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Sony is stepping away from the traditional screens with their new flagship series for 2024, choosing instead to use  backlighting. The Bravia 9 is set to replace the , boasting a 50 percent increase in brightness and more than three times the number of dimming zones. Sony also says this model achieves " " (yes, our eyebrows were raised too), and credits the improved brightness and deeper black levels to its new system, which is split into three parts: the processor, the LED driver, and the micro LEDs. The technology promises precise backlight control, which should minimise the halo effect that can occur when bright objects are displayed against dark backgrounds. A Sony spokesperson at the launch also suggested that this system provides a level of backlighting control comparable to that of professional monitors for Hollywood productions. Enhancements also extend to the updated XR Processor, which now boasts better picture recognition capabilities, particularly for faces and greenery. Sony also mentions that facial recognition works on both real and animated faces from various angles, aiming for sharper and more defined features. Interestingly, the Bravia 9 will retain the and will feature just two inputs (one of which will double up as an eARC port), supporting , , and . Unlike new flagship models from Samsung and LG, the Bravia 9 will not support 144Hz gaming. On the audio front, Sony's system makes its debut in the Bravia 9, featuring a , which includes two and . It really did sound impressive when Sony showed a clip of at the launch event, with clear and precise sound positioning. Of course, the jury is still out there until we get our hands on a test unit in our own test environment and source materials. The Bravia 9 will be available in and models for (from ) and (from ), respectively. Interestingly, the . It’s really an odd decision by Sony as I thought this might limit options for consumers in smaller living spaces who are looking for high-quality television, but this could likely be a marketing decision. For one, 55 and 65-inch sizes are more reasonably priced as OLED models (via the Bravia 8 series), but to go larger, OLED screens are just too expensive. This is why the Bravia 9 champions the larger-than-life screen options through Mini LED. We had a glimpse of Sony’s latest Bravia line of televisions - the Bravia 9 is absolutely divine! @SonyElectronics For interested buyers of the Bravia 9 75- or 85-inch televisions, Sony is running a pre-order bundle promotion that includes a , wall bracket plus installation (worth $199) and Sony Pictures Core subscription. It’s a pretty good deal, in my opinion. Separately, Sony has also announced the , and in various sizes ranging from 43-inch for the Bravia 3 and up to 85-inch for the Bravia 7. Here's a breakdown of the different models and their pricing: 85XR90 S$12,999 June 2024 with PS5 Digital Console^ (Slim, worth S$669) + Wall bracket and installation^ (worth S$199) + SONY PICTURES CORE™ subscription^. with PS5 Digital Console^ (Slim, worth S$669) + Wall bracket and installation^ (worth S$199) + SONY PICTURES CORE™ subscription^. 75XR90 S$9,999 May 2024 65XR80 S$5,999 June 2024 with PS5 Digital Console^ (Slim, worth S$669) + Wall bracket and installation^ (worth S$199) + SONY PICTURES CORE™ subscription^. with PS5 Digital Console^ (Slim, worth S$669) + Wall bracket and installation^ (worth S$199) + SONY PICTURES CORE™ subscription^. 55XR80 S$4,099 85XR70 S$8,699 May 2024 Not Applicable 75XR70 S$7,199 65XR70 S$4,999 85S30 S$5,799 June 2024 Not Applicable 75S30 S$3,799 65S30 S$2,399 55S30 S$1,899 50S30 S$1,599 43S30 S$1,399 Noticed how Sony has also made its naming convention so much simpler and easy to understand? One of the most frustrating issues with TV models is how some brands over-complicate their models with long, hard-to-remember names. With the 2024 line-up, it's very clearly defined that Bravia 9 is Sony's flagship model and trickling down all the way to the entry-level Bravia 3, regardless of panel type. It's smart, sensible and I wish more TV brands could do the same (here's looking at you, big Korean brand)