Katarzyna Petru
During the CES 2026 trade show, Hisense showcased the second generation of its RGB LED technology, as well as another iteration of true MicroLED. The manufacturer is focusing on expanding the colour palette by adding a fourth colour in both the LCD backlighting and in the MicroLED diodes themselves. We had previously reported on Hisense's plans for 2026, but the presentation at CES revealed additional details regarding two new flagship televisions.
RGB MiniLED evo – four colours in LCD backlighting
After introducing one of the first LCD televisions with RGB LED backlighting in 2025, Hisense is developing the concept into its second generation, named RGB MiniLED evo. The technology will debut in the 116-inch model 116UXS, the successor to last year’s 116UX.
A key innovation is the addition of cyan as the fourth colour of the backlighting LEDs, alongside red, green, and blue. According to Hisense, this allows for an expanded colour gamut of 110% BT.2020, the colour space used in HDR. The manufacturer also confirmed that the 116UXS offers "tens of thousands of local dimming zones." In practice, most HDR movies, series, and games are still created in the smaller DCI-P3 space, so BT.2020 remains mainly a safeguard for the future, for now. However, Hisense is clearly signalling that it is preparing its televisions for the next stage of HDR development.
The new model also features an improved image processor Hi-View AI Engine RGB, support for Dolby Vision 2, and other enhancements. The previous generation claimed peak brightness of up to 10,000 nits. The price has not yet been revealed, but for comparison, the 116UX from 2025 cost around $25,000.
RGBY MicroLED – the fourth subpixel in true MicroLED
The second innovation is RGBY MicroLED, which is another step in the development of true MicroLED. Unlike models marketed as “Micro RGB” by LG or Samsung, Hisense's solution does not use an LCD matrix. Each subpixel here is a separate LED. After last year's 136-inch MicroLED for around $100,000, Hisense plans to launch a 163-inch MX MicroLED model with a new RGBY structure in 2026. A yellow subpixel has been added to the classic RGB setup, which – according to the manufacturer – allows breaking through the “colour ceiling” that current MicroLED technology encounters.
The effect is meant to be ambitious: 100% coverage of BT.2020 for HDR content. Peak brightness has yet to be revealed, as has the price, though it can be expected that it will again be in the ultra-premium segment.
Technology versus costs
The presentations from Hisense clearly demonstrate that the manufacturer is intensively experimenting with expanding the colour gamut – both in LCDs with advanced backlighting and in true MicroLED. However, the question arises whether this direction is key today.
Perhaps, similar to Samsung, LG, or Sony, the bigger challenge is no longer the further "tightening" of image parameters, but rather the drastic reduction of MicroLED production costs so that this technology can move beyond the niche, luxury market segment.
