Sony Bravia 7 Mark II: Midrange Ambitions, High Price, and Underwhelming Picture
The Sony Bravia 7 Mark II aims for the midrange segment but disappoints with lackluster color accuracy and contrast, especially in dark scenes, though motion handling and external speaker sound are decent.
Picture Quality and Contrast
In a demo reel test, the Sony Bravia 7 Mark II (2026 model) failed to impress on color quality and contrast. Mist over a white mountain lacked distinction, grass behind a fence appeared too muted, and brown buffalo in a field lacked color variation. Dark scenes in "The Creator" and "Awake" on Netflix looked dull; even the XR Contrast Booster didn't help. In "Awake," a night bike ride showed the protagonist's face but not the background or a man in a blue shirt.
However, the animated movie "Hoppers" on Disney+ demonstrated the potential of True RGB: its subdued backlighting and average contrast gave it an artistic feel. Similarly, "Project Hail Mary" on Fandango at Home recalled the matte display of an art TV.
Streaming and Sound
Streaming "Dune: Part Two" via HBO Max worked flawlessly, unlike the glitchy Hisense UR9 Mini RGB. On YouTube TV, news broadcasts looked flat and slightly washed out, but World Cup 2026 games had smooth, fluid motion with mostly vivid colors. The screensaver mode, showing static images, was too dark with poor contrast, especially for oil paintings of shipwrecks.
Connecting Klipsch the Nines II speakers made Dolby Atmos in "Unbroken" immersive—planes, explosions, and voices filled the room. However, the Bravia 7 Mark II's built-in speakers are much weaker than the Hisense UR9's, which offer better surround sound.
Gaming
Gaming performance also lacked luster. Playing the Vietnam level of "007 First Light" on PC, sunlit scenes had great contrast, but darker areas looked washed out. The 120-Hz refresh rate was fine but not as vivid, responsive, or clear as the Hisense UR9 Mini RGB.
