CES 2022: Sony Gets Into the MiniLED TV Game Too

The Japanese to face Samsung and LG on all fronts this year, 8K and 4K models included

Sony is bringing the performance and flexibility of MiniLED backlighting to its 4K LED/LCD TV lineup with the X95K. It will not be cheap, but it’s expected to be way, way better than the X95J and the X95H 4K flagships of previous years. (Image: Sony)

Sony’s announcement that made most of its headlines during CES 2022 was about the first QD-OLED TVs coming to market — perfectly understandable given the promise they hold — but the company had a second ace up its sleeve that picture quality enthusiasts may be even more interested in. The Japanese plan to also release their first LED/LCD TVs based on MiniLED backlighting, which would be the best choice for consumers in need of a TV set capable of offering impressively bright picture under any lighting conditions throughout the day (as opposed to OLED/QD-OLED TVs that reign supreme in dark environments). This may prove to be a huge deal for Sony, as well as for the high-end segment of the TV market as a whole.

While attending a pre-CES Sony presentation under embargo, yours truly was able to confirm what many journalists had already suspected in 2021: the Japanese did not follow Samsung and LG in releasing MiniLED-based TVs last year because of the local dimming algorithm necessary to drive those MiniLED arrays properly. Sony has been the undisputed leader in TV picture image processing — and local dimming zone control in particular — being able to both drive LED/LCD TVs to acceptable levels of…