TechRadar compares Sony Bravia 9 II and Samsung R95H as flagship RGB TVs close gap with OLED

RGB mini-LED, also known by other names, has become a major topic in the TV industry in 2026, with nearly every brand involved in the new technology, according to TechRadar. The publication said its testing of several RGB mini-LED and Micro RGB TVs has produced mixed results but shown promise. The Bravia 9 II, Sony's flagship RGB TV and a step-up from the Bravia 7 II, arrived in the testing lab while the Samsung R95H was still available, allowing a direct flagship comparison.

On color, TechRadar said both flagship TVs performed very well. While watching The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, scenes featuring the Lumas showed off RGB's color strengths. The Samsung R95H produced higher color luminance, making colors look brighter, while the Sony Bravia 9 II produced richer and deeper colors, which the reviewer said gave the Lumas a crisper perceived texture. For character outfits, results varied by scene: Peach's pink dress benefited from the R95H's higher perceived brightness in some scenes, while the Bravia 9 II's bolder colors made it stand out more in others. The same split applied to the reds of Mario's overalls and the greens of Luigi and Yoshi.

Switching to Speed Racer, TechRadar found a similar pattern. In the breakfast scene at the Racer home, colors such as yellow looked better on the Bravia 9 II because of its added color depth, while paler colors such as orange looked more natural on the R95H. The R95H's higher perceived brightness made colors more impactful, but the reviewer was drawn more to the Bravia 9 II's deeper color profile. Both TVs showed excellent skin-tone accuracy, though the R95H's brightness made people look more true-to-life, while the Bravia 9 II used shadows and contrast to make people look dynamic.

On contrast, TechRadar said both models demonstrated excellent backlight control and black levels, which have been mixed in previous RGB TV tests. In The Batman, both handled the contrast between bright monitors and desk lamps in the Batcave and the dark surroundings. The R95H's higher brightness made some dark areas more legible, while the Bravia 9 II produced richer blacks and stronger perceived contrast. Because of the film's low brightness, TechRadar said it was best viewed in ambient or dark home theater conditions. The R95H's Movie mode could overdo brightness and clip bright objects, making Filmmaker Mode preferable for The Batman. The Bravia 9 II looked great in Movie mode and Professional mode, though it lost some contrast impact in the dimmer Professional mode.

In Project Hail Mary, both TVs delivered inky black tones in exterior space shots and strong shadows as Ryland Grace explored the Hail Mary. TechRadar found the Bravia 9 II's local dimming could be aggressive in places, causing some black crush in certain scenes, but said its black tones, contrast and lack of blooming were impressive for a backlit TV. The R95H also showed strong backlight control, better than most backlit TVs tested, though not as impressive as the Bravia 9 II. The reviewer added that OLED TVs such as the LG G6 and Samsung S95H/S99H still had more dynamic contrast. The comparison then turned to brightness and reflections, with the reviewer expressing surprise at how large the gap was between the two TVs.