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Tom's Guide
17 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I'm a TV expert and I'm tired of the 'brightness war' — here's why it's overblown
If you knew nothing of the TV industry and were handed a stack of press releases, news articles and forum posts about the latest happenings in the business, you'd probably arrive at the following conclusion: the higher a TV's peak brightness, the better its overall performance. While it's true that brighter TVs tend to be higher-end models, one TV being brighter than another doesn't necessarily make it a better pick. It's easy to get swept up in the brightness wars. After all, brightness is a basic concept that most people understand, and having numbers to go with it adds a simple shorthand when comparing the best TVs from major brands. But folks that cover the industry — myself included — could do a better job talking about brightness, because while it's an important factor of TV performance, it's not the only factor. Here's why. A TV's peak brightness is most important for viewers whose living spaces are naturally bright — especially those who do most of their viewing during the day. Naturally, this is because the TV needs to compete with ambient light in order for the picture to retain its pop. And, when we use the word 'pop,' what we're really talking about is contrast. It's one of the cornerstones of picture quality, and understanding why is the first step in demystifying brightness's role in a TV's performance. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contrast is the main ingredient in a visually appealing picture. Contrast describes the difference between the darkest parts of the picture and the brightest. A high-contrast picture delivers more depth, adding to realism. It's the main ingredient in a visually appealing picture. A TV that gets super bright, therefore, has a distinct advantage over a dimmer model. Its picture will hold up better during the day and it'll probably deliver a more cinematic presentation with the lights off. Take the Hisense U8QG. It's one of the brightest TVs I've ever seen. We clocked its peak highlight brightness at around 4,000 higher than the roughly 2,700 nits of brightness you'll find on the Sony Bravia 9, a rival Mini-LED TV that costs around $1,500 more than the U8QG, and much higher than the 700-nit display of TCL's entry-level QM6K Mini-LED TV. The brand-new Hisense U8QG is one of the brightest TVs we've tested this year, and the 55-inch version is already seeing massive discounts. It's one of Hisense's top TVs of 2025, and I highly recommend checking it out if you're looking to save some money on a high-performing Mini-LED TV. Unsurprisingly, I find that the Hisense U8QG is a better-performing TV than the low-end QM6K (and not just because it's several times brighter). What might surprise you, though, is that I find the Bravia 9 to be an overall better-looking TV than the U8QG despite its lower HDR brightness. This is because I find the Bravia 9's overall presentation to be better suited to my preferences. Both sets offer fantastic backlight control and a punchy, high-contrast picture, but Sony's superb processing and surgically accurate Professional picture mode make the Bravia 9 a better pick for my living room. The Bravia 9, Sony's flagship Mini-LED TV, doesn't get quite as bright as other TVs in its class, but for my money, it's the best Mini-LED TV for A/V enthusiasts who value a finely tuned, cinematic picture above all else. In addition, you might not even notice a difference in brightness between these two Mini-LED TVs. A jump from 700 to 2,700 nits is significant — less so from 2,700 to 4,000. So, while it's certainly nice for the U8QG to have all of that horsepower under the hood, there are limits to its perks. Until now, we've been examining brightness by way of LED displays, which lack the built-in benefits of OLED. All OLED displays — from the entry-level models to the best OLED TVs in the world — leverage self-lit pixels in lieu of LED backlights. Because their pixels can turn themselves on and off independently, OLEDs are the king of contrast. They offer perfect black levels and razor-sharp contrast control. As you might expect, this has a tremendous impact on picture quality. Namely, OLED TVs don't have to get as bright as LED TVs in order for our eyes to perceive them as being that bright. In other words, 800 nits of highlight brightness on an OLED TV looks much brighter than 800 nits on an LED TV, and it's all thanks to OLED's ability to get consistently is one of the reasons why sensibly priced, entry-level OLED TVs — like the LG B4 — tend to be much better performers than the numbers would indicate. The B4 is one of the most affordable LG OLEDs you can buy. Its relatively limited brightness is less of potential issue thanks to the self-emissive nature of OLED displays, but if you have a brighter-than-average living space during the day, you might want to spring for a brighter display. This also explains why top-shelf, flagship OLED TVs — like the Samsung S95F — benefit more from their sensational highlight brightness. In the case of the S95F, its 2,000-nit highlight brightness is what gives its picture a level of realism that's tough to replicate on a non-OLED display. But before you write off Mini-LED TVs completely, it's worth underscoring their primary benefit over OLED TVs: full-screen brightness. Until now, we've been discussing peak highlight brightness, which describes small, concentrated areas of the picture, like the shimmer along the edge of a samurai sword or dapples of sunlight on the ocean's is an altogether different measurement than how bright the entire picture is capable of getting. This is where ultra-bright Mini-LED TVs (like the aforementioned U8QG and Bravia 9) really shine. The vast majority of Mini-LED TVs demonstrate a higher average picture brightness across most content types. Even though the Samsung S95F OLED cracks the 2,000-nit marker and lands relatively closely to the Bravia 9's 2,700-nit notch, the Bravia 9 pumps out a much higher average picture brightness in HDR. In many ways, it's just as impressive as the S95F, but it's impressive in an altogether different way than Samsung's OLED. Yes, OLED TVs are getting brighter. In some cases, their highlights are even brighter than those of high-end Mini-LED TVs. But for the time being, the vast majority of Mini-LED TVs — particularly those in the mid-range-to-high-end price range — demonstrate a higher average picture brightness across most content types. Now that you have a better understanding of one of the primary differences between Mini-LED and OLED TVs, you are better equipped to shop for a new TV with confidence. Ultimately, here's what I suggest: If you're concerned about the amount of ambient light your next TV will have to compete with during daytime viewing, Mini-LED TVs are probably going to be better candidates for the job. That said, high-end OLED TVs like the Samsung S95F are fantastic at delivering a high-contrast, ultra-realistic picture. Top-tier Mini-LED TVs (like the Bravia 9) come remarkably close to achieving the same presentation, but the "OLED look" is still in a league of its own. If you're still on the fence, take a trip to your local brick-and-mortar shop and peep the differences in person. Whatever you do, don't treat peak brightness as the be-all, end-all performance metric. You can learn a lot about a TV from this measurement, but it doesn't tell the whole story.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Yahoo
Score this Sony flagship QLED before its $200 discount disappears
This article contains affiliate links; if you click such a link and make a purchase, Digital Trends and Yahoo Inc. may earn a commission. When it comes to noteworthy TV brands, Sony has been one of the most popular companies on the market for several decades. Unfortunately, premium picture and sound quality often mean higher prices, especially when we're talking about Sony. But that doesn't mean you won't find great sales on Sony screens now and then. As luck would have it, we came across this awesome promo earlier today: For a limited time, when you purchase the Sony 65-inch Bravia 9 4K QLED at Amazon, Best Buy, Sony, and a handful of other retailers, you'll only end up paying $2,800. The full MSRP on this model is $3,000. We tested this TV back in August, and reviewer Caleb Denison said the Sony Bravia 9 '[Is] the best combination of OLED and mini-LED TV picture quality we've seen yet.' BUY AT SONY BUY AT AMAZON BUY AT BEST BUY Mini-LED technology is the name of the game with the almighty Sony Bravia 9. The manufacturer claims this QLED has some of the smallest LEDs on the market, allowing the TV to dial in some of the most accurate local dimming we've ever seen on an LCD panel. Not only does this result in a nearly bloom-free picture when watching movies and shows in a dark room, but you'll also be treated to astonishing SDR brightness levels, making the Bravia 9 an excellent choice for brightly lit rooms, too. And thanks to Sony's experience in film and TV production, the Bravia 9 delivers a wide color gamut, terrific color volume, and top-shelf HDR performance. Thanks to HDMI 2.1 connectivity on ports 3 and 4, along with VRR and ALLM support, the Bravia 9 is a great TV for gaming, especially if you're a PlayStation devotee. Expect lightning-fast response times and low input lag when using the TV's Game Mode. When it comes to streaming apps, casting, and smart home management, the built-in Google TV OS is your all-in-one entertainment hub and Internet-of-Things command center. Save $200 when you purchase the Sony 65-inch Bravia 9 4K QLED today, and be sure to take a look at our lists of the best Sony TV deals, best QLED TV deals, and best Amazon deals for even more discounts on top tech! BUY AT SONY BUY AT AMAZON BUY AT BEST BUY
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Yahoo
I review TVs for a living, and here are the 3 best TVs you can buy today
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. One big benefit to being a full-time TV reviewer is hands-on experience with all the best TVs. That level of access, of course, helps immensely when gauging the performance level and feature set of top models from the most established brands, but also sets a benchmark for evaluating all manner of TVs, from mid-range to budget models. Of the 30-plus TVs TechRadar reviewed in 2024, three stood out and captured my attention. Not surprisingly, these three were flagship models for their respective brands and, also not surprisingly, they are priced above what most people would consider paying for a TV. What did come as a surprise? A mini-LED model made my top three list. In the past, any list of top TVs would be dominated by the best OLED TVs, mainly because of their ability to reliably deliver pictures with infinite contrast, detailed shadows, and rich, eye-catching color. But today's best mini-LED TVs are catching up with OLED TVs on those picture quality fronts, and they additionally provide high brightness, making them a great option for not only movies and gaming but also daytime sports viewing. I've been impressed by the mini-LED TVs I've tested over the years, and have even given some of them five-star picture quality ratings. But of all those TVs, the Sony Bravia 9 is the first mini-LED model I've reviewed that approached OLED-like performance when it came to rendering shadows in dark movie scenes, and its picture was virtually free of any backlight 'blooming' effects. Having lived with Bravia 9 for a few weeks while testing it, I can honestly say I admired its picture as much as the other two models in this list, the Samsung S95D and LG G4 OLED TVs. Sony created something of a stir when it announced it would switch from OLED to mini-LED for its only new flagship TV in 2024. But in initial demonstrations of the Bravia 9, the company made an effective case for the new XR Backlight Master Drive with High Peak Luminance tech, which uses a highly miniaturized 22-bit LED driver (other TVs typically use 10- or 12-bit drivers) for enhanced local dimming – something also helped by a 325% increase in local dimming zones over Sony's previous top mini-LED TV. What does this mean for you? A screen that's brighter for stunning colors and HDR, but with the super-cinematic dark tones and contrast of OLED. I measured the peak HDR brightness at 2,280 nits (in Standard mode), meaning the Bravia 9 is capable of rendering the full range of highlight detail in movies with high dynamic range, and its ability to also display detailed shadows is second to none for a mini-LED TV. I was also impressed with the X-Wide Angle feature that ensures pictures look uniformly good over a wide viewing arc, so it doesn't matter if you're sitting way off center. On top of that, there's a 2.2.2-channel, 70-watt speaker system with 'Frame' tweeters positioned in the sides of the TV's frame and 'Beam' tweeters located at the top for audio performance that's as good as basically any TV I've heard, meaning the Bravia 9 qualifies as a complete premium TV package, as I said in my full Sony Bravia 9 review. Samsung's top OLED TV made its mark as the brightest OLED TV we've ever measured, thanks to a QD-OLED panel working in tandem with clever AI processing that optimizes HDR handling plus detail and color enhancement. It also uses the company's Glare Free tech to virtually eliminate screen reflections in bright rooms – a traditional pain point for OLED TVs due to their limited fullscreen brightness compared to LED models. Sick of seeing mirror-like image of yourself or windows on your TV? Thanks to a matte screen here, you literally can't – we were so impressed by the difference in our full Samsung S95D review. Our review praised the bright and rich colors, the very impressive texture and lifelike realism to images, and the supreme contrast that OLED TVs are known for – having seen it in person, I can attest to all this. The Samsung S95D was our pick for best TV in the TechRadar Choice Awards 2024 mainly owing to its fantastic overall picture quality. But that's not all you get with Samsung's flagship OLED TV. Its 4.2.2-channel, 70W built-in speakers deliver immersive, yet precise sound with powerful bass. It also has a slim, elegant design with an external One Connect Box handling all inputs to the TV, meaning that only a single cable goes into the screen itself, so it's very tidy. The box can be hidden away somewhere else. It also an unbeatable set of gaming features, including four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 144Hz support and Samsung's Gaming Hub for cloud-based gaming. The LG G4 is the company's brightest OLED TV yet, an advancement made possible by a new generation of LG's OLED evo display panel with Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech, which uses microscopic lens elements to enhance picture brightness. Not only does this panel design boost brightness, but colors are also elevated with a more robust, detailed look, which gives the G4 a notable picture quality edge over the also impressive LG C4 OLED TV. Our brightness measurements for the G4 weren't as high as the S95D above, but in our full LG G4 review, we noted that this doesn't really matter so much in practice. We found that it delivers a beautiful and well-layered image, with super-accurate colors out of the box, and we said it's a "a master at picking out detail in darker areas of an image", which is exactly what you want from a cinematic OLED screen. The G4's exceptionally slim design makes it a perfect choice for wall mounting, and there's a custom bracket that means it sits totally flush to the wall. It also comes with a table stand for the 55- and 65-inch models. LG's flagship OLED TV is packed with gaming features, including 4K 120Hz (and up to 144Hz for PC gaming) across all four HDMI 2.1 ports, along with 4K 120Hz Dolby Vision gaming. Despite its slim frame, the G4 also has strong onboard sound, with a 4.2-channel speaker system and an AI Sound Pro mode that upmixes audio to 11.1.2-channel virtual surround sound – though other two TVs I've picked here offer better built-in sound overall. Obviously, my picks here are all pretty high-end – but it's the expensive stuff that tends to be the best, naturally! If you want something more mid-range, I can strongly recommend the Hisense U8N mini-LED TV, or the TCL QM851G mini-LED TV for US buyers. At the more budget end, we rate the Hisense U7N mini-LED TV, or I also highly recommend the Roku Pro Series mini-LED TV. The best TVs for gaming The best TVs for sport The best TVs for sound
