Sony's first TVs with RGB LED backlighting will arrive this spring under the 'True RGB' name, but we are still waiting for confirmation of the model name and full details.
As reported by FlatpanelsHD months ago, Sony trademarked 'True RGB' in late 2025.
We now have confirmation, as Sony has officially announced the name in a press release, stating that 'True RGB' builds on more than 20 years of development starting with the RGB light source used in Qualia 005 model from 2004 and the Backlight Master Drive technology introduced in 2016.
To be 100% clear: These are not RGB LED TVs – like true micro LED TVs – but conventional LCD TVs with an advanced RGB LED backlight based on individually controlled red, green and blue LEDs.
What is Sony's True RGB?
FlatpanelsHD was the first to see Sony's new technology in late 2024, and we published our in-depth first look at True RGB in March 2025.
Last year's 75-inch Sony prototype is now much closer to reality, but in the meantime Hisense, LG, Philips, Samsung and TCL have already introduced RGB LED technology for LCD TVs under marketing names such as 'RGB miniLED' or 'micro RGB'.
The technology can expand the color gamut closer to full BT.2020 and in Sony's case deliver up to 4000 nits peak brightness.
Also read: 2026 OLED TV panel hits 4500 nits with fewer reflections, says LG Display
Left: Sony Bravia 9 (miniLED). Right: Sony 2026 flagship (RGB LED)Sony and MediaTek
What else has happened in the meantime? As you might recall last year, FlatpanelsHD detailed Sony's 75-inch 'True RGB' prototype as having 3840 dimming zones (and 3x RGB zones; 11520). Curiously, these are the exact same numbers as Philips' first RGB LED LCD TV, MLED981.
Why? We suspect that MediaTek, which already supplies the system chips used by Philips, Sony, and others, has been doing much of the heavy lifting in RGB LED development. This could explain why multiple major TV brands are launching similar technologies around the same time.
Also read: Sony sets its sights on 4000 nits as HDR's next frontier
Sony has already confirmed MediaTek's involvement in its still-unnamed 2026 flagship TV with 'True RGB', but says that the RGB driver and algorithms are developed in-house. Will that be enough to set Sony apart? We will find out this spring.
So far, Sony has only announced entry-level and mid-range 2026 models, with one of the upgrades being the MediaTek Pentonic 800 chip featuring four HDMI 2.1 ports. This chip is also the first to support Dolby Vision 2, but it remains to be seen whether Sony will adopt Dolby's latest video technology this year.
Also read: Sony finalizes $650m TV/AV spin-off deal with TCL
