on sale, but they are great value headphones anyway and well worth £87 at Scan.

If you want budget buds but can’t live without noise cancelling, then the Sony WF-C710N are the cheapest headphones that we recommend with the feature. But they also sound rather good and have several impressive features, all for £67 at Amazon.

The Røde NTH-100 are consistently among our top budget recommendations, wired or otherwise, thanks to their eloquent, revealing sound. We’ve seen them as low as £89 over Black Friday, but they are still great value for £115 at Amazon.

Don’t let the 2024 in Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) put you off – their third What Hi-Fi? Award proves they are still the best wireless buds at this price range. We have seen them at £109 over Prime Day, but you won’t be disappointed for £150 at Amazon.

As long as you don’t mind an open-back design, the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro X remain class leaders and are the finest and most comfortable wired headphones we have heard at this price. Discounts are rather rare, so don’t hold your breath for an imminent drop from £189 at Amazon.

A new entry, the Sony WF-1000XM6 are Sony’s latest flagship earbuds and were well worth the wait, with a wonderfully musical sound, superb noise cancelling and great call quality. Get them now for their lowest price of £209 at Very.

It may surprise you that the best wired in-ear headphones are the £35 Sennheiser CX 80U, but just wait until you hear them. The USB-C buds offer a big, dynamic and surprisingly sophisticated sound, and are available for a new low price of £28 at Amazon.

Another new kid on the block, the Sony WH-CH730N replace their Award-winning predecessors, the WH-CH720N, and add a more premium, folding design, a monster 50 hours of battery with ANC on and an even more engaging sound. They have yet to receive a discount, but you can pick them up for £100 at Amazon.

As much as we loved the Sony WH-1000XM4 from 2020, we never expected them to win a What Hi-Fi? Award six years later. But here we are, with the revamped Sony WH-1000XM4C bringing back an old classic with tweaked tuning and a lower price of £219 at Amazon.

How do you overcome the sonic shortcomings of wireless headphones? With a nifty little USB-C dongle, according to the Sennheiser HDB 630. The result is a new standard of wireless sound at this level, all within a well-built, feature-rich and competitively priced package, available for £399 at Richer Sounds.

If money is no object and you want style as well as substance, may we recommend the Focal Bathys MG. They are undeniably premium for £999 at Richer Sounds, but they will reward you with a wireless noise-cancelling headphones performance that’s on a whole new level.

MORE:

Check out our best wireless headphones buying guide

The What Hi-Fi? Awards 2026 winners have been revealed!

Check out our best wired headphones buying guide

When it launched last year, the Bravia 8 II didn’t so much beat its very accomplished competition; it smashed it, leaving the likes of the LG G5, Panasonic Z95B and Samsung S95F sobbing and nursing their wounds.

Rightfully, it romped to victory in the 2025 What Hi-Fi? Awards, taking the Product Of The Year gong in the TV category.

It’s testament to Sony’s achievements with the Bravia 8 II that even this year, it is still very nearly the best TV available.

Wave after wave of new rivals have appeared, both OLEDs and fancy RGB Mini LED sets, and the Bravia 8 II has stood firm, batting each back while barely breaking a sweat.

With one exception: the Samsung S99H.

Yes, the only TV that we, as a team, and I personally rate higher than the Bravia 8 II is Samsung’s flagship QD-OLED. And, I’ll confess, it isn’t the TV I expected to topple the mighty Sony.

There’s no such thing as perfection

So, the S99H (known as the S95H in most regions outside the UK, where the S95H is an entirely different model) is now perched atop our list of the best TVs, but it isn’t without its controversies.

The most obvious is its wide metal bezel, onto which the main panel is mounted to look as if it’s floating.

It’s a striking design that looks stunning when the TV is wall-mounted, but weird and incongruous when it’s plonked on a TV stand with the (let’s face it, unforgivably cheap-looking) bundled feet attached.

Samsung has done away with the excellent One Connect box of its previous OLED flagships, too. Which means that, rather than having a separate device through which all connections (and power) are routed, leaving just one cable running to the display, the S99H has a typical collection of ins and outs on its rear.

Given that the design encourages wall mounting, that’s a bit of a shame. Yes, the S99H is compatible with Samsung’s new Wireless One Connect Box, but this is an expensive optional extra that is far from widely available (I currently can’t find a single UK retailer that’s selling it).

The final fly in the ointment is a lack of Dolby Vision support. I realise this is nothing new for Samsung TVs, but it remains a major annoyance. Samsung’s own HDR10+ is all well and good from a dynamic metadata point of view, but it doesn’t marry that to ‘as the director’ picture tuning with a single preset in the way that Dolby Vision does when it’s done right.

Even better than the best where it matters

Those flaws, though, pale into insignificance in the face of everything the Samsung S99H gets right.

Picture quality is, of course, the most important factor to any TV. And the S99H is the only TV that has got the better of the Bravia 8 II in this regard.

It very much feels as though Samsung has looked at what makes the Bravia 8 II so good and found a way to beat it at its own game. So, while the S99H has a newer, significantly brighter QD-OLED panel than the Bravia 8 II, Samsung has combined that with the most subtle and cinematically authentic tuning that we have yet seen from the brand.

In other words, this is a TV that is capable of dazzling to an almost unprecedented level, that pairs perfect blacks with the sort of brightness usually associated with a top-end Mini LED model; but put it into its Filmmaker Mode and it will also deliver your movies and TV shows in the manner the director intended.

One area in which the Bravia 8 II was always head and shoulders above its rivals was solidity and three-dimensional depth. The S99H is a match for it here as well. This is an image with a great sense of scale and immersion, without any sense of over-sharpening.

There really is no way in which the S99H’s picture is anything other than excellent, regardless of what it is you look for in a TV. And it has a feature set to match.

The HDMI sockets might be mounted to the rear of the TV, but they are all full-fat HDMI 2.1 affairs (the Bravia 8 II has just two of these) capable of handling 4K/165Hz signals (the Bravia 8 II tops out at 4K/120Hz), VRR and ALLM.

And yes, if you can find one, the Wireless One Connect box can add even more HDMI 2.1 sockets, should you need them.

Pair that specification with the actual gaming performance, which is exemplary, and this really is a gamer’s delight of a TV.

Tizen is rapidly returning to the top of the smart TV platform charts, too, regaining some of the usability it lost in a redesign a few years ago while offering one of the most comprehensive app selections you will find on any TV.

All of those apps are really well optimised, too, delivering all of the resolutions and dynamic range formats they should (Dolby Vision notwithstanding).

The S99H even sounds good by TV standards. Yes, it would still be close to criminal not to pair a TV this good with a dedicated sound system, but if you really must use the integrated speakers, they are at least decent – albeit not quite to the level of the Bravia 8 II’s Acoustic Surface Audio+ setup.

All hail the new flagship TV king

All of which is to say that the Samsung S99H is a magnificent TV. It’s the one model that has finally bested the Bravia 8 II in our testing, and the only TV I would seriously consider swapping my own Sony for.

Given how much I’ve raved about the Bravia 8 II over the past year, that’s about as strong an endorsement as I can give.

MORE:

Here are all of the best TVs you can buy right now

If you buy the Samsung S99H, try to budget for one of the best soundbars or best surround sound systems

It was a great year for LG, with the C6 winning four Awards over several different sizes. Samsung swooped in and took the best premium TV Award, while TCL took home the best budget TV gong.

If you'd like to see them in all their glory, we have all the Award-winning TVs below, as well as their best prices at the time of writing...

If you're short on space, it's LG's mid-range 42in OLED that is our top pick this year. The small-screen wonder delivers contrast and detail in abundance, proving you don't need a huge TV to have a big cinematic impact. LG's usual stellar gaming specs are on offer too, all of which make up for the middling sound. For the best LG C6 42-inch price of £899 at Amazon, claim 10 per cent cashback from LG – full T&Cs here.

For the mid-size 48-50inch category, it's the LG C6 once again. The LG C6 48-inch is arguably the most interesting of LG's new OLEDs, with a surprisingly bright, colourful picture that pushes vibrancy to impressive levels.

Rumours suggest this size sports an RGB Tandem OLED panel, though LG refuses to confirm – either way, though, it's a fully featured TV that's talented in the picture and sound departments. Use the code RSTV50 to bring the price down to £1049, and once again you can claim 10 per cent cashback from LG for a total of £944 at Richer Sounds.

For our budget 55-77inch TV Award, it's a TCL model. For £749 at Amazon, the TCL P8L is an incredible value TV that punches well above its weight in terms of picture quality and specs, and sounds pretty good too. Those with super-bright rooms may struggle with the reflective coating, but otherwise the P8L offers a balanced and authentic picture as well as strong gaming specs.

With our mid-range 55-77inch TV Award, the LG C6 makes it a trifecta. The LG C6 65-inch delivers a bright, rich and refined picture that sets a new benchmark for step-down OLEDs. Sound is very good for this level, while the typically awesome gaming specs return. Save £100 with the voucher code GDTV100, and once again you can claim 10 per cent cashback from LG for an overall total of £1619 at Sevenoaks.

Given how much we've mentioned the LG C6's gaming specs, it may not surprise you to hear that the set has won the best gaming TV Award also. All three sizes sport four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets capable of handling signals up to 4K/165Hz with VRR and ALLM, which, along with its stellar picture, makes it the top choice for hardcore gamers and prospective GTA 6 owners.

The flagship OLED to beat, it's the Samsung S99H, which has surprisingly unseated the Sony Bravia 8 II for our premium 55-77inch TV Award. The punchy, wonderfully three-dimensional picture is hard to beat, while the feature set blows most other TVs out of the water.

Add in a greatly improved sound system compared with last year’s model, and you've got Samsung's best TV to date, and the best premium model of 2026. For the £1749 at Richer Sounds price, use the code RSTV100 and then claim £150 cashback from Samsung to get this price – full T&Cs here.

MORE:

Check out our Best OLED TV buying guide

The What Hi-Fi? Awards 2026 winners have been revealed!

Our pick of the best TVs for every budget, including flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets

Whatever your reasons, if you are taking the first step on the OLED ladder, then the Samsung S85H is an excellent choice. It’s one of the best entry-level OLEDs we have tested – and it is currently available at a new lowest price of £1074 at Richer Sounds. That's £426 off the price from when we tested the TV in July!

To get this price, use the code RSTV50 to save £50 off the already discounted price and then claim £75 cashback from Samsung – full details are here.

A good, cheap OLED is hard to get right – but Samsung has made a lot of good decisions here, particularly with brightness. The brightness is particularly good for an entry-level OLED, which is ideal if your room has a lot of ambient light.

“Switching to Pan, our standard peak-brightness stress test due to its atypical 4000 nits mastering, it’s immediately clear that the S85H burns brighter than previous entry-level OLEDs we’ve tested and its main rival, the LG B6,” reads our Samsung S85H review. “The setting sun offers a wider range of reds and oranges that show up as pure white on its rival.”

Colours are a tad bombastic compared with the B6, but the solidity and three-dimensionality of the S85H’s picture meant it was the set our eyes were drawn to during a race scene in F1: The Movie.

The S85H comes with the latest-gen version of Samsung’s Tizen operating system, which is easy to navigate and automatically arranges apps based on your usage habits. As usual, all the major apps and services are present and running correctly, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV and more.

Gaming specifications are surprisingly impressive for the price, with four full-speed HDMI 2.1 inputs capable of carrying a 4K/120Hz signal, as well as VRR and ALLM. Even some flagship OLEDs have only two HDMI 2.1 sockets!

Dolby Vision Gaming is missing, however, as is the regular version of Dolby’s HDR standard. No Samsung set supports Dolby Vision, however, and HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG are all on board.

Our main gripe with the S85H is with the audio. The 2.0-channel, 20W Dolby Atmos system noticeably lacks bass, even though there’s a reasonable sense of direction and separation. It’s fine for daytime TV viewing, but you will probably want a soundbar for any form of movie watching.

The LG C6 and Samsung S90F offer a little more nuance, extra finesse, and a more natural picture if you do have a bit more money for a mid-range OLED.

But if you are restricted on price, then the Samsung S85H is one of the top options currently available. Its punchy, immersive and three-dimensional picture is a cut above most similarly priced rivals, and it is now enjoying a good £426 discount at Richer Sounds.

MORE:

Read our full Sony Bravia 7 II review

And our full Samsung S90F review

Our pick of the best TVs for every budget, including awesome OLED models

That’s precisely what we have here. Having tested myriad budget sets as part of our Awards judging process, one model stands head and shoulders above its rivals: say hello to the TCL P8L.

Price

The 65-inch TCL P8L we’re testing launched with a price tag of £849, but it can now be bought for an even more attractive price of £749.

If you want to go a little smaller and/or cheaper, there’s a 55-inch P8L with a price tag of £649, and the range goes up to a whopping 98-inch model, although pricing for that one has not yet been revealed.

The P8L series is designed to offer a more budget-conscious alternative to LG's C-series, but the specs still look very attractive for the price, with Mini LED backlighting, Quantum Dot colours and 4K/144Hz gaming all on the menu.

If you’re wondering about US and Aussie pricing, there isn’t any, as the P8L isn’t available in either of those regions. We understand that the US QM6K model is at least very similar, but the potential for differences means this P8L review shouldn’t be considered as also applying to the QM6K.

Design

The TCL P8L is a pretty good-looking TV for its price. Plastic features heavily, of course, but it’s been largely successfully disguised to look like metal.

The thin bezel is black on three sides, with a slightly thicker silver lip at the bottom. There's a TCL logo at the centre of this bottom lip, and another badge that says ‘Premium QLED’ close to the top of the right edge. It looks rather like a cuff at the top of someone’s ear, and it really bothers some of our reviewers.

In the box are two silver feet that can be positioned either fairly close together, giving the TV a footprint that’s just 56cm wide, or further apart to make more room for a soundbar. The amount of clearance beneath the bottom of the screen is just 6.5cm, though, so do bear that in mind.

At its thickest point, the TV is a not inconsiderable 7cm, but this tapers at the edges in a fairly attractive way. This thickness serves a purpose, too, as in the centre of the rear of the TV is a large Onkyo-branded ‘Ultra Bass’ subwoofer that will hopefully give the TV’s audio some low-end heft.

Features

Also on the back of the P8L is a recess for the physical connections, which include four HDMI sockets, through two of which the TV can handle 4K/144Hz (and 4K/120Hz) gaming. VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming are all supported, too, even via the two 4K/60Hz ports.

Dolby Vision is of course supported for movies and TV shows, too, but so are HLG, HDR10 and HDR10+, which means the P8L scores a clean sheet of high dynamic range format support – something that no TV from Samsung, Sony or LG offers, regardless of price.

As is the norm for TCL TVs, the P8L runs the Google TV smart platform, which brings with it a huge app selection. TCL has also gone out of its way to support all four of the UK’s terrestrial catch-up apps.

In fact, of the 32 apps we check every TV for, just four are absent from the P8L: the Amazon Luna and Xbox cloud gaming apps, Apple Music and Amazon Music. Not only is everything else on board, but every app that should support 4K, HDR and/or Dolby Atmos does so.

In terms of core panel tech, the P8L is of course an LCD set, but it features Quantum Dot colours and a Mini LED backlight with, according to our count, 72 independent dimming zones.

The P8L also boasts one of TCL’s HVA panels, which launched last year and have quickly garnered a reputation for providing better viewing angles and less blooming than typical VA panels. TCL says that this is backed up by a ‘Bionic Lighting Algorithm’ that is designed to optimise details of light and dark scenes.

‘Transient Response’, meanwhile, is designed to reduce ghosting caused by backlight lag, and there are, as is the norm in 2026, umpteen AI picture processing features on board, though we elect to avoid these in favour of a more authentic picture that’s truer to creative intent.

It’s worth noting that the P8L’s panel features quite a reflective glossy coating that can prove a little troublesome in very brightly lit rooms. Of course, that also means it doesn’t have the raised black issue that is common with TVs with matte coatings.

For sound, TCL has teamed up with Onkyo, which has produced a 2.1-channel system comprising the aforementioned rear-mounted, 15W subwoofer, and two 10W speakers built into the TV's underside. Dolby Atmos is supported via this speaker system and the HDMI eARC port.

Picture quality

At the P8L’s level, we still see lots of TVs with no local dimming, and yet more with very poor local dimming. The TCL’s Mini LED backlight, though, is a breath of fresh air.

While blooming around bright objects on black or very dark backgrounds (studio logos at the start of movies, for example, and the spotlights during the bomb test scene of Oppenheimer) certainly isn’t non-existent, it’s subtle and diffuse enough not to distract, and while blacks certainly aren’t OLED-deep, the P8L skillfully avoids producing the flat, grey image that’s typical of similarly priced rivals.

In fact, this is a pleasantly dynamic performer that delivers punchy highlights and impressive depth for the money. It skilfully balances the requirements for sparkling stars and deep, dark space in the opening of Alien: Romulus, for example.

This knack for balance is evident in the way the P8L handles colours, too. The reds and oranges of the recovery ship’s cockpit lights are punchy and vibrant against their dim, metallic housings, but character skin tones are rendered in natural hues and shades.

This balance is achievable with very little user input required, too: the Filmmaker Mode has been really well tuned to deliver impressive cinematic authenticity without the lifelessness that can afflict this same preset on other budget-oriented TVs.

That said, if you prefer a bit more pop, the Standard preset provides a crisper, cooler, brighter picture that’s still surprisingly nicely judged – just remember to reduce the Motion Clarity setting to Low or Off if you choose this preset, as the default Medium setting over-smooths motion in that soap opera fashion we all know and loathe.

On the subject of settings to watch out for, be sure to delve into the TV’s Energy Dashboard to switch off Dynamic Brightness, as this can artificially dim the picture.

Even when uninhibited, the P8L isn’t the brightest TV. It’s bright enough to deliver the benefits of HDR, but in a very bright room, it can struggle somewhat to punch through, even in its brighter presets.

And while we’re talking flaws, while the P8L’s black levels are satisfyingly deep considering the price of the TV, there’s also a little black crush, with some fine details lost to dark shadows. Raising the Black Level setting just a touch can resurface this lost detail at the expense of some depth, but it’s tricky to find the perfect balance. We find 53 to be the sweetest spot, but it still doesn’t quite provide the perfect blend of depth and shadow detail.

These really are minor niggles considering the price of the TV and the overall picture quality it provides at that price, and that remains true when we drop from the 4K HDR movies used so far to an HD SDR stream of The Turkish Detective from BBC iPlayer, which once again demonstrates the TV’s considered approach to colours and contrast while also proving it to be capable of clean, detailed upscaling.

The P8L is a strong option for gamers, too, with those impressive specs being backed up by a punchy, responsive performance. Gamers looking for a big, budget TV to accompany their PS5 or Xbox Series X should put this TCL to the top of their lists.

Sound quality

Considering the down-firing nature of the drivers, the sound they produce is impressively well anchored to the screen, with the dialogue of The Turkish Detective appearing to come directly from the characters. And while voices aren’t projected particularly far out into the room, they’re still clear, relatively detailed and reasonably emotive by the standards of affordable TVs.

That said, there’s a bit of a lack of lower midrange that can make deeper voices sound a little more lightweight than they should.

Switch to a Dolby Atmos movie, and the P8L has a surprisingly successful stab at supplying cinematic width and height, with effects stretching reasonably far to the left and right, and even a little way above the TV. And while the lower-midrange might be a little lacking, the subwoofer provides a useful bit of upper-bass that gives the presentation some additional solidity.

Of course, while the P8L sounds pretty good for a TV in its price range and will do the job with everyday content, you really need to budget for a dedicated audio system if at all possible. One of the best budget soundbars will boost your overall movie enjoyment substantially.

Verdict

The TCL P8L is a rare find. It’s not the cheapest TV, but it punches well above its weight in terms of picture quality and specs, and it sounds good by general TV standards, too.

Those with super-bright rooms might find its unspectacular brightness and reflective coating a slight issue, but for everyone else, this is the new benchmark for large, sub-£1000 TVs.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Amazon QL65F602U

Also consider the TCL C8L

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

This includes huge TVs of 65 inches and above. So one could be forgiven for worrying that ‘small’ 42-inch TVs might be at a disadvantage when it comes to a cinematic experience.

That’s not the case with the LG C6, though. As soon as we turned off the lights and started Blade Runner 2049, I was immediately treated to a bit of movie magic. The excellent contrast and punchy highlights are evident from the very first scene, giving me a cinephile experience that never once had me thinking about screen size.

So if you have a small room but still want a top-of-the-line picture experience, the LG C6 42-inch comes highly recommended. We only reviewed the set yesterday, but it's already down to £899 at Amazon.

That’s a nice £401 discount off the £1399 launch price. You’ll need to claim 10 per cent cashback to get this discount, however – full T&Cs are here.

The 42-inch C6 ticks every box in our picture testing process, and isn’t held back by its modest display size.

There’s an impressive sense of depth, solidity and richness to the picture as Dave Bautista’s Sapper Morton walks to his farmhouse in Blade Runner 2049. And, once he’s inside, the bright windows and dark interior are a great showcase of the C6’s excellent handling of contrast.

The C6 takes motion in its stride also, with Officer K’s flying Peugeot hurtling over solar farms with no artefacts or flickering motion.

As our LG C6 42-inch review reads: “The C6 delivers a seriously impressive experience, underpinned by a composed approach to contrast and sharpness, resulting in oodles of cinematic depth.”

LG’s C-series line has long won over gamers with its all-encompassing feature selection, and this model is no different. The 42-inch C6 sports four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets with support for signals up to 4K/165Hz with VRR and ALLM. There are also several cloud gaming apps on board, with LG also claiming the C6 is the first TV capable of 4K/120Hz game streaming via Nvidia GeForce Now.

Speaking of apps, the built-in webOS 26 also has a strong array of non-gaming-related streaming apps, from BBC iPlayer and Channel 4 to Disney+ and Apple TV.

That impressive picture quality and those features go a long way to making up for the middling sound. The 2.0-channel sound system produces clear and detailed sound, especially with voices, but there's a noticeable lack of oomph in both bass and volume. A compact Dolby Atmos soundbar is recommended for serious movie-watching sessions.

A huge TV isn't necessary for genuine cinematic impact, and the LG C6 42-inch proves just that. If you're short on space, on a budget, or lucky enough to be able to consider a second-room OLED, then this C6 size comes highly recommended for £899 at Amazon.

MORE:

Read our LG C6 48-inch review

Also consider our LG C5 42-inch review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

While there haven’t been huge performance leaps between generations, we have found subtle improvements occur each year, and we expect to see a similar affair with the 42-inch C6 that we have before us today.

This compact OLED aims to deliver a large-scale cinematic experience that suits smaller rooms, which is a mission we’re more than familiar with after reviewing every generation of this TV since 2022’s C2; the first 42-inch OLED to hit the market.

The real question is, does it continue the legacy of the acclaimed series that’s been championed by cinephiles and gamers alike? We certainly think so…

Price

Originally launching at £1300 / $1399 / AU$1999, the OLED42C6 can now be found for around £999 / $1000 / AU$1695 thanks to months of discounts. Going back to that launch price, LG actually undercut the outgoing 42-inch C5, which launched at £1400 / $1399 / AU$2199, making it cheaper in the UK and Australia.

Speaking of which, there are still some C5 stragglers to be found for around £849 here in the UK. That’s a decent discount, but we could certainly make a case for spending the additional £150 to score the latest and greatest C-series TV.

Looking at the competition, LG’s main rival is, perhaps unsurprisingly, Samsung. The Samsung S90H is available in all the same sizes as the LG C6, with the equivalent 42-inch model currently available for £999 / $1000 / AU$1466.

Panasonic also offers last year’s Z90B, which we awarded five stars at 48 inches, in a 42-inch option. It costs slightly more than the C6 at £1099, but the Z90B’s front-firing speaker bar may appeal more to audiophiles.

Design

Place the 42-inch C6 next to the C5, C4, C3 and C2 from the previous five years, and you’d have a nearly impossible game of Where’s Wally on your hands. The C6 looks identical to its predecessors, although that’s no great shame as LG is sticking with a well-built and smart-looking formula.

The compact set rests upon two blade-style feet at each end; usually we prefer a central stand (as found on the C6 from 48 inches upwards) for maximum furniture compatibility, but the small footprint of this TV means that it’s not too wide and should fit on a majority of media units with ease.

And with 72cm between these feet, there is enough room to squeeze a soundbar between them; the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), for example, measures in at 65cm, meaning it should easily fit.

However, we should note that the feet can only be attached at one height, that being 3.7cm. That’s not loads of clearance; going back to the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), that soundbar stands at 6.8cm tall, so there is a chance that your soundbar may encroach on the C6’s bezel.

Assembly is simple thanks to the feet attaching with just two screws each, and the “small” screen size is easy for a single person to get into position provided they possess the appropriate wingspan.

Rounding things out with the remote, LG continues to offer just one button-heavy handset in the box. Its Magic Remote has some nifty features, such as a scroll wheel and Nintendo Wii-style motion pointer, but we’d still like to see a backlight and the return of a dedicated source select button, which has unfortunately been sacrificed for a general smart home-focused connected devices button.

Features

The 42-inch C6, much like the 48- and 65-inch versions, is a feature-packed OLED TV that’s equipped for cinephiles and gamers alike.

This TV sports a 4K WOLED panel, as has been the case with all previous iterations of LG’s 42-inch C-series TVs. While that may seem somewhat obvious given LG’s track record, it is worth highlighting this year, as LG seems to be mixing in Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel technology depending on the screen size.

Officially speaking, the 77- and 83-inch options tout LG’s Brightness Booster Max feature and Hyper Radiant Colour system, which require the Tandem OLED technology to work. On a more speculative note, we recently reviewed the 48-inch version of this TV, and its unexpectedly high brightness led us to believe that it too is using the more advanced panel technology, although LG will neither confirm nor deny whether that is the case.

Regardless, our main concern is how this TV performs, as panel technology and on-paper specifications are not always indicative of picture performance.

Moving on to the processor, the OLED42C6 sports the same Alpha 11 AI Processor 4K Gen3 as its larger siblings, which handles picture processing and runs the webOS smart platform. New for this year is a 12-bit processing pipeline, which reportedly enhances brightness and colour.

There are also countless AI picture and sound features, which are handled by this processor. Dual AI Super Resolution, for example, is a two-layer upscaling system (one for sharpening edges, the other to refine textures and details), which enhances lower-resolution content as well as 4K content.

AI HDR Remaster, another AI-backed persistent picture feature, enhances contrast, sharpness and colour using a frame-by-frame process. SDR content takes on a more HDR-like appearance, and HDR content should look “more vibrant and realistic”, according to LG.

AI Picture Pro serves as a hub for many of these picture features, and it also uses content recognition algorithms to tweak the C6’s settings depending on the content you’re watching. Alongside this is AI Sound Pro, which works in a very similar way, albeit for the audio settings instead.

For those hoping to add a more personalised touch to their AI experience, Personalised Picture Wizard and Personalised Sound Wizard allow you to choose from a range of preset image and sound samples to adapt the settings to best suit your taste without having to dig into the system settings menu.

That said, we find that LG’s AI settings can be a bit heavy-handed and usually don’t preserve picture and sound authenticity. Switching to Filmmaker Mode in the picture settings is a much more effective and equally easy way to dial this TV’s picture in.

Stepping away from AI and back to the realm of AV, the 42-inch C6 supports HDR in the HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision HDR formats. HDR10+ isn’t supported, which isn’t a surprise considering the format was created by Samsung.

Dolby Atmos immersive audio is also supported via the 2.0 channel sound system and through connected HDMI eARC audio devices.

Speaking of HDMIs, LG’s established formula for winning over gamers remains, as the OLED42C6 sports four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets capable of handling signals up to 4K/165Hz with VRR and ALLM. For those without a console, the C6 also supports a wide range of cloud gaming apps, including Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now and Amazon Luna. LG claims that the C6 is also the first TV capable of 4K/120Hz game streaming via Nvidia GeForce Now.

webOS 26 is also home to plenty of non-gaming-related streaming apps too, including a strong array of regional and global offerings, from BBC iPlayer and Channel 4 to Disney+ and Apple TV. Our biggest criticism is how advertisement-heavy the operating system is, but sponsored content can be switched off in the settings menu.

Picture quality

While the 48-inch C6 surprised us with its bright, rich and punchy performance, the 42-inch C6 follows in the footsteps of its 65-inch sibling by acting as a subtle but appreciated improvement over its predecessor. That’s to say it's a refinement on a five-star formula in the picture department, which is fine.

As has been the case with several previous C-series OLEDs, we gravitate towards Filmmaker Mode as our preferred picture setting, although we do switch to Cinematic Movement in the TruMotion settings as we feel this irons out judder effectively without introducing the soap opera effect.

LG’s Cinema Home setting – which is essentially its version of the “movie” preset found on other TVs – is also a setting that’s worth exploring for those who crave a touch more punch, or who are viewing the C6 in environments with abundant ambient light.

With these settings dialled in, the 42-inch C6 serves up a superb cinematic image that never reminds us that we’re watching a “small” TV.

Much like the 65- and 48-inch versions of the C6, the 42-inch excels when it comes to contrast. The opening of F1: The Movie features impressively punchy highlights, including stadium lighting and fireworks, which juxtapose the inky-black night sky effectively.

There is an impressive sense of depth, solidity and richness to the picture as Sonny Hayes waltzes towards the garage and pit lane during the opening of the film, which, when paired with the sharp outlines of subjects and strong detail levels, develops an excellent sense of immersion.

Switching to Civil War, the C6 proves it can deliver a balanced, natural image during the military base sequence. Foliage looks crisp and verdant without straying into over-vibrant shades of green, and there is a real sense of three-dimensionality to the picture too.

As fighter jets soar over the camp, we find that the 42OLEDC6 takes fast-moving objects in its stride, with no apparent judder. Switching to Blade Runner 2049 affirms this, as a sequence in which Officer K’s flying Peugeot hurtles towards the LAPD and passes behind a handful of buildings in the foreground reveals no artefacts or flickering motion.

Simply put, the 42-inch C6 ticks every box in our picture testing process, and its large-scale cinematic picture isn’t held back by its modest display size.

Sound quality

LG’s small OLED TVs have never blown our socks off when it comes to sound performance, and the C6 isn’t really an exception. That said, it’s not a total disaster either; it’s more of a mixed bag, if anything.

We do like that the sound presets are pleasingly simple, and things become even easier with our guidance: skip the AI-labelled sound modes and stick with standard. While they aren’t without use (the dialogue setting will certainly be handy for those who struggle to hear voices, for example), they do compromise the overall mix and apply a synthetic finish to the sound. Our advice is to stick with “standard”.

With that in mind, we use the opening sequence of F1: The Movie to assess the C6’s performance. Overall, there are a few strengths to note here; the C6 produces quite a clear and detailed sound, which especially extends to voices. While they don’t project all that well, there is certainly definition and a touch of tonal variation, which is appreciated given dialogue really is the most important factor.

Furthermore, the sound of race cars soaring around the track (and, from our perspective, across the screen) flows nicely from right to left, and there is a sense of spaciousness and openness that is quite impressive given the size of the set. The sound doesn’t fill our testing room, but we have to commend the sense of space it is able to muster given its speaker configuration.

While there isn’t a huge amount of height to the fireworks that burst over the race track and shower sparks onto the cars below, the C6 presents them with satisfying snaps, crackles and pops; although, much like Rice Krispies, there isn’t much weight behind them.

And that brings us onto the overarching issue with the 42 C6’s sound: there just isn’t much oomph. Given that this is a 2.0 channel, subwoofer-less system in a relatively small chassis, that’s to be expected, but it isn’t helped by the shortfall of absolute volume. When cranked to 100 per cent, it remains easy to talk over the C6 without having to raise your voice, and there is a dip in the midrange that leaves the sound (especially voices) feeling a bit hollow and lightweight.

Paired with a somewhat drab approach to dynamic expression, which leaves Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love sounding flat, the C6 is best accompanied by a compact Dolby Atmos soundbar for serious movie watching sessions.

Verdict

The 42-inch LG C6 once again proves that you don’t need a huge TV to score genuine cinematic impact.

Middling sound aside, the C6 delivers a seriously impressive experience, underpinned by a composed approach to contrast and sharpness, resulting in oodles of cinematic depth.

While we’re used to sets 55 inches and above, we’d happily spend hours watching movies on this compact OLED.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 3
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the LG C6 48-inch

Also consider the LG C5 42-inch

Read our Panasonic Z90B 48-inch review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and teste

As we noted yesterday, though, it has been a bit of a damp squib so far, especially if you’re shopping for hi-fi.

Good deals have been isolated and usually limited to one product within a category, rather than the holistic drops we see on swathes of headphones, TVs and the like during Black Friday.

Which is why, with a particularly heavy heart, I am sad to inform any bargain-hunting TV buyer that the best deal we’ve seen on an OLED is gone.

Specifically, the stellar Amazon saving on the five-star, Award-winning 48-inch LG C5 from last year which let you pick it up for a modest £699 (saving £500), is now gone.

Stock has run out on Amazon, and the retailers still selling it are charging £999 or more.

If that hasn’t put you off and you’re still eager to buy a new OLED, but don’t have deep enough pockets to pay the full price, or make the jump up to flagship territory, I’m sad to say this is a double-whammy bad news post.

After trawling Amazon and rival retailers, both specialist and mainstream, I haven’t found any deals on good OLED TVs that we’ve fully reviewed and recommend that come close to matching yesterday’s C5 deal.

There are only two close – but not as good – deals currently running. The 48-inch LG C6, which we just finished reviewing and can confirm is a palpable improvement on the C5, currently retails for £1087 on Amazon (save £110). A good TV at an okay price, but far from what we'd describe as cheap.

Alternatively, if you really want to get the cheapest OLED possible that’s not completely terrible, the four-star, entry-level 48-inch Samsung S85H currently costs £824.10 at Richer Sounds – though you’ll need to claim £75 back from Samsung after purchase to unlock the full discount.

But that means you’re paying more for an OLED that doesn’t quite match the performance of the older C5 when it comes to pure picture quality – we know that, as we tested them both.

So what’s my advice to buyers looking for a new OLED? Sadly, unless you need a new TV this very second, I’d strongly suggest waiting a little longer.

Stock of the C5 may come back, and I’m expecting prices of all the OLEDs mentioned in this feature to drop even further in price, especially during Black Friday.

If past events are anything to go by, come November I can even see the C6 – which, having seen it in our review rooms, is the first OLED in nearly half a decade to tempt me to upgrade my ageing LG C2 – dropping below £899, which would make it an incredible option for serious movie fans on a budget.

If that hasn’t answered any of your OLED TV questions, feel free to drop a comment on this page, and I’ll endeavour to respond as soon as possible!

MORE:

These are the best OLED TVs we’ve reviewed

Our picks of the best 50-inch TVs

We rank the best soundbars

Despite some extremely frustrating bugs that were introduced with a recent software update, I still love the TV. And, in fact, it's still better than almost every TV that's launched since.

There is one that has defeated it, though.

No, it's not the Bravia 9 II or LG G6 – it's the Samsung S99H, and it's just hit its lowest-ever price to coincide with Amazon Prime Big Deal Days.

This deal isn't an Amazon deal, though. Instead, you can get the 55-inch Samsung S99H for £1849 at Richer Sounds, and the 65-inch model for £2399 at Richer Sounds.

The retailer says you can also claim additional cashback from Samsung, to the tune of £150 for the 55-inch model and £200 for the 65-inch version. For a TV this new and this awesome, that's exceptional.

I'll level with you, I was surprised that the S99H beat the Bravia 8 II. Sure, the Bravia 8 II is a 2025 TV, but it was so far ahead of its rivals last year, I really didn't think any of them would close the gap.

Samsung has a reputation for slightly overplaying things where brightness and colours are concerned, too, whereas the Bravia 8 II is perhaps the best ever example of Sony's subtle and authentic approach to all elements of picture quality.

It seems pretty clear to me, though, that the South Korean brand set out with the specific aim of overthrowing Sony's flagship OLED.

The S99H pushes QD-OLED panel technology to new heights in terms of brightness and colour reproduction, but this combines with a newfound restraint and subtlety to deliver a much more mature and refined picture than we're used to from Samsung.

This is a TV that can (and will) absolutely dazzle, if that's what you and your content require, but it also satisfies purists by delivering movies, TV shows and games as the creator intended.

Like its Sony rival, the S99H is exceptionally sharp, too, and this combines with its awesome contrast and colours to create an image with oodles of pop and three-dimensional depth.

Gaming specs are also exceptional, with all four of the integrated HDMI sockets supporting 4K/165Hz (and 4K/120Hz) signals, VRR and ALLM.

And if that's not enough HDMI ports for you, or you want to go wireless with your connections, the Wireless One Connect can be added. This features four HDMI sockets that can be used in addition to those already built into the TV.

Before you click the big red 'Add To Basket' button, though, there are three little niggles to the S99H that you need to bear in mind.

The first is, for me, the biggest: it doesn't support Dolby Vision. Yes, HDR10+ is on board, as is HDR10+ Advanced, but these aren't quite the same thing. That said, the TV's Filmmaker Mode is so well tuned, I would personally be prepared to do without Dolby Vision.

The second is the design, which looks great when the TV is wall-mounted, but a little odd when it's plonked on a piece of furniture using the cheap, plastic feet, as it would be in my house. Honestly, there's no real solution to this – it's just something you will have to put up with in the name of excellent picture quality.

The final flaw is the sound, which is pretty good by TV standards, but not good enough to accompany this level of imagery. Frankly, that's an issue for all TVs, though, including the Bravia 8 II, and the solution is the same as ever: make sure to budget for some sort of dedicated sound system, even if it's 'just' an entry-level Dolby Atmos soundbar such as the Sonos Beam Gen 2.

Ultimately, none of these niggles should be a deal-breaker as far as I'm concerned, and if I were to buy any TV in the world right now, it would be the Samsung S99H.

MORE:

Read the full Samsung S99H review

Here are all of the best TVs you can buy right now

And here are all of the best soundbars

Naturally, going “small” means accepting a compromise on screen size and, therefore, cinematic scale. But does a smaller TV necessarily mean a less immersive viewing experience? The 48-inch LG C6 sets out to answer that question with a resounding no.

Considering we are huge fans of the 65-inch LG C6, which we reviewed back in April, this might not come as a surprise. That said, we’ve always said that picture and sound performance can vary greatly across different sizes, so the five-star performance of the 65-inch model isn’t necessarily indicative of the 48- and 42-inch versions.

Fortunately, the 48-inch C6 comes surprisingly close to matching its larger sibling, retaining much of the picture and sound performance that made the 65-inch model so impressive.

Price

The LG OLED48C6, to give it its proper title, launched at £1400 / $1600 / AU$2400 earlier this year, but frequent price drops in the UK and US have cut that down to around £1200 / $1200. Similar price drops haven’t yet appeared Down Under, unfortunately.

Competition at this level is rife, as we’re seeing more “small” OLEDs hit the market than ever before. LG itself currently offers its step-down B6 in this size for £999 / $800 / AU$1995, and a 48-inch version of the G6 is also on the market in the UK for £1399.

LG’s C-series models tend to stick around for quite some time, too, which means remaining stock of the five-star 48-inch LG C5 can still be snapped up for around £999.

LG’s archrival, Samsung, also offers its C6 equivalent, the S90H, for £1199 / $1300 / AU$1760. It presents an almost identical feature set at an almost identical price in the UK and US.

Last year’s Award-winning 48-inch OLED, the Panasonic Z90B, also remains on sale for £1199, making it a very competitive option.

Design

LG’s tried-and-true C-series design soldiers on for yet another year, and it carries forth the various pros and cons we’ve found with previous generations stretching back to 2022’s 48-inch C2.

The good news is that this is a superbly slim TV at just 4.6cm in thickness when you take into consideration the “backpack” that houses the electronics and connections. At its slimmest, the TV measures just 6mm, giving it a premium and stylish look, and the central pedestal stand means it can be placed on a narrow piece of furniture.

However, that stand still protrudes outwards in a slightly awkward way if you plan on pairing this TV with a soundbar. The smaller 42-inch C6 sports a pair of dual blade-style feet that you can squeeze a compact soundbar between.

LG has also bundled in the same Magic Remote that we’ve seen across the previous few generations of this TV. It keeps the ThinQ AI button in place of the source select – dare we say one of our least favourite changes in recent memory – and the buttons aren’t backlit; however, the scroll wheel and Nintendo Wii-style motion pointer control system are both novelties that can make interacting with the TV slightly more engaging.

Features

We’ll get straight into the panel tech, as LG could be taking an unconventional approach this year. Traditionally, the C-series has been staunchly WOLED, meaning it hasn’t adopted LG Display’s brightness-boosting Primary RGB Tandem OLED or Micro Lens Array display technology.

That changes with the C6, though. The company has essentially confirmed that the 77- and 83-inch versions sport RGB Tandem OLED panels by stating that they are ‘Brightness Booster Pro’ models rather than standard ‘Brightness Booster’ sets as per the rest of the sizes.

Rumours suggest, though, that the 48-inch C6, despite being a ‘Brightness Booster’ model, does in fact feature a Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel. We have attempted to get clarification from LG Display, but have been met with the usual “we don’t talk about panel tech" line.

Our approach is to focus on performance with real-world content rather than get bogged down in product components, but our testing suggests this could indeed be a Primary RGB Tandem OLED TV.

Moving on from the display, the C6 is powered by the Alpha 11 AI Processor 4K Gen3, which keeps the webOS smart platform running smoothly while also handling picture and sound processing. LG says that its latest processor utilises a new 12-bit processing pipeline, which brings extra colour and brightness precision to the table.

On top of this is Dual AI Super Resolution, which essentially runs lower-resolution content through an AI-backed picture upscaling process twice: the first time to sharpen edges, and the second to refine texture and detail. This should sharpen up non-4K content (think Blu-rays, DVDs and streaming), resulting in a more natural look.

AI HDR Remaster is also featured. This analyses content on a frame-by-frame basis to enhance contrast, sharpness and colour. SDR content takes on a more HDR-like appearance, and HDR content will take on a “more vibrant and realistic” look.

AI Picture Pro is also on board, which uses content recognition algorithms to adapt the TV’s settings to reduce noise, optimise contrast, manage colour saturation, and sharpen faces and text. AI Sound works in a similar way, as it uses content recognition to adapt the sound settings and performance to best suit what you’re watching. The remote even features an AI button that allows users to navigate the TV and troubleshoot issues using voice commands.

The AI features don’t stop there, though, as you’ll find a bountiful feast of AI-enhanced picture and sound modes on board too. AI Picture Wizard and AI Sound Wizard allow users to select from a range of preset image and sound samples to find their ideal personalised set-up without having to dig too deep into the picture menus.

That said, we find Filmmaker Mode (in the TV’s picture settings) delivers the best results.

Moving away from the near-endless list of AI features, the C6 supports a solid set of HDR formats, including HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision. Samsung's HDR10+ isn’t supported, as per LG’s usual stance.

The Dolby support extends to audio too, as the C6 features Dolby Atmos through its built-in 2.2-channel 40W sound system, and through connected audio devices via HDMI eARC.

Speaking of HDMI, the C6 sports four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets, all of which are capable of handling signals up to 4K/165Hz with VRR and ALLM. For those without a console, the C6 supports cloud gaming up to 4K/120Hz with HDR through the likes of Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox. LG touts this feature as a world-first.

webOS is also a well-equipped, if frustratingly advertisement-heavy operating system (you can turn sponsored content off in the settings, thankfully), and LG has made a few tweaks this year to make things run even smoother.

Recent inputs are easier to access; there’s a new customisable My Page menu with widgets that turns the TV into a smart display when not in use, and a new “Continue Watching” rail also adorns the home page.

App support is also practically flawless, with all of the expected domestic and international apps supported and working as expected, with quick loading times to boot.

Picture quality

As we alluded to, the 48-inch C6 bears many of the positive picture markings of its 65-inch counterpart, despite it being significantly scaled down.

We’ve plugged our trusty Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player into the C6 and selected a handful of reference 4K discs from our library, including Civil War, Pan, Blade Runner 2049 and F1: The Movie.

While selecting Filmmaker Mode from the picture menu gets us most of the way to picture excellence, we opt to enable Cinematic Movement in the TruMotion settings to eliminate the touch of judder inherent in 24fps content. Cinema Home is also a worthwhile preset to explore, for those who don’t mind sacrificing some accuracy for a punchier picture.

With these settings dialled in, it’s hard to argue that the 48-inch C6 OLED doesn’t have all of what it takes to be a truly special compact OLED TV. The combination of deep blacks, excellent contrast control and punchy highlights creates a striking image with excellent depth and solidity, as evidenced in the final battle sequence of Civil War.

Rockets and flares light up the deep black sky with bursts of brightness, and the buildings of Washington DC are rendered with a superb sense of realism and detail. Throughout the sequence, we find that the C6 balances shadow depth and detail with impressive finesse too.

Onto a more colourful sequence from Pan, the scene in which a floating pirate ship sails past some floating orbs of water, we find that the C6 is capable of delivering rich, punchy greens and blues while also retaining the natural skin tones of the children on the ship. As the ship approaches the floating island of Neverland, the concentrated brightness of the sun burns with intensity while also retaining a clearly visible circular outline.

Motion also remains a highlight. We noted that motion looked “impressively smooth and controlled without introducing obvious artefacts or drifting into the dreaded soap-opera effect” with Cinematic Motion applied on the 65-inch version of this TV, and the same can be said for the 48-inch model.

The opening sequence of Blade Runner 2049 demonstrates this nicely; a tricky panning shot, a tracking shot of a hovering drone, and a shot of Sapper Morton stepping backwards are all handled smoothly yet naturally on the C6, despite these specific shots tripping other TVs up.

Rounding out our testing with F1: The Movie, the OLED48C6 truly shines. Colourful race car liveries pop yet never look garish or overcooked, and fireworks burst with vibrancy without appearing overblown. There is no apparent stuttering or juddering as the Porsche and BMW tussle for first place, and the C6 looks wonderfully sharp without verging into over-etched territory.

Sound quality

As was the case with the 65-inch version of this TV, the 48-inch C6 seems to be a sonic step forward for LG. While this TV doesn’t perform miracles, it’s certainly an upgrade over the 48-inch C5, which we criticised for sounding “distinctly flat” and lacking definition.

The C6, on the other hand, sounds crisper, weightier and more spacious. The atmospheric effects of the dystopian Los Angeles streets are presented with a solid sense of width and detail, and while the TV doesn’t reach for the ceiling with its Dolby Atmos height effects, there is a sense of spaciousness to the audio that accompanies the floating holographic adverts beamed onto Officer K’s apartment block in Blade Runner 2049.

Most crucially, the C6 projects voices slightly more, and there is a touch more warmth and tonality, which makes listening to dialogue more engaging. Bass is also mostly well controlled, although there isn’t much in the way of depth or tonal variation.

Now, we won’t deny that even a basic soundbar will run circles around the C6’s built-in speakers, and a Dolby Atmos soundbar will provide much more authentic height effects – the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Beam Ultra would make a perfect accompaniment, for example – but the improvement over the last generation model is worth commending.

That is, if you steer clear of the AI Sound setting. This continues to sound oddly synthetic, and while there is the option to tailor the sound to your liking, we find that avoiding it altogether provides a more natural and balanced presentation.

Verdict

LG’s 48-inch C6 is arguably the brand’s most interesting OLED TV in recent memory. While that might sound strange when the brand is selling a TV that is slimmer than an iPhone and powered by a magical wireless box, the company’s small mid-range OLED is a true dark horse.

If our theory is correct, it’s likely the cheapest way to acquire an RGB Tandem OLED TV, and if it’s not, then we’d really like to know how LG has pumped the brightness and vibrancy up to this extent.

Regardless, it’s fully featured, talented in the picture and sound departments, and it proves that you don’t need to sacrifice a considerable chunk of your living room to achieve a cinematically satisfying experience.

SCORES

• Picture 5
• Sound 4
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the LG C5 48-inch

Also consider the LG C6 65-inch

Read our Panasonic Z90B 48-inch

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

The Galaxy Tab S12+ and Tab S12 Ultra are set to deliver "Samsung’s most capable and versatile tablet experience yet", and the spec sheet reveals a flagship portable experience that should be ideal for on-the-go movie watching. Curiously, the lineup doesn't feature a "standard" Tab S12, only "Ultra" and "Plus" versions.

Both tablets feature Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays with variable refresh rates up to 120Hz, and Samsung says they can reach up to 1600 nits.

The difference is size and resolution: the S12 Ultra sports a large 14.6-inch display with a 2960 x 1848 resolution, while the S12+ features a 12.6-inch screen with a 2800 x 1752 resolution.

They also support Samsung's Vision Booster system, which can adapt the display brightness in real time depending on the ambient lighting conditions.

Interestingly, Samsung hasn't referenced its excellent ProScaler picture upscaling feature, and considering its removal from the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Z Fold 8 smartphones, it's possible that the Tab S12 series is also missing it.

Both versions also feature quad speaker systems, which Samsung says support four-channel spatial audio, and while Dolby Atmos hasn't been specifically mentioned yet, Samsung has an established history of supporting it on its tablets and smartphones for many years now.

The S12 Ultra and S12+ are both powered by Samsung's MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipset, with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM depending on the storage configuration, and they run Android 17 with Samsung's OneUI 9 platform running on top. That unlocks the wide array of Galaxy AI features also found on the brand's flagship smartphones.

Samsung also touts 11,600mAh and 10,600mAh batteries on the S12 Ultra and S12+, respectively. That equates to a claimed 23 hours of video playback on the S12 Ultra and 21 hours on the S12+.

Both models launch on the 7th of October, with the Tab S12 Ultra starting at £1399; that undercuts Apple's 13-inch Tandem OLED-sporting iPad Pro, which starts at £1499. The S12+ starts at £1199, which matches the 11-inch iPad Pro.

MORE:

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra review

As well as our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra review

And check out our list of the best tablets

In the UK, Samsung’s top OLED is the S99H. It’s a glorious TV that takes OLED performance to new heights, wrapped in a fancy, somewhat divisive frame design.

Elsewhere in the world, though, this TV is known as the S95H.

Not too confusing yet, right? But get this: in the UK, we also get an S95H, and it’s different to the S95H found elsewhere in the world.

So, what is the UK S95H? Prevailing wisdom says that it’s essentially the S99H with a wired One Connect box and the large metal frame removed.

We were excited about this prospect: we like the S99H’s frame when the TV is wall-mounted, but it looks rather awkward when the TV is set on the – let’s face it – rather cheap, plastic feet.

If we could get a version of the TV with the same performance, a more typical design and a lower price, that would be a winner, right?

Well, it would, but that isn’t what the UK S95H is.

With both models set up side by side in our test room, there’s an instantly appreciable difference in brightness and vibrancy, with the S99H being clearly better in both regards.

Samsung is always (infuriatingly) coy about which of its models feature what panel tech, but we do know that the S99H is a QD-OLED model. Given that the UK S95H is less vibrant and less bright, you might assume that it’s a WOLED, but while I can’t be 100 per cent sure, I don’t think that’s the case.

The S95H’s screen has a very similar matte coating to the S99H, and while it’s less bright and vibrant than the S99H, it looks more ‘step-down QD-OLED’ than ‘WOLED’ to me. In fact, it looks remarkably similar to Samsung’s 2025 OLED flagship, the S95F.

To be clear, the S95H looks like a very good TV, and, having tested all of the brand’s OLEDs and several of its backlit models as part of our Awards process, I think it’s probably the second-best Samsung TV you can buy this year.

It isn’t, though, in the same league as the awesome S99H.

Frankly, no TV we’ve seen so far this year is in the same league as the S99H, but our Awards testing isn’t quite finished yet. Could anything else knock it off the top spot? Find out when we announce the What Hi-Fi? Awards on 13th October.

MORE:

Here are the best TVs and best soundbars you can buy right now

Here's our Samsung S99H review

As such, I've had the pleasure of testing a crop of compact OLED TVs, and this is a particular area of interest for me both inside and outside of the testing room.

While I love OLED TVs of all shapes and sizes, I've had my eye on a sub-55-inch OLED ever since I first laid eyes upon the LG C2 during my very first year on the What Hi-Fi? team.

Every year since, I've fawned over the 42- and 48-inch OLEDs that we've tested from the likes of LG, Samsung and Panasonic.

As a keen gamer with a love of competitive shooters, getting "up close and personal" with my screen is a must, and these desktop-friendly sizes are ideal monitor replacements, and they often pack in way more features that appease my AV enthusiast side too.

Four years on, however, I still haven't bitten the bullet and bought one. "The time has never been right" and "they're still quite expensive even during Black Friday" are my two favourite excuses, hence why they've sat in my browser tabs on checkout screens that I've never completed.

However, after testing the 42- and 48-inch Samsung S90H and LG C6, I now have a rather smug sense of self-satisfaction, as my patience (or commitment issues, depending on how you look at it) has paid off.

Without spoiling the upcoming reviews or the coveted Awards list, all four TVs are pretty fantastic, and they prove that you can get a large-scale cinematic experience from a TV that doesn't require loads of space.

All of them offer punchy, rich colours, excellent motion, and perfect black depths, and the smaller screen sizes give them an edge when it comes to detail and sharpness, thanks to their greater pixel density compared with their 55- and 65-inch counterparts.

Focusing directly on the LG C6, as we've reviewed the 65-inch model (we have a review of a larger Samsung S90H in the works), we find that the 48-inch version simply feels like a smaller version of that five-star TV.

We affirmed that the C6 has a "brighter, richer and more refined picture quality" than its predecessor, the C5, at this larger screen size. From experience, the 48-inch seems to have taken a very similar path, as I was instantly struck by how bright, crisp and balanced this TV looked this year.

While I've thoroughly enjoyed previous versions of this TV, such as the 48-inch C4 and C5, they've not jumped out at me in the same way this year's C6 has.

Furthermore, the 42-inch C6 and S90H are two truly exceptional TVs, and while I won't divulge who is taking home a What Hi-Fi? Award, they're practically on par when it comes to picture quality and features.

Simply put, I could happily sit and watch a movie on these TVs, despite being used to having an expansive 65-inch at home. They don't feel like compromised versions of larger TVs, but actually great alternatives in their own right.

Now, will any of these TVs make it into my upgraded gaming setup? With the likes of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and Grand Theft Auto VI launching very soon, I could have the perfect excuse to finally pull the trigger.

MORE:

Check out our full Samsung S90F 48-inch review

As well as our LG C5 48-inch review

And read our full list of the best OLED TVs

The five-star LG C6 is one of our favourite TVs of the year, thanks to a bright, rich and refined picture, awesome gaming credentials and an app-packed smart platform.

It also delivers a solid audio performance for its class, though it's no substitute for a dedicated sound system.

That's where this bundle deal comes in. The LG C6 is currently down to an impressive £1899 at Smart Home Sounds with the code TRADE250, only £10 above the lowest price we've seen.

But the real kicker is that you get a Dolby Atmos soundbar absolutely free – add the four-star LG S70TY to your basket with the C6 and the cost will be removed at checkout.

Even without the soundbar, this would be a great deal on a fantastic TV.

Much of the C6's success comes from the new Alpha 11 Gen 3 chip. We don't often get too excited about processor upgrades, but this seemingly small change has resulted in an even brighter and richer performance than its predecessor, the Award-winning LG C5.

"Even in Filmmaker Mode, the C6’s extra brightness over the C5 is immediately obvious," our LG C6 review reads. "Highlights are more intense, colours have a touch more richness and the overall image carries greater depth and dimensionality."

The C6 offers a more enticing, dynamic and three-dimensional delivery overall, as well as enhanced upscaling, remastering and shading subtlety.

Gamers, as ever, are well looked after with LG TVs. VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming are available on all four HDMI 2.1 sockets, as well as 4K/120Hz for console gamers. PC gamers can even crank it up to 4k/165Hz with VRR.

The reliable LG WebOS is similarly impressive, with all the major streaming services present, well optimised and delivering content in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos where applicable.

As well as Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG are also on board. HDR10+ is missing – as are the newly released Dolby Vision 2 and HDR10+ Advanced – though this isn't a huge issue at the moment.

Improvements have been made to the sound also, with a more open and immersive delivery. We recommend taking the soundbar freebie, however – the LG S70TY package will smash the C6 when it comes to sound quality thanks to its easy-going, balanced presentation and well-integrated subwoofer.

You can pay a lot more and get a lot less than this great-value bundle deal. A £601 saving at Smart Home Sounds on one of the year's best OLEDs is quite the bargain anyway, but chucking in a decent Dolby Atmos soundbar makes this an absolute steal.

MORE:

Check out our LG C5 review

Also read our LG G6 review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

From the mainstream adoption of RGB Mini LED to cheaper OLED SE panels hitting the market, and the news of TCL essentially buying a majority stake in Sony's Bravia TV division, it's been a whirlwind.

And yet, there's been one manufacturer which has remained concerningly quiet up until now: Panasonic.

Rewind all the way to February (which feels like both a lifetime ago and strangely recent), when I flew to Munich to attend the Panasonic Experience 2026. At the event, the renowned Japanese consumer technology brand was showing off everything from air fryers, cameras and toothbrushes to Technics turntables, rice cookers and hair dryers.

TVs were also on show, and Panasonic made a huge announcement; just not the one I was expecting.

Now, it's an open secret that Panasonic's TV division has been struggling. At the lower end, it has struggled to keep up in a market now dominated by affordable 4K sets produced by the likes of Hisense and TCL. At the top, its prestigious OLED sets have seen tough competition from the likes of Sony, Samsung and LG: look at our recent lists of TV Award-winners, and it doesn't paint a pretty picture for the brand.

To rectify this, Panasonic announced that it was entering a strategic partnership with Shenzhen Skyworth, under its parent company Chuángwéi RGB, which would secure the future of its OLED, Mini LED and QLED sets in Europe.

The partnership was set to take effect on the 1st of April, and since the date came and went, Panasonic has been unnervingly quiet. Broadly speaking, its TVs have been out of stock at most retailers, and the one OLED TV it did announce, the Z86C, hasn't materialised.

Fast forward to IFA 2026, which took place earlier this month, and I was invited to the Panasonic TV booth to meet with Toshihiro Takagi (Product Planning, TV Business Division), Haruka Kono (TV Business Division) and Paul Williams (Press Relations) from Panasonic Corporation, as well as Paul Darch (CEO and Managing Director) and Sebastian Wegielski (General Manager Europe and Managing Director) from the newly formed SWMEU GmbH.

Reassurance, reorganising, and rebuilding

My discussion with representatives from Panasonic's new TV business centred mostly on what's happened over the past six months, and the short answer is that Panasonic has been incredibly busy behind the scenes.

It acknowledged that the April date originally planned was well behind us, but it wanted to get this partnership right, hence why it's been working hard to lay a strong foundation and hasn't rushed any TVs out to market.

The overall goal is to restore the brand's position within the European marketplace, with Panasonic eyeing up the number five spot within the pan-European market; hence why it needs to hit the ground running.

Development of the business has centred around four main pillars (which it originally shared during the Munich event): "The reference stays the reference", "Continuity you can trust", "Scaling Up" and "Innovation Pipeline". These are "the cornerstones of our strategy as we move forward", according to CEO Paul Darch.

They all seem fairly self-explanatory, but they are also key indicators as to what we can expect from Panasonic in the coming years.

The notion that Panasonic is eager to retain its position as a reference TV manufacturer is the first promising sign, and it recognises that OLED is the way to secure this legacy. It hasn't been shy in proudly proclaiming that its high-end OLED sets have been used by Hollywood editors and colourists, and it wants to keep that keep that status.

"What we mean by that is that what was once a Panasonic TV is still a Panasonic TV. The same guiding principles that govern picture, sound, design and OS continue", Darch said, which was reassuring to hear.

Doubling down on that, Darch also affirmed that "one of the key pieces of feedback that we receive is: will these Panasonic TVs really be Panasonic TVs? The answer is yes". Ultimately, based on what I've been told, the notion that future TVs will be any old set with a Panasonic badge slapped onto it can be dispelled.

Continuity is another major focus for this new partnership, hence why SWMEU GmbH has opened its head office in Wiesbaden, Germany, which is the city where Panasonic's European headquarters is located.

The innovation pipeline and scaling-up initiatives are where Panasonic really hopes to make up some ground, though. Broadening the product portfolio and bringing its TVs to market more quickly are two major priorities for the brand moving forward.

This already seems to be paying off, as Darch notes that "feedback, overwhelmingly, has been extremely positive; the market is requesting Panasonic to come back stronger as an evangelist of premium picture quality".

"OLED remains our leadership flagship"

Retaining that title means keeping the technology that Panasonic is renowned for alive. Panasonic recognises this, and that's why it's keeping OLED as a "key focus" in its lineup.

Panasonic consciously didn't replace its Z95B and Z90B OLED TVs this year, and these five-star models will continue until Panasonic launches its 2027 lineup. That said, it also recognises the importance of QD Mini LED within the current TV market, but Darch affirms that Panasonic won't be "bringing it for the sake of bringing it".

Panasonic is relying on its glare-free technology and picture processing to differentiate it from the likes of Hisense and TCL in this market, but whether it will be enough to win back market share from rival powerhouse TV manufacturers is another matter.

I quizzed Panasonic on what to expect from its 2027 TV range, but it remained tight-lipped for now, telling me it will "probably around CES time is when you'll really see the strength and the power of this new organisation".

"The objective is to ensure that both the Japanese and the overseas lineup reflect a consistent Panasonic TV identity"

What was most apparent is that Panasonic wants to remind us that this isn't a buyout, but rather a collaboration that will ensure a future for Panasonic TVs in the UK and Europe.

"This is no short-term gimmick, no short-term collaboration. We are working strongly with the partnership for 2027 and onwards," Darch affirmed, continuing "I want you to leave the room having confidence in this collaboration".

He then handed over to Mr Toshihiro Takagi to discuss how this partnership works from Panasonic Japan's perspective.

"The objective is to ensure that both the Japanese and the overseas lineup reflect a consistent Panasonic TV identity", Takagi affirmed, and he continued to explain how each component of the business will work in tandem going forward.

Particularly with the brand's premium TVs, Panasonic's established engineers will continue to take responsibility for picture tuning and the integration work required for certification programmes (Panasonic has an established partnership with the picture calibration company Calman, for example).

"As a result, Panasonic's distinctive picture quality and modes continue to be incorporated into our TVs", Takagi confirmed.

This sentiment continues with sound, as I was assured that Panasonic's microphone-assisted audio calibration system will remain, and Takagi confirmed that the team is working on a new DSP algorithm for the 2027 models, which he mentioned in relation to a new speaker configuration.

Behind the scenes, Panasonic Japan has audited the manufacturing operations against the brand's approved criteria, which essentially means that Panasonic has ensured that the scaled-up manufacturing process meets its quality standards and expectations.

Panasonic Japan is still very much involved, by the looks of things, although it seems like Panasonic's engineers will have a much more direct involvement with the brand's future premium TVs, such as the theoretical follow-ups to the Z95B and Z90B.

A few questions remain...

While I did my best to eke out some information about next year's lineup, Takagi explicitly told me that "we cannot discuss future lineups or specifications today; we look forward to sharing more when the time is right".

Therefore, my questions relating to whether we can expect to keep seeing Technics-tuned sound systems in future flagship OLED sets, or if we can expect an RGB Mini LED from the brand in the future, were shelved for now.

That said, Darch rounded out our conversation with a simple yet powerful sentiment: "Panasonic TV is back. What does back mean? Back means a stronger product offering, stronger commercial and robust distribution strategy, a stronger team and backed with real resources for what really comes next".

Ultimately, the proof is in the pudding, and we'll need to see Panasonic's 2027 TV lineup in action to see if this partnership has achieved what it set out to create; but in the short term, I get the sense that Panasonic is alive and kicking.

MORE:

Read our full Panasonic Z95B review

As well as our Panasonic Z90B 48-inch review

And check out our picks for the best OLED TVs

However, rather than just the panel tech, it's the aggressive pricing that has caught our attention.

Prices start at $999 (around £740/ AU$1389) for the 55-inch Pro Series OLED and $1299 (around £962/ AU$180) for the Pro Series LX OLED.

The Roku Pro Series OLED is available in 55- and 65-inch sizes, and comes with a 120Hz panel with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HLG. Gaming features include ALLM, VRR, and FreeSync Premium, and it also supports Dolby Atmos.

The step-up Roku Pro Series LX OLED TV adds a 144Hz refresh rate, a Roku Voice Remote Pro, an advanced polariser to cut reflections and "a brighter picture and even wider range of colors".

Both TVs will run on the popular Roku platform. We've found the operating system to be simple to use but a little basic, but the use of adverts, such as automatic startup ads, has proved controversial before.

“OLED technology has been locked behind premium price tags, forcing many customers to choose between the display they want or a price that works for them,” said Chris Larson, Vice President, Retail Strategy, Roku. “We see a clear opportunity to change that equation. With the new Roku Pro Series OLED and LX OLED TVs, we’re removing that cost barrier and making a top-tier viewing experience genuinely accessible.”

Cheap, good OLED TVs have long been elusive. The only other 55-inch OLED TV we've tested around this price was the three-star Toshiba XF9F at £799. If the Pro Series OLED can deliver, it could be the closest thing to an "affordable" OLED around at this size – even the aggressively priced LG B6 is sitting at £899 right now.

The Roku Pro Series OLED is available now in the US at Amazon, with the Pro Series LX releasing in October.

We've reached out to Roku about UK availability and will update this page if we hear back.

MORE:

Check out our list of the best streaming devices

As well as the best streaming services for movies and TV

And the best OLED TVs

Two versions of the Canvas soundbar are available with this particular TV model – the standard Canvas with 1000W of Class D amplification, or the larger Canvas L with a staggering 1500W.

The Samsung HiFi S99H will make its debut at IFA 2026 in Berlin this week, and will be available in 55-, 65-, 77-, and 83-inch sizes.

Prices start at $7,999 (UK and AU$ are TBC) – we tested the 55in version of this TV at £2499 / $2500 / AU$3999 back in June, so you can see this HiFi version is very much a premium product.

A fixed floor stand or wall mount is included, and there's an optional rotating floor stand available in aluminium or black.

Samsung has described the S99H HiFi as "more than simply the combination of a TV and a sound system.

The ambition is to create a new category in which true HiFi, picture quality and furniture design are developed as one integrated solution — developed for consumers who do not want to choose between performance and interior design."

We've previously tested the Canvas HiFi 65 soundbar and were very impressed by its clear, detailed sound and excellent handling of voices. We're yet to test the Canvas L, which Canvas HiFi has marketed as the "world's first audiophile soundbar".

Both Canvas soundbars are stereo, but include Baach's 3D audio processing to create a wider and more immersive soundstage.

In our Samsung S99H review, we gave the flagship OLED five stars, but noted that the audio lacked volume and bass weight. The HiFi S99H looks to rectify this shortcoming.

The Samsung HiFi S99H will be available in selected Canvas showrooms from October, with the Canvas L version available later this year.

MORE:

Read our Canvas HiFi Canvas 65 review

Our pick of the best TVs you can buy for every budget, from flagship OLEDs to budget Mini LED sets

And here are the best soundbars you can buy with your own money

And I couldn't be happier; that's what home cinema is all about in my opinion, and I'm always keen to host so that I can preach (and more importantly show off) the benefits of OLED to my not-so-AV-savvy mates.

While I usually get met with raised eyebrows when I mention the price of OLED TVs, after demonstrating the inherent benefits of OLED, the unanimous sentiment amongst my friends is along the lines of "yeah... I need one of these".

While I have convinced a couple of friends to splurge on an OLED TV already, at the end of the day that price factor is the hardest sell, especially to a group of twenty-somethings living in cramped London house shares.

That said, I usually end up getting a message shortly after they return home to their LCD TV complaining that I've ruined every other TV for them; and no, I am not sorry.

That's why I'm almost always urging them to save up and treat themselves to an upgrade, and I now have a secret weapon to tempt my mates into joining me on team OLED.

My friends and I are all keen gamers, and there's this little game launching in November that we're all quite excited for; it's called Grand Theft Auto VI, you might have heard of it.

As such, the current buzz in our group chats is upgrading our gear to experience the game at its best, including its stunning visuals. This conversation has ramped up since Thursday night's Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look, which premiered on Netflix and gave us a glimpse at the vibrant visuals of Rockstar Games' latest flagship title.

Frame rates and fidelity have now become major talking points, and the few friends of mine that don't already own a PS5 are now locked into purchasing one ahead of the 19th of November.

My advice to friends who already own a PS5 but want to upgrade a key component for GTA VI is to upgrade their TV or monitor; and of course, I'm pushing them towards OLED.

The perfect blacks, pixel-level contrast control, and superb response time of OLED make it a perfect panel technology for gaming, and I think the most anticipated game of the decade is a good excuse to take the plunge.

I've also touted the benefits of upgrading to a newer HDMI 2.1-equipped TV, too; most of my friends didn't know what VRR and ALLM were, let alone that their consoles had these features. And, of course, I've already assured them that these sets will exceed expectations when it comes to movies and sports too.

My recommendations are currently down to these three models, all of which are perfectly suited to all content:

The LG C6 is my current top pick; it comes in a range of sizes including a desktop-friendly 42-inch version, and it's one of the best-equipped TVs on the gaming market.

However, a stellar budget alternative is the Philips OLED760, which sports an impressive set of gaming specs and Ambilight, and it's under £1000 for the 55-inch model currently.

And the Samsung S99H is probably the most impressive TV I've seen this year. It happens to support up to eight full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets if you purchase the wireless One Connect system, and the picture performance is simply stunning. That said, the price will put many (my friends included) off.

If you're eyeing up a home cinema upgrade in preparation for GTA VI later this year, then my advice remains: you'd be hard-pressed to go wrong with any of the OLEDs I've mentioned above.

Now, my next task is to talk them into getting Dolby Atmos sound systems, but that's a discussion for another day...

MORE:

Read our full LG C6 65-inch review

Check out our picks for the best OLED TVs

Find the best OLED TV deals here

It offers a handful of upgrades over its predecessor, the Xperia 10 VII, and follows on from the Award-winning Xperia 10 VI.

The new model boasts a claimed peak brightness that is double that of the previous smartphone to deliver “improved visibility even outdoors”, although Sony has not disclosed the exact figures.

The Japanese brand also claims that the stereo speaker system (made up of the earpiece and a bottom-firing speaker) features “revised tuning”, which will supposedly deliver “improved volume and sound quality”.

Sony says that volume is boosted by 15 per cent and these speakers can also output 30 per cent stronger bass than the previous model.

There are still a fair few similarities with its older sibling, though. Like the VII model, it runs on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 with 8GB of RAM, and is powered by a 5,000mAh battery that Sony claims can last for up to two days.

Resolution and size have also stayed the same, with a 6.1-inch screen with a 2340 x 1080 OLED display.

The camera set-up is familiar too, with the 10 VIII sporting a 50-megapixel main and 13-megapixel ultra-wide lens on the back, as well as an 8-megapixel selfie camera.

We are glad to see that the 3.5 mm aux jack has stuck around, and cements Sony as one of the best for audio features in the smartphone market.

You can choose from three colour finishes for the Xperia VIII: Frozen White, Frosted Grey and Misted Lilac.

The Xperia 10 VIII is launching at £549 in the UK, making it £150 more expensive than its predecessor.

That would feel more warranted if there were more hefty upgrades, but it’s a hard sell considering it has the same chipset and camera. That said, the ongoing RAM crisis is likely the cause, with smartphone prices rising across the board.

We're eager to find out if Sony has delivered another five-star budget portable AV machine, so stay tuned for our full review.

MORE:

Check out our review of the Sony Xperia 10 VI

These are the best smartphones on the market

And here are the best Sony soundbars

The offending software is 114.602.080.1, which was released to various Sony TV models towards the end of June.

The issues reported range from audio dropout (which is what I’m experiencing) and lip-sync issues to Dolby Vision content refusing to play, and it appears to be related to the way the TVs handle HDMI sources and passthrough.

Needless to say, affected owners are pretty frustrated, but I do have some good news – at least for some of them.

Sony has just released a new update, 114.602.170.1, and, according to some owners, including reader David Simmonds, who alerted me to the release of the new software, the Dolby Vision issue, which caused some users to see a black screen instead of their content, has seemingly been fixed.

[Edit to add: I've since been informed that a secondary Dolby Vision issue, which involves scan lines being visible in content, has not been resolved]

I wasn’t experiencing this problem, so I only have the reports of others to go on regarding the fix.

However, having now installed and done some testing of the new software, I can confirm that it unfortunately doesn’t fix the audio dropout issues for me, and David has confirmed it’s the same for him.

In fairness, this latest software update specifically mentions that it “resolves an issue where a black screen could be observed when starting playback of specific content from external HDMI devices”, but makes no mention of fixing any audio issues – it seems it was always intended to fix one problem but not the other.

I have contacted Sony with these findings and a request for information on a fix for the audio issues, and will report back with any information I get.

MORE:

Even brighter OLED TVs could be on the way thanks to a new “dream” panel technology – and super-large models might get cheaper

Here are all of the best TVs you can buy right now

LG Display, which produces the OLED panels used in all OLED TVs sold by LG Electronics and in many TVs sold by brands such as Samsung, Sony and Panasonic, has just announced a new “dream” panel technology called ‘FLiPP’.

That funky name stands for the decidedly less funky ‘FMM-Less innovative Pixel Patterning’, which actually explains how this new technology works.

For the past decade or so, OLEDs have been manufactured using fine metal masks (FMMs). These are essentially sheets covered with microscopic holes, through which the red, green and blue OLED materials are placed.

The problem with these FMMs is that they add cost and they are hard to manufacture, particularly at very large screen sizes.

Now, “after a year of concentrated R&D”, LG Display says it has managed to develop a manufacturing method that eradicates the need for these FMMs.

More affordable super-sized OLED TVs?

Why should you care? First up, LG Display claims that because FLiPP improves the aperture ratio of OLED, it can “increase display brightness by 1.6 times, extend lifespan by 2.4 times, and reduce power consumption by 13 per cent”.

But I think there is potentially a more interesting point here. FLiPP apparently reduces material costs and significantly improves the efficiency of using large OLED sheets to produce panels for different products, and that means that manufacturing costs should decrease, potentially resulting in cheaper OLED TVs.

This could be particularly beneficial where very large OLED TVs are concerned. Big OLED panels are difficult and expensive to produce, so very large OLED TVs tend to be disproportionately expensive. FLiPP could change that.

LG Display flags that FLiPP is “free from panel size and resolution constraints”, and can be used for producing panels from 1-inch in size (for AR/VR headsets, for example) right up to 100 inches.

But when will we start to see FLiPP-based OLED TVs in shops? Not for a while, it seems: the tech is being officially unveiled at the International Meeting on Information Display (IMID) this week, and LG Display says it will first be used in “IT applications such as tablets and monitors”.

Rollout for “ultra-large TVs” is explicitly promised in the press release, though.

We have contacted LG Display for more information, and have reached out to TV manufacturers for their thoughts on the announcement.

We’ll follow up with more on FLiPP as we get it. In the meantime, those who want more of an explanation of how it works should check out LG Display’s own video explainer:

MORE:

Here are the best OLED TVs you can buy right now

Check out our LG C6 review and LG G6 review

In many ways, software updates are a blessing of modern technology.

They can add features, fix bugs and even improve the performance of a product that's weeks, months or even years old. At their best, they can breathe new life into a device that you've owned for ages.

But they can also go wrong.

It's why many TV owners, particularly those who've been stung by unwanted changes or problems after previous updates, have long promoted a 'turn off automatic updates' mantra.

I wish I had listened.

My philosophy has always been that software updates do far more good than harm, and that the frequency with which they create problems is overblown. Honestly, that's probably still the case. But now that I've been stung by a dodgy update myself, I'm feeling far less philosophical about the whole thing.

For the last few weeks, I've been experiencing audio dropouts from my Sony system. After hours of research and experimentation with different settings and cables, I've finally established that the blame lies with the most recent update to my Bravia 8 II OLED TV.

The problem is frustratingly specific. When I'm watching something through an external source connected to the TV, such as my Apple TV 4K or Sky Stream puck, I can no longer use my external sound system without suffering audio dropouts.

The TV's internal apps work perfectly, but that has only reminded me how much higher the quality is from the Apple TV 4K than from Google TV.

Sony is aware of the issue, and my contacts assure me that a fix is in the works. There's no date for it yet, though, and it's already been almost two months since the problematic software was released.

That's a long time to have a significant part of an expensive home cinema system effectively out of action.

And this is where I've changed my mind about automatic updates.

I've now turned them off on my TV and several of my other devices. From now on, when one tells me that a software update is available, unless it's flagged as a critical security update, I'm going to wait a week or so before installing it.

I'll then search for the release number online, see whether other owners have reported problems, and only if all looks safe will I then download and apply it manually.

I'm not saying that software updates are bad. They're not. I've benefited from plenty of them over the years, and I'd still much rather have a TV that receives regular updates than one that's abandoned by its manufacturer.

But there's very little downside to waiting a few days before installing one. If an update is working perfectly for everyone else, I'll happily install it. If it turns out to be causing problems, I'll be very glad that I wasn't one of the first to find out.

So I'm now firmly in the 'turn automatic updates off' camp. Not because I'm suddenly convinced that every software update is a ticking time bomb, but because I've learned the hard way that there's no need to be an early adopter of firmware.

A few days of caution could save you weeks of frustration.

MORE:

Here are the best TVs you can buy right now

Sony's OLED TVs have been among the best you can buy for years, and its first QD-OLED model, the stellar A95L, knocked our socks clean off when it launched in 2023. Its successor, the Bravia 8 II, won an Award last year, too, so clearly Sony still knows how to make a great OLED TV.

It has since turned its hand to RGB Mini LED tech, in the form of the Bravia 9 II. While this nascent tech, which Sony refers to as 'True RGB ', is less proven than the granddaddy that is OLED, Sony has still managed to squeeze some pretty impressive results out of it.

So which TV should you go for: the safe bet of the Bravia 8 II, or the exciting new thing that is the Bravia 9 II? Let's find out.

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: price

As the older of the two TVs, the Bravia 8 II is inevitably cheaper. But that's also partly because it comes in a 55-inch variant, whereas the Bravia 9 II starts at 65 inches.

The Bravia 9 II starts at £3499 / $3600 / AU$5999, which is £500 more than the same size Bravia 8 II at launch. Like other sizes, that price has since dropped, in this case by around £600.

The 55-inch Bravia 8 II currently costs around £2000, which is £1500 cheaper than the entry-level Bravia 9 II. A clear win for the older model.

** Winner: Sony Bravia 8 II **

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: design

Here you have a choice to make: do you want your TV to sink into its surroundings, or stand out?

The Bravia 8 II is very much the former – its chassis looks very familiar. There's nothing wrong with that – it's smart and premium in equal measures – but it's nothing we haven't seen before.

The blade-style feet can raise to accommodate a soundbar, but have to be positioned at the extremities of the TV's screen, which means you'll need a fairly wide cabinet on which to place it.

The remote is also a step backwards – it takes AAA batteries and doesn't light up. Whereas previous models had rechargeable remotes that were backlit. Disappointing.

The Bravia 9 II, however, is a real step forward in terms of TV design.

Its crowning glory is the Mirage Stand, which makes it look as if the TV is floating above the TV cabinet. It lets you see the wall behind the stand while somehow managing to conceal the cables from view, which is very clever indeed.

But it can't be adjusted. While its sole position will fit a regular-sized soundbar, there's no option to lower the TV if you're using the built-in sound system.

The look is a lot more striking than the Bravia 8 II's and won't appeal to everyone. But we're big fans.

The Bravia 9 II also features a more advanced anti-reflective coating. While effective at minimising distractions, it does make the screen look a little greyer in a well-lit room than the Bravia 8 II, which features a less intense coating.

The remote control that comes with the Bravia 9 II is backlit, too, making it easier to operate in the optimum movie viewing conditions of a dark room.

** Winner: Sony Bravia 9 II **

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: features

The main difference between these two TVs is the screen panel technology: the Bravia 8 II uses a QD-OLED panel, while the Bravia 9 II has an RGB Mini LED display.

OLED has been around for years, and Sony certainly knows its way around it. Because it's not backlit, the tech has previously struggled with peak brightness, but great strides have been made in recent years – the Bravia 8 II goes 25 per cent brighter than its predecessor, helped in no small part by its custom heatsink.

OLEDs also have perfect blacks, which help the contrast ratio and add depth and perceived detail.

RGB Mini LED is backlit. But unlike your standard Mini LED TV, which uses a white backlight beamed through a colour filter, Sony's tech uses independently controlled red, green and blue Mini LEDs to generate colour directly. These are controlled by Sony's Backlight Master Drive system.

Sony makes some bold claims for RGB Mini LED, among them that it's akin to watching on one of its own mastering monitors used in professional studios. In other words, your viewing experience should be as the director intended. We'll see if these claims stack up in the next section.

Both TVs are powered by Sony's XR processor, complete with AI modes and Studio Calibrated Modes for the likes of Netflix, Prime Video and, of course, Sony Pictures Core. The Bravia 9 II adds a new My Cinema interface to the mix, but this has also now been added to the Bravia 8 II via a software update.

My Cinema aims to simplify the settings for picture and sound without depriving enthusiasts of control. You get three viewing profiles – Director's Cut, Daytime and Dialogue – each of which limit the available picture adjustments in order to deliver what it thinks is the best quality image.

Dolby Vision and Atmos are supported, and both sets are certified IMAX Enhanced. The HDR10 and HLG formats of HDR are also supported, but not HDR10+ (which is no surprise).

For gamers too, these TVs are tied, with 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM, Dolby Vision Game mode and ‘Perfect for PlayStation 5’ functionality.

But both have just two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which serves as the eARC port and so will be taken up by a soundbar or surround sound system, should you add one. That will leave you with just one port to get the full experience from your games machine.

Both TVs run Google TV, which is slowly but surely gaining on LG's webOS, and runs all the usual apps (including UK terrestrial catch-up apps, which can be missing from the platform).

** Winner: draw **

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: picture quality

And now what we really came here for. Which TV has the better picture quality?

As an Award winner, the Bravia 8 II is the TV to beat in this regard. And it's a doddle to set up to look its best thanks to its excellent presets.

Peak highlights are, well, a highlight, but overall colours have plenty of vibrancy which they maintain even in low light. Shadow detail is excellent, and the image looks convincingly solid and three-dimensional.

In our Sony Bravia 8 II review, we concluded: "The key to the Bravia 8 II’s success is balance. The colours are so vibrant, highlights so bright and edges so sharp, but nothing feels exaggerated or incorrect, which means you never feel as though you’re getting anything other than the very best versions of your movies and TV shows."

As Sony's first foray into RGB Mini LED tech, the Bravia 9 II was very eagerly awaited. And largely, it's a success: for most of our time viewing, we stopped noticing how it was doing what it was doing, and just enjoyed the picture. Speaking as reviewers, that's a very good sign indeed.

A large part of this is down to the colours, which we described in our Sony Bravia 9 II review as "the finest colours we've ever seen from any TV."

We went on: "Richly saturated scenes burst with vibrancy, but never at the expense of authenticity. Sony has combined extraordinary colour volume with its traditional restraint, so even the boldest hues remain beautifully balanced and believable. It's a wonderfully cinematic presentation that constantly impresses without ever shouting for attention."

High praise. Brightness too is exceptional, with the Bravia 9 II proving to be one of the brightest TVs ever to grace our testing rooms. Thanks to its backlight system, whole-screen brightness is possible, whereas an OLED will have to drop it down to focus on highlights.

A perfect example of this comes during the white room scenes in The Matrix. As the bright white light fills the screen, the Bravia 8 II reduces its luminance, whereas the Bravia 9 II maintains its dazzling brightness. It makes it a very versatile TV, that's ideal for viewing in brighter conditions (like daytime viewing).

The local dimming is also excellent, with virtually no blooming around highlights, while skin tones remain natural throughout. It's the best picture we've ever seen from a backlit TV.

There's a 'but' coming.

And that 'but' is the Bravia 8 II's OLED screen, which remains better than RGB Mini LED in certain key areas, such as its pixel-level precision. The Bravia 9 II's picture looks a touch flat by comparison, and it can't reproduce small highlights against very dark backgrounds with the same brightness as the OLED, for fear of creating blooming.

And the Bravia 8 II has practically perfect viewing angles, too – another strength of OLED – whereas the Bravia 9 II, while good in this regard for a backlit TV, loses contrast and vibrancy, and reveals some blooming, when viewed off-axis.

There's also some slight smearing to fast-moving action on the Bravia 9 II – though this is only a significant issue when playing 60Hz games.

The result? A four-star picture to the Bravia 8 II's five. But we can't wait to see what a second-generation Sony RGB Mini LED panel can do.

** Winner: Sony Bravia 8 II **

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: sound quality

Sony makes some of the best-sounding TVs around, and these two are no exception. But which sounds better?

The Bravia 8 II houses Sony's Acoustic Surface Audio+ set-up, while the Bravia 9 II features a so-called Acoustic Multi-Audio+ system. The former comprises two actuators that vibrate the screen to produce most of the sound, plus two subwoofers for added bass, while the latter features two full-range drivers, twin subwoofers, two tweeters and a pair of Beam Tweeters built into the rear, top and sides of the chassis.

Because the Bravia 8 II's screen literally makes most of the sound, the audio is tied to the visuals in a way that other TVs (apart from other Sony OLEDs) can't match.

The presentation is nice and direct, but spacious at the same time. Detail is excellent, with enough dynamic nuance to do a scene justice. It copes well with bigger dynamic shifts too, though bass depth is a bit lacking.

The Bravia 9 II has plenty of scale, with those Beam Tweeters really adding a sense of height (these are rare for a TV's built-in sound system). Effects are placed with precision within the soundstage, and there's plenty of subtle detail to get your teeth – and your ears – into.

Its sound has more weight than the Bravia 8 II's, but this extra bass lacks the same tautness of its older sibling.

It also doesn't sound as refined. As we wrote in our Bravia 9 II review: "Dialogue remains consistently clear, but voices aren't projected with quite the same focus or solidity as they are by Sony's flagship OLED. There's also a slight hardness to the presentation that occasionally makes speech sound a touch brash, softening some of the subtle emotional nuances in performances."

Higher frequencies suffer from a similar problem. Which makes it not quite as refined a listen as the Bravia 8 II.

But if you're partnering your TV with a soundbar or surround sound system – which you really should – this round is by the by.

** Winner: Sony Bravia 8 II **

Sony Bravia 9 II vs Bravia 8 II: verdict

While the Bravia 9 II excels in terms of brightness and vibrancy, and delivers the best picture of any backlit TV we've ever tested, it still can't quite match its OLED sibling in certain key areas.

The Bravia 8 II is more consistent, three-dimensional and responsive in its picture delivery, and it boasts more direct and refined sound. It's more affordable, too – that's of course partly down to it having been on sale longer, but the launch pricing suggests the Bravia 9 II may never be discounted to quite the same level.

There are circumstances in which the Bravia 9 II will make more sense, most notably if you want a TV larger than 65 inches, or one for a super-bright room, but for most people and most settings, the Bravia 8 II is the better buy.

We can't wait to see what Sony can achieve with its second-generation RGB Mini LED TVs, though...

** Overall winner: Sony Bravia 8 II **

MORE:

Read our Sony Bravia 9 II review

And our Sony Bravia 8 II review

Sony 2026 TV lineup: everything you need to know about the new Bravia range

Then we have a solution. Traditionally, brightness is an area where OLEDs struggle, but not the LG G5.

Thanks to a Primary RGB Tandem panel, the G5 offers a truly striking brightness that was a generational leap forward for OLEDs on release.

And it's now available with a rather hefty discount – the code LG200JL brings the price down to £1799 at John Lewis. You can then claim a further 10 per cent cashback from LG, which brings the final total to £1619. Full Ts&Cs can be found here.

The reason for the LG G5's incredible brightness is a Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel, which stacks four OLED layers to boost brightness and colour volume.

And after testing with Top Gun: Maverick, the difference is pretty much night and day.

"What is immediately striking is how bright the new Primary RGB Tandem TV looks next to a conventional OLED," our LG G5 review reads. "We’re talking levels that, in cases where peak-brightness highlights are on show, such as when Maverick engages the scramjet of the Darkstar hypersonic aircraft, we are compelled to shield our eyes from the blazing brightness.

"Feed it some content that is specifically mastered to target a higher brightness, such as the 4K Blu-ray release of The Matrix or Pan, and it becomes apparent that the new Primary RGB Tandem OLED is truly a technical marvel."

Brightness isn't the only strength of the G5, however. Colour volume is indeed impressive, with stunning colour graduations during a viewing of Pan, while the LG set refused to stutter or judder during Top Gun dogfights.

As is customary with most LG OLEDs, the G5 features a pretty much flawless gaming specification. Four HDMI 2.1 sockets are on board, all with ALLM, VRR and Dolby Vision Gaming. Refresh rates even go all the way up to 4K/165Hz if you have a powerful enough PC, while the more console-friendly 4K/120Hz is also supported.

Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4 are just some of the services available on the rather all-encompassing WebOS, while game streaming is also possible over the Xbox app.

We preferred the Cinema audio preset over the Standard setting due to its wider, louder and punchier sound. However, you'll want a good soundbar or sound system to truly do your movies justice.

It's worth noting that the G5's successor, the aptly named LG G6, is now available and can go even brighter. We'd also recommend considering the Sony Bravia 8 II, which offers a more considered and cinematically authentic picture. Both TVs are hanging around the £2400 mark for the 65-inch models at the time of writing, however, so the G5 offers the best value right now.

If you want spectacle and dazzling brightness, the LG G5 may well be the flagship OLED for you. It's got a stacked feature set and is now available with quite the discount for £1619 at John Lewis.

MORE:

Also consider the Samsung S95F

And the best TVs for any budget

Or why not splash out on the best OLED TVs?

This year is no different, with its biggest TV shake-up in years. There’s new flagship display tech, for a start, joined by refreshed OLED, Neo QLED, Mini LED and lifestyle ranges.

There’s quite a bit to cover, so without any further ado, let’s dive into all the 2026 Samsung TVs worth knowing about. Oh, and just so we’re covering all the bases, feel free to check out Sony’s 2026 TV lineup and LG’s 2026 TV lineup as well.

The Samsung tech headlines for 2026

Before we dive into the 2026 Samsung TV range, here are the headlines across the board:

Micro RGB

Micro RGB is stealing the headlines this year – a new premium LCD technology that sits above Neo QLED in the company's range.The backlight is formed from individually controlled red, green and blue LEDs, which Samsung says can deliver more accurate colours and finer light control

Game on

Samsung is continuing to push gaming performance across its TV range. The flagship models now support refresh rates of up to 165Hz, while features such as VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro and Samsung Gaming Hub are available across much of the lineup.

Format wars

Samsung's 2026 TVs introduce support for HDR10+ Advanced and Eclipsa Audio while, unsurprisingly, continuing to omit Dolby Vision. Whether either format becomes a meaningful selling point will depend on wider industry support, but both represent Samsung's latest attempt to strengthen its own ecosystem rather than adopt Dolby's tech.

Samsung 2026 TV range breakdown

Samsung makes a lot of TV’s. Below, we’ve covered the latest H-series models, though you’ll still find some older F-series TVs available at some retailers.

Samsung R95H

The R95H introduces Samsung's new Micro RGB technology and sits at the top of the company's 4K LCD range for 2026. Rather than using a conventional LED backlight, it employs micro-sized red, green and blue LEDs, which Samsung says deliver its widest-ever TV colour spectrum. The new Micro RGB AI Engine Pro is designed to optimise colour, depth and motion in real time, while Micro RGB Precision Colour aims to make the most of the panel's expanded colour capabilities.

On paper, it promises to produce a vibrant, richly coloured picture with impressive brightness, though we'll reserve our final judgement until we've been able to test it in our dedicated viewing rooms.

Elsewhere, the R95H receives Samsung's premium feature set, including Wireless One Connect for a cleaner installation, Motion Xcelerator 165Hz for PC gaming, and Samsung Gaming Hub for cloud gaming services.

Samsung R95H specs

• Sizes: 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch
• Display type: Micro RGB
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: Micro RGB AI Engine Pro
• Sound: 4.2.2-channel (70W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/165Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, G-SYNC Compatible, HGiG, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung R95H price:

• 65-inch: $3200 / £3299 / AU$6094
• 75-inch: $4500 / £4199 / AU$9199
• 85-inch: $6500 / £6099 / AU$11,499

Samsung R85H

The R85H uses the same new Micro RGB display technology as the flagship R95H, but trims back some of the supporting hardware, keeping many of the same headline tech, including Micro RGB HDR+, Motion Xcelerator 144Hz, Dolby Atmos, Samsung Gaming Hub and AI Gaming Optimiser.

It also supports Samsung's Vision AI Companion platform and ships with One UI Tizen, which Samsung says will receive up to seven years of software updates. The biggest differences compared with the R95H lie in the supporting hardware rather than the core display technology.

The R85H uses Samsung's standard Micro RGB AI Engine instead of the Pro version, steps down to a 144Hz refresh rate, while skipping premium features like Wireless One Connect. Even so, it looks set to be the most accessible way to experience Samsung's new Micro RGB platform.

Samsung R85H specs

• Sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, 100-inch
• Display type: Micro RGB
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: Micro RGB AI Engine
• Sound: 2.2-channel (40W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/144Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung R85H price:

• 55-inch: $1600 / £1599 / AU$2874
• 65-inch: $2100 / £2399 / AU$3794
• 75-inch: $2800 / £3099 / AU$4944
• 85-inch: $4000 / £3699 / AU$5749
• 100-inch: $13000 / £N/A / AU$14,949

Samsung S99H (UK) / S95H (US & Australia)

Samsung's flagship OLED for 2026 introduces an all-new FloatLayer design inspired by The Frame, giving the TV the appearance of a floating display when wall-mounted. It also adds Wireless One Connect, allowing source devices to connect to a separate box that transmits audio and video wirelessly to the TV for a cleaner installation.

Under the striking new design sits Samsung's latest OLED technology, powered by the NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor and capable of refresh rates up to 165Hz. In fact, we've already reviewed the S99H and awarded it five stars, praising its exceptional brightness, refined picture processing, improved built-in sound, and distinctive design. It currently stands as the best TV Samsung has produced to date, though Dolby Vision remains unsurprisingly absent.

Read our Samsung S99H review

Samsung S99H / S95H specs

• Sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch, 83-inch
• Display type: OLED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor
• Sound: 4.2.2-channel (70W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/165Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, G-SYNC Compatible, HGiG, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung S99H price:

• 55-inch: $2500 / £2399 / AU$N/A
• 65-inch: $3400 / £3199 / AU$6094
• 77-inch: $4500 / £4299 / AU$9199
• 83-inch: $6500 / £5899 / AU$11499

Samsung S95H (UK & Europe)

Just to confuse things a little bit more, Samsung is selling a TV called the S95H in the UK and Europe. We've quizzed the Korean AV titan on how it differs from the S99H, and it said that the S99H and S95H are essentially the same televisions, just with different designs.

The S95H here in the UK and Europe sports a One Connect box, and looks almost identical to last year's S95F, meaning customers can choose which design they prefer without compromising on performance. Interestingly, Samsung also removes the 83-inch size option, and swaps it for a compact 48-inch model.

Samsung S95H specs

• Sizes: 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch
• Display type: OLED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor
• Sound: 4.2.2-channel (70W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/165Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, G-SYNC Compatible, HGiG, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung S95H price

• 48-inch: £1699
• 55-inch: £2299
• 65-inch: £3099
• 77-inch: £4199

Samsung S90H

The S90H sits below Samsung's flagship OLED models but keeps many of the company’s headline tech. That includes the NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor with Glare Free technology, OLED HDR+ and Samsung's LaserSlim design, making it one of the company's most fully featured 4K OLED TVs outside the flagship range.

Gaming remains a major focus, too. The S90H supports refresh rates of up to 165Hz for compatible PC games, alongside VRR, ALLM, NVIDIA G-SYNC, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Samsung Gaming Hub. AI Gaming Optimiser is also onboard, automatically adjusting picture settings based on the genre you're playing.

Either way, the S90H looks set to continue Samsung's tradition of offering much of its flagship OLED performance at a more attainable price point.

Samsung S90H specs:

• Sizes: 42-inch, 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch, 83-inch
• Display type: OLED (panel type varies by size)
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor
• Sound: 2.1-channel (40W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/165Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, G-SYNC Compatible, HGiG, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung S90H price:

• 42-inch: $1400 / £1299 / AU$2299
• 48-inch: $1600 / £1399 / AU$2759
• 55-inch: $2000 / £1699 / AU$3449
• 65-inch: $2700 / £2299 / AU$4599
• 77-inch: $3700 / £3499 / AU$6324
• 83-inch: $5300 / £4799 / AU$8624

Samsung S85H

The S85H is Samsung's entry point into its 2026 OLED range, bringing many of the benefits of OLED technology to a more affordable price. While it steps down from the S90H in a few key areas, it still combines the NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor with OLED HDR, Samsung's LaserSlim design and the latest version of One UI Tizen.

It also supports refresh rates of up to 120Hz, alongside VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium and Samsung Gaming Hub. Vision AI features are also included, although some advanced picture and gaming functions remain reserved for Samsung's more expensive OLEDs.

As with previous generations, the S85H looks set to be Samsung's value-focused OLED. It may lack some of the flagship range's premium features, but on paper it retains the core ingredients that have made Samsung's more affordable OLEDs such strong performers in recent years. We'll reserve our final judgement until we've put it through our full testing process.

Samsung S85H specs:

• Sizes: 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch, 83-inch
• Display type: OLED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor
• Sound: 2.0-channel (20W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: 4K/120Hz, VRR, ALLM

Samsung S85H price:

• 48-inch: $1200 / £1299 / AU$2299
• 55-inch: $1500 / £1499 / AU$2874
• 65-inch: $2000 / £2299 / AU$3794
• 77-inch: $2800 / £2999 / AU$N/A
• 83-inch: $4500 / £3599 / AU$7474

Samsung QN990H

The QN990H remains Samsung's flagship 8K Neo QLED for 2026. While Micro RGB has now taken over as the company's premium LCD technology, the QN990H continues to lead its 8K range, combining an 8K Mini LED panel with Samsung's latest NQ8 AI Gen3 Processor and Quantum Matrix Technology Pro. Samsung is once again betting on AI-powered upscaling to make the most of today's 4K and HD content while native 8K material remains scarce.

As you'd expect from Samsung's flagship 8K TV, the QN990H also receives the company's most advanced feature set. That includes Glare Free technology, Wireless One Connect for a cleaner installation, Motion Xcelerator 240Hz, AI Gaming Optimiser and Samsung Gaming Hub.

Whether 8K is worth paying a premium for is still open to debate, but if you're determined to own Samsung's most capable Neo QLED TV, the QN990H remains the flagship choice.

Samsung QN990H specs:

• Sizes: 85-inch
• Display type: Neo QLED Mini LED
• Resolution: 8K
• Processor: NQ8 AI Gen3 Processor
• Sound: 6.2.4-channel (90W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes
• Gaming features: 8K/120Hz, 4K/240Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, HGiG, Samsung Gaming Hub, AI Gaming Optimiser

Samsung QN990H price:

• 85-inch: $8500 / £N/A / AU$N/A

Samsung QN80H

For many buyers, the QN80H is likely to be the most interesting Neo QLED in Samsung's 2026 range. Sitting below the new Micro RGB models, it retains Quantum Mini LED backlighting and the company's NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor, making it a more conventional – and likely more affordable – premium LCD option.

It doesn't have the headline-grabbing new display technology of the R95H or R85H, but it doesn't feel stripped back either. Samsung has carried over much of what makes its higher-end TVs appealing, including a Mini LED backlight, support for refresh rates of up to 144Hz, Samsung Gaming Hub and AI Gaming Optimiser.

If Micro RGB proves too expensive, the QN80H could end up being the TV many people actually buy. On paper, it looks to offer the strongest balance of performance, features and value in Samsung's premium LCD lineup, though we'll need to review it before drawing any firm conclusions.

Samsung QN80H specs:

• Sizes: 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, 100-inch
• Display type: Neo QLED Mini LED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor
• Sound: 2.2-channel (40W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/144Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung QN80H price:

• 50-inch: $N/A / £999 / AU$1839
• 55-inch: $1300 / £999 / AU$2069
• 65-inch: $1600 / £1299 / AU$2529
• 75-inch: $2000 / £1599 / AU$3449
• 85-inch: $3000 / £2299 / AU$4599
• 100-inch: $5500 / £2999 / AU$8049

Samsung QN70H

The QN70H continues Samsung's Neo QLED lineup with Quantum Mini LED backlighting and the NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor. While it loses some of the higher-end features found on the QN80H and above, it still benefits from the improved contrast and backlight control that Mini LED technology can offer over a conventional LED TV.

Samsung's latest Tizen platform is onboard, alongside Gaming Hub and support for a range of cloud gaming services, making it a well-equipped option for buyers who don't need every flagship extra.

Samsung QN70H specs:

• Sizes: 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch
• Display type: Neo QLED Mini LED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Processor
• Sound: 2.0-channel (20W)
• HDMI 2.1: No
• Gaming features: VRR, ALLM, HGiG, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung QN70H price:

• 43-inch: $600 / £599 / AU$N/A
• 50-inch: $750 / £799 / AU$1494
• 55-inch: $900 / £899 / AU$N/A
• 65-inch: $1200 / £1099 / AU$N/A
• 75-inch: $1500 / £1699 / AU$N/A
• 85-inch: $2300 / £2299 / AU$N/A

Samsung M80H

New for 2026, the M80H introduces Samsung's M-series Mini LED range. Rather than replacing Neo QLED, it creates a new tier below it, combining Mini LED backlighting with the NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor and the latest version of Tizen.

It doesn't match the loftier specs of Samsung's premium Mini LED sets, but it does expand the company's Mini LED portfolio into a more affordable part of the market while retaining features like the Gaming Hub.

Samsung M80H specs:

• Sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch
• Display type: Mini LED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor
• Sound: 2.0-channel (20W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/144Hz, VRR, ALLM, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung M80H price:

• 55-inch: $650 / £799 / AU$XX
• 65-inch: $800 / £999 / AU$N/A
• 75-inch: $1200 / £1399 / AU$N/A
• 85-inch: $1800 / £1899 / AU$N/A

Samsung M70H

Like the M80H, the M70H forms part of Samsung's new Mini LED family, pairing Mini LED backlighting with the company's smart TV platform while stepping down further in specs. It rounds out Samsung's expanded Mini LED lineup and gives buyers another option below the Neo QLED range.

Samsung M70H specs:

• Sizes: 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch
• Display type: Mini LED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: Mini LED Processor 4K
• Sound: 2.0-channel (20W)
• HDMI 2.1: No
• Gaming features: VRR, ALLM, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung M70H price:

• 43-inch: $350 / £429 / AU$861
• 50-inch: $380 / £529 / AU$1034
• 55-inch: $400 / £649 / AU$1149
• 65-inch: $530 / £999 / AU$1494
• 75-inch: $730 / £799 / AU$1954
• 85-inch: $1200 / £1099 / AU$2874

Samsung The Frame Pro

Samsung has given its lifestyle TV its biggest hardware upgrade in years. The Frame Pro combines the familiar picture frame-inspired design with Quantum Mini LED backlighting, bringing display technology previously reserved for the company's premium TVs into the Frame range. It also adds Wireless One Connect to simplify wall mounting, while Art Mode, the Art Store and interchangeable bezels remain at the heart of the experience.

Samsung The Frame Pro specs:

• Sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch
• Display type: Neo QLED Mini LED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor
• Sound: 2.2.2-channel (40W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/144Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung The Frame Pro price:

• 55-inch: $1500 / £1699 / AU$2874
• 65-inch: $2000 / £2099 / AU$3679
• 75-inch: $2800 / £2999 / AU$4599
• 85-inch: $4000 / £3999 / AU$5749

Samsung The Frame

The standard Frame returns for another year, continuing to focus on design rather than outright picture performance. It keeps the familiar Art Mode experience, customisable bezels and matte display that have helped distinguish it from conventional TVs, while also benefiting from Samsung's latest smart TV platform. Buyers looking for improved display hardware will need to step up to The Frame Pro, but the standard model remains the more affordable way into Samsung's lifestyle range.

Samsung The Frame specs:

• Sizes: 43-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, 98-inch
• Display type: QLED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor
• Sound: 2.0-channel (20W)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: Up to 4K/144Hz, VRR, ALLM, Samsung Gaming Hub

Samsung The Frame price:

• 43-inch: $1200 / £999 / AU$1494
• 55-inch: $1200 / £1499 / AU$2069
• 65-inch: $1500 / £1899 / AU$2529
• 75-inch: $2000 / £1899 / AU$3449
• 85-inch: $3000 / £N/A / AU$4599
• 98-inch: $4500 / £N/A / AU$8049

MORE:

Read our full Samsung S99H/S95H review

Check out our picks for the best Samsung TVs

As well as the best OLED TVs

However, the quest for a truly great, cheap OLED TV for the entry-level market has been ongoing for more than a decade.

Luckily, if you are a movie fan looking for one of the cheapest ways to get a new OLED, we have some good news. We have just reviewed the Samsung S85H, which has a punchy, immersive and nicely three-dimensional picture that our expert testers found to be a cut above most of its entry-level rivals.

And it is already available at a discount: the code SAMS10PERCENT brings the price down to £1259 at Richer Sounds, a good £241 off the price we tested at.

The S85H is from the same range as the Samsung S99H, which we declared to be the finest OLED the Korean conglomerate has produced.

However, if your budget doesn’t stretch to the S99H’s £2000+ price tag and you are dipping your toes into the OLED water for the first time, the S85H is a solid entry point, particularly if you’re keen on brightness.

“Switching to Pan, our standard peak brightness stress test due to its atypical 4000 nits mastering, it’s immediately clear that the S85H burns brighter than previous entry-level OLEDs we’ve tested and its main rival, the LG B6,” our Samsung S85H review reads. “The setting sun offers a wider range of reds and oranges that show up as pure white on its rival.”

Reds are a bit overbaked compared with the more subdued B6, but we still prefer the S85H for the picture’s solidity and three-dimensionality.

Specifications are also very competitive for the price, including Samsung’s app-packed Tizen smart platform. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV and all the other usual services are present and running correctly.

Gamers are well catered for too, with four full-spec HDMI 2.1 inputs capable of carrying a 4K/120Hz signal, as well as VRR and ALLM.

The only major omission on that front is Dolby Vision Gaming – but that’s hardly surprising as Samsung has long left out Dolby’s HDR standard. HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG are all supported, however.

The biggest letdown of the S85H comes with the audio. The 2.0 channel, 20W, Dolby Atmos system noticeably lacks bass. The speakers do offer a reasonable sense of direction and separation, but you will probably want a soundbar or sound system for movie watching.

If your budget doesn’t stretch to the mid-range, then the Samsung S85H is one of the top options to get a brand-new 2026 OLED. It’s a cut above most entry-level rivals where it matters most – picture quality – and is now available with £241 off at Richer Sounds.

MORE:

Read our review of the Sony Bravia 7 II

Also consider the LG C6

Read our Samsung S90F review

This TV has dropped to just £629 at Richer Sounds. That’s £20 cheaper than at Amazon. Bargain.

Samsung S90F 42-inch deal

Cards on the table: we haven’t reviewed this exact model. But the 48-inch S90F earned five stars, so we have high expectations of the 42-incher.

True, it has feet rather than a pedestal stand like its bigger brother. And smaller screens tend to have a lower HDR brightness than their larger equivalents. On the plus side, the smaller panel size should mean a higher pixel density, and hence a slightly sharper image.

The 42-inch model is as well equipped for gamers as the 48-incher, with four HDMI 2.1 ports, and a host of gaming features such as AMD FreeSync Premium, HGiG, AI Auto Game Mode, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Game Motion Plus and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).

We found the 48-inch S90F’s picture a bit red at first, and the motion a bit too smooth, but tweaking the settings helps. Overall, picture quality is superb, with realistic skin tones and solid detail levels across both the light and dark parts of the image.

Contrast might be a touch heavy-handed, leading to some black crush, but “the overall image is wonderfully three-dimensional and immersive”, we concluded.

The 42-incher has only 40W of sound output, compared with the 48-incher’s 60W. We found the latter’s speakers weak and plagued by distortion at higher volumes – hardly surprising, given that most small TVs sound terrible. So we wouldn’t expect much of the 42-incher’s audio.

But if you can put that £120 saving towards one of the best budget soundbars, you should be richly rewarded.

MORE:

Read our Samsung S90F review (48 inch)

I test OLED TVs for a living – and trust me, different sizes perform differently

We rate the best small TVs around

Especially products that are as good as the LG C6. LG’s latest step-down OLED is one of our favourite products of the year so far, thanks to a new processor that has squeezed out a brighter, richer and more refined performance.

And it has just hit a new lowest price courtesy of John Lewis. The 65-inch C6 can now be yours for £1889 if you use the discount code LGOLED1007, which will save you 10 per cent at checkout.

This is the first time the 65-inch LG C6 has broken through the £2000 barrier, saving you £611 off the £2500 price we tested it at only a few months ago. It’s even cheaper than it was at the Prime Day sales last month – you can see the full breakdown below:

65-inch LG C6 Price History

Price (£)

date

LG C6 65-inch

Price Data

Timestamp (date)	LG C6 65-inch (£)
1	2500
2	2166
3	2079
4	2099
5	2034
6	1889

However, a new lower price is hardly the biggest draw of the LG C6 – the star of the show may well be the new Alpha 11 Gen 3 processor. We don’t often get excited about processor upgrades, but this chip blesses the C6 with a brighter, richer and more refined picture than the C5, which itself was a five-star performer.

“Even in Filmmaker Mode, the C6’s extra brightness over the C5 is immediately obvious,” our LG C6 review reads. “Highlights are more intense, colours have a touch more richness and the overall image carries greater depth and dimensionality.”

Upscaling and remastering have been enhanced as well, while shading subtlety has also been improved.

As is customary with LG TVs, gaming specifications are flawless. Console gamers can enjoy a silky-smooth 4K/120Hz, while PC owners can go all the way up to 4K/165Hz on all four HDMI inputs. VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming are also included.

All the major streaming services are present and accounted for in the app-packed LG WebOS, with all apps well optimised and playing content in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos where applicable.

Talking of Dolby Vision, there is broad HDR support with HDR10 and HLG also supported – but be aware that HDR10+ is missing.

Audio is where LG OLEDs have traditionally tripped up, but we are delighted to report some improvements this time around. The overall delivery is more open and immersive than the C5, and while it won’t beat a dedicated sound system, the C6 actually sounds pretty good for a TV in its class.

A £611 saving already is not to be sniffed at – especially for an OLED as accomplished as the LG C6. For one of the year’s best TVs, consider the LG C6 for £1889 at John Lewis.

MORE:

Read our review of the LG C5

Read our impressions of the LG G6

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

It’s looking set to be one of the cheapest options for serious movie fans who want a new OLED that sits in the same family as the S99H, a set we recently declared to be the finest Samsung OLED we’d ever tested. Big shoes to fill, then.

Price

The Samsung S85H is available in sizes from 48 to 83 inches. The cheapest 48-inch size launched carrying a £1199 ($1199) price tag, while the giant 83-inch model retails for £3699 ($4499).

We have the middle-child 55-inch model in our review rooms, which launched at £1499 ($1499 / AU$2499).

Initially, that meant it cost slightly less than its closest rival, the LG B6, which cost £1599 (AU$2500) when it first came out.

However, rapid price drops mean it’s now more expensive than its LG rival. The 55-inch B6 is now available for as little as £899 in some places.

However, the S85H puts is still cheaper than most of this year’s mid-tier OLEDs, including its big brother, the 55-inch S90H, which now floats around the £1699 mark.

Design

You won’t find any flourishes like the fancy metal bezel sported by the flagship S99H; instead the S85H has a rather utilitarian look, with a basic, plastic design that is nevertheless mostly solid.

The TV has feet, rather than a pedestal stand design and includes two placement options, central and wide, which puts them on the furthest right and left edges. This is a nice touch that lets you adjust the position to fit on your cabinet and place a soundbar underneath it as required.

Our only minor quibble with the design is that, as well as feeling distinctly plasticy, the feet wobble. Not so much that we’re worried it will break, but enough that you’ll want to place it with care.

The SolarCell remote seen on Samsung’s previous step-down and entry-level OLEDs also makes a return. It is pleasingly compact and intuitive, and features solar and USB-C charging, something that isn’t guaranteed at this price. The only real negative is the ongoing lack of a backlight, which makes using it in the dark a bit tricky.

Features

The set's specifications sheet is nearly identical to the outgoing S85F, with only three big upgrades to mention.

It has been upgraded to Wi-Fi 6E, which will improve connectivity if you have a compatible router using the standard. It also has a new AI football mode, which Samsung claims will “make you feel like you’re in the stadium” using the set’s processing smarts.

Finally, there is a smattering of what Samsung claims to be "performance improvements" – the biggest, apparently, is to its peak and operating brightness. Samsung hasn’t given a definite nit count, however, so we can't be sure how big the alleged brightness upgrades are.

Samsung also hasn’t specified what panel is being used, but the fact that the S85H is powered by the same NQ4 AI Gen2 processor as its predecessor suggests it may be using one of the new OLED SE panels LG Display unveiled at CES in January, which aim to boost brightness while simultaneously bringing prices down.

We had hoped the Q85H would get the newer Gen3 silicon, which brings more accurate tone mapping and better upscaling, among other things, but that remains reserved for the more expensive S99H and S90H models.

The same is true for Samsung’s vibrancy-boosting Quantum Dot tech, which once again is reserved for its flagship offering. A shame, yes, but unsurprising given the S85H’s price. You also, once again, won’t find the firm’s Glare Free screen coating included, which will be an annoyance if you use the TV in a room with lots of ambient light.

Despite the lack of big changes, the S85’s specifications remain very competitive at this price.

The set offers four full-speed HDMI 2.1 inputs, capable of carrying a 4K/120Hz signal for next-generation gamers. ALLM and VRR are also on board, so gamers are fully covered.

The only big omission is the set’s lack of support for Dolby Vision Gaming, or any version of Dolby’s HDR standard, for that matter. The S85H continues Samsung’s HDR grudge match, with it only supporting the HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG standards.

The set also doesn’t support FlexConnect, a bit of audio tech that the LG B6 does. This is a clever technology designed to let you create surround sound systems using compatible speakers on the fly. It includes the power to use the TV’s speakers as the central channel. Samsung, instead, pushes its own Q-Symphony solution, which aims to make the TV’s sound system work with compatible soundbars to improve audio quality and create a wider soundstage.

The latest-gen version of Tizen featured on the S85H is easy to navigate and includes a content bar at the top that splits your apps into categories, curated and arranged to automatically match your usage habits. All the major apps and services are present and running correctly, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV and more.

Picture

In its out-of-the-box Eco mode, the S85H comes off a little strong. Playing our F1: The Movie 4K Blu-ray, the picture is a little sharp, oversmoothed and colours, particularly reds, are overcooked.

Switching to Filmmaker mode, things rapidly improve. Now, the cars’ movements become precise and rapid, losing the artificial floaty feel of its default setting.

Colours are also much more reined in, but reds still look a little overcooked, which leads to a series of quick tweaks before we finally settle on Filmmaker Mode, with the Warm 1 colour profile and Active Dynamic Tone Mapping on for the best results.

The TV’s colours are still a little bombastic compared to the more subdued B6, but the picture’s solidity and three-dimensionality ensure our eyes still favour the Samsung during the heated F1 race.

Switching to Pan, our standard peak brightness stress test due to its atypical 4000 nits mastering, it’s immediately clear that the S85H burns brighter than previous entry-level OLEDs we’ve tested and its main rival, the LG B6. The setting sun offers a wider range of reds and oranges that show up as pure white on its rival.

The only slight issue is that, once again, colours are pushed a touch too hard, with blues looking a smidge too vibrant and the picture a little too warm in general.

(Editor’s note – for our sanity, if a filmmaker is reading this, please master your next film in 4000 nits and shoot an incredibly bright scene we can use for testing. If our reviewers are forced to hear Pan’s butchered version of Smells Like Teen Spirit for much longer, there may be a mutiny.)

Switching to our 4K Blu-ray Sinners test disc, minor black crush creeps in. Although the scene oozes menace and has a wonderful sense of dread, thanks to the perfect blacks, parts of the gangsters’ faces lose definition and fade into the black background.

The S85H also has a tendency to try too hard. In a bid to show how bright it can go, the set artificially raises the brightest sections of the picture, but doesn’t always have the finesse to do it naturally.

Highlights on characters’ skin come up as pure white, losing some detail and adding a distracting artificiality, making it look like they’re in the spotlight on a Broadway stage, rather than drinking and dancing in a dingy Prohibition-era speakeasy.

The aggressive push then flattens faces completely by overbrightening them, losing shadow detail and some of the picture’s otherwise impressive three-dimensionality. The flaw isn’t uniform either, rearing its head at specific moments, which is distracting and breaks our immersion in its otherwise solid performance.

Switching gears to our 4K Blu-ray of Civil War and tagging in step-up OLEDs, including its big brother/sister the S90H, the S85H puts up an admirable fight, but there are obvious benefits if you can afford to go up a price tier.

The S90H delivers a series of modest improvements that add up to make a big difference. On the S85H, greens in a military camp’s grass fields look a little too vibrant, taking on an almost cartoony look. Skin tones lose their warmth and colour volume, coming across as slightly jaundiced during low-light scenes compared to the more lifelike, immersive S90H.

The flames in a burning forest flicker a little brighter on the step-up model, offering more detail, with a wider range of reds and oranges dancing in the brightest parts of the flames. Overall, we get a little more nuance, a sprinkle more finesse, and a generally more natural picture with the S90H.

The S85H does a decent, but not front-of-the-pack, job of upscaling our SDR True Grit Blu-ray. The picture retains the grainy, spaghetti western feel, but the picture is dimmer and a bit flatter than those we've seen on rival sets. Though it retains the intentional grain, some sharpness and detail are lost. The stitches in the characters’ woollen clothes look a bit softer than we’d like, too.

Sound

“Where’s the bass?” is the immediate question we ask, testing the S85H’s 2.0 channel, 20W, Dolby Atmos system with our F1: The Movie test disc.

Engine noise, the sound of the crowd, the boom of cars crashing and skidding across the track; all of it lacks the bite and impact needed to do justice to the scene. The entire sound feels weak, even by TV speaker standards, sounding more like a Scalextric race than a deafening, international F1 event.

And this issue is the sound system’s undoing. Moving to a night-time battle scene in Civil War, explosions are occasionally entirely lost as vocals and the higher-frequency sound of gunfire, bizarrely, overpowers them.

This is a particular shame as, while the speakers never come close to matching a moderately capable soundbar, such as the entry-level Sonos Beam (Gen 2), they do get some things right.

During the musical medley in Sinners, Sammie’s blues vocals don’t have the power or vibrato required to do them justice, but they’re suitably separated from the guitar part.

As the scene develops, adding more and more layers and modern music genres to the song, that decent separation continues, with each part remaining distinct, albeit underpowered. And the set does a reasonable job of offering a sense of direction as the camera swoops through the barn.

The S85H’s speakers are ultimately fine for watching the news or a casual series, but not quite good enough for even basic movie watching. You will need to invest in a soundbar or speaker system for that.

Verdict

If you want an OLED TV but can’t afford to step up into the mid-tier, it’s one of the top options currently available, the Samsung S85H is a very competent option at the price.

Its punchy, immersive and nicely three-dimensional picture is a cut above most of its entry-level rivals. There are undoubtedly palpable gains to be had in paying more for a mid-range OLED, however – ones we think are worth paying for.

SCORES

• Picture 4
• Sound 3
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Sony Bravia 7 II

Also consider the LG C6

Read our Samsung S90F review

Best TVs: flagship OLEDs and budget Mini LED sets tried and tested

This Friday, 31st July, we're going to be hosting a live Q&A right here on whathifi.com.

Ketan Bharadia (Technical Editor), Kashfia Kabir (Hi-Fi & Audio Editor) and I (TV & AV Editor) will be on hand between 1pm and 3pm to answer any hi-fi, home cinema and TV questions you might have.

Whether it's which turntable you should buy, a question of whether an OLED or Mini LED TV is right for your room, or which speakers will perfectly complement your amp, we're poised and ready to help.

We can also offer opinions on new and upcoming formats, let you know whether a deal you've found is really as great as it seems, and answer questions about our reviewing process.

Aside from diagnosing faults with your kit (which the manufacturer is better placed to handle), if your question relates to hi-fi or AV (we're not great at relationship advice), we can almost certainly help.

The Q&A page will be live on Friday morning, so you won't have to wait until 1pm to get your questions in.

If you can't wait until then, though, you can ask them in the comments below or email them to whathifi@futurenet.com, and we'll do our best to answer as many as possible in Friday's 'Sound Advice' section.

So, whether you've got a buying dilemma, a technical question or you're simply curious about the world of hi-fi and home cinema, we'd love to hear from you. Join us on Friday – and feel free to get your questions in nice and early!

MORE:

Want immediate buying advice? Here are the best turntables, best headphones, best speakers, best TVs and best soundbars you can buy right now

And here's the lowdown on how we test products at What Hi-Fi?

This year, Sony’s lineup isn't built around brighter OLED panels or another incremental Mini LED upgrade. Instead, Sony is introducing its first True RGB televisions – a new type of Mini LED TV that replaces traditional white backlighting with individually controlled red, green and blue LEDs.

The company believes that this allows it to reproduce colours more accurately, while also delivering dramatically higher brightness than today's OLED TVs can achieve.

The exciting new display tech headlines the new Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II, but they're far from the only new TVs in Sony's range. More affordable Bravia 3 II and Bravia 2 II models also join the lineup (with some country-specific caveats), while several existing OLED and LED models continue alongside them.

The Sony tech headlines for 2026

Before we dive into the 2026 Sony TV models proper, here are the headlines across the range:

Embracing the RGB Mini LED revolution

For years, OLED has been regarded as the pinnacle of TV picture quality, but 2026 is shaping up to be the year RGB Mini LED goes mainstream.

Sony joins rivals including Samsung, Hisense, LG, Philips, and TCL in adopting the tech, though the company refers to its implementation as True RGB.

Instead of using conventional white or blue Mini LEDs behind a coloured panel, Sony's new system uses independently controlled red, green and blue LEDs.

The result, in theory at least, is a TV capable of producing richer colours at much higher brightness levels, while also improving colour accuracy and reducing some of the compromises traditionally associated with LCD panels.

Sony is chasing studio monitor picture quality

Sony has long claimed its TVs are designed to reproduce films and TV shows as their creators intended, and that philosophy remains central to its latest 2026 TV range.

The Bravia 9 II, for example, has been developed with Sony's professional BVM-HX3110 mastering monitor firmly in mind, with the company claiming its new True RGB technology delivers colours and brightness that more closely match the displays used by filmmakers during production.

During our early hands-on testing, our TV and AV Editor Tom Parsons found the Bravia 9 II tracked the mastering monitor remarkably closely in many scenes, particularly when it came to colour accuracy and HDR highlights. It’s worth noting that he also stated that OLED still retained certain advantages in perceived depth and overall image solidity.

Super-sized screens

Sony has also expanded its range of truly enormous TVs, with the flagship Bravia 9 II now stretching all the way up to a massive 115 inches, while the Bravia 7 II introduces a new 98-inch option.

Even the more affordable Bravia 3 II gains a 100-inch version for the first time, giving buyers who want a cinema-sized screen more options than ever before without necessarily stepping up to Sony's flagship models.

Sony has finally added four HDMI 2.1 sockets – but only on one TV

After years of criticism, Sony has finally introduced a TV with four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports. The rather bonkers catch? It's the Bravia 3 II, rather than one of the premium True RGB models.

That's right; both the flagship Bravia 9 II and step-down Bravia 7 II continue to offer just two HDMI 2.1 sockets, one of which doubles as the eARC connection for a soundbar or AV receiver.

Frankly, this seems an odd decision. Buyers investing in premium home cinema systems might not all be gamers, but certainly a sizeable chunk of them are. And even if they aren’t, it seems odd to have a superior connectivity feature on a model lower in the lineup. Right?

Welcome additions

While True RGB understandably grabs most of the attention, Sony has refreshed much of the wider user experience, too.

Across the new range, you'll find a redesigned remote control with automatic backlighting, USB-C charging and a construction that uses 80 per cent recycled plastic.

Sony has also introduced a new My Cinema interface that makes picture and sound settings easier to personalise, while Direct Connect allows compatible Sony rear speakers and subwoofers to connect wirelessly to supported TVs without the need for a soundbar.

Elsewhere, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Sony Pictures Core, Google TV and Wi-Fi 6 all remain key parts of the experience across much of the lineup.

Sony 2026 TV range breakdown

So, we've covered the key highlights, but what about the individual models themselves?

Fear not, for it's all broken down below – leading with the newest models, before covering all of Sony's existing TVs that are sticking around for 2026.

Sony Bravia 9 II

The Bravia 9 II replaces the original Bravia 9 as Sony's flagship TV, and also marks the company's first commercial RGB Mini LED (or 'True RGB') TV.

Available in 65-, 75-, 85- and colossal 115-inch sizes, it's designed to bring professional mastering-monitor levels of brightness and colour accuracy into the home.

Unlike conventional Mini LED TVs, which use blue or white LEDs behind an LCD layer, the Bravia 9 II uses independently controlled red, green and blue LEDs.

Sony claims that this setup delivers twice the colour volume of the original Bravia 9 and four times that of the Bravia 8 II OLED.

Elsewhere, gamers may be less enthusiastic. Despite being Sony's flagship TV for 2026, the Bravia 9 II still includes only two HDMI 2.1 sockets supporting 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM. It's an increasingly frustrating limitation when many rivals (including Sony’s own Bravia 3 II) now offer four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports.

Audio is another focus area, with Sony's 2.2.2-channel Acoustic Multi-Audio+ system including upward-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

That all sounds very exciting indeed, but we have now reviewed the Bravia 9 II, and while it's exceptionally accomplished for a backlit TV, it struggles somewhat to justify itself against the very best OLEDs, most notably Sony's own Bravia 8 II.

Read our Sony Bravia 9 II review

Sony Bravia 9 II specs:

• Sizes: 65, 75, 85 and 115 inches
• Display type: True RGB Mini LED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: XR Processor
• Sound: 2.2.2-channel (80W Acoustic Multi-Audio+)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x2)
• Gaming features: 4K/120Hz, VRR, ALLM

Sony Bravia 9 II launch pricing:

• Sony Bravia 9 II 65-inch: £3499 / $3600 / AU$5999
• Sony Bravia 9 II 75-inch: £4299 / $4600 / AU$7499
• Sony Bravia 9 II 85-inch: £5499 / $6500 / AU$9999
• Sony Bravia 9 II 115-inch: £22,999 / $31,000 / AU$44,999

Sony Bravia 7 II

The Bravia 9 II may grab most of the headlines, but the Bravia 7 II could end up being the more important TV for most people.

Like its flagship sibling, it adopts Sony's new True RGB backlighting technology, bringing the same fundamental advantages of wider colour reproduction and higher brightness to a considerably lower price point. It also comes in a much broader range of sizes, stretching from 50 inches all the way up to a huge 98-inch version.

Naturally, there are compromises.

Sony positions the Bravia 7 II below the Bravia 9 II by reducing the number of local dimming zones, lowering peak brightness and fitting a simpler 2.2-channel Acoustic Multi-Audio speaker system that omits the flagship's upward-firing Atmos drivers.

The gaming front is also unchanged. Like the 9 II, the Bravia 7 II still relies on Sony's Pentonic 1000 platform, meaning buyers again have just two HDMI 2.1 ports despite support for features such as 4K/120Hz gaming, VRR and ALLM.

On paper, the Bravia 7 II looks like a very tempting performance-per-pound proposition, but like the Bravia 9 II, we feel most buyers will be better served by a similarly priced OLED.

Read our Sony Bravia 7 II review

Sony Bravia 7 II specs:

• Sizes: 50, 55, 65, 75, 85 and 98 inches
• Display type: True RGB Mini LED
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: XR Processor
• Sound: 2.2-channel (40W Acoustic Multi-Audio)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x2)
• Gaming features: 4K/120Hz, VRR, ALLM

Sony Bravia 7 II launch pricing:

• Sony Bravia 7 II 50-inch: £1899 / $1600 / AU$2299
• Sony Bravia 7 II 55-inch: £1999 / $2100 / AU$2499
• Sony Bravia 7 II 65-inch: £2299 / $2600 / AU$3299
• Sony Bravia 7 II 75-inch: £2999 / $3100 / AU$4499
• Sony Bravia 7 II 85-inch: £3999 / $4000 / AU$5999
• Sony Bravia 7 II 98-inch: £6999 / $9000 / AU$12999

Sony Bravia 3 II

Not everyone needs a flagship TV, and Sony clearly hasn't forgotten that.

The Bravia 3 II sits much further down the company's 2026 range, swapping the cutting-edge True RGB backlight found in the Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II for a more conventional LED panel.

That naturally means it won't deliver the same dazzling brightness, colour volume or local dimming performance as its premium siblings, but it still benefits from many of Sony's broader software and smart TV improvements.

Google TV remains at the heart of the experience, providing access to all of the major streaming services alongside built-in Google Cast support, voice control and Sony's familiar smart TV interface.

One particularly notable addition for 2026 is the availability of a huge 100-inch version – the first time Sony has offered the Bravia 3 range in such a large screen size. That could make it an appealing option for buyers wanting an enormous display without paying flagship prices.

As mentioned a few times already (you’ve probably guessed by now that there are a few gamers in the What Hi-Fi? office), the Bravia 3 II actually outdoes its more expensive siblings in one important area – it offers four HDMI 2.1 ports. For users with multiple current-generation consoles, gaming PCs and soundbars, that could prove more than a little useful.

Of course, you shouldn't interpret that as meaning the Bravia 3 II is somehow a better gaming TV than the flagship models overall. Picture quality remains the priority higher up the range, and the lack of Mini LED or True RGB technology means HDR performance won't be in the same league.

But if connectivity is high on your wishlist, it's an unusual advantage that shouldn't be overlooked.

Rather bizarrely, though, the Bravia 3 II is not currently scheduled for launch in the UK.

Sony Bravia 3 II specs:

• Sizes: 43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85 and 100 inches
• Display type: Direct LED LCD
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: XR Processor
• Sound: 2.0-channel (X-Balanced Speaker)
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (x4)
• Gaming features: 4K/120Hz, VRR, ALLM

Sony Bravia 3 II launch pricing:

• Sony Bravia 3 II 43-inch: £n/a / $600 / AU$1299
• Sony Bravia 3 II 50-inch: £n/a / $700 / AU$1399
• Sony Bravia 3 II 55-inch: £n/a / $800 / AU$1499
• Sony Bravia 3 II 65-inch: £n/a / $900 / AU$1899
• Sony Bravia 3 II 75-inch: £n/a / $1200 / AU$2399
• Sony Bravia 3 II 85-inch: £n/a / $1600 / AU$3499
• Sony Bravia 3 II 100-inch: £n/a / $3100 / AU$5499

Sony Bravia 2 II

The Bravia 2 II completes Sony's 2026 range as its most affordable new television.

Like the Bravia 3 II, it uses a conventional LED backlight rather than Mini LED, making it the entry point into Sony's latest lineup. Buyers still get Google TV, built-in Google Cast, access to all the major streaming platforms and Sony's familiar smart TV experience, but the focus here is very much on value rather than cutting-edge picture technology.

Available in a wide range of sizes from compact 43-inch models up to larger living room-friendly options, the Bravia 2 II is aimed at people who simply want a dependable Sony TV without paying for premium display hardware they'll rarely use. It's likely to prove particularly attractive for bedrooms, guest rooms and more budget-conscious buyers who still appreciate Sony's picture processing and straightforward interface.

While it will naturally lack the spectacular brightness and colour performance of the True RGB models, Sony hasn't stripped away the essentials. Google TV, voice control and support for today's most popular streaming services remain intact, making it an accessible entry point into the Bravia family.

Sony Bravia 2 II specs:

• Sizes: 43, 50, 55, 65 and 75 inches
• Display type: Direct LED LCD
• Resolution: 4K
• Processor: X1 Processor
• Sound: 2.0-channel
• HDMI 2.1: No (HDMI 2.0b x3)
• Gaming features: ALLM

Sony Bravia 2 II launch pricing:

• Sony Bravia 2 II 43-inch: £629 / $400 / AU$1099
• Sony Bravia 2 II 50-inch: £749 / $500 / AU$1199
• Sony Bravia 2 II 55-inch: £899 / $600 / AU$1299
• Sony Bravia 2 II 65-inch: £1199 / $700 / AU$1699
• Sony Bravia 2 II 75-inch: £1399 / $900 / AU$2199

Older Sony TVs continuing in the lineup