BBC iPlayer could be locked behind a paywall in the future, as the Beeb looks to restrict its content from those who refuse to pay for a TV Licence.

Its chief consumer officer has revealed that locking out licence dodgers from its "free" streaming service is one of the options that is being considered.

It comes as the corporation finds itself at a crossroads. It recently revealed that while 94% of UK households watch programming covered by the paid TV Licence, only 80% pay for one. And that disparity is resulting in the loss of jobs and budgetary constraints for future productions.

Some ideas have been touted around, including from the UK government's secretary of state for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy. She revealed that streaming services that are currently exempt from TV Licence requirements, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, could be added.

Currently, viewers need a licence to watch platforms that show live TV (including, confusingly, live broadcasts on Netflix and Prime Video), while the only streaming service that is covered fully by the TV Licence is BBC iPlayer.

Now it seems that could be about to undergo change, too.

Could BBC iPlayer go behind a paywall?

As reported by Deadline, the BBC executive, Kerris Bright, told staff during a call on Monday that there is a future "opportunity" to lock down iPlayer to licence payers only.

However, Bright also admitted that it didn't make sense in the short term: "iPlayer is the only service really that’s licensable where you could actually decide to put a gate in front of it. But, the data today says that actually [there’s] not really the return on investment for doing that," she said in the leaked call.

"The vast majority of people that are watching iPlayer are people that are paying their TV Licence... that would make it a very difficult experience for people that are paying for the licence."

Times are a-changing though, with new streaming services coming to the UK regularly, while Sky's acquisition of ITV (pending regulatory approval) will present the corporation with new challenges.

It could create a market where it is much more financially viable to put a paywall in front of iPlayer, for the BBC to compete. That's Bright's thinking, anyway: "It is something we should absolutely keep looking at because it might be something that you actually would want to do in the future," she added.

LG just dropped some fascinating news to tie in with the streaming arrival of Masters of the Universe – it's adding an all-new picture mode to its latest top-end TVs. That mode is called Creator Original Picture Mode, and it's a little bit like Filmmaker Mode on steroids.

Tied in with Amazon Prime Video, where the movie is going to be added on 22 July, Creator Original Picture Mode is like a bespoke, movie-by-movie version of Filmmaker Mode. It lets your TV adjust itself to the exact settings chosen by the creators of the movie you're watching, instead of applying a uniform settings list.

LG says that the parameters on offer to creators and studios include "shadow detail, colour balance, noise reduction and motion handling", all of which can have a pretty big impact on how a film looks on your hardware.

This means that, in the case of Masters of the Universe, you should get the right contrast levels between some of its more glitzy effects and darker parts of the frame, for instance.

As an amusing extra cherry on top, LG is also making the movie available through a fun wake phrase. Those with a compatible TV will be able to use their remote's voice function to say "I have the power", which will bring it up for them to start watching.

Which TVs will actually get Creator Original Picture Mode? Well, it's only going to be the high-end ones. That means the 2026 OLED flagships – the paper-thin W6, the beautiful G6 and the more mass-appeal C6. Those last two are five-star models in our eyes, so this feature could make them even better.

LG says the setting will roll out by the end of July, and it'll be genuinely fascinating to see whether it gets much uptake. There's a lot to be said in favour of being able to get your TV tuned to a director's vision the moment you load up a movie, but it does depend on those creators actually investing the time in tinkering.

Interestingly, for now the LG press information on the setting also calls it "Creator Original Picture Mode for Prime Video" in its footnotes, which suggests the feature might not work across more streaming services or physical media when it does arrive, which would also limit its potential a lot.

As we recently reported, the UK government is considering changes to the UK TV Licence to make it more relevant to today's services, with the potential of even lowering the fee for British households.

These proposals include adding streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ to the licence, meaning you'll need one to stream content – even if you're only using your mobile phone.

But what does the TV Licence cover now, when is it mandatory, and how much does it cost?

We answer these questions and more in this handy guide to the UK TV Licence as it stands, with one eye on how it could change in the future.

Why do I need a TV Licence?

Rather uniquely, the UK's main broadcaster – the BBC – is a public funded organisation rather than commercial. That means it doesn't carry adverts, but is paid for through a form of taxation – ie. the TV Licence.

Each household that watches live TV in the UK is required to pay a fee (monthly or yearly) and the government then dispenses that money to the Beeb to spend on its programming and operations.

Where it can become confusing for some is that while the BBC is the beneficiary of the TV Licence fee, it is mandatory to pay it even if you only watch other channels.

Indeed, all live TV is covered by the TV Licence, including the vast array of TV channels in the electronic programme guide – whether free or paid-for via the likes of Sky or Virgin Media. The same is true when watching live TV content on YouTube or Prime Video in the UK.

The licence is also required if you watch and stream content on BBC iPlayer, even if it's not live (ie. on demand).

What aren't currently covered by the TV Licence are sole streaming services when not viewing live TV content. For example, you can watch Stranger Things or Squid Game on Netflix without needing a TV Licence, but if you watch a live show such as WWE Raw or Smackdown, you will.

So, do I need a TV Licence to watch Netflix and Amazon Prime Video?

As mentioned above, you don't generally need a TV Licence to watch content streamed via the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV. Not even YouTube.

But, that depends on what you watch. If you watch any live shows broadcast on the streaming platforms, you do need one. And considering each of them is moving more and more into live TV, they are entering a grey area.

This is where the UK government's new proposals come in. It is already proving hard to encourage all households to purchase a licence, with only a reported 80% in the UK said to be paying already.

That's a lot lower than the amount of households thought to be watching the BBC or other eligible television programming – that's reportedly 94%.

The shortfall is an issue for the BBC, which is growing having to cut budgets and jobs as its funding shrinks. Which is why both the BBC board of governors and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are considering different plans to alter the licence to suit changing trends.

This could lead to streaming services being covered by the TV Licence completely, regardless of whether you are watching live TV or on demand content. In that scenario, you will require a TV Licence no matter what, where or on what device you watch.

We're keeping a close eye on any further developments, and will update in due course.

How much does a TV Licence cost in the UK?

A UK TV Licence currently costs £180 per year which covers an entire household. That includes student or shared accommodation if you watch TV in a single shared area. Businesses also need at least one TV Licence to show live TV content in the office or in hotel rooms.

If you only have a black and white TV, you only have to pay £60.50 per year.

Note, if you are found to be recording or watching live TV without a TV Licence, you can be fined up to £1,000.

And finally, what has the BBC ever done for me?

As part of its drive to get more UK households paying for a TV Licence, the BBC has made its own commercial titled: "What has the BBC ever done for me?"

Starring comedian and presenter Romesh Ranganathan, it looks at the most popular programming and initiatives that are synonymous with the corporation, to remind viewers exactly how much it might mean to their daily lives.

It's well worth a watch.

Virgin Media regularly rewards its customers with new content and channels, and the latest free additions are available from today.

All Virgin TV 360 and Stream customers will find four new channels have arrived on their electronic programme guides, with a sum total of 96 hours worth of TV shows a day to watch at no extra cost.

That's because each of the new channels will be broadcast 24 hours a day, and as they are FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) stations, you don't have to do anything else to get them. You just need your device connected to the internet.

That's why they are exclusive to the Virgin TV 360 box and Virgin Media's own streaming puck, the Stream.

The channels that have been added (and their respective EPG slots) are:

• Robot Wars (235)
• Demand Drama (236)
• River Monsters (239)
• The Hotel Inspector (253)

How useful they'll be to you depends entirely on how much you enjoy the subjects, of course. Personally, I can't enough of Robot Wars (having been vaguely involved in its conception back in the 90s).

It may have broadcast its last episode in 2018, but you can watch decades of classic battles and seasons on the new channel.

I'm also a sucker for The Hotel Inspector, although I'm not quite sure I can stomach 24 hours a day of finding people's pubic hairs in bed and breakfasts. Maybe it's one to drop in on at time to time.

These new stations join a growing list of other FAST channels, with 40 of them already available on the platform. There will be more to be added later this year and beyond, the provider tells T3, so we'll keep you up to date in any further developments.

Luxury AV brand Loewe has returned to its roots for its new TV launch, with the Antares OLED set having bespoke customisation befitting of its premium price point.

Each OLED panel, for example, is individually calibrated before it leaves the Loewe factory, while personalisation is possible through optional aluminium overlays and interchangeable design elements.

You can also choose to add a matching Antares soundbar, plus a floor2ceiling or rotating floor stand. Alternatively, it can be wall-mounted with one of the available solutions on offer.

The TV comes in several sizes – 42, 48, 55, and 65-inches – with each offering a 4K resolution with a refresh rate of 144Hz for gaming. Dolby Vision IQ is supported for HDR pictures, as well as Dolby Atmos for sound.

The smart functionality is provided by the Vidaa OS platform, which includes all the streaming apps you're used to – Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV included. While other streaming options are available too, such as Apple AirPlay and Alexa support.

The optional Antares soundbar adds an 80-watts audio experience, and Loewe's dual channel platform is on board to enable USB video recording through multiple TV tuners. There's timeshift functionality on the set itself, too.

"With Antares, we are introducing the most individual Smart TV Loewe has ever created," said company CEO, Aslan Khabliev.

"For decades, Loewe is synonymous with design, innovation and individuality. Loewe Antares takes that philosophy further than ever before, combining exceptional picture quality, intelligent technology and unprecedented freedom of choice in one beautifully crafted product."

The Loewe Antares OLED TV is available now priced from €2,500 / £2,500. This goes up to €4,000 / £4,000 for the 65-inch model.

Some might bemoan the UK's summer heatwave but it presented a great opportunity to test some AV kit for me. After England dispatched Mexico in the FIFA World Cup last 16 I was determined to watch the quarter final in my garden, and without spending too much in the process.

The conditions were perfect for a projector – the match against Norway was to kick off at 10pm BST, so it would be dark outside, but the heatwave meant that the temperature would remain over 20-degrees Celsius. Cue cider, ice cream and quality football.

Sticking to a budget of around £200 meant I was limited to a 1080p projector, but that would be amble for the kind of scenario. I opted for the recently-launched Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector (EAZZE D1R).

Usually priced at £199.99 on Amazon, you can actually get it with a massive discount right now. Tick the voucher code box on the listing and it's just £129.99 – a bargain as it turned out for me.

The Aurzen projector not only runs the full Roku streaming experience, which works smoothly over its dual-band Wi-Fi connection, it has auto focus and keystone functionality, so was a doddle to set up.

There's currently a World Cup football zone on the Roku front end too, so it was easy to find my match and launch the live stream (on ITVX, in this case).

Now the projection screen

The projector is capable of providing an image up to 150-inches diagonally, but I didn't want to go quite that large as I might also use the screen later indoors. So, with budget considerations in mind, I opted for a non-branded 100-inch portable screen and stand from Amazon.

I paid around £60 for it personally, although it has since gone up in price a touch. I'd keep an eye out for price drops though, as they happen regularly on these kinds of products.

I chose this particular screen as it comes with a carry bag, is easily storable, and also includes guide ropes, ground pegs and bags to fill with water to stabilise the feet. This proved a godsend as it was windy in the garden that night and I wouldn't hold out much hope of keeping the screen from sailing off over the neighbours' houses otherwise.

So if you are looking for an equivalent screen, do keep that in mind.

The set up

Setting up the screen in the garden was extremely simple – construct the poles, slide on the crease-free screen, fill the water bags, and peg it down using the guide ropes.

The screen I chose could be used with front or rear projection, as can the Aurzen, but I wanted to keep the projector to the front as I was using the built-in speakers for sound and as they are side firing, they were perfect for sitting just behind.

It's also worth noting that the size of the image projected depends on the distance of the projector itself, so you need plenty of room away from the screen to place it for a crisp 100-inch picture.

There is a zoom functionality, as well as manual keystone correction (both of which proved handy to get the picture just right), but you'll find yourself moving the projector back and forth during setup a fair bit.

One issue I had on that particular evening is that, with just 280 lumens brightness, the Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector isn't that great in sunlight. In fact, I could barely see an image at all when the sun was shining. So I had to wait until sunset to set it up.

That only gave me about 15 minutes before kick off to get things just right, but when it clicked, it clicked.

The upsides and downsides

With the light completely gone, the projector and screen combo came into its own – with one minor change (which I'll come to in a bit).

While only 1080p with no HDR, the pictures provided were visually spectacular – deep and rich in colour, and popping in the fresh English countryside ambience. The white of the England shirts was stark and clean, while the reds of Norway's kit and green of the grass was vibrant yet without being overly saturated.

It certainly made for an excellent viewing experience (even though Norway scored first and gave us a bit of a scare).

The sound too worked well, even from the on-board speakers. Their placement was great for my family and I to hear the commentary and action clearly, yet didn't carry too far to bother our neighbours.

You can also link the projector to a separate Bluetooth sound system if you want beefier or surround sound, but it was perfect for us for the scenario.

The only real issue we had (bar the inability to see anything in daylight outdoors) was that running the match through ITVX added around a minute of latency. This is unlikely the projector or Roku system at fault, but the streaming service itself. And as we discovered, when you're watching a live, important match, you may hear spoilers emanating from other garden viewing parties.

Indeed, the Norway goal was greeted with loud groans in our area long before we got to see it.

It sent me rushing back into the house to grab my Sky Stream puck and controller, which I then connected via the HDMI port. Sky currently offers low latency streams of live World Cup matches when shown on either the BBC or ITV, on dedicated channels.

It fixed the issue for us, but that might not be an option for everyone, so is something to keep in mind.

Was it worth it?

And so, all told considering the entire set up (excluding bunting, LED lights and flowers, which my wife arranged to make things look more fun) cost less than £200, the evening's viewing experience elevated the World Cup for my family and I.

It helped that England won, of course, but it turned the watching experience into a more festival-like affair. Or maybe it was the cider.

Either way, this setup will be coming out more often in the future – Glastonbury viewings next year, for example. And I plan to host some nighttime garden movie screenings if the weather continues to hold out.

Considering all the apps – Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, etc – are available on the Roku TV Smart Projector, there's certainly plenty of films to choose from.

The only sad part is that the rest of the World Cup – including England's semi-final against Argentina – are being screened in the UK's daylight hours, so my quarters experience will be impossible to replicate. Still, there's always the Euros in a couple of years time. C'mon England!

How to watch the World Cup from anywhere

And finally, just in case you'll be nowhere near your garden for the remaining World Cup matches, you could consider a VPN to stream the action live when on your travels.

When it comes to streaming dongles, there are plenty of Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices that come in a convenient, compact stick form but few that run Google TV.

That's where Xiaomi comes in, as it's just released its latest streaming device in the UK and several other regions around the world. The Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) is an entry-level streamer that provides the full Google TV experience, but with Fire TV Stick-like design and price.

Essentially replacing the Mi TV Stick, which ran on Android, this second generation device is HD only. That means it's locked to a maximum of 1080p 60Hz streaming and 5.1 surround with Dolby Audio, DTS:X and DTS HD support. There's no 4K or Dolby Atmos, although you do get HDR 10+.

It should provide a super smooth user experience thanks to running on a quad-core Cortex-A55 processor and 1GB of RAM. There's 8GB of storage on board too, so you can download plenty of apps.

Xiaomi TV Stick HD connectivity specs

Dual-band Wi-Fi is supported for a more stable connection, as well as Bluetooth 5.0. You can link your phone to it, for example, as Google TV supports casting.

The only other connections are the built-in HDMI which plugs straight into the back of your TV, and a Micro USB port for power. You also get a HDMI extension cable that enables connection even if the fit at the back of your TV is too tight for the entire dongle.

The included remote has a button to activate Google Assistant voice control, plus dedicated one-touch buttons for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. There's a custom button you can assign yourself, too.

As it comes with Google TV installed, all the streaming apps should be supported, as well as hundreds of extra services and games through the Play Store.

Priced at £39.99 from Xiaomi's own website, the Xiaomi TV Stick HD (2nd Gen) is available now. However, if you would rather have 4K video and Dolby Atmos support, there's also a Xiaomi TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen) version available on Amazon right now.

That's priced at £51 at present, with a discount.

UK TV is changing. Sky's acquisition of ITV may have made several guarantees over the future of ITV shows and channels, but the long-term impact will be profound. For starters, we'll be getting a new "integrated" streaming service that will likely be ITVX and Now combined into one.

But perhaps the biggest impact on our daily TV viewing will be from rivals who won't want to be left behind. After all, Sky / ITV would become a major, if not the biggest, force in paid and free TV if the buyout is approved.

That's perhaps why the BBC is on the lookout for partners in its own ambitions. And it seems Channel 4 could be first to jump on board.

So what are the plans being proposed by the new BBC director general, Matt Brittin, and how will that affect your TV viewing in the future? Here's what we know so far.

Is the BBC merging with Channel 4?

A combined Sky and ITV will become the largest commercial broadcaster the UK has ever seen next year, if the deal is approved by regulators. Sky has said that this will not impact on ITV's public service broadcasting commitments, so its channels and programmes should remain on Freeview for everyone to enjoy.

There are a number of other things that could change, such as ITV's sports coverage, but the biggest announcement so far is the creation of a new streaming service to take on the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.

That has seemingly put the Beeb's nose out of joint the most. Its BBC iPlayer service is the biggest free streaming platform in the UK, and it has endeavoured to create its own super-streaming service for years.

Project Kangaroo was killed by the Competition Commission before it could get off the ground. That would have seen the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 collaborate on a new service to tackle Netflix, but it wasn't to be.

Then Britbox, which did have its day in the sun, ended up being incorporated into ITVX before dissipating into a fine mist.

And now, with ITV becoming part of the Comcast / Sky machine, ambitions to create a single streaming service with all major free-to-air broadcasters seem to be over. But that hasn't deterred the BBC completely.

Brittin has proposed bringing Channel 4 content into iPlayer, emboldening the existing service in the face of increased competition coming from Sky and ITV next year. Channel 4 will keep its own voice and business model – ie. advertising – but viewers could watch BBC and Channel 4 shows without having to switch apps.

"We have had an approach and a discussion with Channel 4," said the director general (via Cordbusters). It's therefore something both parties want to progress with.

What it's not is a merger. This will be a partnership between two separate broadcasters for their streaming activities only. It is unlikely to affect the channel line up on Freeview or Freely. Or their respective TV productions.

And what about 5, will that join the new BBC venture?

Here's where the picture gets a little muddier. The UK's other main broadcaster, 5, is owned by Paramount, which operates its own paid streaming platform, Paramount+.

It is unlikely therefore to become part of the BBC / Channel 4 or Sky / ITV services. If anything, we might see Paramount take on the other platforms by integrating 5 into Paramount+ or whatever service emerges after the company's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

That is already expected to see HBO Max and Paramount+ combine, so maybe that will also include a free advertising-funded option in the 5 service.

Whatever happens, the coming year will be seismic for the future of streaming in the UK, but is unlikely to impact the current TV channels much.

Will Freely still operate in the same way?

One other question people ask me is how all of this will impact the free TV streaming platform Freely. It essentially offers a Freeview-like experience, with live TV channels and access to the broadcaster's apps, but delivers all programming over the internet rather than an arial, cable or satellite dish.

Well, it's hard to say for absolutely sure, but Freely has agreements with the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5, as well the U network, and they'll likely continue no matter the owner.

But, if each of the brand's streaming service changes, Freely would have to point instead to the new apps for catch-up content and features.

We'll undoubtedly find out more in the coming months.

In a World Cup year, there's been a big focus on bigger panels and emerging TV technologies – with RGB Mini-LED the incoming talent. But the established technologies, from OLED to Mini-LED, have also been bolstered further this year.

So whether you're buying a top-tier set to tune into the best streaming services, plug in a player for ultimate 4K Blu-ray experiences, or want best-of-best for a gaming panel, there are lots of top-notch TV options.

This year's T3 Awards 2026 not only celebrates the year's best TVs, but also expands across our brand's core areas of coverage – from Tech to Active and Home – and the quality over the past 12 months has been incredible. In addition to this Best TVs section, do also check out the Best Tech and Best Headphones & Audio winners.

Picking out the best TVs to award for this year was a considerable task. That's why we've broken down this category into relevant sections, highlighting specific purchase needs, from the best OLED model to the best gaming TV. Check out all the winners below.

Best Gaming TV

Samsung S99H / S95H

For the pivotal gaming experience, you'll have a number of requirements. High brightness for top HDR (high dynamic range), 4K output with speedy refresh rates (upward of 120Hz – meaning that HDMI 2.1port types are a must).

Well, Samsung's S99H goes above and beyond. Not only is this QD-OLED panel super-bright, but it's also equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports on the rear.

Beyond this, however, you can connect a separate Wireless One Connect box and tot up a total of eight HDMI ports (the latency of the additions aren't for gaming link-ups, but ideal for your other A/V kit – no unplugging to make accommodations).

The S99H model pictured has a fancy 'FloatLayer' border design, too, but if that's not to your tastes, then in the UK the S95HF model ditches that and will likely be most gamers' choice.

Highly commended: LG OLED G6

Best OLED TV

LG OLED G6

Traditional OLED – that's organic light-emitting diode – technology has the benefit of self-emissive pixels, which create perfect contrast visuals. That means no light bleed, but it's also meant that other, brighter technologies have come to challenge it.

Well, 'challenge accepted' seems to be the message from LG. The Korean brand's latest panel proves that there's still a long life in OLED yet. Its Primary RGB Tandem multi-layer panel (the same fundamental one as in the previous OLED G5) and new processor combine for an even greater brightness uptick.

But it's not just sheer eye-searing levels that award this TV its accolades. The picture quality is magic – colourful yet faithful and an ideal match for cinematic content – and, when asked, this TV can flex its OLED muscles to deliver vivid gaming experiences too. It's very versatile – and frankly could have won many of these T3 Awards gongs.

Highly commended: Philips OLED 910

Best Streaming Service

Apple TV

The very reason to own a great TV comes down to the quality of what you can watch on it. This year has introduced more content from the best streaming services than ever before – including some absolutely superb shows.

Once again, Apple TV has shown itself to be the most consistent of them all in our book. The strength of Apple Originals shows and movies has been second to none – across a wide range of genres.

There's more to come, too, whether you're into drama, sci-fi, comedy, thrillers – Apple has got the lot. They'll all look even better via an Apple TV 4K box, too, if you want to back up your streaming service with some worthy hardware.

Highly commended: Disney+

Best TV

Sony Bravia 8 II

Now, while the LG and Samsung above are sensational OLED and QD-OLED panels in their own right, there's something untouchable about Sony's entry in this category – and why the second-gen Bravia 8 is our unequivocal winner.

No, it doesn't have four HDMI 2.1 ports (only two). No, it's not even technically the top model in Sony's line-up (that goes to the Bravia 9 II True RGB set). So why's it our winner? There's just something about the image quality straight out of the box that'll take your breath away.

Add better-than-average sound, a great design, and those visuals which bring out the best for both gaming and home-cinema uses alike, and it's a stormer of a set. It's a premium TV with a premium price, though, but it's a premium that's worth paying.

Highly commended: LG OLED G6

Best Mid-Range TV

TCL C7K

Another TV trend for 2026 is that top technologies are trickling down to more affordable price points. Indeed, the best "mid-range" winner this year feels anything but – often delivering flagship-grade results.

TCL has long been at the top of its game when it comes to the craft of Mini-LED panels, which is where the C7K (soon to be replaced by the C7L) brings great performance at a great price.

It delivers super-bright images, with a better-than-average sound system, yet will cost a huge amount less than its mainstream rivals – with minimal compromise. What's not to like? It's an obvious 5-star winner in this category.

Highly commended: Sky Glass Air

Best soundbar

Marshall Heston 120

Best TV acquired, but the sound's not up to delivering that true cinematic experience? While you may consider a full surround system, many people just want a single 'bar solution to cater for the task – and this year's winner does that with style.

Marshall's speakers have always stood out for visual flair reasons, which the company's first soundbar brings to the TV market. But it's not design for the sake of it, this is a practical setup that's complete with physical control knobs to give it unique appeal.

Not only this, it sounds absolutely banging straight out of the box, whether you're enhancing the best movies or blaring out your favourite music. It's got Dolby Atmos duties well and truly ticked, and its volume goes up to 11.

Unlike last year's Sonos winner, the Marshall has a 4K/120Hz HDMI passthrough, too, so you needn't compromise what you have to unplug in order to accommodate it and lots of other A/V kit beneath your TV. That's an added bonus in addition to its solid sonic performance.

Highly commended: Samsung HW-Q990H

Best Streaming Device (UK)

Manhattan Aero 4K TV Streamer with Freely

This year has also seen a huge uptick in the way we here in the UK can source content, with Freely having accelerated that. This free-to-air streaming provider brings access to BBC, ITV ,Channel 4 and Channel 5 – without the need for an aerial or sat dish.

There are umpteen ways to obtain Freely, with a number of manufacturers now baking it into new TVs, too, but as a separate purchase it's the Manhattan Aero that we find a diamond among the other gems. It also brings access to more than 400 other channels, so it's not just locked to the 'big five'.

It's not the first streaming device with Freely support, mind, but we do find it the most integrated. Powered by TiVo – which provides a smooth experience, suggesting the right shows and films at the right time – it's a doddle to set up and use, and you never have to pay a penny for a subscription either.

Highly commended: Apple TV 4K

With the UK in the grip of another heatwave and England's next World Cup match scheduled for a balmy Saturday evening, I'm not going to be sweating it out in my front room. I'm going to decamp into my garden and watch it using a projector.

If you're thinking along the same lines then I have one piece of advice: don't waste your money on a cheap projector, get something you'll use again.

There have been a lot of changes to projectors over recent years, from falling prices to diverse designs. We have short throw projectors that don't invade your whole room, we have powerful 4K projectors for the ultimate detail.

From Samsung's Freestyle to Aurzen's affordable Roku projector, you have plenty of choices. And I've been testing the Soundcore Nebula P1 – a projector that's definitely worth consideration.

Portable practicality

I first saw the Nebula P1 at CES 2026 and the thing that attracted me to it was the versatility. Designed with portability in mind, the projector swivels into the body when you pack it away, while a pair of speakers clip onto the top. There's a carry handle so it's easy to port around.

Nebula has made this its forte, from the dinky P1i to the huge Nebula X1 Pro (which is over £4,000), these projectors are designed to be moved around. About the only criticism I have is that there's nowhere to store the remote unless I buy the separate carry case.

The detachable speakers mean you can easily create separation for stereo, or just place them close to where you're sitting so you can hear what's happening. They are only 20W, but I've found that to be loud enough and it's simpler than having to connect to a Bluetooth speaker.

Simple setup

The design of the Nebula P1 means you can rotate the projector body to adjust the height of the projection. There's no messing around winding tiny feet in and out on the bottom, you literally just set it at the angle you want. There's a screw thread on the bottom so you could put it on a tripod if you don't have a suitable surface for it – but it needs to be something sturdy as the P1 weighs 2.5kg in total.

There's auto keystone that will make sure the picture is correctly proportioned. This sits alongside autofocus, so you basically just have to point it at the screen and it will make all the adjustments. You can manually adjust the size, but it will project up to 180-inches diagonal. I tested it with a 120-inch screen.

It doesn't have the sort of smart correction that you'll find on the Samsung Freestyle that will adjust for wallpaper patterns, but it's easy to get it to fit your screen or projection area.

It's a full Google TV system

The Nebula P1 runs Google TV. This will invite you to sign in with your Google account, but you'll then have access to all the normal Google apps and streaming services. This is so much easier than connecting an external device or casting from your phone – as long as you have solid Wi-Fi, you'll get a great experience.

There's just one slight hiccup here: there's no support for BBC iPlayer at the moment. That often comes down to device certification, so if you need iPlayer, you might be better connecting a Fire TV Stick or similar. As this is an Android device, it's probably not too hard to sideload the APK. ITV X works perfectly, however.

If you are venturing into the garden you might choose to hotspot off your phone (which I did) if your home Wi-Fi doesn't reach reliably all the way to your projector – but I also found it had better connectivity than some cheaper projectors I tested alongside it.

There's also an HDMI connector alongside USB and a 3.5mm connector, so you have choices to connect other external devices if you choose. The included remote connects via Bluetooth and is backlit, so it's really handy and better than the cheap remotes that some projectors offer.

How good is the picture?

I've used the Nebula P1 to watch World Cup matches and it's ideal for those later evening games. This isn't a projector that's well suited to bright conditions – with 650 lumens it's mid-range, but on a summer evening, it's good enough. Importantly, it's far better than cheap projectors you might be tempted to buy on impulse.

If you are considering it, be sure to look at the brightness, because the more powerful it is, the better the picture can be.

The resolution sticks to 1080p which for most sports broadcasts will be fine, unless you're really craving the highest quality, in which case you're better watching your TV.

It's the portability that wins here. It's easy to move the Nebula P1 from garden to front room if you want. You just need somewhere to project the image and you're good to go.

Yesterday, we revealed that Sky is to buy ITV for £1.6 billion ($2.13 billion) and create the largest commercial television broadcaster the UK has ever known. It has plans beyond British TV too, revealing that the combined company will also launch a competitor to the major streaming services, like Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+.

However, UK TV viewers are perhaps a bit more concerned about how their day-to-day TV shows and services will be impacted. And whether the Sky deal will mean they'll have to buy a Sky Glass or Sky Stream and subscribe just to watch their favourite programmes.

That's where we can help. We've heard a few questions bandied around from worried ITV viewers and have done our best to answer them below.

So, if you're wondering what will become of the likes of Coronation Street, I'm a Celebrity and Love Island read on...

Will ITV shows remain free-to-watch on Freeview?

If and when Sky's takeover of ITV is ratified by UK regulators, the company has guaranteed that ITV's free-to-air public service broadcast channels will remain. And that will include the channels' biggest shows.

ITV Studios will not be part of the buyout and will be spun-off as a separate company. However, Sky has reached an agreement to continue to broadcast its shows for the next five years, with plans to renegotiate after that time.

As Sky CEO Dana Strong said after revealing the ambitious acquisition: "As long as consumers love Coronation Street, we will absolutely be delivering Coronation Street."

The same is true for other big ITV brands, such as I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and Britain's Got Talent.

Will Sky News move to ITV?

According to Sky, there are currently no plans to merge Sky News and ITV News. They will retain their own "independent voices".

That will likely mean that, for the time being at least, ITN will continue to produce ITV News, while Sky's in-house production teams will continue with its own service.

It helps somewhat that ITV never launched a 24-hour news channel to compete with BBC News and Sky News (which is also available on Freeview). That might have muddied the water a little.

Will ITVX and Now continue as separate streaming services?

While there is a commitment to maintain the current ITV channel lineup and shows, its less clear what Sky's plans will mean for ITVX and Now.

As revealed with the buyout announcement, the combine Sky and ITV plans a new super streaming service to take on the US giants, including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV. And the wording used is that it will be an "integrated" service that will reach 16 million UK viewers.

"Integrated" suggests that Sky will combine its Now streaming platform with ITVX, maybe for a hybrid free/paid alternative. Or they could be replaced entirely.

Truth is, we don't know for sure right now.

Will ITV get live Premier League matches?

One additional, exciting announcement is that, once the takeover is complete, Sky said it will "supercharge" ITV's sports offering.

Whether it will move some live Premier League, Championship or other Football League matches to the free-to-air channels is yet to be revealed. However, it cannot currently show Premier League highlights on ITV channels.

The BBC currently holds the rights to show Premier League highlights until the end of the 2028/29 season.

What is more likely is that Sky's expertise in live sports broadcasts will be employed by ITV too, using the same teams and setup. Sky will also have even stronger bidding power when it comes to new rights negotiations.

When will Sky and ITV merge?

Although the Sky ITV deal has been officially agreed and announced there are several hurdles yet to be navigated – not least governmental approval.

It still needs shareholder and regulatory approval, which might take several months.

Sky shook up the British TV scene when it first launched 35 years ago. Then named BSkyB, it redefined the television landscape with scores of new channels, and in collaboration with the newly-formed Premier League, it went on to reinvent sports coverage too.

Now it plans something equally as seismic, with the announcement that it is to buy ITV in a £1.6 billion ($2.13 billion) deal.

If approved by the UK's regulators, a combined Sky and ITV will become the largest commercial broadcaster in the country by far. And the ambitions don't stop there.

While there is a commitment to maintain independent "editorial voices" for both ITV News and Sky News, and ITV's free-to-air channels, there are also plans to create a new, UK-focused streaming giant to take on the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV.

ITV currently operates the free ITVX service, while the Comcast-owned Sky has Now – its paid, streaming-only service. It's not clear whether either or both will remain, but the new "integrated" platform will be looking to serve "over 16 million viewers".

Will the Sky deal impact the ITV shows I love?

ITV Studios will not be part of the buyout and will operate as a newly-formed separate company. That means shows will continue to be made independently. However, all of your current ITV favourites should remain on their free-to-air channels as before – for the next five years, anyway.

Sky has negotiated deals with ITV Studios to retain popular programming.

"As long as consumers love Coronation Street, we will absolutely be delivering Coronation Street," said Dana Strong, CEO of Sky.

"We've got all of the shows that consumers love in a five-year contract. That's a pretty long contract in our industry."

It will renegotiate extensions after that.

Interestingly, Sky Glass, Sky Stream and Sky Q also offer free subscriptions to the likes of Netflix, HBO Max and Disney+, so it'll be interesting to see what happens to those agreements when it launches a direct competitor.

One thing's clear though, if the takeover is ratified, Brits will finally end up with a super streaming service of their very own.

At the end of this week, on 3 July, one of the biggest sci-fi shows of modern times will return. Yes, Silo season 3 is set to air on Apple TV.

The anticipation is high, too, given the second season's jubilant reception – it still maintains a 92% score on the aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.

The latest trailer – which is embedded below – has already confirmed some pretty big plot twists, too, so the show's trajectory already looks to be a riot.

But Apple TV has made some great decisions in the show's airing schedule to which other platforms, from Netflix to Disney+, ought to pay greater attention.

Same-day global streaming

The first episode of Silo season 3 airs on Friday 3 July. Not Thursday in the USA and Friday at ungodly hours in the UK. It's a same-day release – so less chance of leaks and spoilers. That's a big positive for a global audience.

Unlike many shows' season premieres, Silo season 3 won't release multiple episodes at once. You won't get two episodes back to back to kick off the season – and I think that's a good thing for scheduling.

Indeed, as I've written before: Apple's bold message with Silo is foresight that Netflix should learn from. The show is already shot beyond this season, through to season 4, meaning ongoing consistency will continue to follow.

No mid-season breaks

Silo season 3 will air consistently, with each week's episode running to a similar length – none of the aberrated runtimes that the final season of Netflix's Stranger Things exhibited.

That, too, is an important factor for consistency, story flow and audience focus. Add that there are no mid-season breaks – FX's Higher Potential on Disney+ could learn that – and that can aid the storytelling aspect of this series.

There's going to be a lot of time jumps in this series, based on the trailer, which ought to lend the writers to cue up plenty of cliffhangers and unknowns. Classic TV storytelling momentum that so many modern 'boxset shows' otherwise lack.

Weekly schedule

But! No physical release...

As one of Apple TV's major Apple Original shows, however, the streamer keenly wants to hold the show on its platform.

That means no physical release – any Blu-rays you see are knockoff bootlegs, not official – and the 4K streaming output, as I've written about before, is sometimes questionable (especially for such a low-light show).

I, for one, would pay extra for an Apple TV Ultra, if it promised higher bitrates. The unofficial workaround, however, is to buy a physical Apple TV 4K box, which services its users with better quality than app sources elsewhere.

That's one hurdle I'm not sure can be fully overcome at this time. Given that Silo S3 has all the badges on its official page – 4K, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos – it's clear it could look even better than its streaming bubble enables. But it's a darn good reason to buy a 4K box nonetheless...

When the Project Hail Mary 4K Blu-ray was finally listed for pre-order I let out a little whinny of excitement. Or maybe that was just in my head. Nonetheless, I rapidly paid my order for the physical release, as it had been on my wish-list for some time.

Amazon MGM Studios had a major opportunity here to fix my biggest problem with physical media releases – namely, the release date being set in stone. Sadly, however, this is yet another 4K Blu-ray release where things are just, well, unclear.

- As a 4K Blu-ray fan, these are 7 discs I'd buy in Amazon's sale

Two weeks ago the Project Hail Mary pre-order went live on Amazon in the US. It attracted a mass of interest, then the listing seemingly evaporated – as if the pre-order volume was so considerable that all stock was allocated. Fortunately, the UK didn't suffer the same fate – you can still pre-order on Amazon.

Not in tandem with streaming

At the time the 4K Blu-ray pre-order went live, however, there wasn't even a hint of official release date. Even now, weeks on, there's no official word from Amazon MGM Studios about when the disc version will actually arrive to customers.

That's a frustration. After all, those who want to watch can do so via pay-to-view streaming using MGM+ – as has been the case since 18 June.

• Subscribe to MGM+ for £2.99/month (offer ends 2 July 2026)
• USA-based? Subscribe for $7.99/month

Sure, I get that Amazon wants to promote that platform's sign-ups and revenue, but why not get the 4K Blu-ray out first? Surely that would increase the demand and make even more money overall?

No precise release date

There are also agreements that restrict a release schedule based on a theatrical run – and as Project Hail Mary's life in the cinema extended initial expectations, that put in a bit of a delay.

That's the price of success but, again, why not relay with clarity as soon as possible when the disc would drop? It only adds additional time for teams to be working on the release, rather than squeezing schedules.

As it stands most UK sites have just latched '31 December 2026' into this field, as a catch-all way of saying 'this year', I suppose.

The 4K Blu-ray won't be released that late, though, as suggestion is 11 August will be the official date. Sources are loose on this one, however, so that can only be seen as a suggestion rather than definitive date at this time.

Limited 'Extras' detail

A massive reason for wanting a 4K Blu-ray of any release is for the best-of-best picture quality at a bitrate that no streaming service can ever match, plus an uncompressed sound mix that will make the best home theatres shine all the brighter.

In addition, however, collectors and fans love the Extras on discs. Behind-the-scenes. Storyboards. Deleted scenes. Alternate endings. Director's Cut versions. The list goes on. Yet there is no list – as the 4K Blu-ray of Project Hail Mary hasn't listed any of its contents at this stage.

That's not stopped me from buying the disc on first sighting, of course, I just wish these points would be addressed to make for a smoother purchase experience. At £24.99 / $37.99 for a copy, such buyers are awarding a high rate of return to the studios after all.

I've been the happy owner of an LG C2 for a few years now, a TV that I bought for just under £1,000 in a Black Friday sale and never regretted for even an instant. Right from the start, I've loved its deep, inky OLED blacks and vivid colours, and it also plays beautifully with my PS5 Pro to automatically switch on gaming modes and settings.

Still, the grass is always greener on the other side, and while I really have no complaints at all about my C2, the fact is that it's now four generations old – this year saw the debut of the C6, and it's quite a stunner. LG has pushed ever further on brightness in recent years, and having seen the C6 in person, the difference in punchiness compared to my C2 is pronounced.

So, suffice to say that I'm pleasantly surprised to see this year's LG TVs already getting discounts as part of Amazon Prime Day, even though they've only been available for a matter of months. The C6 that makes the most obvious sense (because of my financial limitations) has a tidy discount, but the flagship G6 also gets included, remarkably.

Either of these TVs would be a brilliant choice this Prime Day, but while the G6 is obviously the superior panel, I think that at these two prices and with these two deals applied, I'd lean towards the C6 for most people.

The upgrades in the G6 include a little more brightness and an anti-reflective coating that is indeed incredibly impressive, but I'm not sure they're worth pretty much £600 to most people. With that sort of price gap, the C6 is a surefire hit, and if you haven't upgraded your TV in a long while it'll be like jumping into the future if you install one.

The summer heat has arrived in tandem with one of the hottest sales periods of the year – Amazon Prime Day. We're now into day two of the four-day sale.

The event runs until the end of Friday 26 June, so there'll be plenty of opportunity to buy some greatly discounted products – if you've not melted from the heatwave by then anyway.

• Shop all Amazon Prime Day deals

With the World Cup now in full flow, maybe you're looking for a new set ahead of the finals – here's our 3 World Cup TV Picks – or perhaps you've just been waiting on discounts for a new set ahead of the summer.

Well, you're in the right place, as this Amazon Prime Day live blog is here to cover off the best TV deals only – from big to small, there's something for everyone. Check out all our best picks below:

65-inch

55-inch

50-inch

43-inch

The 4K Blu-ray market can be quite a brutal one here in the UK. While the US often gets deals that can make Ultra-HD discs compete with standard Blu-rays on price, we're a little more limited here. That means that sales events like Amazon Prime Day are a total blessing.

With Prime Day now in full swing, we're in the latter stages of one of the year's only opportunities to get some of these 4K discs for cheaper than usual. If you want to check out seven of the very best individual film deals out there right now, we've got a round-up here.

What I'm looking at, though, is box sets. These are often the best way to buy groups of films, since you get more for your money compared to buying each one separately. That said, this raises the buy-in cost, making Prime Day deals all the more attractive. Here are some of the best, after hours of perusing Amazon's sale for you.

Much as I love the best streaming services, not one of them is a patch on the best physical media – and it's 4K Blu-ray that's the ultimate solution.

I've been buying an increasing number of discs lately. It was part of my New Year's Resolution to commence a '4K Blu-ray Club', watching a new or classic piece of cinema on a monthly basis.

Shop all 4K Blu-ray Prime Day deals UK

Prime Day sale 2026 – Our picks of all the best deals

While I did have a brief fear that physical media would dry up entirely – as penned in The End Of 4K Blu-ray Will Be A Major Loss For Us All – we're actually seeing an uptick in titles, old and new (indeed, I just pre-ordered Project Hail Mary in 4K).

Just like vinyl and CD are having a resurgence on the audio side of things, 4K Blu-ray looks like it has an extended future for those who want the utmost picture quality.

And it just so happens to be Amazon Prime Day, where many top titles are on discount. Of the many on sale, here are my recommended picks – and if you spend over £80, you'll get £20 back for next month.

Honourable mentions

• Lawrence of Arabia – largely considered the peak of remastering (as it's 8K scanned from the 65mm original negative), this epic can't be seen in a more epic way. It just doesn't have any discount right now.
• Flow – a digital animation that can push the limits of detail, brightness and colour as a result, this is also a zero-language beautiful masterpiece that the whole family can enjoy.
• Fight Club – finally, it arrived in 4K physical form only this May, marking 25 years after the original cinematic masterpiece. It looks better than ever here, although the colour cast and visual FX have seen controversial alterations.

Footnote

Honestly, I could go on and on with this list. It's a sort of infinite possibility in a sense, as there are so many good movies I've not included – many of which you can see in my lead image on this very article.

Do ensure you have a decent source player to use for your watching experience, though, as while the PlayStation 5 is fine, a top-tier BR Player, such as Panasonic's DP-UB820 (or UB9000 if you've got the cash) will make all the difference.

We're a day away from Grand Theft Auto VI hitting stores – to pre-order, at least. The game is due on 19 November 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, but you can order your copy from tomorrow, 25 June.

It's exciting – after all, this is undoubtedly the biggest game release of the decade so far and while we have a few more months before we can actually play it, I'm already thinking about my gaming setup. I want to ensure that I'll make the most of GTA 6 from the first moment to the last.

Indeed, rumours suggest that the console version will have a 60 frames-per-second performance mode, and you are likely to get some in-game ray tracing support (on PS5 / PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X, anyway). So is your TV up to the task of showing it at its best?

If not, Amazon's Prime Day sale is here to help. There are some great TV deals this week in both the UK and US, which could give you the ideal platform to benefit from Rockstar's first new Grand Theft Auto in 13 years.

I've chosen some of my own picks to help you out.

Each of these deals is great for different reasons, although there are also additional TV deals available on Amazon in your area.

• Amazon UK Prime Day TV deals
• Amazon US Prime Day TV deals

As for Grand Theft Auto VI itself, that will be available to pre-order from tomorrow, Thursday 25 June at midnight in your region.

The game will be available to pre-order digitally on the PlayStation and Xbox stores, or in physical form across multiple retailers. It'll be priced at $79.99 (with UK pricing TBC). A Grand Theft Auto VI: Ultimate Edition with additional in-game items will be $99.99.

Do note though, if you do pick up a physical copy the box will contain a download code – there is no disc version.

I've always loved the idea of Samsung's The Frame series of TVs, which work as normal TVs first and foremost but also display digital art when they're not actively in use – and fortunately for me and my wallet, the 55-inch version of this very TV is now more affordable than ever thanks to a significant 36% price drop for Amazon Prime Day.

Check out The Frame (2025) deal on Amazon.com

This model is down from $1,097.99 to $697.99, which means you're saving a hefty $400 on your purchase, which you can put towards rising streaming subscription prices instead. We've done our due diligence on the price history of this product, and it's never gone as low as this since the model first went on sale last year.

So why do I like it so much? Well, Samsung TVs in general are always top-notch, with stunning screens, sleek designs, and an excellent operating system in the form of Tizen OS – which is going to serve up all the streaming content you could want, even if you're not connecting up a separate box or console to the screen.

On top of that, you then have the party trick that The Frame offers: the Art Mode, where you can present a selection of curated artwork or your own choice of pictures. It adds something to the room when it's not in use, and according to the majority of reviews – including our own – the effect is most impressive.

A unique kind of television

I like the idea of a TV screen that isn't going to be completely wasted when it's not being used. In fact, this is such a good idea that many other manufacturers have followed suit – Amazon showed it's the new trend in 2026 – but Samsung's matte display is regarded as the best of the lot at present.

Besides the Art Mode aspect of this set, it comes with a 4K QLED screen – that's the Quantum Dot LED technology that Samsung develops, and which should ensure pictures that are extra colorful. The NQ4 AI Gen2 processor, meanwhile, ably handles optimizations and upscaling in real time.

As we put it in our review of the 2024 unit (that this model improves upon): "The Frame is a great TV choice for those who want more from their telly than just movies and shows... a combination of artful design, smart functionality, and good-enough performance, means it more than warrants wall space."

All that's been stopping me from getting one is a tight budget – and, to be honest, a fear of messing up any DIY tasks I put my hand to (even something as supposedly simple as wall-mounting a TV). With such a big discount now applied to this for Prime Day, it looks as though it's finally time to upgrade.

In short: it's a fantastic TV that's now cheaper than ever. Just one of a number of Amazon Prime Day deals that might tempt you this week.

There's been no shortage of news from Apple recently, from showcasing what Siri AI will do, through to the changes that will come with iOS 27. One of those changes will have an impact on Apple TV too.

It's a minor thing, but it's really important, because iOS 27 will allow Apple TV to be updated from the Home app on your iPhone. That means that if there's a critical tvOS update, you can make that happen from your iPhone.

Previously, you'd have to turn on the Apple TV and run the update from there, which is an extra step that some might find inconvenient.

Of course, Apple TV also offers automatic updates (if you turn the option on), but often if you want the new software immediately, it's better to find the option to install it manually.

So why are updates important? The biggest thing that most will probably point to is the latest features, but that's not at the top of my list. Instead, this is important for security.

It's critical for device security to be running the latest software, even if you're not currently using the device – especially if it's online. If there's a vulnerability that needs to be patched, then hackers could use that to hijack devices.

I'd see that as the more important thing here – and via the Home app you will be able to just check and push the software to your devices, just as you can with HomePod.

The new functionality was shared by Aaron on X (via 9to5Mac) which shows the update screen for Apple TV in the home app.

What else is new in iOS 27?

There's a lot coming with iOS 27, which is expected to be pushed to devices back to iPhone 11 in September around the time of the iPhone 18 Pro launch.

We've spent some time with iOS 27, highlighting Siri AI (for iPhone 15 Pro and newer), the new photo editing tools, context-aware suggestions, password fixing and more Liquid Glass customisations as features to look out for.

Then there are child features, faster AirDrop and new Apple Intelligence features, but I suspect that most will be bowled over by Siri AI's app and the range of features that will offer.

Thankfully, beyond the headlines, things like easier updates for Apple TV adds convenience and protection.

Amazon has confirmed that the new Fire TV experience is now available on all current Fire TV Stick models and all Amazon Ember televisions. The new interface promises faster navigation and a new layout.

The new Fire TV OS was first shown off on the Amazon Ember Artline, Amazon's take on the lifestyle TV genre, designed to show art when not being used as a TV, with a matte display and changeable frames.

Core to the new software are the 20-30% speed gains that Amazon is promising, making for faster navigation around the user interface on your existing television. That's because there's new code powering Fire TV. I've used it on a couple of TVs now, and it's definitely faster.

The redesign shifts around some of the rows that made up the user interface previously, moving major areas to the shortcuts at the top – movies, live TV and more – while there's more space for apps – up from the six that it previously showed.

The rows below the app shortcuts are mixed and don't offer a lot of customisation, with "continue watching" some way down the page. That leaves a lot of the user interface as rows of recommendations, which may or may not be useful to you.

There's no change to the adverts either, which are now a feature of just about every TV OS.

There's a new menu too, accessed via the icon top left, which is where you'll find things like inputs. As I pointed out when I first tested this user interface, you're a couple of clicks away from inputs which isn't useful for those with connected devices.

There also isn't that much you can do to customise the layout, so while it looks cleaner, there's more that could be done to make it more personal.

Amazon hasn't listed the devices that it is available on, but has said that it's now rolling out to current Fire TV Sticks and Ember televisions. If you have a recent device that hasn't had a hardware replacement, you're probably in luck, but those with older sticks might consider buying one in the Prime Day sales if they want the new interface.

For Amazon's televisions it's also complicated: if you have one of the models that is currently on sale and has gone through the name change to be called Ember, then it will update.

I have the Mini-LED model that's now called the Ember Mini-LED and it's happily running the new interface. But I also have the older QLED model, which isn't, because it's been replaced by the Ember QLED recently.

If in doubt, head into your settings to check if there are updates, but for most people this will install in the background without you having to do anything.

Amazon has also confirmed that it's coming to Hisense Fire TV models, with plans to bring it to more brands later in this year.

World Cup fever has gripped the globe – and as we build up to England's first game, you might've watched the first match and thought "hmm, that doesn't look great".

Much as I could recommend buying a brand new TV, few of us have got the serious cash required to drop everything and bag a big new screen right now. So don't do that – just ensure the settings of your current screen are adjusting accordingly!

Looking for a World Cup TV deal? The 3 best models to buy

Here's a quick rundown of how to get your current TV into World Cup form ahead of the most important matches over the coming weeks. It's free, it's simple, and it'll improve your World Cup and, indeed, sports viewing no end.

Sport Mode

This isn't to sound patronising, but if your TV has a Sports mode then use it. It's designed to bring motion benefits and, in some cases, sound enhancements for commentary, that gets everything looking and sounding its very best for the game.

All TVs differ, of course, so where you find this on your particular brand will likely differ from another. A good place to start is the TV's remote control and the Settings icon – typically a 'cog', sometimes a series of horizontal bands (perhaps with a cog within that).

From here, look for 'Picture' or 'Picture Styles' – anything to that effect. If you've never adjusted this then, chances are it'll be on the default setting. Cycle between the Dynamic, Custom, Movie, Filmmaker Mode and so forth, seeking out Sports.

No Sport Mode? No Problem! Motion Adjustment

However! Not all TVs have a Sport mode. Indeed, the very example I'm illustrating this article with doesn't – and the Game mode, much as it sounds like a good match, is designed for videogames (with low-latency being its biggest goal).

In these cases, not all is lost, you'll just need to menu dig a little deeper. Because, ultimately, Sport mode is all about motion – and helping to smooth out what's on screen. It'll provide more fluid playback, but, be warned, it'll look terrible for movies and series.

Within your Picture Settings look for submenus that have a Motion adjustment. Then get ready to crank these up – as TV processors can 'add' frames to smooth out the action, or reduce blur by applying other processing tactics. The latter is good to prevent the ball appearing to 'stutter' across the screen when moving at pace.

Brightness Is Best

Another option: if you can't find all these settings but have a Dynamic mode or similar, then select this. This will elevate brightness, contrast and saturation – all of which help to bring football stadiums even more to life.

Otherwise, again, dig into your settings. Some TVs will have ambient light sensors to auto-adjust levels depending on daylight. Toggle that off and push the brightness levels to the upper levels instead – ensuring you'll be demanding the most output from your TV's backlight.

Again, full brightness can look terrible for movies and series that have nuanced – and post-produced – deep layers of dark levels. For the big game? You want everything as punchy and live-action as possible, so go all out.

Best Source

This might sound counter-intuitive, but don't use an internet-streamed source – especially BBC iPlayer 4K (when it's available). Why? Because the delay is a lot greater – and, unless you live on a farm in the middle of nowhere, you'll probably hear people cheering/booing some 40-seconds before you catch up on the action.

We can't all afford snazzy Sky or EE TV setups either, of course, but in the UK between the BBC and ITV you'll be able to get live broadcasts in Full HD (1080p). Those are upscaled to 4K resolution for any Ultra-HD TV anyway, so you'll gain some benefit of resolution anyway.

The obvious benefit to iPlayer 4K, however, is that it's also broadcast in HDR (high dynamic range) for the punchiest of quality. Much as I'd love everyone to experience that – the delay might not be worth it. Save that for the highlights shows instead!

Or spoil yourself...

If, however, you do have a wedge of cash and you've elected to not spend it on a flight to North America and do fancy buying a new TV then, fill yer boots. Below is a top-tier and a cheaper-but-also-excellent option – one from Samsung, the other TCL.

A new feature has started to arrive on select Google TV models that would have made my life so much simpler over the years.

You can now use voice control to direct Gemini to adjust a TV's picture settings, and even fix picture or sound issues. And as it uses advanced AI, you can use conversational language to do so – you don't even have to know what settings to change.

As the former deputy editor of Home Cinema Choice, I've tested my fair share of TVs over the years and one of the biggest time sucks was switching between picture modes and tweaking them. It also means I'm a stickler for getting the picture just right at home too – across the multiple models in my house.

That includes individual tweaks for different types of content, even specific movies, TV shows or games. And on most TVs, that means multiple clicks on the remote just to get to the right settings.

However, this new Gemini feature will allow you to change settings like brightness, contrast and picture mode, plus sound options through simply chatting with your TV. Just press the mic button on your remote and say, "Set picture mode to Movie," for example. Or, "Improve the dialogue."

You can also troubleshoot issues by telling your Google TV that the picture is too dark, etc.

And Gemini can be used to tweak and calibrate images, such as making the picture more cinematic just by asking it to do so. You won't need to go into specifics if you don't want to.

There's just one catch to all this – it's only available on a handful of TCL TVs at present, and exclusively in the US. It'll be rolled out to additional Google TV models worldwide over time, but for now it's just for the TCL QM9K, X11L, QM9L, QM8L, and RM9L.

If you have one of those sets, you need to head to system updates in your settings to check if the latest software is available (if it hasn't automatically installed).

The rest of us will have to wait a bit longer, which is fine – I've been waiting a couple of decades for something like this, what's a few months more?

Although it was barely mentioned in passing during Apple's WWDC keynote address this week, the Apple TV 4K box is getting several new tricks in the coming months. The release of tvOS 27 is expected around September time, and it'll add new features to existing set-top-boxes.

One of them will be of particular interest to audiophiles and lovers of Hi-Res Audio, as the Apple TV is set for higher quality music streams.

Hidden in a press release sent by Apple after the keynote was reference to Hi-Res Lossless Audio, which is coming with the next major build of tvOS. The Apple TV 4K box currently supports Apple Music Lossless Audio streams, running at up to 24-bit / 48 kHz when connected to a suitable system.

However, the addition of Hi-Res Lossless Audio could offer much higher bitrates and frequencies – possibly up to 24-bit / 96 or even 192 kHz. Apple hasn't revealed specifications as yet.

You'll need to connect your Apple TV to a compatible amp, receiver or hi-fi system, but the fact that it will be capable will come as great news to audio purists.

Also coming to Apple TV boxes will be AutoMix, which intelligently transitions Apple Music tracks from one to another. And there will be Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features too, although it's currently thought that they might be exclusive to a new Apple TV 4K model, also tipped for release later this year.

Certainly, if there are further performance boosts that will be available on the new device, it could be worth considering an upgrade anyway. A new model is expected to run on a much more powerful processor, so will be a lot faster to operate for starters.

That being said, the existing Apple TV 4K is still arguably the best streaming device out there, a staggering four years after its debut.

The Manhattan Aero 4K TV Streamer already comes with a tonne of streaming services, including the UK's all-free Freely live TV platform, but it's just added another that makes it even more universal.

Powered by TiVo, the box now offers HBO Max as well as the existing services it launched with – and that means you can watch the likes of The Last of Us, Game of Thrones, Peacemaker, and The White Lotus in glorious 4K, without the need for a Sky or Now subscription.

You will need a HBO Max subscription, of course, which starts at £4.99 per month, but considering the quality of the shows and movies on offer (including Superman, One Battle After Another, and Sinners) you'll find plenty to enjoy.

The UK version of HBO Max also hosts TNT Sports, with live Premier League and European football (for the coming season), and plenty more besides.

What is the Manhattan Aero Freely box and how does it work?

The Manhattan Aero 4K TV Streamer with Freely is a small streaming device that offers the entire Freely live TV experience, with more than 50 live TV channels delivered over the internet rather than via an aerial.

These include all the major UK channels from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5, as well as the U Network (ie. U&Dave, U&Drama, etc). The electronic programme guide also connects to each broadcaster's free streaming service, so you can catch up with shows just by clicking on the them.

The Manhattan box has access to all manner of other streaming services and channels too, including many others that are free to watch. Plus, it has Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ support, all through the TiVo front end, which works exclusively over the cloud rather than needing to install apps on the device itself.

This allows for services to be updated without you needing to lift a finger, and ensures that the box will operate equally as well years into the future. App updates are not reliant on the hardware inside the box.

The Manhattan Aero has recently risen in price, thanks to the RAM and components crisis, but is still excellent value at around £90.

It's a largely open secret that a new Apple TV 4K box will arrive later this year – most likely in September – but existing models are getting updates, too. The only issue is, which ones.

Although Apple mostly swerved from mentioning the Apple TV 4K and tvOS 27 during its WWDC keynote on Monday, it did release the first beta for developers. And there are a few new features coming in later builds.

However, it also turns out that there's some less than welcome news for owners of older Apple TV streaming devices – your boxes will not be supported.

Indeed, it looks like pretty much all of the existing models will be exempt from some of the best new features, such as Siri AI and the new Apple Intelligence add-ons. That's because even the 2022 Apple TV 4K runs on a chip – the A15 Bionic – that is unlikely to be compatible.

But it will still get a range of additional new tricks coming with tvOS 27, such as smart downloads, a redesigned podcasts app, faster AirPlay connections, the ability to change the text size, and a more responsive Control Centre.

That's more than its predecessors, which won't be getting the latest software at all.

According to MacRumors' analyst Aaron Perris (via 9to5Mac), tvOS 27 will not be coming to the Apple TV HD or Apple TV 4K (1st gen).

The HD model was released in 2015, while the first Apple TV 4K followed in 2017. We've had two additional 4K boxes since then, which will be supported, it seems, but nothing since 2022.

That's why a new model is expected – it'll be the first compatible with Apple Intelligence and the new Siri AI.

We'll find out more in the coming months, and we'll keep you informed whenever there are additional details to share.

Did you know? The FIFA World Cup 2026 is expected to draw an audience of 5 billion viewers across the globe! That's a serious figure for a serious sporting fixture, when we get to watch the biggest stars in the beautiful game pull on their national colours.

Will England face Spain in the final? Will it be France or Argentina? The best part of the World Cup isn't the final, it's all those matches building up to it – the hours of glorious football watching, from the glory to the grief.

It's also a great time to buy a new TV, so you know you're getting the best picture you can. I've been a TV reviewer for more than 15 years – and in 2026, shoppers are seriously spoilt for choice. Large screens are cheaper than ever, OLED TVs have competition from Mini-LED, plus there are some cracking deals on some of the best TVs.

For watching football, you want a bright and big TV with the latest tech – like Freely in the UK. These are the TVs that I would buy to enjoy the beautiful game at its very best – with different budgets considered in the mix.

T3's Top 3

TCL vs Samsung vs Philips: Pricing

Pricing will often be key when it comes to making a buying decision on a new television. As we're talking about watching football here, I've picked 65-inch models, but each of these is also available as a 55-inch if that better suits your living space – with the advantage of being cheaper too.

The TCL C7K comes in at around £849, while in the US it's known as the TCL QM7K and costs around $800. It's the cheapest screen in the selection, but it offers excellent performance at that price.

The Samsung S95F is £1,999 / $2,199 and in each case that's a considerable saving over the original launch price: indeed, the S95H is £3,199 / $3,299, making that 2025 model look a lot more enticing. It's also a dream for movies and gaming.

The Philips OLED 760 is £1,455 for the 65-inch model, sitting between the two other screen selections nicely in terms of price. It's not available in the US, however, as no Philips models are.

TCL vs Samsung vs Philips: Unique features

Samsung

While other displays are treated to be "anti glare", nothing destroys reflections as well as the Samsung S95F. For daytime viewing it's a no-brainer, especially as Samsung backs it up with high brightness to punch those colours through.

The downside, however, is that in direct sunlight the screen looks grey – and some will say that the normal glossy finish of an OLED gives for greater contrast and more depth to the image.

Samsung is using a QD-OLED panel, with high brightness, while it also supports 165Hz refresh rates and has four HDMI 2.1 ports – so it's a great choice for gamers. Samsung leans into HDR10+ because it refuses to support Dolby Vision.

Finally – and this might go some way to justify the expense – the S95F uses Samsung's OneConnect box. That means the connections are separate from the screen, making adding and removing devices really easy. It also means fewer cables across the wall if you choose to wall-mount it.

Philips

Unlike Samsung, the Philips OLED 760 has a glossy finish. While it's also an OLED screen, it's Ambilight that's unique to Philips as a brand. This uses LEDs on the rear of the TV to project light into the room that matches the action on screen.

It adds immersion and some (including myself) love the effect that it adds. When watching football, this paints the room in green from the pitch – it's a great effect and never fails to impress visiting friends and family.

This Philips model sits on Titan OS and one of the things it supports is Freely. That's the service that allows streaming of terrestrial broadcasts in the UK, so you don't need an aerial. That means you can put this TV anywhere, connect to Wi-Fi and stream the World Cup on BBC and ITV.

Philips also supports a full run of HDR standards, so unlike Samsung, you'll get Dolby Vision and HDR10+, although it's not as bright as Samsung's rival TV.

TCL

TCL uses a Mini-LED panel which means you get high brightness to really punch out images. This is paired with plentiful dimming zones to control the image and reduce instances of light bleed. For the price you pay, it's really impressive.

TCL doubles down on support for HDR formats, so again you'll be able to play both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, but it only offers two full-format HDMI 2.1 – so you have fewer options for connecting gaming devices at full refresh-rate capacity.

There's also an impressive Bang & OIufsen sound system on the TCL C7K with a 60W 2.1 channel output. This actually sounds okay straight out of the box – which many TVs at this price don't – although adding a soundbar will be even more immersive.

TCL vs Samsung vs Philips: Which has the best picture?

To say that you get what you pay for might be unfair on TCL, as it really does outperform its price, but generally, in this instance, that old adage remains true. If I was to rank these screens by picture quality the lowest-to-highest order would be TCL, Philips, Samsung. But it's more complicated than that.

TCL's strength lies in what you get for the money. There's a lot of brightness in its image and that means that content looks great. Sometimes it's too bright and some of the colours might look slightly forced, so tweaking the settings to your preference is definitely worth it. TCL can also be a bit funny with processing motion in some situations, so if you notice ghosting on screen, turn off the motion processing.

Philips offers a W-OLED panel, so it's not as advanced as the QD-OLED of the Samsung and it's not as bright. However, it's still a great performer in many situations giving that OLED contrast, colour pop and expert handling of dark scenes. The slightly restrained brightness compared to Samsung brings it in a step down, but if you wanted more, the Philips OLED 910 would be an obvious choice (and a pricier one).

We're really impressed with the performance of the Samsung S95F, which is why it won our Best TV 2025 Award. Set this TV down in a bright room and it will titillate with its performance. It looks sensational streaming high-quality content, with wonderful on-screen visuals. The only downside, is that some people don't like the matte finish and will prefer a traditional OLED look – especially if in a shaded or light-controlled room.

TCL vs Samsung vs Philips: Which is the best overall?

There is enough of a difference between these TVs for each to claim its place. The TCL C7K is far cheaper than rival models so you're getting real value for money. It's a great looking TV, loaded with specs and supporting all formats – I don't hesitate to recommend it.

Samsung S95F is a high-end choice, but in a bright room you really notice the difference to a traditional glossy finish. It will be visible when other TVs aren't. It might lack Dolby Vision support, but it still delivers HDR with aplomb.

Philips' OLED 760 is good value for an OLED model, but Ambilight is the icing on the cake. It brings a light show that's more immersive, setting the ambience in a room like no other TV can.

Honourable Mention

While all these TVs make for a great choice for World Cup viewing, it would be remiss not to mention one of the best TVs on the market – the LG OLED C5. Yes, LG has replaced the OLED C5 with a new model for 2026 called the OLED C6 which is better – but the OLED C5 is discounted so impressively that I wouldn't blame you for choosing it.

Time and again, the LG OLED C Series is recommended as the best OLED for many people, offering performance and value. It doesn't support HDR10+ and costs more than TCL; it costs a little more than Philips, but it's a bit brighter for more impactful images (but no Ambilight); it's cheaper than the Samsung S95F with a more traditional OLED delivery.

Sky is no stranger to live football coverage, having broadcast Premier League and many other matches since the early 1990s. However, it's never had the rights to the FIFA World Cup, with the UK's free-to-air broadcasters, the BBC and ITV, sharing them for as long as anyone remembers.

But that's not to say it's not getting in on the action this time around. While both the Beeb and ITV will show all the World Cup games live in the UK, Sky has announced a new feature update for its Sky Glass TVs and Sky Stream puck that could make your viewing even better.

A new Real Time option will be available across select live sports coverage, including the World Cup on the BBC and ITV. It gives you streams of the matches with lower latency than usual, meaning you'll be able to watch them live without worrying that a neighbour might see a goal go in before you.

While live TV streaming has many benefits, it has always suffered from more lag than traditional over-the-air TV broadcasts. That means it takes longer to show on your TV than others.

Sky has previously reduced the latency on Sky Glass when watching its Sky Sports Main Event channel – cutting the lag by up to 20 seconds. But now the new Real Time feature works for other broadcasts.

When watching a match, you just need to select the Real Time option on the screen. This will take you to a dedicated channel with lower latency. Alternatively, you can switch to the channel yourself.

• BBC One HD RT - EPG number 926-944 (depending on region)
• ITV1 HD RT - EPG channel 945
• ITV4 HD RT - EPG channel 946

There is one catch though – you will need to have at least 40 Mbps broadband for the Real Time feature to work.

This is higher even that 4K UHD viewing requirements (at 30 Mbps) so do ensure your home broadband connection is capable enough.

The new feature works across Sky Glass and Sky Stream devices.

Sky has been on a roll recently. As well as add HBO Max, Disney+ and Hayu to its Ultimate TV plan – which already included Netflix and Sky's own channels – it has branched out into the world of smart home with its own video doorbell and other devices.

And now it has launched a new offer on Sky Glass that's simply too good to miss. As an owner of a Sky Glass Gen 2 and two Sky Glass Air TVs, I can safely say that the overall package they offer is unsurpassed in the UK.

The Sky Glass Air is extremely good value. You get a 4K HDR TV in 43-, 55- or 65-inch screen sizes, that has great clarity and image performance for its price point. And at just £4.50 per month for the 43-inch version (usually £6), you really can't go wrong.

Alternatively, you can step up to the Sky Glass Gen 2 from £11 per month. This includes a Dolby Atmos surround sound system in the frame, including height channels. It also sports a Quantum Dot display for even better colour saturation and HDR presentation.

The Sky Glass Gen 2 is also available in 43-, 55- and 65-inch screen sizes.

Both TV models will require a subscription to one of Sky's streaming packages – Sky Essential TV or Sky Ultimate TV. These are priced at £15 and £24 per month respectively.

The Essential TV plan gives you 100 channels, including the UK's Freeview lineup and Sky Atlantic, plus Netflix and Discovery+ for free.

Upgrading to Ultimate TV gives you a whole lot more, though. You get more than 130 channels, including all of Sky's entertainment stations, plus Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hayu and Discovery+.

The streaming service subscriptions alone are worth more than £20 per month.

All content streams to the Sky Glass TV over Wi-Fi or a wired internet connection, whichever the model. And as well as available via dedicated apps, each of the streaming services is integrated into the Sky OS experience, so you can continue watching a show regardless of the platform that streams it.

Voice search and commands also work across all partnering apps.

What's more, if you own additional Sky Glass TVs – or the Sky Stream puck – your entertainment synchronises across all your devices, so your wishlist will appear on each, and you can continue shows on a different device to the one you paused it on.

Certainly, I've not looked back since swapping my kitchen TV for a 43-inch Sky Glass Air at the end of last year.

Leica has announced a new compact projector that brings some serious home cinema credentials without the eye-watering price tag usually associated with the iconic camera brand.

The new Leica Cine Compact 1 is a portable 4K laser projector capable of producing an image up to 220 inches in size. While Leica is no stranger to premium products, the £1,450 asking price is relatively reasonable considering the tech on offer here. A contender for best projector then.

Designed for varied use around the home, the projector features a built-in 360-degree rotation system that allows you to project onto walls, ceilings and other surfaces without needing a fixed screen. An ideal portable projector option.

Leica says automatic autofocus, keystone correction and screen alignment handle setup for you, meaning you can get watching in seconds. Much easier than many of the best home cinema projectors in that way then.

Streaming apps including Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video come built in thanks to the integrated VIDAA operating system. Also, Apple AirPlay, Apple HomeKit, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support should make it easy to slot into existing setups.

Inside, Leica has packed in a Summicron zoom lens, a 4K DLP imaging chip and Triple RGB laser technology. That means brightness tops out at 1,700 lumens, which should make it good for everything from movie nights indoors to outdoor viewing in the garden once the sun goes down.

Dolby Vision support is included, alongside Leica's own image processing technology, which should maintain image quality regardless of projection size. Audio gets a boost too, with support for Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS Virtual:X.

The design is perfectly Leica. A solid aluminium housing and glass front panel give it a premium look, while the company says the construction also helps maintain optical alignment and cooling performance.

Leica points out that its history with projectors actually dates back to 1926, making this launch a fitting way to mark a century of large-screen expertise.

The Leica Cine Compact 1 goes on sale from 18 June for £1,450. That's still a significant investment for a projector, but in Leica terms it actually feels pretty reasonable.

Bugatti has unveiled its latest lifestyle collaboration, and this time it's a TV.

Created with Austrian display specialist C Seed, the new Bugatti N1 combines a giant 4K Micro LED display with the engineering and design skills usually reserved for hypercars. Available in 110-inch and 137-inch sizes, it's aimed at the ultra-luxury market.

The biggest party trick is that it doesn't look like a TV at all when switched off. Instead, the N1 sits in the room as a sculptural sideboard inspired by the design of the Bugatti Tourbillon. Press a button and, over 45 seconds, the cabinet unfolds to reveal a huge Micro LED screen.

Bugatti says the design takes inspiration from the brand's iconic C-line profile. The result is a display that looks more like a piece of furniture than a home cinema setup.

While the design will grab most of the attention, the technology sounds impressive too.

The N1 uses next-generation Micro LED technology with HDR10+ support, a special anti-glare coating and C Seed's own Adaptive Gap Calibration system, which aims to make the joins between display panels effectively disappear. The company also claims improved efficiency and lower heat output compared to previous designs.

The screen can rotate 180 degrees and integrates a hidden sound system developed with Wisdom Audio. The speakers extend from the body when needed before disappearing back inside when you're finished watching.

Materials are just as extravagant as you'd expect. Carbon fibre features throughout, while buyers can choose finishes inspired by the Bugatti Tourbillon alongside bespoke colour options.

Neither company has revealed what the Bugatti N1 will cost. Given C Seed's previous luxury displays have comfortably reached six-figure sums, this is unlikely to be an impulse buy.

Then again, if you're shopping for a TV inspired by a Bugatti hypercar, you're probably not too worried about budget.

The last year has been significant for UK TV viewers. Not only have the likes of Sky and Virgin Media increased the value of their paid platforms, with the addition of streaming services and extra channels at no extra cost, but Freely has made significant inroads in becoming the UK's number one free TV service.

As well as stretching availability beyond TVs, to set-top-boxes and streaming devices – namely the Manhattan Aero 4K TV Streamer, Netgem Pleio and Humax Aura EZ – it has recently surpassed one million users. And there are signs that this is still just the beginning.

As reported by ISPreview, as Freely is gaining viewers rapidly, Freeview – the traditional broadcast service – is slowly losing its.

Indeed, by 2034, it is predicted that Freely will be far and away the number one free TV platform in the country. It is claimed that the number of Freeview homes will shrink to just 860,000.

This all pours fuel on the debate for a new digital TV switchover in the 2030s. Freeview is currently available in 9.7 million households, according to TV analytics firm, 3 Reasons.

However, 73% of those homes also watch TV over the internet – and that's growing. It is also believed that only 220,000 UK homes will be without broadband by 2034, leaving a vast audience able to receive all their TV services via online services.

Whether that's reason to cut off digital terrestrial TV broadcasts entirely is another matter, but it certainly shows that Freely – operated by Everyone TV, which also manages Freeview and Freesat – is in a prime position to become the de facto standard going forward.

Freely is delivered entirely over the internet, with all live channels streamed rather than broadcast traditionally. It is backed by the UK's major broadcasters, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and 5, and new channels are added regularly.

The electronic programme guide also links with respective free streaming services, like BBC iPlayer and ITVX, enabling viewers to catch up with shows and movies within a click or two. New features have recently been added too, such as allowing users to click on a future show in the timeline and watching it instantly, if it already appears in one of the streaming platforms.

Roku recently announced that its smart projectors – made in partnership with Aurzen and Sharp – would be coming to the UK at last. And now the first of the two is here.

The Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector (EAZZE DR1) is available on Amazon now, just in time for big screen World Cup viewing. And what's more, the streaming-centric device has a massive introductory discount – from £199.99 to £129.99 with a clickable voucher on the Amazon listing – making it a very attractive purchase.

I had a chance to (briefly) check out the Aurzen projector during a recent London launch event, and while locked to Full HD and with no HDR, it provides decent picture performance and stereo Dolby audio from its small build.

And apart from running on the Roku system, which is a big win, I was most impressed by its setup options – how easy they are to use.

The projector sports auto focus and keystone adjustment, so you just place it on a table, shelf or ceiling mount it and it'll automatically ensure the image is clean, sharp and in the correct aspect ratio.

To alter the size of the picture – from 60- to 150-inches – you just move the projector forward or back. And it works as well indoors and outside. You do need to note that the maximum brightness is 280 ANSI lumens, so viewing in daylight will come with caveats, but considering most of the World Cup matches will be screened at night, this could be perfect for garden watching parties.

Roku has also recently added a Football Zone to its experience, which will gather all of the live matches in the one place, along with documentaries and highlights packages. So you won't even need to check whether a game if being shown on BBC (BBC iPlayer) or ITV (ITVX).

I'm personally hoping to host my own garden World Cup barbecues, so this could be a winner for me too. And at the reduced launch price, it won't even break the bank.

Samsung presented its first version of The Frame in 2017, part of a lifestyle approach to TVs. For many years, it ticked along as an oddity – a slightly under-specced TV that was all about the design rather than the performance.

In the intervening years, something else happened: dependency on connected devices went into decline as streaming services – including gaming services – came into the ascendancy. As homes have adopted larger screens, many have opted to wall-mount and suddenly that oddity makes a lot more sense.

That explains why, in 2026, there's more choices than ever, with TCL and Hisense vying for a slice of this pie and new entrant Amazon on the scene too. But with "Art TVs" the trend of 2026 and beyond, has Amazon's first foray got the goods to back up its intent?

Price & Availability

The Amazon Ember Artline is now available to order from Amazon, in 55- and 65-inch sizes. It's available in the UK and the USA.

As it has only just gone on sale in the UK, it is already enjoying a run of discounts – down as low as £719.99 for the 55-inch model, making it really competitive.

Amazon faces competition from Samsung with The Frame, TCL NXTVISION and Hisense Canvas TV. The discounted price makes it cheaper than the TCL A300W, Samsung LS03 and Hisense rivals, but the regular price is more expensive than both TCL and Hisense.

Amazon Ember Artline: How is it different to the Ember QLED?

Amazon has a number of TVs under its own Ember brand, ranging from the Ember 2-Series through to the Ember Mini-LED at the top of the range. The Ember QLED is the closest to the Artline in terms of specification, although it's much cheaper in price.

The Artline has a matte finish to the screen for a glare-free experience, while the Ember QLED doesn't. Both are 4K QLED panels, but while the Ember QLED is direct LED with numerous dimming zones, the Ember Artline is not. Most of the specifications are the same, but the picture quality is lower on the Artline.

The design is different, with the Artline much slimmer, designed with interchangeable frames, with a slim wall-mount in the box. It's thinner but also heavier than the Ember QLED.

Finally, I reviewed this model with Amazon's new Fire TV interface in place, which is faster and cleaner than the previous experience, although much the same in terms of features – the Ember QLED is expected to update at some point in the future.

Design & Features

The Amazon Ember Artline is all about design. Following the trend for TVs that look like a picture hanging on the wall, this TV is 39mm thick. It has a flat back, with all the connection points in recessed sections, with channels to run the cables in.

There are no legs in the box (although they are available to buy for £19.99 seen in this review), while there's a slim-fit wall mount provided in the box. To make mounting easy there's a template in the packaging that you can stick to the wall to help you line up the mount and drill in the right places.

This isn't a standard VESA mount (although VESA is also supported), instead it's a mount that attaches near the top of the TV, allowing a small degree of movement to access the rear. Four magnetic discs are also supplied for the corners, so once it's mounted, the magnets make sure it doesn't wobble. You'll need some DIY skills, but screws and plugs for mounting are provided.

The TV itself features a metal bezel around the screen, to which your choice of frame can attach. When you buy it, you get to choose a colour with 10 different options available. These include wood finishes and different colours, some bevelled for a slightly different look. That means you can match it to your room easily.

There's another interesting detail when the frame is attached: it covers the border to the screen, so the picture runs right up to the edge. That's something that not all premium TVs offer, with the exception of TCL and its Zero Border Technology.

Compared to Samsung's The Frame, however, the Ember Artline looks like a normal TV with a flatter back – it's not as well designed as the Samsung model, but it is cheaper.

Amazon has been offering its Ambient Experience on TVs for a while, so the evolution to an art display isn't much of a leap. In reality, it's an extension of the existing system but with 2000+ free works of art.

You can choose the style of art – contemporary, modern, neo-impressionism, for example – with artist spotlights, seasonal collections and other broad categories. It's not hard to find something you like, with plenty of options for control.

The matte display really sets this off, killing those reflections so it doesn't look like a TV, while it doesn't emit a lot of light either, so it's not a shiny object showing pictures on your wall, instead it looks like a framed work. Mission accomplished in that regard.

Amazon's new Fire TV experience also gives a lift. Amazon said this was faster than the older version and it certainly feels easier to skip around – although many of the features remain the same. There's a little less clutter, but you are still faced with adverts while using it, which is a universal drawback of Fire TV OS.

Picture Quality

But the thing you'll notice once you have that Monet on your wall, is that the viewing angles are narrow. As you start to move off-axis the brightness dips quickly until you can barely make out what's on the screen. That's partly because the brightness is low in art mode, but also that this panel type simply doesn't support wide viewing angles.

That takes us back to the panel itself: I mentioned that this was QLED, but it isn't Mini-LED, or even direct lit. There aren't numerous viewing zones and the brightness isn't high. While that suits its ambient ambitions to showcase art, it limits the picture quality potential when it comes to regular TV watching.

The QLED part of this TV will give rich colours, but out of the box it's prone to some really gloomy scenes by default, and plenty of black crush where you end up just watching the specular highlights, with other elements of the scene sinking into gloom.

That can see faces not appear clearly and a loss of texture in dark elements, such as fabrics. This is a particular problem with HDR content: Dolby Vision doesn't come with the lift you'd expect and even switching to Dolby Vision Bright or Dolby Vision Vivid didn't do much to relieve the problem. HDR10+ is equally bad – I tweaked the gamma to lift the blacks to make things more watchable, but it can't compare to a regular direct-LED TV for picture quality.

Bizarrely, Filmmaker Mode (FMM) appears to be slightly brighter than Standard on the Ember Artline, so it's worth turning on for movies as you'll be able to see more.

While watching standard dynamic range (SDR) content things are clearer (because it's not attempting to deliver the increased contrast that HDR demands) so ironically, in daylight, lower-quality content looks better. I fired up Ready Player One on a standard Blu-ray disc (so no HDR) and while the black crush is still a problem, it's a better overall picture than delivered from HDR sources.

I found myself switching to Vivid Mode on occasion, something I almost never do watching TV. I tweaked it to a warmer colour tone to be more watchable and for a lot of content it made for a better viewing experience.

The motion smoothing on picture modes is set to 10 by default and this leads to pronounced soap opera effect, with excessive smoothing. So my first port of call was to knock this down to 5 in order to reduce that. FMM, which isn't supposed to have any smoothing applied, looks like it is using motion smoothing – and that can't be adjusted.

The picture on the Amazon Ember Artline is significantly different to the Ember QLED, which I'd say is superior in all conditions, except for reflection handling. The downside of the matte finish of the Artline, however, is that direct bright light makes darker tones look grey. As I said, it looks great when showing artwork, but the performance for other content doesn't match that of regular televisions.

Sound quality

There are a pair of 10W speakers in the 55-inch version of the Ember Artline, moving to 12W in the 65-inch version. While the TV purportedly supports Dolby Atmos, you won't get that sort of immersive experience from the TV's own speakers.

The speakers aren't downfiring like many TVs, instead they are left and right in the sides of the TV, providing a little more width. They are supported by a number of sound modes, with Smart adding a little more immersion over Standard. Otherwise, the sound modes don't make a significant difference, apart from Clear Voice, which can sound a little harsh – it makes voice "clearer", but it sounds tinny overall.

The Ember Artline comes with one HDMI 2.1 port, which is also the eARC. This would be where you connect a soundbar and, in truth, even a basic soundbar will bring an uplift to this TV's performance – while there's some immersion, it just sounds a little boxed in.

Of course, with that HDMI being the only one supporting HDMI 2.1, it's also the ideal choice for games consoles. That said, this is only a 60Hz screen (not 120Hz+), so you're not missing out on too much should you choose one of the three remaining HDMI 2.0 instead!

Amazon Ember Artline review: Verdict

The Ember Artline marks a move into a new category for Amazon, taking on 'Art TV' rivals from Samsung, TCL and Hisense. From a design perspective, Amazon has an interesting offer: it comes with the wall mount, the installation guide is clear, and the magnetic discs add extra stability.

The included 2000+ works of art provide plenty of choice to find something you like, which look great when idly showing on the TV. Your choice of frame makes it easy to fit into your décor, too, so it's easy for you to disguise this TV as if it's a work of art.

But while the TV comes with some attractive features – Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, for example – it lacks the display to really deliver the visuals. The result is a TV that doesn’t perform as well as those half its full retail price.

There are compromises for choosing a design-focused TV over a TV for performance. That's also the case for all the Artline's rivals. What the Ember Artline adds is choice, with regular discounts likely to be the big appeal. But for regular TV viewing or streaming it lacks where it matters.

Also consider

The best-established option in this segment is The Frame from Samsung, which is updated annually, presenting cheaper discounted versions worth considering. There's a step-up model, The Frame Pro, for those wanting a boost in picture performance.

Alternatively, TCL's NXTVISION A300W is cheaper, but suffers with picture quality issues thanks to a similar edge-lit design as Amazon's Ember Artline.

It feels like we've been writing about new Apple TV and HomePod mini models for years – after all, the last Apple TV 4K hit stores in 2022. However, we might finally be in the last stretch, as there's a strong indication they could arrive around the same time as new iPhone models.

After numerous delays, it looks like Apple's positive progress with the new, AI-powered Siri will result in new devices this year – with Apple TV and HomePod finally on the cards for upgrades.

According to Apple expert Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, Apple has been holding off from refreshing each product line until the new version of Apple Intelligence was ready. And now that it is on the immediate horizon, so too are the new models.

"These refreshes have been held back for many, many months because they were designed to launch in tandem with the new Siri and Apple Intelligence updates," wrote Gurman in his latest PowerOn newsletter.

"That software is now scheduled for this fall, following numerous delays."

That suggests the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini will also arrive in the fall (autumn).

The only issue is that Gurman doesn't think the Apple TV upgrade will be that extensive: "In terms of new features, don’t expect much from the Apple TV box other than an updated chip," he added.

While that's a shame, it's understandable. The current Apple TV 4K is still one of the best streaming devices on the market – if not THE best. And although the hardware hasn't been renewed in the last four years, Apple has released regular software improvements.

It's likely the chip inside the new model will be upgraded purely to copy better with the new Apple Intelligence features. However, we might also find that the new capabilities won't run on the existing box – it runs on the A15 Bionic chipset and that's not compatible with current Apple Intelligence features, let alone new ones.

So it could be argued that the new model will be a fairly significant upgrade anyway. Also, Gurman claims the included Siri remote could be fully refreshed, albeit inside rather than its overall design.

As for the new HomePod mini, we shouldn't expect much to change in terms of design, but the S5 chip inside will similarly be swapped for one that's compatible with the all-new AI features.

Hopefully, all will become clear next week when Apple's annual developer conference kicks off. The main WWDC 26 keynote will take place on Monday 8 June and we'll be covering it all live, both from a UK perspective and from Cupertino in the States, too.

A projector can look good with what it offers on screen, but also - as the Anker Soundcore Nebula P1i shows - it can look good in and of itself too.

This new portable projector features two very distinctive and, let's be honest, very cute "ears". These, as you may have guessed are actually speakers. So why place them like that? This allows you to not only fold away the speakers for potability, but also to angle them for ideal sound output.

This is going under the Soundcore name, which is an audio sub-brand of Anker so that focus on audio is no surprise. As such this is all about that sound, with the dual flippable 10W drivers-toting speakers that offer Dolby Audio.

The idea here is that the projector can face the wall as needed but the audio can still be pointed at you, wherever you're sitting.

This features a soft handle top that allows for easy transport and at just 2.27kg it's lightweight too. The projector itself offers a TÜV-certified 380 ANSI lumens of brightness to back up the 1080p resolution output. All that makes it fine for dark-room use but little beyond that – which is expected at this price range.

Usefully, thanks to IEA 3.0 onboard, you just plonk this down and it'll automatically take care of autofocus, keystone correction, obstacle avoidance and screen fit.

Everything is run using Google TV so the software offers easy access to all the apps you could want including the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and so on.

There's a wired power setup here so you will need to factor mains power access into where you place this. That could mean an extension cord or a powerbank is part of the purchase price – something to keep in mind.

What's the price and release date for the Anker Soundcore Nebula P1i?

The Anker Soundcore Nebula P1i is available now to buy via Amazon where it is priced around the £300 mark at time of publishing.

There has been considerable interest in Freely over the last 12 months, with new devices joining televisions in offering support for the UK's free TV service.

Indeed, both the Manhattan Aero 4K TV Streamer and Netgem Pleio have been in and out of stock regularly, as eager viewers snap them up as soon as they are available.

That's largely because the streaming platform is steadily becoming a viable alternative to the likes of Sky and Virgin Media, not least because it offers most of the UK's best TV channels with no monthly fees.

It's also very likely to be the country's de facto TV delivery service, with strong suggestions it'll replace Freeview in the 2030s.

And so it is welcome to see the Freely team adding extra features and functionality to the platform, with a new update rolling out now that brings a couple of neat tweaks to the user experience.

According to Cordbusters, the Freely version 1.21.43.4 started making its way onto supporting TVs and devices from Tuesday this week. If you haven't got it yet, make sure to check your settings for auto-updates.

Changes include a new option to interact with the "On Next" tile that appears on the right-hand side of the Freely Mini Guide during live TV streaming.

Where it was purely informational before, you can now click on the tile to see several options. These include the ability to watch the movie or show straight away (if available on a supported streaming platform), add it to "My List", or browse for more episodes.

In addition, your "My List" collection can now include individual episodes, not just series.

The update also includes bug fixes and performance improvements, which are universal rather than device specific. You might also be served updates for your Freely-enabled tech from time to time, which are delivered by the manufacturers.

Earlier this week Sony unveiled its all-new flagship TV range, called True RGB, which is headed by the Bravia 9 II – which I got to see in person at an early preview.

The headline TV is already up for pre-order – as is its step-down and arguably more appealing for most people Bravia 7 II model – and I can confirm there's already a stellar discount deal.

See the Sony Bravia 9 II £500-off deal here

See the Sony Bravia 7 II £200-off deal here

Not only is there hundreds of pounds offered in this discount deal, however, there's also the potential to grab a FREE 43-inch Bravia 3, plus Sony's soundbar bundles can be nabbed with up to 50% off too.

While those deals above are decent in terms of raw cashback, it's the other part of this mega-deal that only furthers the appeal. A free 43-inch Bravia 3 isn't something to turn your nose up at. No, it's not the greatest telly in Sony's range, but could be ideal for a second room – or kids' bedroom.

Beyond that, it's actually the soundbar and surround system discount that I think is the best part of this deal. If. you're looking to go all-out, then I tested Sony's latest Bravia Theatre Trio system and it's absolutely stupendous. But very expensive.

With the World Cup incoming you might be excited to net one of Sony's all-new TVs to watch the beautiful game, too. Alas, this is the pre-order stage only – with the promotion running until 7 July, I suspect the 'Spring on-sale date' may miss the majority of the tournament.

Still, I've seen both these sets in action and am mightily impressed. For some of the best viewing 2026 has to offer – whether you're a cinema fan and/or gamer – then Sony's True RGB TVs are sure to impress. Bundled with the soundbar package, if you've been poised to splurge on a big new setup for some time then it'll be ultimate.

If you're looking for something a little more affordable, however, then check out our best TVs for under £1000. Some of the sets there, such as TCL's C7K, offer great value for money (and will be easily deliverable for the World Cup kick-off, should that be part of your reason for buying now).

After what's felt like endless teasing, Sony has finally revealed its new flagship TVs for 2026 – led by the Bravia 9 II, which is the brand's first 'True RGB' television. The name was revealed in early April this year, but I've had to wait this long to see final product.

True RGB is the marketing term that Sony is opting to use when describing its RGB Mini-LED technology, which is similar to that of TCL and Hisense. I've now seen each brand's backlight panels, however, and can confirm that they are not one and the same.

That's particularly interesting, given that Sony and TCL signed what they called a "Memorandum of Understanding for Strategic Partnership" at the beginning of this year. Many thought that spelled the end for the brand's home cinema lines – but that's not the case.

Sony TVs 2026: Bravia 9 II or 7 II?

If you're familiar with the Sony TV range (here's the 2025 breakdown, top to bottom) then you'll be aware of the original Bravia 9 Mini-LED panel, which, until now, sat atop the brand's range. Its Bravia 9 II successor steps things up with RGB Mini-LED technology. That means more brightness, more colour volume and greater control for this new generation model.

There is another new model for the 2026 range, though, the Bravia 7 II. It's not as bright, features fewer dimming zones, does away with the anti-reflective panel coating, and utilises a plastic rather than a metal bezel. But it's also more affordable, embodies the same core True RGB technology, and comes in smaller size options – marking it out as one of the only premium small-scale TVs in recent years.

Having seen both Bravia 7 II and Bravia 9 II side-by-side at Sony's headquarters in the UK, the differences, while certainly present, might make the 'lower-spec' model the one with larger appeal for more prospective buyers. Especially at the 50- or 55-inch size. I've included UK pricing for each model size below:

What's True RGB tech all about?

But when RGB Mini-LED already exists in the market, just what is different about Sony's True RGB version? The Japanese tech giant says it's about stringent engineering, a team that has decades-long experience in the TV space, and all-new algorithms to stabilise colour accuracy at all brightness levels.

Whereas Mini-LED utilises, as the name suggests, miniature LEDs for its backlight system, RGB Mini-LED utilises a trio of individual red, green and blue ones – for enhanced colour control. Sony has shunned the two-diode method used by some makers – TCL's Q9M set, for example – for a tri-diode solution with true independent red, green and blue output adjustment.

That doesn't only mean greater colour saturation, but also greater colour volume – which, as I saw in a side-by-side demonstration against the previous Bravia 9 and new Bravia 9 II, makes for far smoother colour gradation and minimal banding. It's a huge step up, based on what I saw – and this could even see it challenge the best OLED sets.

Sony's engineers have designed "RGB feedback loop monitoring" that's designed to limit cross-talk of colours – an potential hazard of the RGB backlight technology – relative to brightness output, for greater consistency in its results. Sony's goal is the maintain the highest cinema-like results and realism, rather than just turning everything up to 11.

While the entirety of my pictures in this feature are of a generic screensaver – and therefore not especially pertinent in showing off Sony's achievements – in my preview sessions I saw other real-world content comparisons that highlighted the differences in panel types, both from Sony and other makers.

The death of OLED?

It's interesting to see that Sony hasn't given up on OLED, however, with the Bravia 8 II remaining its second-in-command set among the brand's TV product line-up. I think that set will remain hugely relevant for many cinema-lovers for some time to come yet. But why might you wish to forego that for a Bravia 9 II instead?

Well, it's all about scale. While QD-OLED panels are made in 55-, 65- and 77-inch sizes, and classic OLED (or WOLED) can offer 83- and 97-inch in less technologically adept formats – the latter costs an insurmountable sum to purchase. With the market moving towards larger scale options, that's what RGB Mini-LED and, indeed, True RGB can offer.

Indeed, the Sony Bravia 9 II can be purchased in a 115-inch panel size. Sure, it's still markedly pricey – as shown in the table up page – but it's cheaper than smaller OLED panels of its size. It's also far brighter, while its dimming and colour control is advanced enough that cinema lovers will find fair compromise in such a solution.

All of which puts Sony in an interesting position. The brand already makes some of the best OLED models, thanks to its refined processing, and while Mini-LED competitors are making great headway – TCL, in particular – there's visual point of difference in Sony's True RGB results that'll impress high-end buyers.

Because, let's face it, Bravia isn't ever about being the cheapest. It's about being the best. And Sony's patience in finally getting True RGB to market will please those cinema fans who will pay the premium. The Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II clearly emboy that thinking – and I think already look like premier competitors in a market where shortcuts and oversized panels are becoming more commonplace.

There's a new Sony flagship in town. And, no, it's not one of the best OLED TVs – as Sony's TV range had elected for Mini-LED to be its champion since 2024, when the Bravia 9 was introduced.

That's soon to no longer be the case, though, as Sony's long-anticipated RGB Mini-LED tech – which the brand is calling True RGB – will sit at the top of the stack, with the all-new Bravia 9 II model taking pride of place for 2026.

There's also a Bravia 7 II model, which brings the same flavour as the 9 II, albeit with less brightness, fewer dimming zones, no anti-reflective coating, and a design that doesn't use quite as premium materials – a plastic bezel rather than a metal one, for example.

However, the Bravia 7 II does have one trick that I think many people will be allured by: it's available from a 50-inch size, bringing a rare premium set into this smaller scale. The Bravia 9 II, by comparison, begins with a 65-inch panel size.

Both models, however, are able to offer super-size solutions for those who seek them. The Bravia 9 II can be purchased in 75-, 85- or 115-inch forms (the largest of which loses the anti-reflection finish), while the Bravia 7 II offers 55-, 65-, 75-, 85- and 98-inch scales to choose from.

And while I jest that you can "forget OLED", as Sony hasn't introduced a new model in this category, it's certainly not the end of the brand's commitment – the Bravia 8 II continues on, which is positioned between the Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II.

That puts a bit of a bizarre spin on things, with Sony considering True RGB as its flagship in the 9 II, followed by QD-OLED in the 8 II, but then re-visiting True RGB again in a slightly lesser specified format in the 7 II. Below that you'll find the Bravia 5 Mini-LED set, while the entry Bravia 3 II is set to launch in the UK later in the year.

At least everything is now a numbered Bravia model, eh? It gives structure in a clear "bigger number is better" arrangement.

The big part of the story is, of course, that Sony's RGB Mini-LED technology is now finally ready to see the light of day. The Japanese giant isn't the first to market with this technology type, with TCL and Hisense already on the market, but it has applied its own stringent engineering to its product.

Given the announcement that Sony's Bravia production would go under the wing of Chinese TV-maker TCL, there had been a lot of talk about the latest Bravia models "just being TCL TVs". I can confirm that's not the case, though, having seen a breakdown of the backlight in person next to TCL's equivalent – and they're vastly different.

That's not to say that TCL might not be manufacturing the Sony set (note: this hasn't been confirmed), simply that the technology is different. Sony's RGB feedback loop monitoring is designed to limit cross-talk of colours relative to brightness output, for higher accuracy.

So it's clearly far from the end of Sony's TV aspirations. The Sony Bravia 9 II looks to be a strong reveal in the company's vision to "unleash the magic of movies at home". A fitting reveal some 18 years after the brand's first altogether different RGB efforts, in 2008's XR1 model. How times change.

Beyond new TV reveals, Sony has also doubled down on high-end TV audio, with the all-new Bravia Theatre Trio offering an immensely wide soundstage for larger TVs. I listened to it with two (also new) Sub 9 and Rear 9 speakers and was blown away by its additional 24 'phantom' channels of output for amazing Dolby Atmos.

There's no word on specific release schedule at the time of writing – only that "late spring" is expected (so any time before 21 June this year). Price-wise, the Theatre Trio will set you back £2,000 – with the Sub 9 an additional £900 and the Rear 9 speakers also an additional £900.

Roku has started to roll out a fresh homescreen design to its streaming devices, TVs and projectors – including those made by third parties.

The update adds a new configuration and several features, making content even easier to find and enjoy. However, it's only being pushed to devices in the US for now, with other countries "to follow".

The new homescreen comes with a new banner at the top. Top Picks will give you recommendations based on your viewing habits, including shows and movies that are trending across Roku.

There's also a new For You section to find more personalised picks you might fancy watching next. This sits at the front of the Top Picks zone.

Quick Access is new, too. It's a rail that highlights the apps you use most often, so you don't have to go hunting for them in their dedicated section.

It's dynamic too, so the system adapts to your use of the Roku device and switches around the apps to always present the ones you opened most in recent times. Shortcuts will also be surfaced in this way.

Roku has added Destinations as well, with curated content categories to jump into, and there's a new area for updates and news on upcoming entertainment. Your Daily Scoop not only gives you the lowdown on the latest, it will offer content suggestions to match.

And the homescreen menu can now be "tucked away" and hidden when you don't need it.

There are a couple more new features that have been added, which you can read about on Roku's own website.

What are UK Roku users getting?

As I've said, this update is US only for now. I'll update you when it is also rolling out elsewhere. However, UK Roku device and TV owners have also recently received an update with a new feature.

Roku has added a new Football Zone to the experience across all Roku streaming devices in the country, including the new Roku TV Smart Projectors announced recently.

Released to coincide with the FIFA World Cup in June and July, the new area gives you direct access to all of the live matches that will be shown during the tournament. That means you can click on the match and it will stream, no matter whether it is being screened live by the BBC (BBC iPlayer) or ITV (ITVX).

There will also be match highlights, plus a collection of football movies, documentaries, and other TV series.

You should find the Football Zone is available on your device now (or you may need to force an update).

If you thought Toshiba's skillset stopped at TVs and other tech goods, think again. Today, the brand has unveiled a limited edition football shirt, designed to celebrate the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

The Retro Replay Shirt has been crafted in collaboration with streetwear designer, Killa Villa. The design is made to evoke one of the most legendary moments in English footballing history – Geoff Hurst's hat-trick in the 1966 World Cup final.

It comes as the brand published new research suggesting that almost two thirds of Brits would prefer to watch the action at home, rather than in the pub. That makes it more important than ever to ensure you've got a top notch TV in your living room – after all, it just might be the one you watch a World Cup win on.

Right now, one of my top picks is this 65-inch 4k OLED model. It's a Fire TV, with Freely built in for absolutely seamless usability and a real plug and play approach. It's also got Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos built in, which should ensure cinematic scenes feel every bit as epic as they deserve to be.

If you're on a tighter budget and can sacrifice the OLED panel and Dolby Vision capabilities, this model at AO.com is also a great alternative. Plus, at just £379, it's hard to question in terms of value.

For this summer, when you're not donning your favourite England shirt, the Retro Replay Shirt should definitely be in rotation. It's a classic design which will definitely become a core part of my wardrobe over the coming months.

If you'd like to snag one too, you can take part in a competition on the brand's Instagram page, where the shirt – signed by England international, Marc Guehi – will be available alongside a Toshiba TV.

Amazon has renamed its range of own-brand TVs to make identification easier, giving them the name 'Ember'. That started with the Ember Artline (with anti-reflective display), but it's now been applied to Amazon's other TVs.

On review here is what was originally launched as the Fire TV Omni QLED, announced in 2025, but now called the Amazon Ember QLED instead. It's the same TV, it just has a new name so you know to differentiate it from non-Amazon Fire TV models.

As part of a wider refresh, updating the 2023 Omni QLED, the Ember QLED is flanked by the Ember 4 Series below it and the Ember Mini-LED above. That puts this TV in its place, better than the 4 Series, but not as capable as the Mini-LED, with pricing reflecting that position.

Price & Availability

The Ember QLED was announced in September 2025, but took some time to go on general sale. It is available in 50-, 55- and 65-inch sizes in the UK, while the US and Germany get a 75-inch size too.

As is always the case with Amazon devices, there are significant discounts during sales periods – and the Ember QLED has already been discounted several times, with a 55-inch model on review here as low as £449.99 / $489.99 / €549.99.

It's advised to buy during these discount periods, as it changes the position of this TV from "a little expensive" to "good value".

Here are the RRPs for the different sizes:

Amazon Ember QLED: What's new?

• 60% brighter
• 40% faster processor
• More dimming zones

This Ember QLED is a second-gen model, so there are a number of differences compared to the 2023 model that I reviewed previously. Firstly, Amazon now claims that this model is 60% brighter, while it also has more dimming zones.

A word of caution here: there are no dimming zones on the 50-inch model, so if you want the best performance, go for the 55-inch or larger. For those bigger models there are now double the number of local dimming zones over the first-gen model, designed to boost contrast and reduce light bleed.

There's a new processor, too, with Amazon saying that this model is 40% faster, avoiding some of the slow navigation problems of the previous model. It also steps up to Wi-Fi 6 for even faster connectivity.

Finally, the Ember QLED gets the Ambient Experience that's on some Fire TV Sticks and most of the new line-up of televisions. There's an OmniSense sensor to detect when someone is in the room to support those Ambient features.

Design

• Metal feet
• Wide stand
• Frameless design

From the front the Ember QLED looks like many other TVs in this segment: there's a frameless design, with a narrow band around the screen, while there's a slightly thicker bar across the bottom of the TV.

In the centre is a sensor block, which houses the microphones and mute switch for Alexa, which on this model offers hands-free voice control if you want it.

There are a pair of metal feet that are slightly more premium – as often these legs are plastic. But they have a wide stance, so if you're interested in the 65-inch model, you'll need to make sure you have a stand big enough to place it on.

Around the back of the TV the design is totally different to the old version. It's more streamlined and less blocky than the old model, with a smoother finish. Should anyone see the back of your TV then it looks less ugly, but the way it is curved is really designed to give a more seamless look if it's wall-mounted.

The included remote is a standard Amazon TV one, the same as you get on Amazon's cheapest TV, the Ember 2 Series, as well as on the top model, the Ember Mini-LED.

Picture Quality

• 4K resolution
• Full array local dimming
• Dolby Vision and HDR10+

Amazon's focus for the Ember QLED is to boost the quality, to better compete with the best rival TVs under £/$1000. This is a full-array LED television with Quantum Dot, meaning that the illumination is directly behind the screen, with Quantum Dot to boost the colour output from the panel.

In this model Amazon has boosted the brightness for better performance in brighter rooms, while also enhancing the HDR with increased contrast. Doubling the number of dimming zones helps here, but it highlights the limitation of this TV's tech against its big rival – Mini-LED.

While Amazon positions its own Mini-LED model above the Ember QLED in terms of price, there's no avoiding that TVs like the TCL C7K, based on a Mini-LED display, outperform the Ember QLED – and can be found cheaper. That's why the qualifier for this Amazon TV has to be that it's on discount.

With all that said, there's a meaningful upgrade in the performance of the Ember QLED. It doesn't have Mini-LED's ability to cut through reflections with huge brightness, but it is a colourful and capable set, with enough in the settings to tweak to improve the performance.

Key to this is using those dimming zones: I found that local dimming was off by default, but switching it on will instantly bring more contrast for better results. I tested it against some really dark content – Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 3, for example, which is almost entirely dark, where tweaking the local dimming made things much more visible.

The results, however, will vary by content: some dark scenes will look like they are artificially brightened, so find a balance that works for you.

The good news is that Filmmaker Mode (FMM) – often my starting point for assessing a TV – is very watchable on this telly. While it's a warmer tone, I didn't find it to be too dark, which is often the drawback of FMM.

Equally, Amazon continues to support a full range of HDR formats, so you'll get Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HLG here. Dolby Vision offers a lot of picture modes, so can be tweaked to your brightness preference. The results aren't as impactful as better Mini-LED models, and there's not the precise handling of black that OLED offers, but it's a very watchable TV in all conditions.

There are plenty of settings to tweak the picture to your liking, including the adjustment of motion control, which seems set to 10 across most of the picture modes. Dropping this back to around 5 will reduce the worst of the soap opera effect, while avoiding the judder that can come on long camera pans with 24fps movie content.

I also didn't notice distracting backlight bleed on the Ember QLED. It's there when you're watching, noticeable in dark conditions, but it's pretty well controlled. The display finish on this model is glossy and that leads to some reflections, but generally there's ample brightness to stay visible in daylight conditions.

There's a downside for gamers and that's the lack of higher refresh rate support, which a lot of TVs at this price will offer. It sticks to 60fps, so although there are the HDMI ports to support games consoles, you won't get the 120fps support you might want.

Sound Quality

• 55/55in: 2x 10W speakers
• 65/75in: 2x 12W speakers
• No Dolby Atmos

The speakers differ across these models, with the smaller sizes getting a pair of 10W speakers and the larger getting a pair of 12W speakers. These are downfiring speakers located in the bottom of the TV, left and right of the centre sensor block.

This is a typical setup for speakers on this type of TV and there are no additional speakers aiming to expand the soundstage or create height: indeed, there's no support for Dolby Atmos on this TV, it stops at Dolby Digital Plus, which will give you up to 7.1 surround sound via an external device.

For enthusiasts who might want to pair the Ember QLED with one of the best soundbars that is Atmos-capable, that presents a problem, as the TV won't supply it. Quite bizarre, given Amazon Prime Video's top-tier subscription model supporting it. If you're a subscriber with such a setup then you're better off getting the Ember Mini-LED instead – as that model does support Atmos.

The performance of the speakers isn't too bad, however, with plenty of volume – although it gets a bit muddy during busy scenes, especially with a lot of bass. I found it perfectly good for typical TV watching, however, but if this is your main TV for movies, I'd recommend a soundbar.

User Interface

• Fire TV OS
• Alexa+
• Ambient Experience

While the name of this TV has changed to Ember, it still runs Amazon's Fire TV OS, which will be familiar to anyone who has used a Fire TV Stick. That means there's access to a full range of apps and streaming services, integrated into the user interface for quick access to the content you want to watch.

There will be an update coming to this TV, with a new version of Fire TV that's said to be faster. But as it is, this is definitely a faster TV to navigate than the earlier model it replaces. That is once you get through the setup, though, which can be a little slow –especially while the TV is downloading apps and updating itself.

There's a common downside to Fire TV OS, however, which is the adverts that are laced throughout. This isn't just for content, it's for products you might want to buy from Amazon, on top of the recommendations to subscriptions to channels through Prime Video and the like.

Some might find this intrusive and it is possible to switch off the worst offenders in the settings to disable autoplay video or audio (under "featured content" in the settings). But adverts in the user interface are now part and parcel of modern TVs and I think that Fire TV OS is generally a little more usable than Samsung's Tizen OS or LG's webOS that you'll find on some of the best TVs.

With Alexa+ now available more widely than just in the US, those in the UK will benefit from a more enhanced Alexa experience. That's offered as a hands-free option on this TV, as well as being accessible via the button on the remote.

Alexa+ here does everything that it does elsewhere, making for fast searching for content you want to watch, opening different apps, as well as general question-asking or controlling your smart home devices that you've set to work with Alexa.

There's a switch to turn off the hands-free experience if you don't want to use it, or if there's another Echo device in the room and you want to avoid the confusion.

Fire TV OS supports Freely in the UK and that's an attractive feature of this TV, as it means access to broadcast television without the need for an aerial – you just need to connect to Wi-Fi, with a boost to Wi-Fi 6 on this TV for a more stable connection. There's a regular tuner in place if you'd rather avoid streaming everything.

Finally, this TV offers Amazon's Ambient Experience. This is comprised of a number of aspects, including screen savers that will react when you walk into the room (including turning off when there's no one there), as well as options for on-screen widgets. It's similar to what you'll get from an Art TV (the big trend of 2026), meaning that if the screen is off, it can be a little more interesting than just a big black rectangle.

Amazon Ember QLED review: Verdict

The Amazon Ember QLED (or Omni QLED as it was known as until recently) puts in a good showing, offering a full range of smart TV features, good picture quality and reasonable sound.

There are some shortcomings, though. The QLED tech compared to more advanced Mini-LED isn't quite as top quality, while the lack of Dolby Atmos will also be a drawback for some – especially top-tier Prime Video subscribers.

Then there's the price: the recommended price for this TV is too high considering the competition, so I'd advise against buying it at full price. That shouldn't be too much of a challenge, though, as Amazon's regular discounts mean you can often get this TV with a third slashed off – at which point you're getting a lot of performance for the money.

Overall, this Amazon Ember TV will suit many as a main TV, especially those with a leaning towards Alexa, where it will integrate neatly with other connected devices.

Also Consider

The Amazon Ember QLED lands in mass market territory fluctuating between two important markers, where a TV like the TCL C7K would be a better performer for many at the recommended price, but at discount prices, the TCL P8K might be the better option, as it offers better support for gamers with a 144Hz display.

Alternatively, the Samsung Q8F would be the mass-market choice, but the Hisense E7Q Pro offers great performance for a lower price than this Amazon TV, making it the pick if price is everything.

I'm in the process of reviewing the Amazon Ember Artline, the new "art TV" from Amazon that's designed for flush wall mounting and offers interchangeable frames. It rivals Samsung's The Frame, putting art on your walls while doing everything else you expect from a TV.

Part and parcel of that TV is a new Fire TV interface. Having just spent a couple of weeks with the Ember QLED (on the old interface), the contrast between these two menu systems is striking.

Amazon first announced that a new interface was coming in January 2026 and it's been slowly appearing in the US, where it's been met with mixed reception.

Fortunately, the art features of the new Ember Artline are powered by the new interface, so while no other Fire TV that I've seen in the UK has it (I also have the Ember Mini-LED), the Artline has been my first foray into this new interface.

It's definitely faster

At launch Amazon claimed the new Fire TV interface was 20-30% faster. That's always going to land well with users, especially as Fire TV has been a little sluggish in the past.

My experience is that it's definitely faster and I think it looks more modern too. It looks more like Google TV now, with major content types in the new shortcuts at the top of the screen, with apps shortcuts expanded.

More app shortcuts, more menu

On the old Fire TV interface there was a limit of six app shortcuts, but now you have many more. I have 16 on my home screen now and while it's not as clean as Roku's interface, I'm glad I don't have to open the menus to access those apps - I use more than six on a regular basis and I expect that's quite common.

But it's irritating that Amazon shoehorns in its own apps: Amazon Kids, Internet, Luna, Amazon Photos, all sit on this row taking up space. Some you can uninstall, some you can't.

Other apps that don't fit on the home screen are now accessed via the menu, so that's a couple of clicks away.

Key to app access is managing that row of shortcuts - press and hold the ok button when the app is highlighted to remove it (if you don't want it), or more importantly, move the apps you want to the front of the list.

I put my frequent apps to the start, and moved Amazon's bloatware to the end, off the screen.

Inputs gets buried

For anyone with multiple devices, switching inputs is an essential function on your TV. Once upon a time every remote had an input button but that's now rare. Fire TV used to have this on its main shortcuts bar right in the middle of the home screen, but it's now buried in the menu.

By buried, I mean you have to press the menu button on the remote to open the side menu, then select inputs, then the input you want. It's now three clicks away.

Why this isn't in the selection of top icons, I don't know. Up there you have search, home, movies, series, live TV and sports - and in some regions other options.

The thing that really strikes me is that there's very little flexibility here. I want inputs on that top row, but I can't customise it.

I've also mentioned that customising the apps shortcuts is limited to a few functions, and equally, I can't customise the rows that Fire TV shows.

That puts "Next up for You" at the top, which is content that's unrelated to anything that I've watched. Then we have the useful app shortcuts, then the annoying Sponsored row, then Live TV, which is useful.

Then we have two more rows - Netflix Recommends, Prime Games - before get back to something useful - Continue Watching.

Recommendations haven't got better

While the new interface is faster to use and I welcome the expanded range of shortcuts, pretty much everything else feels like it's space for rent. Sponsored rows, adverts at the top, rows of recommendations from other services.

That fact that Continue Watching is off the page makes it almost an afterthought - it's faster just to go straight to the app you want instead. That's likely what users are suggesting when talking about moving to Roku instead.

Of course there are shortcuts on the remote (which I use extensively because they're faster than navigation), as well as Alexa. In this case I've been using Alexa+, the new AI-enhanced version of Amazon's assistant.

For all the fun responses that Alexa+ will supply, it refused to return "Spider-Noir". "Old" Alexa on my oldest Fire TV, found Spider-Noir first time, serving up the trailer, so the jury is still out on whether Alexa+ is acutally helping here.

There's no reason to think that the new Fire TV will remain static: hopefully Amazon will introduce some customisation to make it more useful than it currently is, because it feels like user experience isn't at the heart of the new OS.

Nothing lasts forever and for the original Google Chromecast, it seems its time is done. There are reports that the teenager is finally set for the scrap heap as users claim their devices are failing.

First released in 2013, the Chromecast was different to other streaming devices of the time – there was no front-end or user experience, for starters, and it relied on your phone rather than a remote control.

Innovatively though, unlike Apple's AirPlay, casting video (or music) to the Chromecast enabled it to stream the content from its source, not your mobile device. That meant you could continue to use your phone, tablet or PC as normal.

The concept lasted for several generations of dongles before being replacement by the Chromecast with Google TV, where Google opted to follow its rivals in offering a full UI. And while casting content is still a thing today, across many third-party products too, the original Chromecast was consigned to the past.

Or so we thought. I turns out it's been operable for the last 13 years – until now, that is.

There are reports (via 9to5Google) that the original Chromecast is failing to stream for some and stopping working completely for others.

A Reddit thread is full of comments by users that have experienced issues with their older devices. It seems the game is up.

"I have two Gen 1s that no longer cast anything," writes Dude_Man79.

Chantastic adds that YouTube no longer streams from the Android app or a Chrome browser. Nor do HBO Max, Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

And SparkysAdventure has had trouble streaming Prime Video via their Chromecast: "Prime Video stopped working a couple days ago and Disney+ never worked for me."

Sadly, as these issues are said to have occurred very recently, it could be your own Chromecast dongle is on its way out.

The good news though is that this doesn't seem to have affected the second-gen models and beyond, so you could have a few years left for those. Still, it's probably worth considering an update. And if you don't fancy the Google TV Streamer set-top device, there are other options that support casting – including the Thomson Go Cast 152, which is keeping the Chromecast form factor alive.

Apple's annual developer conference, WWDC, is a couple of weeks away and we're therefore close to finding out all the new features and capabilities coming to our devices.

That includes iPhone, Mac and iPad, of course, but also the likes of the Vision Pro and Apple TV 4K. Indeed, Apple isn't even waiting until WWDC 26 to reveal one new feature it'll be adding to its streaming box later this year – it's announced details already.

In lieu of a new Apple TV 4K model, which may or may not debut in the coming months, at least existing versions will be getting a neat new trick.

Coming as part of tvOS 27 – likely this September – will be a new larger text feature. This will give you the ability to increase the onscreen text size to make it easier to read. It will affect all aspects of the Apple TV 4K experience – at least when it comes to Apple's own apps and services.

Some third-party apps may adopt it too.

As someone whose sight is gradually getting worse as I get older, this is a godsend. And I'm far from alone.

You will be able to increase and decrease the onscreen text size to your own preferences, thanks to a new slider bar in the settings. This will be particularly helpful for those who have smaller TVs and/or failing eyesight, and you can adjust the setting further as needed over time.

The new feature will be part of additional accessibility options being added across Apple devices. These include new measures to help reduce motion sickness when wearing Vision Pro in a vehicle, touch accommodations in iOS and iPadOS, and better compatibility with hearing aids.

There will be plenty of other new features too, some of which we should find out about during the WWDC 26 keynote address on Monday 8 June – Tim Cook's last as CEO.

We'll bring you all the news as it happens.

Roku has come a long way since it released its Netflix streaming device almost 20 years ago – we've had numerous streamers in all shapes and sizes, soundbars and several Roku-powered TVs.

And it's now ready to move into a new category too – in the UK, at least – with an eye on the forthcoming World Cup.

As well as launch a new Football Zone on all UK Roku devices soon, which will group together live World Cup matches and content in the one place, the brand is bringing the Roku TV Smart Projector to the country.

There are two, in fact, with the Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector that's already available in the US being joined by the all-new Sharp Roku TV Smart Projector for their UK debut.

Both are 1080p, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled and run on the Roku TV platform. That means they can stream any app that's available through Roku straight onto a wall or dedicated screen.

The Aurzen has a maximum brightness of 280 ANSI lumens, incorporates dual 5W speakers, and can project an image up to 100-inches.

The Sharp is similar but has slightly lower brightness levels – a maxium of 200 ANSI lumens – and stereo 3W speakers. It can increase the image to 120-inches, however.

Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector UK hands-on

I recently had the chance to check out the Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector myself, in a brief demo in London, and it seems perfect for World Cup screenings. There's also an ARC-compatible HDMI port that can be used for audio out to a more capable sound system, or to attach another source – such as Sky Stream.

The image was impressive for a 1080p projector being used in a dim but not blacked-out room. It was also just projected onto a white wall, rather than contrast-friendly screen.

I was also treated to a demo of the setting up process, which is all done automatically. It has auto focus and auto keystone functionality, and the size of the image depends on how far back you site the projector.

Bluetooth was also being used to transmit audio to a separate speaker. That could be a solution if you have a wireless setup yourself, although it won't come without its caveats – possible latency and lag, for one. I'd favour a wired setup for more serious use, although the stereo speakers will likely be ample for watching a match in the garden, say.

Both models come with familiar Roku remotes and the experience is the same as on multiple other devices. There's Apple AirPlay support too, for streaming content from an Apple device, although just about every app is on board anyway, including BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, and 5.

I'd have to test it more thoroughly (and in a daylight situation), while Roku is yet to announce pricing for each projector. However, with a summer of football coming up and the pair being available from June, I suspect they'll be popular.

The TV landscape is ever-changing, so while I still think the best OLED TVs retain a very strong position in 2026, the incoming larger-scale panel trend with RGB Mini-LED technology is adding pressure to this established market.

Doubtless that's part of the reason LG has gone all-out with its latest flagship, the OLED G6 on review here, in delivering its brightest-ever OLED. It features the same Primary RGB Tandem multi-layer panel as in the previous OLED G5, but a new processor means greater thermal efficiency and that brightness uptick.

Early viewings of the OLED G6 impressed – as with my first-look and my colleague's Samsung and Sony side-by-side feature – although the presence of off-axis colour cast was a prevailing issue and ultimately a side effect of amping up saturation and brightness. However, software changes have since dialled back on this early issue.

Irrelevant of any brightness or colour volume claims, however, I've switched from Samsung S99H (S95H in the USA) to LG OLED G6 and, in a heartbeat, there's just something more cinematic and magical about the traditional LG OLED's pictures.

That OLED is ever more fleeting – there's no top-tier Panasonic model for 2026, for example, while Sony isn't expected to deliver a newer OLED model this year either – somehow makes the G6 feel all the more special. Paired with the LG Sound Suite that's even more true (and more expensive), meaning this LG could well have the most magical TV release of the year.

Price & Availability

The core LG OLED G6 model is available in 55-, 65-, 77- and 83-inch panels that feature the Primary RGB Tandem multi-layered OLED panel type.

There's also a smaller 48-inch model in the UK, although its brightness ceiling won't be as high. A 97-inch behemoth will be available at a later date, albeit as a special order – and lacking the multi-layer panel type entirely.

Price-wise, the OLED G6 is certainly costly – but, considered year on year, it's actually a little cheaper than its G5 predecessor in some regions, such as the UK. It's got to remain competitive in this evolving market, after all.

On review is the 55-inch model, much as I was hoping for the 65-inch. It's the stand-mount variant (the 'S' of 'G66LS' in the product code representing that – and differing from the 'G64LW' of the wall-mount option).

LG OLED G5 vs G6: What's New?

Visually speaking, the LG OLED G6 continues with the same design language of its G5 predecessor. There's not anything to note that's different about the exterior – but that's no bad thing when you've got a well-made and understated set with central stand mount.

The biggest change is what's inside, with the latest Alpha 11 AI Gen 3 Processor being the key reason for a step up in picture quality potential. It's able to handle a lot more colour volume, thanks to a 12-bit colour channel, adding greater nuance to gradation too.

This seemingly small upgrade will bring key differences for home-cinema enthusiasts who want the most cinema-like high-end results at home. But the G6 is also well equipped in other departments, offering HDMI 2.1 on all four of its ports, with up to 165Hz supported all round – so it's superb for gamers too.

The G6 also introduces a new anti-reflection layer, which might get said home-cinema enthusiasts a little nervous. But, fret not, the implementation of this is less Samsung S99H/S95H-like in implementation, retaining a glossy-like finish that curtails reflections from being so mirror-like in appearance.

Design & Setup

Assembling the OLED G6 is pretty straightforward: four screws secure the central stand-mount into position, which you can affix in either a lower or higher position, the latter best for those wanting to position a large soundbar beneath.

The stand doesn't swivel, so parking your sources into the four HDMI slots around the back means you'll need to maintain access. It's a slender set overall, with the outer edge's silver finish being millimetre present from the front-facing position (this is no showy Samsung S99H by any means!).

While the G5 went fairly big on its artificial intelligence (AI) features, the G6 thankfully doesn't double down on trying to over-enhance these too much. Staples are retained, such as Picture Wizard, which allows you to create a picture preference by selecting from visual prompts. Personally, I'd stick to the pre-set options instead – which are all well judged.

In terms of software, LG's webOS platform – which dedicates far too much of its top area to adverts – has moved away from any underlying Freeview Play/Freesat HD platform in the UK. It does, however, offer the staple catch-up apps, including iPlayer, with easy direct access. And LG's ad-supported 'LG 1' channels offer lots of web-sourced live access straight from the home screen.

Controlling everything is actioned via the wand-like remote – quite literally, as you point it at the screen for a live cursor, which can be fiddly to use – which I do wish had a simplified Sources button present. Instead there's a voice-recognition AI button positioned centrally, which, if you like to use your voice, you'll find potentially better.

LG has long been creating its own processor boards, which gives it a leg up in the TV market compared to many (as MediaTek's top hardware is the only alternative at present in handling four HDMI 2.1 sources). Here, that means 4K Dolby Vision support at up to 144Hz from any of those ports (165Hz is supported for non-DV via VRR). It's very strong in terms of spec here.

Picture Quality

When there's so much talk of next-gen TV technology, a classic such as OLED might sound as though it's reaching its limits. But the LG OLED G6 proves that's anything but true – especially for cinematic picture quality, which I've found to be breathtaking.

Recently, I've been running a 4K Blu-ray 'Cinema Club', denouncing the best streaming services in favour of disc sources for the utmost viewing quality. It's an essential for testing a TV of this calibre, of course – but as I test for weeks, using a TV as if it's my own, in my living room at home, I'm able to get a real feel for a set's output

And the LG OLED G6 has been so impeccable from the offset that it's made me amp up my 4K Blu-ray watching sessions. There's just something magical about the myriad features OLED brings to the table for cinema that makes it a preferable choice.

Yes, the G6 is brighter than any LG TV before it. That's a fact: a circa 2,500 nit peak brightness, with full-screen brightness at circa 450 nits, representing a 20%-or-greater increase over the G5. But this isn't the tell-all of its picture quality.

Watching Oppenheimer for the umpteenth time, the black-and-white scenes were presented with a depth that's almost hard to describe. Such is the perfection of OLED's high-contrast ability, with no blooming or haloing to worry about.

Skipping over to watching Bugonia for the first time, and while the 3:2 aspect ratio filled the screen unusually, the movie's filmic visuals were presented skilfully. No over-processing hiding the film grain, no jarring judder in motion, no banding in the various fire-lit close-up or dark basement scenes.

Sharpness is biting, too, with wonderful clarity that doesn't appear overstretched. I've even attended side-by-side comparisons with a larger 65-inch G6 next to 2025's Samsung S95F and another Sony model – and the LG was the more natural and sharp-looking of the lot.

However, the quest for greater brightness and colour can see a colour cast show up. In isolation you'll not notice. It's just worth pointing out that it can exist – but you could also call this LG's "flavour" in its tuning. No doubt you'll have read about it already – we've even written about the overt green saturation previously, in early tests – but do note it's now certainly been toned down.

Feed the G6 generally more dour colour palettes – I've recently acquired Jason Statham's Shelter on 4K Blu-ray, for example – and the G6 will honour those brown and grey tones faithfully. The not-so-sunny Scottish Isles' scenery is presented with realism, without trying to overly jazz up the palette. That said, if you ask it to by selecting from Standard or Vivid, or pumping up various settings of your choosing, the G6 can also go all-out if you'd prefer.

That's a tool not to be overlooked. Much as I prefer Cinema Mode to Filmmaker Mode on the G6 – it's a little brighter, without overcooking things, delivering great Dolby Vision quality (there's no HDR10+ here, as a point of note) – for gaming, animations or even sports, those modes earn their place. And that's when the G6's brightness feature can be turned up a notch to unlock eye-searing and colour-saturated entertainment.

The anti-reflection coating of the G6 is great, too. Off-axis reflections are dialled down rather than completely muted, would-be daylight sources presented as softened pinkish non-distractions during daytime viewing. It's the sort of balance that cinema-lovers will appreciate in the home – more delicately handled than LG's competition.

And even with that coating in play, the G6 continues with LG's delivery of OLED picture quality as an art form. Ultimately clarity, brightness, contrast, depth-of-field and realism combine to magic effect – minor colour cast visible or not. Even writing about it makes me want to stop and go chuck another 4K movie on – as the G6 is just that good.

Sound Quality

Flagship TVs might deliver out-of-this-world picture quality, as the G6 offers. Sound quality, however, is a different hurdle to clear – because a slender frame doesn't have the sheer physical volume to deliver cinema-like audio.

I called the previous G5's sound "a little washy", and while I wouldn't say the G6 offers giant dynamics by any means, it is a more capable and AI-enhanced system that many will consider ample.

Watching Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, for example, and the dialogue is clear, the soundtrack thrums along – with modest rather than the deepest of bass – and placement is convincing. It's a cohesive mix, nothing too strained.

I've been spoiled with LG's Sound Suite – the H7 soundbar, W7 subwoofer and four M7 surround speakers – for much of this review period, detaching those outputs for a number of days to explore the G6's solo output. The TV can't rival the best soundbars for LG TVs, of course, but it does a fair job nonetheless.

LG OLED G6 review: Verdict

Anyone thinking that OLED's days are increasingly numbered will be forced to eat humble pie when sat in front of an LG OLED G6. This flagship panel delivers bright, colourful, yet faithfully realistic images that capture the magic of cinema – but at home.

The G6 is no one-tricky pony, though, able to really lean on that enhanced brightness output for vivid gaming – it's especially good here, thanks to four HDMI 2.1 ports – sports or entertainment, too. Colour can be its weakness in the context of QD-OLED and Mini-LED competitors, mind, with sometime minor colour cast present.

On paper, and indeed in person, the OLED G6 looks mighty similar to its G5 predecessor. Its internal processor upgrade might sound like a small deal, but for those seeking the best at-home experience, it delivers big-time for what home-cinema enthusiasts will be seeking. Others might prefer a cheaper, last-gen offer, of course.

So forget about RGB Mini-LED, for OLED's strength has been bottled and condensed by the LG OLED G6. Pair it with a suitable soundbar or surround option and, while you might be close to bankrupt, at least you'll be in pure cinema heaven. Straight out of the box and this has no doubt been one of the best TVs I've tested in 2026.

Also consider

While the Samsung S99H is probably too glitzy a design prospect for many, the brand's pure OLED alternative, the S90H, is a less high-end but nonetheless accomplished alternative – that'll cost you much less.

Otherwise, find an LG G5 or C5 deal for a lot less money and you'll be close to the G6's level in classic OLED terms. Or side-step to Sony, with the Bravia 8 II being an impressive Samsung alternative that many cite as delivering greater realism, much like the LG.

With the World Cup kicking off in just a few short weeks, there's no better time to upgrade your TV. If you act fast, you can have it all set up in time for the first kick off, giving you an incredible platform to take in all of the action.

Right now, there's an absolutely incredible deal available on a perfect TV. This 98-inch Hisense model is over £1,000 off at AO.com – just £1,199 right now!

That's a seriously impressive deal. And it gets even better if you're an AO member, with a further £60 reduction.

For that money, you're getting a seriously impressive piece of kit. For starters, it's important not to undersell just how big a 98-inch TV is. You'll be filling most rooms, which is perfect for an immersive viewing experience.

The model uses QLED technology, which should ensure vivid and lifelike colours. That's perfect for a lot of different uses, but it's going to pop with the bright kits and pitches shown when the football hits screens this summer.

The model also employs the Hi-View AI Engine, which is a processor specifically employed to work in the background and tweak the settings. That's designed to ensure you've always got the best settings for what's on screen, and saves you from having to manually adjust things.

It's also equipped with Freely, meaning you can stream live channels directly over wi-fi, with no aerial required. That's really handy – take it from someone who doesn't have that feature and has to take multiple steps every time they want to flick through live channels.

Elsewhere you'll find a 144Hz max refresh rate, which offers a lot to love for gamers. Plus, with Dolby Atmos and a built-in subwoofer, you can expect decent audio quality right out of the box.

There's also a suite of I/O options on the back, which should make it easy to hook up with any soundbars, gaming consoles and other peripherals within your setup. There's a quartet of HDMI ports, as well as a pair of USB ports and more.

This deal won't be around forever, though, so if you're hoping to pull the trigger, there's no better time than right now.