Sony is putting its own novel spin on RGB LED backlight technology with the official launch of its “True RGB” branding and the promise of premium picture performance that surpasses other TV manufacturers.
This year is set to be a big one for RGB LED television, with numerous brands offering up a variety of new TVs based on the technology, with Samsung’s Micro RGB, Hisense’s RGB-MiniLED and various other brands having their own names for it.
Although Sony is coming a tad late to the party, it was actually one of the first to tease the new technology just over a year ago. Back then, the company didn’t have an official name for the tech, but we can now reveal that “new Bravia TVs powered by Sony’s True RGB technology are coming this spring.”
Sony hasn’t yet revealed any specific True RGB models, nor even the extent of its other televisions in this year’s lineup, with the exception of its entry-level Bravia 3 II and Bravia 2 II models. However, it seems a pretty sure thing that we’ll see at least one True RGB Bravia TV surfacing soon, and if Sony’s claims are to be believed, it could be something quite special.
Sony’s reasoning behind the True RGB name is that many other RGB LED TVs set to launch this year won’t be quite so good, because many brands use two-diode LEDs instead of three.
As HDTVTest’s Vincent Teoh explains in the video below, those brands basically use only blue and green diodes that shine light through a phosphor layer to generate the full spectrum of colours. On the other hand, Sony’s True RGB TVs will use three, independently-controlled red, green and blue diodes that deliver greater colour accuracy than is possible with a phosphor layer.
In addition, Sony makes the interesting claim that RGB LED picture performance has more to do with the LED density and the algorithm that controls them, as opposed to the size of the LEDs used. When it comes to algorithms, Sony has long been hard to beat, and it said it has developed a new backlight drive for True RGB, of which, it said it will share details later.
In terms of density, Sony said it managed to achieve spacing of around 1 cm between its three-diode RGB LEDs. Each of the individual diodes measures “several hundred micrometers” in size, which is so incredibly small that shrinking them even by another 100 micrometers would have no meaningful impact on the picture quality.
What Sony is saying is that we shouldn’t be misled by claims from other brands that suggest their TVs boast the smallest LEDs.
Finally, Sony was keen to point out that it’s not just jumping on the RGB LED bandwagon like some of its rivals appear to be doing – LG Electronics, for instance. As we mentioned earlier, Sony has been working on its implementation of the tech for some time, and that work will ensure “a new benchmark for RGB LED picture performance.”
Although Sony spent lots of time discussing the nature of True RGB, it didn’t reveal much in terms of specifications, which probably has to do with the reality that different models will have different numbers. However, Sony has previously quoted peak brightness of over 4000 cd/m², which is higher than the 3,000 nits peak brightness of its current Bravia 9 MiniLED TV.
The company talked about its proprietary optical structure and precision backlight control system, saying this will be able to create a more faithful reproduction of colour across wider viewing angles. The result will be “a picture that looks more natural, more dimensional, and more accurate in real-world viewing environments – from bright living rooms to cinematic dark scenes.”
Tuesday’s unveiling of the True RGB brand is a prelude to Sony’s broader unveiling of its premium 2026 TV lineup, and we expect to see some specific models, including its all-new flagship “True RGB Bravia” TV, in the coming weeks.
