I saw the first RGB TV that you'll be able to buy at a remotely realistic size, and it's a real OLED rival

Hisense's RGB mini-LED TVs caused a stir when they were unveiled earlier this year, and while the 116-inch model they introduced isn't the most accessible size, the company said it intended to bring the panel tech to smaller-sized models in the future. Well, at IFA 2025, it's done just that.

RGB mini-LED TVs deliver richer, deeper colors than normal mini-LED ones by using red, green and blue LEDs (hence RGB) instead of standard blue LEDs in the backlight.

I've already tested the 116-inch model, the Hisense 116UX, and was blown away by its dazzling colors, consistently strong brightness, razor-sharp textures and upscaling. While backlight control seemed to be an issue, black levels and contrast were still impressive. However, at $29,999 / £29,999, it's not the most affordable tech.

Hisense recently revealed it is bringing RGB mini-LED to a 100-inch model as well, but despite a growing 98-inch-plus TV market, that's not the most accessible size, and a $19,999 price tag is still a tough pill to swallow.

At IFA, an 85-inch RGB mini-LED TV was on display in the Hisense area. And the best news? It's not just a concept, but is planned for a launch next year. While no pricing has been confirmed, the $10,000 difference between the 116 and 100-inch models suggests a promising downward price trend.

Still bright, still bold

The worry when adapting a tech to a smaller size is that picture quality sacrifices have to be made. With RGB mini-LED, a tech that some say will beat the best OLED TVs in years to come, the concern is that its big brightness and bold colors will take a hit to accommodate a smaller screen size.

Seeing the 85-inch RGB TV in action, my concerns were laid to rest. It delivered the same staggering colors as its larger sibling, with a close-up shot of a ring with a blue gemstone looking rich, vibrant and detailed. A shot of a red flower also looked vivid with plenty of color depth.

The 85-inch model also demonstrated seriously deep black levels that rival those of an OLED. Although I found the 116-inch model struggled with screen uniformity, with some clouding visible in darker movies such as The Batman, it still showcased rich blacks, and the 85-inch model did the same. It also exhibited great backlight control with almost no blooming: a shot of a pink tree against a star-filled sky was an excellent demonstration of this.

RGB TV: the future of TV?

RGB TVs are a growing trend in the TV world. LG introduced its Primary Tandem RGB OLED panel in the LG G5, and that same panel is also used in the Panasonic Z95B, two of the best TVs of the year in 2025.

Hisense isn't the only brand with RGB mini-LED on its mind, as we saw Sony's own RGB TV in action and were impressed with its accuracy and backlight control. Samsung has also introduced a $30,000 115-inch micro-RGB TV to the market, and from what we saw, it will take RGB to the next level.

While the tech isn't very affordable (in mini-LED and micro-LED formats at least), it's already on the path to becoming more accessible, and the Hisense 85-inch is the first step in that direction. And with Hisense's RGB mini-LED TVs set to be the first to support Dolby Vision 2, RGB mini-LED just became that much more of a contender.

You might also like

• I saw Samsung's new portable smart TV, and I think it beats LG's equivalent with its smart design
• The best 85-inch TVs - will the Hisense RGB join the list in the future?
• The best mini-LED TVs