Sky Glass Gen 2, like its original predecessor, is what they call an 'all-in-one entertainment solution' – a 4K HDR smart TV with an integrated Dolby Atmos sound system and built-in Sky channel platform. No satellite dish or set-top box is required; you just connect Sky Glass to your home Wi-Fi, and you're ready to stream.

When Sky Glass first arrived, it was seen as something of a bold experiment. It was a UHD telly that did mostly everything but was available under contract, much like a smartphone. It wasn't perfect, but it was undeniably ambitious, and thanks to a slew of firmware updates, it steadily improved. Now comes Sky Glass Gen 2, a new upgrade that promises brighter pictures, richer sound, and a more accommodating design. So, has Sky got this one right straight out of the gate?

UP CLOSE

Being a second-generation design, Sky has had time to rework the tech behind the show and deliver a more polished experience over what came before. The Full Array Quantum Dot LED panel is new and delivers improved brightness and contrast through more generous LED deployment and more local dimming zones. I must admit I am surprised that Sky didn't go Mini-LED, if not OLED, for this sequel, but there's no doubt that this is an upgrade.

There's also a redesigned sound system and some thoughtful changes to design and usability. The original Sky Glass made quite an impact in the UK, Italy, and Australia, where it's known as Hubbl Glass. For now, Sky Glass Gen 2 is a UK launch, but this update will doubtless be rolled out to other territories soon. Sky Glass Gen 2 is available in three screen sizes (43, 55, and 65 inches); our review sample is the 55-incher.

When it comes to design, this second-gen screen looks much the same as its predecessor, maintaining the original's somewhat idiosyncratic design, albeit with some welcome refinements. The fabric speaker grille is now colour-matched to the boxy aluminium frame. My review sample came in Volcanic Grey, but you can also choose Arctic Silver or Atlantic Blue, depending on whether you want your TV to blend in or stand out.

The most apparent aesthetic improvement comes with the stand. Gone is the awkward, bulky pedestal of Gen 1, replaced by a simpler two-prong support that makes setup far more manageable. VESA wall mount compatibility is retained, so that's another option if you have the space.

Connectivity is practical, if not over-generous. There are three HDMI ports, one of which supports eARC should you wish to partner a soundbar or external sound system, plus USB-A and USB-C connectors, and Ethernet if you'd prefer to hardwire your screen to your network rather than rely on Wi-Fi. There's also an old-school aerial input for terrestrial backup (although you probably won't use it; Sky Glass is all about streaming, after all.) A microphone mute button allows you to sideline the set's built-in voice assistant, should you feel the need.

The TV comes with a familiar-looking Sky remote control, complete with a central menu navigation ring, numerical keypad, and colour-coded Home, Microphone, and '+' buttons. Unfortunately, it is not backlit.

Sky Glass Gen 2 runs the Sky OS (formerly known as Sky Entertainment OS). This continues to be updated and is fundamental to the system's appeal. Deep content integration ensures seamless navigation between linear Sky TV channels, on-demand content, and third-party streaming apps. I rather like using it. You can navigate live Sky channels, scroll through streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+, as well as catch-up services, or dip into your (personalised) Watch List. The system remembers what you last watched and serves up recommendations that are often eerily on-point.

The aforementioned '+' button lets you add shows to your Watch List. Sky Glass has no local storage, so all recordings live in the cloud. It's a clever system and apparently capable of remembering an infinite number of shows, although traditionalists may miss the straightforward simplicity of a hard drive. If you 'record' a show from a mainstream TV channel, playback simply triggers the relevant Catch-Up TV service. Sky Channel content, like movies, streams directly.

VISION ON

The most significant upgrade in Gen 2 is the screen itself: a Full Array QLED panel with more local dimming zones and higher peak brightness than before. This is immediately obvious when you fire up something explosive, like the Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz comedy romp Back in Action, on Netflix in Dolby Vision. Bright neon signs blaze convincingly, specular highlights sparkle, and the black letterbox bars stay impressively dark.

Overall, HDR performance is very good and represents a definite step up from its predecessor. I measured peak HDR brightness at 1,300 nits (on a 10% patch), which is very respectable for a QD-LED TV. Sky Glass Gen 2 is able to hold its own in bright living rooms, maintaining distinguishable colour and contrast even in a sunlit lounge. Screen uniformity is also good, with no overt clouding. If you venture into the dedicated Picture Menu, you'll find a variety of adjustments available. These include Auto Backlight Adjustment, which takes advantage of a built-in sensor to monitor ambient light and variable HDR strength.

HDR picture modes can be set to Bright or Dark for general HDR10 viewing. HDR Bright would be my recommendation for most content. HDR support covers Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG, so you're covered whether you're streaming, watching terrestrial broadcasts, or spinning UHD Blu-rays (assuming you plug in an external player).

Picture presets comprise Auto, Entertainment, Sport, Movie, Music, Custom,  Vivid, and Extra-Vivid. The latter certainly lives up to its name, with oversaturated reds, glowing skin tones, and the kind of visual punch that only animation really suits. The Extra-Vivid really does offer too much of a good thing. For viewing, Vivid is the sweet spot. It's colourful without looking radioactive. For movie lovers, Movie mode dials things back nicely. That said, this is a screen that always leans toward punchy, crowd-pleasing colours rather than reference-level accuracy.

Sky has also tweaked the sound system for Gen 2, upping the speaker count from six to seven and adding dual subwoofers and up-firing height drivers (above) for Dolby Atmos content. Sky describes this speaker configuration as 3.1.2. The lineup breaks down into three forward-firing drivers, two woofers, and a pair of up-firing height drivers. The total amplification is rated at 250W. The upshot is a system that sounds big, certainly more powerful than your average mid-range TV.

Yet, for all this sonic firepower, Sky Glass Gen 2 can sound a little lightweight. It helps if Bass Boost mode is enabled, although nothing much happens below 50Hz, whether you engage it or not. Bass Boost doesn't grant you any greater depth, but it does fatten up the mid-bass. Dialogue is clear – especially with Speech Enhancement active – and volume headroom is generous.

The sound system does a cracking job of placing objects around, rather than in, the screen area. Mad Max: Fury Road, on Sky Cinema, perfectly demonstrates the system's strengths and weaknesses. The opening sequence is a brilliant example of multichannel sound mixing, and it's a challenge for any one-piece audio system. On this Gen 2 set, the opening narration and surrounding sound bites contribute to a wide, expansive soundstage. Sound effects are bold and well separated, appearing both wide and high, but the movie's low-frequency effects feel more suggested than fully realised. Picture clarity and motion handling are good. When Tom Hardy snacks on a two-headed lizard, before the chase begins in Fury Road, fine picture detail is high, and colour gamut wide.

If you're a gamer, Sky Glass Gen 2 is not your TV. This is a 60Hz panel, so there's no opportunity for high frame-rate gaming from a next-gen console, and latency is poor. I measured the input lag at 65.1ms, which is sluggish by any standard. Sky's apparent logic – that it doesn't offer high-frame-rate content, so why bother – ignores the fact that many Sky customers also own PS5s and Xbox Series X consoles. If gaming is your priority, you can do better elsewhere.

Sky Glass Gen 2 is available now, with flexible payment plans: the 43-inch can be had from £14 per month; the 55-inch is available from £19 per month, and the 65-inch model from £24 per month. Prices for Italy and Australia are TBA. That's for the hardware. You still need to pay for your chosen Sky TV package. It's a tempting model if you want to spread the cost of screen and subscription.

THE VERDICT

If you're after a one-box Smart TV solution, Sky Glass Gen 2 is a clever, polished package that makes streaming Sky (and other streamers) effortless. It definitely improves on the original Sky Glass. Its pictures are bright and bold, its sound is significant, and its interface is easy to live with. Overall, it's great for families and general entertainment lovers who want Sky without the hassle. But you'll soon spot the compromises if you're a gamer, cinephile, or audiophile. For everyone else? Sky Glass Gen 2 is a very good TV, wrapped in an even better user experience.

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