Best Sony TVs: Top-Rated Bravia OLED and Mini LED Models

Sony continues to position its Bravia line as a benchmark for picture and sound quality in 2026, with a product range that spans from affordable LCD models to premium QD-OLED and Mini LED displays. Market analysis from RTINGS on March 31, 2026, identifies the Sony Bravia 8 II OLED as the best Sony TV currently available on the market.

The 2026 lineup is characterized by a simplified naming convention, ranging from the Bravia 3 II up to the flagship Bravia 9. While Sony maintains a strong presence in the high-end sector, ZDNET reported on February 25, 2026, that Sony has entered into a tentative agreement to sell a majority stake of the Bravia brand of LED and OLED TVs to TCL. Models from this new co-owned brand are expected to arrive in stores in 2027.

Premium Performance: Bravia 8 II and Bravia 9

The Bravia 8 II is highlighted as a top performer due to its QD-OLED panel, which provides a wider range of colors than many other OLED models. According to testing by Trusted Reviews, the set features an Acoustic Surface Audio+ system that accurately places dialogue and effects on screen, and it offers a peak brightness of 977 nits at 2% window size.

For those seeking maximum brightness, the Bravia 9 serves as the flagship Mini LED option. This model delivers significantly higher peak brightness, reaching 2700 nits at a 10% window size. It is noted for its backlight controls and the ability to upscale HD content to 4K resolution, though blooming can become more noticeable when viewed off-axis.

Mid-Range and Budget Options

Sony offers several alternatives for users with different budget requirements:

• Bravia 8: A mid-range OLED option that provides natural picture quality and Auto Genre Picture mode, which automatically switches the TV into a game-ready state.
• Bravia 5: A more affordable Mini LED TV priced at £1399, designed as a home cinema set with support for IMAX Enhanced and Netflix Calibrated modes.
• KD-55X85L: A 2023 model that remains available in 2026 for approximately £999. It uses a Full Array Local Dimming backlight to provide more precise black levels than standard LCD TVs.

While the Bravia 5 and 8 provide strong value, What Hi-Fi also recommends the Bravia 7 as a superb Mini LED TV. Conversely, the Bravia 3 is one of the few recent models that What Hi-Fi does not recommend.

Technical Specifications and Gaming Integration

Across the 2026 range, Sony utilizes Google TV as its smart platform, providing access to major streaming applications and UK catch-up services. However, technical reviews indicate a consistent limitation across these models: most only provide two HDMI 2.1 ports that support full features such as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC).

Gaming performance is closely tied to the PlayStation 5 ecosystem through features like Auto Tone Mapping, which optimizes HDR performance. Input lag varies across the models, with the Bravia 9 offering the fastest response at 10.1ms, followed by the Bravia 8 at 12.7ms, the Bravia 5 at 13.2ms, and the Bravia 8 II at 16.4ms.

Despite the PlayStation pedigree, reviewers note that Sony TVs offer fewer dedicated gaming features compared to some rivals, particularly for PC gamers, as there is no certified support for AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync on the Bravia 8 II.

Future Developments

Looking ahead, Sony is expected to launch True RGB models later in 2026. These upcoming sets are intended to further push the boundaries of color accuracy and picture performance.