When buying a TV, you enter a long-term relationship with the brand that made it. For the next several years, your day-to-day viewing experience will be the result of countless decisions made by the folks who work for that company — from the TV’s performance to the feel of the software.
As professional TV-testers, no one understands this relationship better than us. That’s why we’re handing out report cards to the biggest names in the industry this week, grading each in categories ranging from price to performance and software. (Yesterday we evaluated LG's 2026 so far.)
Today, we’re taking a look at Sony, makers of OLEDs, QLEDs and, most recently, a lineup of TVs that tap a brand-new technology that the company has dubbed True RGB.
Pricing
Let’s start with the most controversial aspect of Sony’s presence in the TV space. You might’ve heard of something called “the Sony Tax,” a derisive term used to describe the often high price of Sony TVs relative to rival models.
I try to avoid this term on account of its flippancy, but there’s no denying that the cost of any given Sony TV is typically higher than TVs in the same class with similar specs.
There’s no denying that the cost of any given Sony TV is typically higher than TVs in the same class with similar specs.
Take, for instance, the recently released Sony Bravia 7 II. It’s the most affordable TV in Sony’s lineup to feature the brand’s True RGB display technology, but at the time of publishing, a 65-inch Bravia 7 II will set you back $1,999 at Best Buy.
For an entry-level RGB LED TV, this is relatively steep. Consider this: Hisense’s most-affordable RGB LED TV, the UR8, is $1,299. Even Samsung’s cheapest Micro RGB TV is $1,699 at the 65-inch size point.
Some TV experts and A/V enthusiasts would argue that Sony’s premium pricing is justified by the brand’s meticulous engineering and commitment to consistency. In fact, I’m one of those people — there isn’t a brand I trust more when it comes to how well a TV handles the little things. Everything from upscaling to motion handling is almost guaranteed to be exceptionally realized on a Sony TV, and Bravia TVs in particular are considered by many to be guided by the best picture processing in the game.
But there’s no way around it: Sony TVs are priced higher than most of the competition.
Grade: C-
Design
Just as Sony TVs are known for excellent processing, so too have they earned a reputation for showcasing thoughtful design approaches.
Oftentimes, Sony TVs arrive with multiple stand configurations to accommodate different home theater setups. Mid-range and high-end Sony TVs ship with remote controls that offer a full spread of buttons (including an input button), and in recent years, these remotes are often backlit — a hugely convenient feature.
The brand innovates in its design approach, too, which is not easy to do in an industry where standards are slow to change
The brand innovates in its design approach, too, which is not easy to do in an industry where standards are slow to change.
Take the Sony Bravia 9 II, for instance (Sony’s top TV for 2026). This TV’s pedestal-style stand is outfitted with a special, lenticular material that hides cables when viewed from the front.
The illusion is tough to explain unless you’re standing in front of the Bravia 9 II, but it’s unlike any design flourish on the market from competing brands.
Grade: A-
Features
For the majority of my career covering the TV industry, Sony has been behind the eight ball somewhat when it comes to features.
On one hand, the brand isn’t afraid to showcase relatively niche enhancements for audio- and video-related functions, and high-end Sony TVs offer a ton of ways to tweak the sound and picture. But, conversely, Sony lagged behind its competitors in standardizing out-of-the-box features like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and it’s been slow to embrace the implementation of universal HDMI 2.1 inputs.
Sony has been behind the eight ball somewhat when it comes to features
The good news is that the brand seems to be in the process of course-correcting. The Bravia 3 II — an entry-level model for 2026 — comes with a full slate of HDMI 2.1 inputs. Weirdly, though, the Bravia 9 II is limited to just two out of four inputs with HDMI 2.1 functionality, due to the fact that it was developed over several years with an older chipset.
Grade: B-
Performance
If you’re interested in an accurate presentation, nothing looks quite as sharp as a Sony TV. Its engineers sink countless hours into the development of new technologies designed to bring the picture as close as possible to the creator’s intent. Even at the lower end of the Bravia TV lineup, you can pretty much always count on Sony to make the most of a set’s hardware — whatever the limitations may be.
If you’re interested in an accurate presentation, nothing looks quite as sharp as a Sony TV
To give you an idea of Sony’s commitment to accuracy, consider this: For as searingly bright as the Sony Bravia 9 II is capable of getting, if you put a 10% white window on the screen and measure it in the TV’s Professional SDR picture mode, you will almost certainly receive a rating of 100 nits on the dot. This is because 100 nits is the industry standard for professional reference monitors when mastering for SDR.
Sony TVs may not be the brightest in any given year, but the attention to detail on display in everything from sub-4K upscaling to color gradients is staggeringly good. As a result, its TVs often lap brighter, punchier TVs in several key performance categories.
In other words, high-end Sony TVs are built for picture enthusiasts.
Grade: A
Smart TV platform
Like several competing brands, Sony TVs leverage the Google TV streaming platform. While not perfect, for most people, this is perfectly fine.
The worst thing I can say about Google TV is that its layout is stuffed with sponsored content. This is more or less the case with every streaming platform outside of a few, though, and there’s a lot to be said for the sheer volume of downloadable services available via the platform’s app library.
Aside from the claustrophobia-inducing amount of ads, using a Sony TV in 2026 is mostly a breeze
For what it’s worth, I’ve always found that Sony’s own menu software harmonizes pretty well with the skeletal structure of Google TV. Aside from the claustrophobia-inducing amount of ads, using a Sony TV in 2026 is mostly a breeze.
Grade: B+
Overall grade: B-
In 2026, Sony TVs are laser-targeted at home theater-owners, A/V enthusiasts and all-around picture purists. The attention to detail on display from a presentation standpoint is astonishing, and the brand's approach to design is among the best in the business, too.
Unfortunately, Sony TVs tend to be pricier than the competition. Even if you feel — as I do — that the higher pricing is often justified when considering the high level of performance associated with some of these sets, the fact of the matter is that it limits the scope of who can shop for certain Sony TVs.
If you're shopping for a Sony TV in 2026, the one to buy is the Sony Bravia 9 II. In a year chock-full of RGB LED TVs, Sony's flagship model is the gold standard. In many ways, given its unique design and intricate hardware, the Bravia 9 II is the "most Sony" TV that Sony has ever made.
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