Sony has long been a leader in television display technology, and its latest flagship, the Bravia 9 II, represents the company's most ambitious push yet into the world of RGB LED backlighting. After spending weeks testing the 65-inch model, we can confidently say it delivers an extraordinary viewing experience—though it's not without its trade-offs.
The Rise of RGB LED
The Bravia 9 II uses individual red, green, and blue LEDs instead of the traditional blue LED backlight with quantum dots or phosphors. This allows for more precise control over color reproduction, resulting in wider color gamuts and higher brightness without the color volume limitations of older backlight systems. Sony first demonstrated this technology in early 2025 at its Tokyo headquarters, and the 9 II is the pinnacle of that engineering.
With a measured peak HDR brightness of 3,800 nits on small highlights and 885 nits for a full white field, the Bravia 9 II is one of the brightest consumer TVs ever made. This makes it ideal for bright rooms where reflections and ambient light can wash out lesser displays. The anti-reflective coating is equally impressive, reducing mirror-like reflections to a faint glow that rarely distracts from the image.
Color accuracy out of the box is outstanding, with skin tones, foliage, and sky blues rendered naturally and vibrantly. In our tests, the Professional picture mode delivered gamma and EOTF tracking that rivaled calibrated monitors. However, we did notice a slight oversaturation of reds in SDR mode, which may require a minor menu adjustment for purists.
Design and Connectivity
The Bravia 9 II shares the same elegant lenticular stand as the cheaper Bravia 7 II, which cleverly routes cables through the stand's leg to keep the front clean. The chassis is slim for an LED TV, though it still requires a bit of depth for the backlight array. Build quality is excellent, with robust materials that feel premium.
Connectivity is a mixed bag. The TV features two HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC) and two HDMI 2.0 ports. Both HDMI 2.1 ports support 4K/120Hz, VRR, and ALLM, making the Bravia 9 II a capable gaming TV. However, many competing high-end sets now offer four HDMI 2.1 ports, and Sony's reluctance to include more limits the setup for console and PC gamers who own multiple high-bandwidth devices. An ATSC 3.0 tuner is included, which delivered crisp over-the-air broadcasts during our World Cup viewing tests.
The TV runs Google TV, which remains one of the most feature-rich smart TV platforms, with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG. Audio passthrough is handled via eARC, and the TV supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for external sound systems. The included remote is USB-C rechargeable, a welcome upgrade over disposable batteries.
Real-World Performance
We watched a variety of content to stress-test the Bravia 9 II: the colorful landscapes of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, the explosive action in Mad Max: Fury Road, and the deep shadows of The Meg. In all cases, the TV delivered incredible specular highlights and deep black levels for an LED set. The dimming zone count is higher than the Bravia 7 II, which helps reduce blooming from dead-center viewing angles. Straight on, blooming is minimal—subtitles and bright logos cause only a faint halo.
However, off-axis performance reveals a weakness. At viewing angles beyond about 50 degrees, we noticed increased blooming and color shift, which can be distracting for group movie nights. The anti-reflective coating may exacerbate this effect, though it's not a deal-breaker for most living room layouts. The TCL X11L mini-LED TV actually handled off-axis blooming better in our side-by-side tests, though the Sony's overall image processing remains superior.
Gaming performance is strong, with 4K/120Hz input lag measured at under 10ms in Game mode. The TV supports VRR across a wide range (48-120Hz), and the fast response time (thanks to the RGB LED architecture) keeps motion blur to a minimum. For competitive gamers, the combination of high brightness and low lag is compelling.
Comparing to the Competition
The Bravia 9 II sits at the top of Sony's 2026 lineup, but the company also offers the Bravia 7 II for $2,600 (65-inch) and the Bravia 8 II OLED for $3,000 (65-inch). The 9 II's main advantages are its higher peak brightness, superior anti-reflective screen, and slightly more dimming zones. The 7 II gets you 80% of the way there for $1,000 less, while the 8 II OLED delivers perfect blacks and pixel-level control that even the best LED can't match.
For buyers who prioritize brightness and reflection handling above all else—such as those with large windows or bright living rooms—the Bravia 9 II is unmatched. But for home theater enthusiasts who watch in dark rooms, an OLED like the Bravia 8 II or LG G5 still provides a more immersive contrast experience. The blooming present on the 9 II, especially off-axis, is a reminder that LED technology hasn't fully caught up to OLED in terms of black level purity.
Other competitors in the RGB LED space include the TCL X11L, which offers higher brightness (over 5,000 nits) but with less accurate color and worse upscaling. Samsung's new RGB LED sets also promise similar specs, though we haven't tested them yet. Sony's processing and upscaling remain best-in-class, giving the Bravia 9 II an edge in real-world picture quality despite not having the highest peak brightness figures.
For gamers, the limited HDMI 2.1 ports are a significant drawback. Many players now own both a PlayStation 5 and an Xbox Series X, plus a soundbar, and none of the current HDMI 2.1 switches handle VRR and 4K/120Hz flawlessly. The omission of a third HDMI 2.1 port is a missed opportunity, especially at this price point.
Bright-Room Champion
When the curtains are open and sunlight streams in, the Bravia 9 II shines. The anti-reflective screen scatters ambient light without crushing black levels, allowing you to watch movies and sports without fighting reflections. We tested this by watching a bright afternoon football game with direct sunlight hitting the screen—the image remained fully viewable and detailed. This is the best bright-room TV we've ever tested, bar none.
For evening viewing, the Bravia 9 II can also go very dim, achieving near-black levels that are acceptable for most content. But true blacks still show a faint gray glow in totally dark rooms, especially when compared side-by-side with an OLED. If you watch mostly in a dark home theater, the Bravia 8 II OLED is a better choice. If you need a TV that performs well in any lighting condition, the Bravia 9 II is the one to get.
Audio from the built-in speakers is adequate for casual viewing but lacks the punch and detail needed for cinematic experiences. A soundbar or home theater system is highly recommended. The TV supports Dolby Atmos passthrough to external devices via eARC, and it decoded object-based audio well during our tests.
Smart TV performance is snappy, with Google TV providing a smooth interface and access to all major streaming apps. The remote is functional but could use a dedicated input button for easier source switching. Voice search works reliably, and the TV integrates well with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa via skills.
Power consumption is higher than an equivalent OLED, but for a TV this bright, it's still within reasonable limits. The backlight architecture is efficient, and the TV includes power-saving modes that reduce brightness without drastically affecting picture quality.
In summary, the Sony Bravia 9 II is a technological tour de force. Its combination of RGB LED backlight, exceptional processing, and best-in-class anti-reflective coating make it the ultimate bright-room television. However, its high price, limited HDMI 2.1 ports, and off-axis blooming mean it's not the universal best choice. For most people, the cheaper Bravia 7 II or an OLED remains a smarter buy. But for those who demand the absolute best in bright-room performance and can stomach the premium, the Bravia 9 II delivers an incredible experience that few other TVs can match.
Source:The Verge News