LG G6 vs Sony Bravia 8 II: which flagship OLED TV should you buy?

A new LG G series TV is always big news, so we were excited to get our hands on the LG G6 for review. It's a big moment for the range. Despite earning five stars in our review, last year's G5 was a little disappointing, finishing in last place in our big four OLED shootout. Hence we were keen to see how this year's model fared.

Of course we never test in isolation – throughout all our reviews, we keep the product's main rivals front of mind. So while the G6 impressed in our review, we're now pitting it against possibly its fiercest rival – the Award-winning Sony Bravia 8 II.

Game on.

LG G6 vs Sony Bravia 8 II: price

The good news is that both the LG G6 and Sony Bravia 8 II are cheaper than their predecessors. But for the new models, there's not much between them.

As you can see, there's no clear winner. At the only sizes in which both TVs are available (55 and 65 inches), the LG is cheaper or the same price in the UK and US, but the Sony is cheaper in Australia.

However, these are launch prices, and the Sony has been available for a few months already, whereas the LG is brand new. But in a further twist, LG's TVs usually see bigger discounts than most rivals, and sooner after launch. So we would expect the LG to be cheaper across the board pretty soon.

** Winner: Draw **

LG G6 vs Sony Bravia 8 II: design

Both TVs look very similar to their predecessors, but then no recent TV has been a massive departure in the design department.

The G6 is designed to be hung on a wall with the Zero Gap wall mount, though you can buy it with a stand as well. It does still look like a picture frame, and while it's something we've seen many times before, it is well made and unobtrusive.

The stand has two height options to accommodate a soundbar, but the remote could do with some updating: it's plasticky and lacks backlighting and USB-C recharging, both of which we expect at this level.

The Sony Bravia 8 II looks quite conventional, and while it's slim for a Sony, it is still thicker than a lot of its rivals. Though unlike them, it does have an actuator-based sound system built in, which creates some pretty great audio.

Its blade-style feet can only sit at the extremities of the TV's bottom edge, so you'll need a surface wide enough to accommodate the set. Measure up before you buy.

Like the G6, these feet can also extend to fit in a soundbar without obstructing the screen. Also like the G6, the Bravia 8 II's remote control also lacks a backlight and the ability to recharge. Disappointing.

** Winner: Draw **

LG G6 vs Sony Bravia 8 II: features

The G6 has the same Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel as its predecessor. This screen tech aims for higher brightness levels (both peak and overall) without sacrificing colour volume and accuracy even during low-light scenes. But this year's model promises to reduce reflections to less than 0.5 per cent, making for better viewing in sunny conditions.

LG's Alpha 11 Gen 3 AI processor brings some improvements, like 20 per cent higher peak brightness, along with better colour accuracy, upscaling, motion handling and tone mapping.

Audio processing has also been given a boost, and the TV has Dolby Atmos FlexConnect functionality for more advanced audio skills. Though there's no Dolby Vision 2 HDR tech (you do get Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG).

LG's webOS 26 platform supports all the major streaming services in their optimum versions, and the G6 continues LG's run as a maker of TVs with peerless gaming specs: you get four HDMI 2.1 inputs offering up to 4K/165Hz gameplay with VRR and ALLM, and Dolby Vision Gaming HDR supported.

There are also more game-streaming features to play with, including a new low-latency interface and a dedicated controller developed with Razer (though this costs extra).

Phew. So how does the Sony compare?

It has Sony's 'latest QD-OLED panel’ which helps the set outdo its predecessor by 25 per cent in terms of peak brightness. It also means higher colour volume and better dark gradation.

Sony's XR Processor uses AI to analyse the scene and optimise the picture accordingly, and it has bespoke calibrated modes for the Netflix, Prime Video and Sony Pictures Core streaming services.

You get the same roster of HDR formats as the G6 (with no Dolby Vision 2 or HDR10+), along with Atmos sound (though there's no Atmos FlexConnect). The Bravia 8 II is also certified as IMAX Enhanced, whereas the LG G6 is not.

Gamers get 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM, a Dolby Vision Game mode and the ‘Perfect for PlayStation 5’ functionality. But it only has two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets, one of which doubles as the eARC port. Which could leave some gamers with a separate sound system and more than one console wanting.

Google TV goes toe-to-toe with webOS on the app front, though we do find LG's platform a little slicker. That and the extra gaming chops gives this round to LG.

** Winner: LG G6 **

LG G6 vs Sony Bravia 8 II: picture

Of course this what we really came to see: which TV has the better picture quality?

The G6 impresses from the off, with its bright colours and oodles of dark detail in the murkier bits of the picture.

"Running our tried and true Civil War 4K Blu-ray, the entire screen burns brighter than any previous OLED we've tested, with the American countryside scene offering palpably higher peaks and more vibrant colours," we wrote in our LG G6 review.

"Dark parts of the surrounding foliage offer more detail, too, with every leaf and twig looking sharper and clearly visible."

The image is brighter and more eye-catching, though not necessarily more lifelike. And it does have its issues. A helicopter's flight seems a little too smooth. The extra brightness comes at the expense of some richness, sacrificing some subtle colour gradients and flattening the image somewhat. Even Filmmaker Mode can't eliminate this last issue entirely. And some colour saturation remains, especially with the greens.

Watching Sinners, we see that skin tones have a slight green tinge to them, and we find that darkest parts of the image don't quite go dark enough – they tend to look slightly grey.

The Award-winning Bravia 8 II fares better, improving on its predecessor without introducing any new issues.

While we spent quite a while tinkering with the G6's settings to get it looking its best, the Bravia 8 II is far more easy-going. For authenticity, pick Dolby Vision Dark for Dolby Vision content. For everything else, opt for Professional.

You can tweak further, but it's a case of marginal gains, and most people won't think it worth the effort.

Its picture is superb. Watching Alien: Romulus in Dolby Vision, we see brighter peak highlights with more vibrancy in the colours. "Colours maintain their natural vibrancy in low-light areas, too, such as the bunk in which Cailee Spaeny’s Rain awakens for another glorious day in the employ of the Weyland Yutani corporation," we wrote in our Sony Bravia 8 II review.

The level of shadow detail is impressive, and these elements combine with Sony's AI processing to make the image more solid and three-dimensional. Sinners has none of the skin tone issues we see with the LG G6, and the darkest parts of the picture are dark enough to really have an impact.

Civil War might not look quite as bright as on the G6, but it still looks crisp and vibrant in HDR10 – its flawless reproduction brings out the finest details of skin textures, really adding to the viewing experience.

With the G6, you face a choice between the blackest blacks and a healthy level of dark detail. But the Bravia 8 II gets the balance just right.

** Winner: Sony Bravia 8 II **

LG G6 vs Sony Bravia 8 II: sound

LG's OLEDs haven't impressed us in the audio department, but the G6 is an improvement.

It's notably fuller and more robust-sounding than its predecessors, with plucked guitar strings from a scene in Sinners having some bass, while Preacher Boy's wailing vocals are "nicely audible and separate from background noise", we noted in our review.

There's a decent sense of directionality to the sound, but the low end lacks power, and there's not enough precision. This lack of low-end composure is more evident with Blade Runner 2049, whose synth soundtrack sounds more like a child blowing a raspberry.

The Bravia 8 II is in a different league when it comes to audio. Its Acoustic Surface Audio+ system uses two actuators and two subwoofers to vibrate the screen and place the sound relevant to the picture. It's precise, spacious, and ties in beautifully with what's on screen. To cap it all, it packs bags of detail too, and plenty of dynamic nuance.

It copes much better with Blade Runner 2049's soundtrack than the G6 does, going low and staying composed. It can't match one of the best soundbars for overall impact, but you'll have to spend a decent amount of money to hear a notable improvement on its own sonic skills.

** Winner: Sony Bravia 8 II **

LG G6 vs Sony Bravia 8 II: verdict

There's only one winner here. The Bravia 8 II has a more balanced, better executed picture and a more precise, more spacious sound. The G6 certainly isn't without its charms – its picture has plenty of pop, and it's still the best TV around for gamers. But cinephiles will be better served by the Sony Bravia 8 II.

** Overall winner: Sony Bravia 8 II **

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