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Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Tom's Guide
LG G5 vs Sony Bravia 8 II: Which flagship OLED TV wins?
The Sony Bravia 8 II stuns with incredible color volume and excellent HDR performance, but doesn't quite match its rivals in terms of modern features. It still only has two HDMI 2.1 ports and a 120Hz refresh rate. The LG G5 delivers an incredible picture with highlight brightness that rivals the Samsung S95F. Unlike the S95F, the G5 supports Dolby Vision. Keep in mind that the G5's stand is sold separately. As one of the most exciting TVs out of CES 2025, the LG G5 definitely has some swagger in the market. It leverages LG's new Primary RGB tandem OLED panel and boasts a 165Hz refresh rate, netting it serious enhancements over the competition. But it's not the only flagship OLED making waves. The Sony Bravia 8 II OLED is no stranger to its own slew of anticipation. It took home King of TVs in Value Electronics' recent TV shootout and offers its own tapestry of HDR performance, especially in terms of color. When choosing between two of the best OLED TVs of 2025, there's a lot to consider before making a final purchase. Even if price is of no concern, you're going to want to consider features, performance, and design of both these flagship OLEDs, which I'll run through below. LG G5 Sony Bravia 8 II Sizes 55", 65", 77", 83", 97" 55", 65" Ports 4x HDMI 2.1 2x HDMI 2.12x HDMI 2.0 Resolution 3,840 x 2,160p 3,840 x 2,160p Refresh rate 165Hz 120Hz HDR Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG Smart TV software webOS Google TV ATSC 3.0 support? No Yes Processor a11 AI Processor 4K Gen2 XR Processor Given their price, you can expect the Bravia 8 II and LG G5 to be kitted with advanced technology. The G5, in particular, leverages LG's new tandem RGB OLED panel, which takes over for the WOLED panels the G-series has been using for years. This new panel offers slightly better performance in color and contrasts. Sony doesn't make its own panels in-house, which leaves the Bravia 8 II with a QD-OLED panel supplied by Samsung Display. It uses a combination of quantum dots with a blue OLED light source, giving it improved color volume. These OLED TVs are also particularly slim. The Bravia 8 II is 1.37 inches (34mm), while the LG G5 OLED is even slimmer at just 1 inch (25.4mm), both measured without the stand. Despite being slim, both TVs are still pretty hefty, with the Bravia 8 II weighing 52.9 pounds and the LG G5 coming in at 48.5 pounds. (Weights apply to the 65-inch models.) A big setback on the LG G5 is its lack of an included stand. LG figures most LG G5 buyers will simply mount the TV, owing to its incredibly slimness. But not every buyer aims to do this, making it a misstep on LG's part. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. On the other hand, Sony has an advanced setup when it comes to its stand and even the I/O on its TV. You can setup the Bravia 8 II at two different height profiles, which is nice if you have a lower TV stand. It also has a backplate, so you can hide all the inputs on the back if you want; a cable management clip is built into the TV, right below all the I/O, which is handy for keeping your entertainment setup looking clean and wire-fire. Both TVs come equipped with an anti-glare coating, which works to diminish reflections when watching in more sun-lit and ambient-lit environments. It's hard to notice the effect on either model, unlike the Samsung S95F which has a more matte-finish that some might not like. I'm going to give the design nod to Sony here. LG shipping the G5 without a stand is a big red flag, even if the G5 is intended to be placed on a wall. Winner: Sony Bravia 8 II Here's a rundown of the Bravia 8 II and LG G5 metrics tested in our lab. LG G5 Bravia 8 II SDR Brightness (10%, in nits) 465 270 Delta-E (lower is better) 1.9 3.5 HDR Brightness (10%, in nits) 2,296 1,633 UHDA-P3 Gamut Coverage 99.79% 100% Rec. 2020 Gamut Coverage 82.42% 90.55% Input latency (milliseconds) 9.2 16.3 As you can see from these metrics, the LG G5 blows the Bravia 8 II out of the water, which is interesting in light of how the G5 did so poorly in Value Electronics' TV shootout. That's just added proof that numbers aren't everything, lending credence to Sony's ideology when it comes to TV design. One thing the Sony OLED does boast is some incredible HDR color coverage, hitting 100% of the UHDA-P3 gamut and 90.55% of the Rec2020 gamut. That's pretty remarkable, especially the second number. Most TVs can barely hit over around 75% of the Rec2020 gamut and even the LG G5 tops out at a little over 82%. Delta-E pertains to color accuracy, with lower numbers being better here. This means the LG G5's 1.9 Delta-E score is better against the Sony Bravia 8 II's 3.5, though anything under a score of 4 is largely imperceptible to human eyes. So, while the G5 does have better color accuracy on paper, you probably wouldn't notice even if the two sets were side by side. It's in the brightness category where the Bravia 8 II simply can't compete. Higher brightness metrics typically translates to better HDR performance and glare mitigation, which the G5 boasts in abundance. With 2,296 nits in HDR brightness alone, the LG G5 beats most other OLEDs in our testing. Even when it comes to gaming performance in the input latency tests, the G5 dominates. It sports a 9.2ms here, which is also some of the lowest in our testing this year. Meanwhile, the Sony Bravia 8 II has some of the highest at 16.3ms. The Bravia 8 II definitely has incredible picture quality. I tested this TV myself and can attest that its metrics don't tell the full story, which is also evidenced in its title as the King of TVs in Value Electronics' TV shootout. But the LG G5 is simply the better performer here. Not only does it outperform the Bravia 8 II in gaming, but its brightness is bonkers for an OLED TV. While the Bravia 8 II does have slightly better HDR color, the improved color accuracy of the G5 makes it more appealing. Winner: LG G5 The Sony Bravia 8 II runs on Google TV, providing it tons of free content to enjoy in addition to a suite of other features, like smart home functionality. Google TV is one of our favorite interfaces next to Roku as it's super simple to use and isn't bogged down with myriad ads. It also has a robust recommendation feature that's bound to get even better through Google Gemini. Meanwhile, the LG G5 OLED uses webOS as its interface. That's not a terrible TV OS by any means, but webOS definitely has its downsides. An ad-riddled system is definitely one of the major issues facing webOS, plus LG intends to make it worse by showing you ads based on your emotions. But if you can look past that, webOS is not the worst interface, especially when you consider it comes with several cloud gaming platforms. LG has also committed to a five year upgrade path for webOS, meaning the LG G5's interface will see prolonged updates all the way until 2030. In terms of features, the G5 and Bravia 8 II share the same HDR specifications. You'll have access to everything except HDR10+, including Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG. If you want HDR10+ support, you'll have to go with the Samsung S95F OLED instead. A feature the Bravia 8 II does have over its G5 rival is an ATSC 3.0 tuner. Few other OLED TVs come equipped with the spec these days, making this a particular highlight if you want to enjoy 4K TV broadcasts. The Bravia 8 II also has some exclusive PS5 features, like Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Genre Picture Mode, though with its high input latency, these aren't a huge selling point. Sony TVs are built to be the best picture performance you can buy, meaning gaming often takes a back seat. Overall, I think you can't go wrong with either option here. We tend to like Google TV a bit more over webOS, but the latter has seen some major improvements. Plus, the Bravia 8 II's wrangling of an ATSC 3.0 tuner and PS5 exclusive features allow it to stand out. Winner: Draw LG G5 Sony Bravia 8 II Specs (25) 24 22 Design (25) 22 24 Performance (25) 25 24 Features (25) 24 22 Total Score (100) 95 92 As premium TVs go, you really can't go wrong with either option here. Even if price is no concern, both the LG G5 OLED and Bravia 8 II make for two of the best TVs you can buy right now. On paper, the LG G5 OLED does stand out with its higher brightness and better input latency. It's the cheapest flagship OLED on the market right now, with the 65-inch LG G5 OLED going for $2,996 on Amazon. Not only that, but the G5 does have a few more features over the Bravia 8 II to make it stand out, like a 165Hz refresh rate, full range of HDMI 2.1 support, and access to cloud gaming services. You can also buy it in a wider selection of sizes, while the Bravia 8 II is only available in 55- and 65-inch configurations. Sony might be the brand best known for picture performance, and that's still definitely the case with the Bravia 8 II. But taking into account its cheaper price and wider selection of features, I'd recommend the G5 here as it simply makes for a better investment.
Tom's Guide
08-08-2025
- Tom's Guide
Sony Just Beat LG, Samsung and Panasonic in OLED TV Shoot-Out — There's Just One Problem
Every year Value Electronics hosts an epic TV shoot-out, wrangling together some of the best TVs in a bout for utter dominance. The TVs are scored based on everything from HDR and processing power to picture quality in a bright room and contrast performance. As a major milestone for Value Electronics, it recently held its 21st event last weekend, which culminated in the crowning of Sony's Bravia 8 II as king of OLEDs. But what exactly does that mean? Are we to believe the Bravia 8 II is now one of the best OLED TVs you can buy — or the best in 2025? The TV scores carry a lot of weight, but they are subjective — i.e. they don't take into account the lab-tested metrics that sites like Tom's Guide record. Let's take a hard look at all the contenders using our data to see if this year's winner can justify its $3,000 sticker price in the face of stiff competition. This year's TV shoot-out focused on two particular categories: SDR and HDR performance. Within these two brackets, judges rated the OLED TVs based on various aspects, like color, processing, bright living room, contrast, and EOTF accuracy. The scores were weighted out of 5, with 5 being the best and 1 being the worst. Launched in 2025, the Sony Bravia 8 II folllows the Sony A95L OLED TV, one of the most beloved OLED TVs. The Bravia 8 II offers several upgrades, like increased contrast and improved motion handling. It also offers some of the widest color coverage in OLEDs of the year, which is a major plus for an already incredible display. 65" for $2,998 The TVs in question included the four prime flagship OLEDs of 2025; the Sony Bravia 8 II, Samsung S95F, Panasonic Z95B, and LG G5. The final results of the 2025 shoot-out can be found in Value Electronics' PDF, which is accessible via its website. We've collated the scores below for your convenience: Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. LG G5 OLED Samsung S95F OLED Sony Bravia 8 II OLED Panasonic Z95B OLED Contrast/Grayscale 3.69 4.38 4.41 3.84 Color 3.84 3.88 3.84 3.97 Processing 3.31 3.66 4.22 3.78 Bright Living Room 4.06 4.19 4.19 4.25 Overall 3.68 4.00 4.16 3.92 LG G5 OLED Samsung S95F OLED Sony Bravia 8 II OLED Panasonic Z95B OLED Dynamic Range/EOTF Accuracy 3.41 3.88 3.94 4.03 Color 2.84 4.13 4.03 4.00 Processing 3.34 3.72 3.53 3.97 Bright Living Room 3.94 4.38 4.19 3.88 Overall 3.30 3.97 3.88 3.98 It's clear from these results the Bravia 8 II has incredible contrast, processing power, and glare mitigation. Still, even with its excellent scores, the Panasonic Z95B and the Samsung S95F gave Sony's flagship OLED a run for its money. Just look at how voting fared in the SDR bracket to see how good the Panasonic Z95B is in both the Bright Living Room and Color categories. You'd expect Sony to dominate here, particularly when it comes to color, given the brand's extensive work designing some of the best reference monitors. But it's not just SDR, as the Panasonic Z95B actually beat the Bravia 8 II in the HDR category with an overall score of 3.98. That's just one decimal point higher against the score awarded the Samsung S95F and 10 decimal points higher over the Sony OLED. LG's G5 didn't fare so well in this shootout, which is hard to believe seeing as the Panasonic Z95B shares the same technology with it (the new four-stack OLED panel revealed at CES 2025). The biggest letdowns on the G5 are its processing power and color output, which dinged its overall scores in both HDR and SDR by quite a lot. Real-world testing is one thing, but opinions can be skewed depending on the situation and environment. Using our existing testing on these flagship OLEDs, let's see how their metrics stand in relation to the final TV shootout scores. We've already tested all four of these flagship OLED TVs in our lab. Our technical tests involve using a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays's Calman TV-calibration software. Check out the full results below. LG G5 Samsung S95F Sony Bravia 8 II Panasonic Z95A SDR Brightness (10%, in nits) 510 1,004 270 217 Delta-E (lower is better) 1.9 1.1 3.5 1.3 Rec. 709 Gamut Coverage 99.69% 106.87% 99.99% 96.80% HDR Brightness (10%, in nits) 1,879 2,286 1,633 1,859 UHDA-P3 Gamut Coverage 99.79% 99.97% 100% 99.77% Rec. 2020 Gamut Coverage 82.42% 90.26% 90.55% 81.42% Input latency (in milliseconds) 9.2 9.5 16.3 12.7 Each OLED listed here distinctly has something to offer. The most notable among them is the Samsung S95F, which has serious brightness metrics even for an OLED. It blows the competition out of the water, making the S95F the most ideal choice for sunnier rooms or for rooms with tons of lights. This explains why the S95F had some of the highest scores in the Bright Living Room category. Not only does it pack a punch in the luminance department, but it also has a well-designed anti-glare coating that staves off reflections with expert precision. And, even though the LG G5 had higher brightness in standard and HDR against the Bravia 8 II, the latter still beat it in the Bright Living Room tests for both categories. Even the Panasonic Z95B, which has the lowest luminance out of all four OLEDs in standard mode, actually earned the top score in the SDR Bright Living Room test. That just goes to show that a higher number doesn't always equate to a better experience. The Delta-E scores (lower is better) and color gamuts are another interesting turn of events. Out of all the flagship OLED TVs, the Sony Bravia 8 II has the highest Delta-E at 3.5. To be fair, anything below a Delta-E score of 4 is pretty much imperceptible to the human eye, but this might lend some credence to the lower scores it was awarded in the Color sections. The Bravia 8 II covers 99.99% of the Rec709 Gamut and 100% of the UHDA-P3 gamut, which pertain to SDR and HDR color coverage, respectively. It's interesting putting these numbers up against the TV shoot-out scores, seeing as the S95F won against the Bravia 8 II in SDR color despite reaching 106% of the Rec709 gamut, meaning it most likely has some oversaturated colors in this picture setting. Gaming isn't a testing category in the TV shoot-out, but the LG G5 would be the clear winner here for its low input latency of 9.2ms, beating the Sony and Panasonic by a wide margin. That makes sense, seeing as LG OLEDs, like the LG C5 OLED, often rank among the best gaming TVs for in our testing. Aside form its color coverage, the Bravia 8 II isn't exactly the "King of TVs" based on our test results. And that's before we get into pricing. Sony TVs are notorious for their exorbitant prices, and that's no different on the Sony Bravia 8 II. At just under $3,300, it's not quite steeped in value like LG's C-series or the Samsung S90-seires of OLEDs. With Sony, you're paying a premium, and that's not typically because of numbers or metrics — it's because Sony's known for the best picture quality you can buy. It's no secret that Sony's 2025 TVs take cinematic presentation seriously, but you shouldn't have to pay such an exorbitant premium to get that picture quality. Nor do you have to, as Panasonic, LG, and Samsung have great flagship OLEDs in their own right (and they're better-priced, too). What's more? The Sony Bravia 8 II doesn't offer more modern features like its rivals. It still only has two HDMI 2.1 ports and a 120Hz refresh rate, making it not the best choice for gamers, particularly those running some of the best gaming PCs. Meanwhile, the LG G5 and Samsung S95F boast 165Hz and four HDMI 2.1 ports, putting Sony's Bravia 8 II to shame. If you ask me, the real king of OLED TVs is the Panasonic Z95B. It's got a lot to show for its performance, hits all the sweet spots in terms of specs, and is equipped with one of the most bombastic and customizable speaker systems in the market. I've gushed about this TV quite a bit, and even claimed Panasonic's 2025 flagship OLED TV could beat LG and Samsung. Judging by the results in this TV shootout, it seems I wasn't too far off. It even took home the prize as the "Best HDR TV," just barely eking out the better overall average against the Samsung S95F. The Z95B is also $200 cheaper than the Sony Bravia 8 II in both 55-inch and 65-inch. That's a hard bargain to beat in this market, but you could always go with the LG G5 OLED if you really wanted the cheapest price. Right now, the 65-inch LG G5 OLED is $2,896 on Amazon, but it simply doesn't match up to the Panasonic Z95B, especially when you take into account how poorly the G5 did in the shoot-out. The Sony Bravia 8 II might have been crowned king of OLED TVs in 2025, which isn't at all surprising given Sony has held the title for nearly seven years running. But it's simply too a high premium against major rivals, and I think price-to-performance is the most important factor to consider when on the hunt for a new OLED TV. Panasonic's new flagship OLED is here to beat them all. It's equipped with a 144Hz refresh rate, a set of two HDMI 2.1 ports, and a robust game menu, making settings changes a breeze. The Panssonic Z95B also has one of the best built-in speakers, offering bombastic audio that can be amplified through its 360 degree Soundscape Pro software. It's here where you can customize audio on a wide range of variables. With Fire TV, you also have instant access to your favorite content and even several cloud gaming services, so you don't even need a console or PC.
