Sony has announced a trio of new TVs, with an upgraded OLED TV and two new Mini LED models hitting shelves in the near future. While the step down Bravia 8 OLED and mid-range Mini LED-touting Bravia 7 are exciting announcements in their own right, the Bravia 9 is the one that has caught my eye thanks to its innovative new backlighting system.
Sony has already made bold claims about the potential of this screen tech, saying it can deliver "OLED level blacks" and that it features three times as many dimming zones as the five-star X95L that it's replacing. It's also apparently 50 per cent brighter than that model, and it's already impressed our TV and AV editor during an early hands-on session with the Bravia 9.
While I'm intrigued to see if this TV can live up to its OLED-competing claims, I'm also totally puzzled by Sony's approach with this new model, specifically relating to the UK release of this set. Sony has confirmed that this TV comes in 65-, 75- and 85-inch sizes, however, the UK is only getting the two larger sizes of that bunch.
That means if I want the best TV Sony has to offer this year, I have to shell out for a 75-inch TV, which is unfortunately an instant deal breaker. Size and budget are the two obvious reasons; this TV starts at £4499, because (unsurprisingly) big TVs are more expensive than their smaller counterparts. The 55-inch TV I use at home is already pushing the limits of my moderately sized living room and while I could just about squeeze a 65-inch TV in if I wanted, a 75-inch TV is out of the question.
I'm assured that this isn't just a personal problem, as Sony opting to not sell the Bravia 9 in smaller sizes is a frustration felt by other members of the What Hi-Fi? team. What bothers me the most, however, is how it's gatekeeping its latest and greatest screen tech in such an unnecessary way. With developments in backlighting tech that are as exciting as this, it makes little sense to lock it behind the requirement to buy a TV this big, especially in a country where smaller living rooms are a common feature in homes and flats. It plans on selling a 65-inch model in other regions, so why does the UK not get it?
I'm still excited to see what the Bravia 9 has to offer, but this frustrating decision has soured the anticipation somewhat. The 50- to 65-inch TV market is easily the most popular, which is why we predominantly test sets in that size range. Sony may well prove me wrong if it can show me that the only way to get the most out of its latest flagship TV is to get it in a 75-inch size or larger, but for now, I have my reservations.
MORE:
Read the full reveal for Sony's new Bravia TVs
And our Sony Bravia 9 hands on review
As well as our Bravia 8 hands on review