Unlike conventional LED-backlit displays that rely on a white LED backlight with colour filters—or even premium models that enhance colours using quantum dot layers—Sony’s new system allows each RGB element to emit light independently. Theoretically, this should improve colour purity, precision, and a significantly wider colour gamut.

The company claims this approach will allow for high colour accuracy, with over 99% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space and approximately 90% of the wider ITU-R BT.2020 standard. Additionally, Sony’s proprietary backlight control technology has been developed to enhance contrast, dynamic range, and subtle gradation of colours across the entire screen, even on large displays.

One of the most eye-catching claims is the system’s peak brightness of over 4000 nits—matching levels found in Sony’s professional mastering monitors. If accurate, this could set a new benchmark for consumer displays, particularly in HDR performance. However, real-world viewing will determine whether it translates to an improved experience without drawbacks like blooming or uneven backlight performance.

Sony has also introduced high-bit-rate signal processing, with the system reportedly operating at 96-bit precision. This is designed to minimise colour banding, enhance detail in dark areas, and improve off-angle viewing by reducing colour and brightness shifts—common issues with LED-based displays. Interestingly, rather than simply boosting peak brightness in high-contrast areas like conventional HDR implementations, Sony claims its backlight dynamically allocates power to each RGB channel based on the specific scene. This should, in theory, allow mid-tone scenes—such as a deep blue sky or richly coloured autumn foliage—to maintain brightness and saturation more effectively than some OLED panels, which can sometimes struggle in this area.

This new display system builds on Sony’s long history of innovation, from its first full-array RGB LED TV in 2004 to the professional-grade mastering monitors used in Hollywood for colour grading. With mass production set to begin later this year, Sony is positioning this technology for both consumer televisions and professional displays, suggesting a significant leap in performance for a range of applications.

Sony has partnered with MediaTek for processing, ROHM for LED drive ICs, and Sanan Optoelectronics for LED production, indicating a serious investment in the technology. However, while the company’s claims are impressive on paper, the real test will come when we see this system in action. Factors such as blooming control, motion handling, and overall image uniformity will determine whether this is a true game-changer rather than an incremental improvement over existing technology.

It’s an exciting development for now, but as always, we’ll reserve judgment until we get hands-on time with the final product.

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