Sony BRAVIA 3 II LED 55 inches (2026)

The Bravia 3 II looks very similar to the Bravia 2 II and is just as surprising an LED TV. For instance, the LED screen is brighter than I had expected beforehand, and thanks to the anti-reflective coating, I am hardly bothered by ambient light. Additionally, the TV has a 100Hz refresh rate, allowing me to watch smooth motion and action. Unfortunately, the TV lacks local dimming, and dark scenes are less realistic.

Surprisingly bright LED screen The Bravia 3 II features a standard LED LCD screen, without local dimming. Behind this 4K screen are LED lights that illuminate the pixels in the image, without dimming zones. With most TVs, this means the screen is not bright enough for a brightly lit room, and you miss details in dark scenes, especially during the day. The Bravia 3 II largely breaks this trend. You notice that dark scenes are less vivid and black often appears somewhat grayish, but at the same time, the television is surprisingly bright. This allows me to watch a movie or series without any problems, regardless of how much light is shining in the room. Hardly any reflections This TV performs well not only in a well-lit room due to its high brightness. The Bravia 3 II also features an anti-reflective coating over the screen, which blocks a lot of ambient light. Because of this, I recommend the TV if you enjoy watching TV programs during the day or if you like watching a sports match with a group of friends. You won't see any distracting light sources on the screen, whether you are sitting directly in front of the TV or looking at the screen from an angle.

Smooth 100Hz images Unlike the Bravia 2 II, the Bravia 3 II has a 100Hz refresh rate. The Bravia 3 II therefore takes things a step further, although I already found the Bravia 2 II to perform well in this area. As a result, I don't miss a single detail in busy movie scenes and I can see exactly who wins the photo finish in an exciting race. The TV has 2 HDMI 2.1 and 2 HDMI 2.0 connections, making the television suitable for various types of content. For example, I use the 2 HDMI 2.1 connections for my soundbar and game console, and I still have 2 connections left for other peripherals. As far as I'm concerned, this is exactly enough in 2026. Not all devices need an HDMI 2.1 connection.

Nice television; when I played a game on my PS5, it was very noticeable how razor-sharp this TV is.

43 inches is very small for some people, but for me, this size is perfect. For me, big isn't necessarily better.

Easy to configure; you go through a step-by-step process where you, as a user, configure the most important settings, including all the apps you need (Netflix, Disney+, etc.).

When my daughter started watching Bluey via Disney+, I did notice that the sound from the built-in speakers of this television is very flat; they sound almost monotonous. High tones don't sound full, but very hollow and shrill. Low tones are even worse and lack volume.

We then decided to buy a soundbar, which significantly improved the sound experience.

Unfortunately, my Sony Bravia KD‑43X8309C gave up the ghost, so it was time for a new one. In its place, I now have the 55-inch Sony Bravia 3 II. You get used to a larger TV quickly, and it ensures you get even more immersed in movies and series. However, to be honest, the replacement was a bit of a disappointment. It seems as if the technology in this model has actually gone backwards in terms of picture quality. The picture, colors, and default settings feel strange. The default contrast is set way too high, and it takes quite a bit of fiddling to get a better picture. Additionally, there seems to be a constant light haze hanging over the screen, making the whole thing look less appealing. Moreover, the TV continuously fluctuates in brightness, which is quite distracting.

On the other hand, the design of this TV is very beautiful and sleek. The two different ways you can position the stand are ideal, as they allow you to easily adjust the TV to the spot where it needs to be placed. The 5 Sony Pictures Core movie credits and 12 months of unlimited streaming are a nice little extra, but for me, they don't add much value since I already have Disney+, Netflix, and so on at my disposal.

This TV is perfectly usable everywhere, but for me, it is still a disappointment. It seems that the quality on this model has declined compared to my old TV from 2015.