The Bravia 9 was Sony’s best TV of 2024. Two years on it has a newer, pricier replacement, and that makes the old one a very different buy.
Our score: 8.5 / 10
At a glance
| Spec | Detail |
|---|
| Panel | 4K mini-LED LCD with local dimming, 120Hz |
| Sizes at launch | 65, 75 and 85 inches |
| Launch price | $3,299 (65"), $4,499 (75"), $5,499 (85") |
| HDR | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG |
| Gaming | 2x HDMI 2.1 with 4K 120Hz, VRR and ALLM |
| Smart TV | Google TV |
| Status in 2026 | Replaced by the Bravia 9 II, sold off at clearance prices |
The short answer
Yes, the Bravia 9 is still a great TV in 2026. The picture has not got worse just because a new model came out. What changed is the price. If you can find one well below the Bravia 9 II, it is one of the best deals in TVs right now. If the gap is small, spend the extra on the new model.
What made it special in the first place
Most mini-LED TVs are bright but show halos around bright objects on a dark screen. Sony tuned the Bravia 9 to control its backlight very tightly, so it holds deep blacks while still hitting HDR highlights far above what an OLED can manage.
The result is a picture that feels punchy in a sunny living room and still looks controlled at night. Sony’s processing also does a lot of quiet work. Cable TV, YouTube and older 1080p films look cleaner than on most rivals, and motion is smooth without that fake soap opera look.
How it holds up two years later
Picture quality is still near the top of the LCD world. Next to a 2026 set, the differences are small in normal viewing. The newer TVs mainly win on colour volume at very high brightness and on viewing angles.
Google TV is still here and still gets updates, but the menus can feel slow, and the home screen pushes a lot of content you never asked for. A cheap streaming stick fixes that if it bothers you.
Gamers should know about one limit that has not changed. Only two of the four HDMI ports support HDMI 2.1, and one of those is also the eARC port for a soundbar. If you have a PS5, an Xbox and a soundbar, you will run out of fast ports.
Bravia 9 vs Bravia 9 II
The Bravia 9 II uses Sony’s new True RGB backlight. Instead of white or blue LEDs behind a colour filter, it uses red, green and blue LEDs. In simple terms, colours stay rich even at full brightness, where normal mini-LED TVs start to look a bit washed out.
That is a real upgrade, but it costs a lot. The 65-inch Bravia 9 II sells for around $3,599. The old Bravia 9 has been cleared out at big discounts, and when you find one, the price gap can be over a thousand dollars.
For most people watching films and sport, that money is better spent on a larger screen or a good soundbar.
Where OLED still wins
In a dark room, an OLED like the LG G4 or Sony’s own Bravia 8 still looks better. Every pixel turns off on its own, so there is zero blooming around subtitles and stars. OLED also looks the same from the side of the couch, while the Bravia 9 loses some contrast off angle.
In a bright room, the Bravia 9 is the easier TV to live with. It is much brighter and does not dim itself on bright scenes like OLEDs do.
The good and the bad
What works
- Very bright HDR with deep blacks for an LCD
- Some of the best processing and upscaling in any TV
- Great for bright living rooms
- Clearance prices make it far better value than at launch
What doesn’t
- Only two HDMI 2.1 ports, one shared with eARC
- Some blooming in dark scenes
- Viewing angles trail OLED
- Stock is running out, so good deals are hit and miss
Who it’s for
Buy it if you watch in a bright room and can get it for well under the price of the Bravia 9 II.
Skip it if you mostly watch in the dark, or the discount is too small to matter. Get an OLED or the Bravia 9 II instead.
Alternatives worth a look
- Sony Bravia 9 II, better colour at high brightness, much higher price.
- LG OLED G4, perfect blacks for dark rooms.
- Samsung QN90D, a cheaper mini-LED that is great for gaming.
The verdict: Still a top TV. At clearance prices, it is one of the smartest ways to get a flagship picture in 2026.
