Sony is working on revolutionary RGB LED technology – is this the end of Sony's OLEDs?

Sony is preparing something completely new for lovers of top-quality image. The Japanese giant has just unveiled details about its new screen backlighting technology, using RGB LED. What exactly lies behind this name and what changes could it bring to the television market?

What exactly is RGB LED?

The RGB LED technology is an advanced screen backlighting system that uses LEDs in three primary colors: red, green, and blue (RGB – red, green, blue). With the ability to control each LED independently, it is possible to achieve much more precise colour reproduction and higher contrast than in traditional LED televisions. This means more realistic, vivid, and visually appealing experiences.

Brightness

Sony promises an impressive peak brightness of 3000 nits (approximately 3000 cd/m²), placing these screens close to professional studio monitors. As a result, the new televisions should deliver extraordinary HDR effects. The prototype shown at the conference featured as many as 32 thousand individual RGB LEDs and 4000 local dimming zones.

Contrast

Sony declares that the new technology will be based on an advanced version of the XR Master Backlight Drive system, known from earlier models such as Sony Bravia 9. This is expected to guarantee excellent contrast control; however, it is worth noting that even the best Mini-LED-backlit televisions are not completely free from the so-called halo effect (blooming). Sony explains, however, that in RGB LED technology, this effect will take on a more "natural" form, as instead of the traditional white halo around bright points, it will appear in the colour of the object on the screen.

To illustrate this better, let’s imagine driving a car at night – when we look at the traffic lights, there is a gentle glow around the lamp in the colour of the light itself. The same will be the case with RGB LED televisions, where, in contrast to traditional LCD televisions with local dimming, this effect would take on a blue or grey colour. Unfortunately, at this moment we cannot verify this in practice, as Sony did not allow any tests or recordings during the presentation.

Colour Reproduction

The greatest advantage of RGB LED technology according to Sony is its ability to reproduce colours with precision. The manufacturer promises coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space at over 99% and around 90% for BT.2020. The new displays are designed to handle colours of medium brightness and saturation better, which may give them an edge over OLED screens.

Viewing Angles

At present, Sony has not provided detailed information regarding the viewing angles of the new RGB LED televisions. However, due to the characteristics of this technology, it can be assumed that they will be wide and allow for comfortable viewing of the image from various positions, without significant loss of quality, similar to OLED televisions.

When is the premiere?

Unfortunately, we will have to wait until 2026 for the first RGB LED televisions from Sony. The manufacturer has not yet revealed which models will be showcased in 2025, but everything suggests that it will continue last year's line of devices. Has Sony permanently abandoned OLED technology in its flagship models? And if so, do you think this is a good move from the Japanese? Let us know! In the meantime, we invite you to our review of the Sony Bravia9!

Source: Sony