I test TVs for a living but I won't be buying an RGB LED TV in 2026 — here's why

If you haven’t yet heard, we’re on the cusp of meeting a whole new type of TV. I’ve been referring to the new classification as RGB LED, but pretty much every brand releasing one of these sets has its own name for their take on RGB LED technology.

But whether we’re talking about Hisense RGB Mini-LEDs, Samsung Micro RGBs or LG Micro RGB evo TVs, this is one shiny new toy I’m going to hold off on buying in 2026. To understand why, it’s worth taking a closer look at the tech itself — as well as the ways in which the TV business typically operates.

What’s so good about RGB LED TVs?

We’re still weeks (if not months) away from getting our hands on some of these sets and putting them through their paces in our TV-testing lab, but every brand that’s touting this technology in 2026 promises one benefit in particular: better color than what we’ve seen to date.

Consider RGB LED TVs the next evolution in Mini-LED. Like the best Mini-LED TVs, they leverage an array of teeny-tiny LEDs that can be broken up into dimmable zones for added contrast control and better highlight brightness.

Unlike the best Mini-LED TVs, however, RGB LED TVs have an additional trick up their sleeve: their LEDs are red-, green- and blue-tinted. While the white light of garden-variety Mini-LEDs rely on a color filter, RGB LEDs do not.

Every TV-maker entering the nascent RGB LED market has reported brighter, purer color across all of their newest sets — and I’m inclined to believe them. At CES 2026, Managing Editor Nick Pino called the Hisense 116UXS RGB Mini-LED TV “the best-looking LCD TV” at the trade show, noting the TV’s deep, rich color.

But even if the first wave of RGB LED TVs to hit shelves proves to be every bit as impressive as we’ve been led to believe, I still have no plans to buy one in the coming months. It’s not that I don’t believe in technology, either.

A first-generation TV can be a hard sell

My hesitancy surrounding RGB LED TVs in 2026 comes down to two factors: price and the potential for improvement as soon as next year.

On the price side of things, I should first clarify that the prices of these TVs haven't been announced yet. I’m merely operating under the assumption that, like most premium display technologies on their first lap around the course, RGB LED TVs will come with high-end price tags — even at the 55-inch size point.

These TVs will likely be priced a high tier due to their relatively high manufacturing costs. In the future — perhaps as soon as next year — these costs could come down considerably. This isn’t always the case with burgeoning display technology, but the possibility is there.

It’s also quite possible that, come 2027, RGB LED TVs will look even better than they did in 2026. Kinks could be ironed out and performance metrics could improve, all while the prices of these TVs tick down.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that, so far, every RGB LED TV we’ve seen up close and personal has been heavy-looking with a thick, chunky panel. Even a slight slimming down of the backlight system would represent a significant step forward in 2027.

Will RGB LED TVs get better in 2027?

While I can't say much about the outlook of RGB LED TVs in 2027, I'm quite confident in two things: The first is that most display technologies improve (and improve quickly) once they're adopted by big-name brands willing to invest in them. The second is that, come 2027, there's going to be even more RGB LED TVs to choose from.

Right now, the Hisense 2026 TV lineup features just three of these TVs, and as far as we know, only two of those models will be available in popular sizes like 55 and 65 inches. Samsung is releasing three Micro RGB TVs in 2026, and LG has only announced one.

Next year, there will almost certainly be more of these models to choose from. It stands to reason that this will also create a wider range of pricing, too.

Even if they don't get my hard-earned dollar, I don't anticipate the technology being seen as a flop. We're likely to see at least one of the best TVs using the technology. You just won't find it in my living room until 2027.

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