Compare: LG OLED B6 vs Sony BRAVIA 6 (A65)

The LG OLED B6 is a very successful continuation of the B series and a TV that makes a lot of sense as a first step into OLED. It doesn't try to compete with the most expensive models in every respect, but in the most important areas it still manages to deliver exactly what many people choose this technology for: perfect blacks, very high contrast and a picture that can simply look spectacular in films. Much of this is thanks to the new budget WOLED panel, the OLED SE. Thanks to it, LG's cheapest OLED is now noticeably brighter than a few years ago, and around 800 nits in HDR is a figure you can genuinely notice when watching. Highlights have more punch, the picture copes better with more demanding scenes, and combined with OLED blacks the whole thing can look really impressive. Films and series from streaming platforms look particularly good, especially those available in Dolby Vision. That's when the B6 makes the most of its capabilities and can deliver an image that will be a big step up for someone switching from a typical LCD TV.

However, this is not a model without compromises. Our biggest reservation concerns how the screen handles reflections. The lack of a classic polariser means the TV fares much worse when placed opposite a large window or a strong light source. Reflections are more noticeable than on other WOLED panels, and the blacks themselves lose some of their character in a bright room. In controlled conditions this won't be a problem, but for a very bright living room it's worth approaching this purchase a little more cautiously. The operation of webOS also leaves something to be desired. The system itself is still very good, with a rich app library, the convenient Magic Remote and essentially everything you would expect from a modern Smart TV. The problem is that on the B6 it does not always run as smoothly as it should. At times you can feel the new version of the system is more demanding and somewhat 'heavier' than before.

Despite these remarks the LG B6 still performs very well. It's a TV that delivers all the key advantages of OLED while not costing as much as the higher-end models. It makes the most sense when it's on a good deal, because then it can be one of the most interesting choices for people who want to enter the world of OLEDs without overpaying.

The BRAVIA 6 can provide a lot of viewing pleasure, especially in the evening when the strengths of the OLED panel are most apparent. Deep blacks, good contrast and natural colours after calibration mean that, with the right material, its picture is easy to appreciate. It also performs well with a console: it delivers smooth motion and responds quickly to controller inputs. It's pleasing to see four full HDMI 2.1 ports, which Sony has finally included. Thanks to them, connecting several devices is less of a problem than even with some more expensive models from the brand. The whole package is rounded off by solid build quality and an attractive design.

However, that's not enough to make it stand out among competing OLEDs. We've generally paid extra for Sony TVs, in part for better image processing, but it's hard to spot an advantage in that area with the BRAVIA 6. Weaker recordings look average, and in demanding HDR scenes details are lost in the bright parts of the picture. Dolby Vision helps a little, but it doesn't change the overall impression: you get an image that can be pleasing, yet it doesn't give a clear reason to choose Sony over another entry-level OLED.

While the lack of such an advantage can be tolerated with a suitably low price, it's much harder to overlook problems in everyday use. Google TV offers a wide range of apps, but during our tests using the TV too often ended with having to... unplug it. Even playing a film from a USB stick could be problematic. It was at moments like these that we felt there was little... Sony in this BRAVIA. It lacks the refinement that used to be one of the reasons to pay more for a Sony TV.

In the end the BRAVIA 6 leaves a fair amount of disappointment. The OLED panel gives it a solid foundation, but the pleasure of watching too often gives way to frustration with operation. For that reason, in its current state we find it hard to recommend, even though it's one of the cheapest OLEDs on the market. An attractive price can make up for some image limitations, but it's hard to see that as a sufficient argument when basic functions fail. So before we can consider whether it's worth buying the BRAVIA 6, Sony needs to deliver the level of polish we expect.

The blacks on the LG OLED B6 are perfect. That's no surprise, since we're dealing with an OLED (WOLED), but this is precisely where you can see why this technology still has so many fans. Each pixel can switch off individually, so in dark scenes there is no grey halo or blooming around bright elements. As a result, the image has excellent depth and can genuinely look three-dimensional. Shadow detail also performs well. Nothing melts into one dark blotch, and small elements remain visible even in more challenging scenes. In that respect the B6 simply demonstrates everything we love about OLED TVs.

The Sony BRAVIA 6, also known as the A65, uses an OLED panel, so in terms of black levels and contrast it deserves the highest marks. In all test scenes the black remained completely black, and the measured contrast was infinite. This is thanks to independent control of every pixel, which can be turned off entirely even if a very bright element is right next to it. In this respect the BRAVIA 6 even outperforms the best Mini LEDs. A few thousand backlight zones still do not provide the same precision as control over each of the more than 8 million pixels.

However, in the video below you can see that some dark parts of the image are slightly brightened. It is worth clarifying that this concerns the darkest shades of grey, not true black itself. The BRAVIA 6 tends to show them brighter than it should, so details in deep shadow can be overly emphasised. This does not change the panel’s ability to completely switch off black elements, so we do not lower the score in this category for that reason. We will return to this behaviour when assessing image reproduction and the effects of calibration.

The LG B6 is a moderately bright OLED. After calibration it reaches around 800 nits, roughly 200 nits more than last year’s B5. That’s down to the new, budget OLED SE panel from LG Display. In practice it simply gives a bit more headroom and makes HDR look fuller in many scenes than on last year’s lower‑end OLEDs. That does not mean the B6 has no limitations. In very bright shots, when a large part of the screen is strongly lit, brightness can fall below 400 nits. This behaviour is typical for OLED TVs, especially in this segment, and that’s where you see the biggest difference compared with more expensive models. Even so, we judge the B6’s results as genuinely solid. It’s still not a TV for breaking brightness records, but the HDR effect is strong enough that films truly feel like a step up from ordinary SDR. Colour gamut Using the OLED SE panel has had a slight impact on wide colour gamut coverage. Compared with last year’s model the results have fallen by a few percentage points. It covers roughly 96% of DCI‑P3 and about 71% of BT.2020. That doesn’t mean the colours on the LG B6 are weak. In most films and series they look lively, well saturated and simply pleasing to the eye. You only notice the difference in very bright, highly colourful scenes. Then colours lose some intensity compared with QD‑OLED panels. This stems from the WOLED panel structure. Besides red, green and blue subpixels it also uses a white subpixel, which helps to boost brightness. However, this comes at a price. At very high luminance some colour is effectively 'diluted' by the white light, so the saturation of certain colours can be slightly lower. In everyday use this isn’t a major issue, but in the most demanding scenes you can notice it.

The Sony BRAVIA 6 is a moderately bright TV and, compared with today’s OLEDs, can even be classed among the darker models. It peaks at around 700 nits, but such values are seen mainly on small highlights set against a dark background. In brighter, mixed scenes the result is closer to 500 nits; for example, in the sunset shot from the film 'Life of Pi' we measured 483 nits. Combined with its perfect blacks, this delivers a pleasant HDR effect, especially in the evening, although it is hard to call the brightness spectacular. The limitations become even clearer when bright elements occupy most of the screen. That is when ABL comes into play, a mechanism that limits brightness under heavy OLED panel load. The BRAVIA 6 uses the panel’s capabilities fairly conservatively and in such shots brightness falls to about 250 to 280 nits. In the oil-rig scene we measured about 250 nits, so the bright sky no longer has the same punch as a single torch in darkness. It is in wide, sunlit landscapes or large flares that the lack of brightness headroom is most noticeable.

Colours

In terms of colours the BRAVIA 6 performs quite well. It covers around 95–96% of the DCI-P3 gamut, so it can reproduce most of the colours used in HDR films and series with appropriate saturation. It still trails the better WOLED panels, which approach full coverage of that gamut, but in day-to-day viewing this will not be a large difference. A larger gap separates it from QD-OLED screens when showing the most intense colours from the wider BT.2020 gamut. Sony covers about 71–72% of it, so exceptionally saturated reds or greens will not look as impressive as on organic panels with quantum dots or on SQD Mini-LED screens. Moreover, gamut coverage alone does not mean the TV can reproduce those colours at high brightness. On the BRAVIA 6 very bright, colourful effects have less punch, which further tones down the perceived HDR. In typical films colours still look good, but the greater limitation remains the screen’s brightness.

We tested the LG B6 in Filmmaker Mode, the best picture setting available straight out of the box. ISF modes produce very similar results, but in our tests we always stick to Filmmaker Mode for better comparison with other TVs. Each of them is, in any case, a much better starting point than Vivid or Eco mode, where the picture is heavily boosted and noticeably less natural. On SDR material the factory settings perform really well. Colour errors are small, the gamma response is correct, and the picture during normal viewing looks natural and does not feel overly "pumped up". It's a bit worse with HDR. When such content is played you quickly see that the white balance hasn't been set perfectly. Too much blue and red gives the image a slightly pink tint. This is also confirmed by colour gamut measurements and the ColorChecker, where samples clearly shift in that direction. It's not a flaw that completely spoils the picture, but it is noticeable with HDR films. Therefore anyone who wants the most faithful image should consider calibration, which we cover further on in the review.

In Cinema mode the Sony BRAVIA 6 delivers a rather pleasant picture, although the factory settings give it a slightly too warm character. In SDR, that is when watching regular TV and older films, there is a dominance of red and a shortage of blue. The image can therefore take on a creamy, slightly pinkish tint, and faces look more flushed than they should. It is not a colour cast that completely changes the appearance of a film, but it is noticeable with neutral colours. On top of that there is a somewhat excessive darkening of the image in SDR. The gamma curve runs above the target value, which when watching results in darker elements of the scene. The picture may appear more contrasty, but subtle shadow detail becomes harder to distinguish.

In HDR the colours behave a little differently. The red dominance is smaller, but combined with a slight excess of blue and a lack of green it gives a delicate pink tint to bright, neutral surfaces. The luminance response remains close to the reference through much of the range, although the aforementioned brightening of tones just above black is visible. Because of this some background areas in night scenes are more visible than the filmmakers intended. Some midtones are also slightly lifted. Overall film mode provides a sensible starting point for viewing and is by far the best mode available, but the white balance and the way brightness is rendered still need fine-tuning.

During calibration, we concentrated mainly on HDR content, because that's where the factory settings needed the most correction. We did not, however, neglect SDR mode, which after adjustment was brought almost to perfection. Colours are very accurate, and brightness is controlled as it should be. The biggest improvement in HDR came from fixing the white balance. Removing the excess red and blue eliminated the pinkish tint, and the image became much more natural. Skin tones, whites and all colours that had previously shifted towards pink improved. After calibration most errors fell below a Delta E of 2–3, the threshold at which the average viewer stops noticing differences with the naked eye. So the LG B6 can deliver a very accurate picture, particularly for the manufacturer's entry-level OLED model.

BRAVIA 6 responds well to picture calibration, although a large part of the user options is not available from the TV’s menu. In practice, apart from basic white balance and gamma adjustments in SDR it’s hard to get a grip on the other aspects of the image. Fortunately, those tweaks alone allow for significant improvement. In SDR it was possible to almost perfectly even out the white balance, removing the excessive warm tint and stopping faces from looking too ruddy. After correcting the gamma, darker details are also more visible. With regular broadcast TV or YouTube content the result is therefore noticeably better than the factory settings.

In HDR we also managed to reduce the tint, but a bigger problem here is the way the TV controls brightness. The BRAVIA 6 rather unusually varies it depending on the scene: it darkens some tones and brightens others, and the available settings do not allow this to be fully corrected. This is clear in measurements taken from film material, where the brightness trace shows how the EOTF curve differs between shots. The result is the previously mentioned lift of the deepest greys, which makes some night scenes look too bright. Calibration therefore makes sense and, especially in SDR, lets you achieve a natural, well-calibrated picture. Colour improvements are also visible in HDR, but they do not resolve the issues with brightness and the preservation of the brightest details. It’s a shame, because with greater control over what the TV does the panel’s capabilities could be put to better use.

Tonal transitions on the LG B6 are quite good, although some limitations typical of WOLED panels are still evident. In most scenes colours move between shades smoothly, without noticeable banding or unwanted digital artefacts. However, it is not always perfect. Most issues appear in the dark parts of the image, where WOLED panels have struggled for years. This is partly due to the greater difficulty of controlling the panel at very low brightness and the specific design that uses a white subpixel. Compared with last year’s model there is a slight improvement, but it still does not match the level of the best QD-OLED TVs or more advanced LCD models.

The smoothness of tonal transitions in the BRAVIA 6 is rather average. In every scene we checked you can notice small irregularities where one shade should gently blend into another. In bright shots they are subtle and easy to miss, while darker tones cause more issues. On a shadowed background the boundaries between them are more visible, so instead of a smooth transition you see distinct bands. We observed similar imperfections in other televisions we tested with an OLED SE panel. Interestingly, banding becomes slightly worse in Dolby Vision. These are not problems that spoil an entire viewing, but on uniform backgrounds and in darker scenes they can draw more attention to themselves.

The LG B6 handles lower-quality material very well. This is largely thanks to effective digital image processing, which can mask some of the source’s imperfections without overly smoothing the whole scene. The "Smooth Gradation" function proves particularly useful. It noticeably reduces posterisation, especially in dark parts of the image. The safest choice remains the Low or Medium setting. The function still effectively smooths out unsightly tonal banding, but does not yet interfere too much with fine details. Purists can of course leave it switched off. Upscaling to 4K also performs very well. Full HD and 720p material retain a good amount of detail, and the image is neither overly sharpened nor heavily blurred. Some limitations only become apparent with very poor sources below 720p, where the smallest text and fine elements are not always perfectly sharp, but this applies to almost every other TV on the market.

The "magic" of image processing in Sony TVs has been talked about for years, and we've repeatedly confirmed its effectiveness in higher-end models. However, the BRAVIA 6 shows that the Japanese manufacturer's logo alone does not guarantee equally good results. Despite using the MediaTek Pentonic 800 processor, the TV does not handle smoothing of banding between tones in heavily compressed material particularly well. The available "De Contour" function set to medium helps a bit, but some uneven transitions remain visible. A positive is that we did not notice any significant blurring of details or additional artefacts. So it's worth using for lower-quality recordings, although its effectiveness is far from what we've come to expect from the manufacturer's TVs. Upscaling lower-resolution material performs better. The image is a little soft, but most fine detail remains clearly visible. In the scene with the model you can make out both the texture of the tree and the thin branches in the background, so this milder sharpening does not automatically mean a loss of detail. There is also no issue with overscan: the TV shows the entire frame, without cropping the edges even with an SD signal.

One of the biggest advantages of OLED panels is the very fast pixel response time. This keeps the picture sharp and free of the visible smearing often seen on LCD TVs. However, there is a downside. During slow camera pans motion can look choppier than on LCD screens, where some of that effect is naturally masked by the slower panel. Fortunately, on the LG B6 this can be easily mitigated using the TruMotion system. With the motion smoothing set correctly you can achieve smoother motion without giving the picture an exaggerated soap opera effect.

In dynamic scenes the BRAVIA 6 performs very well. The OLED panel responds almost instantly, so there is virtually no trailing behind moving objects, even on dark backgrounds. Combined with a 120 Hz refresh rate, this produces a clear picture when watching sport and gaming. In this respect the TV delivers exactly what we expect from an OLED.

Far less typical for Sony is the motion-smoothing settings menu. Instead of the familiar Motionflow system, there is a feature called "MJC", which in both appearance and naming more closely resembles solutions found in budget TVs from other brands. Two sliders are available: "Blur Reduction", which here is the equivalent of the "Smoothness - Film" setting, and "De-Judder", corresponding to the "Smoothness - Camera" adjustment on other Sony models. The motion smoothing itself works well and allows you to tailor motion to your own preferences, although people switching from another BRAVIA will be surprised by the new menu on the TV.

LG OLED B6 has plenty to offer gamers; it’s simply a complete base for PS5, Xbox Series X/S or a capable PC. It has four full-size HDMI 2.1 ports with 48 Gbps bandwidth, so you can avoid irritating cable swapping when connecting several newer devices at once. It offers a full suite of synchronization technologies, from standard VRR to G-Sync and FreeSync. The screen synchronises the refresh rate seamlessly with the frame output from the console or graphics card. Of course it includes ALLM: the B6 automatically recognises when a game is running and immediately reduces latency to a minimum. HDR support is also excellent. The TV supports Dolby Vision, and a correctly implemented HGiG standard means that, after initial calibration in the console settings, the image won’t suffer from blown-out highlights or lost detail in bright areas. The cherry on the cake is the Game Bar. Instead of digging through the full menu during gameplay, a single click is enough to adjust shadow visibility, tweak selected parameters or simply check the current display mode. All of this makes the LG B6 an excellent choice for gamers.

The Sony BRAVII 6 is very good for gaming. Good picture quality, fast OLED panel response and support for 4K at 120 Hz mean the TV also performs well with fast-paced titles. Gamers who expect more than just smooth performance will, however, quickly notice a few unusual omissions and shortcomings.

Let’s start with the biggest change compared with other SONY models: the BRAVIA 6 has four full HDMI 2.1 inputs with 48 Gb/s bandwidth, thanks to the new MediaTek Pentonic 800 platform. You can therefore connect several gaming devices and a soundbar without giving up high refresh on any source. Each port supports ALLM, which automatically enables low-latency mode, and VRR in the 48–120 Hz range, which synchronises the screen refresh with the game’s frame rate. Dolby Vision at 120 Hz also works with low input lag.

HDR setup is less convincing. There is no properly working HGiG, and the test checkerboard used during console calibration only disappears at around 1000 nits, even though the panel does not reach that brightness. Relying solely on that pattern can therefore lead to loss of detail in the brightest parts of a game. In the settings that let you specify brightness in nits it’s worth choosing about 700 nits, a value closer to the screen’s capabilities. We also couldn’t find a Game Bar, even though marketing materials suggest a basic version is present. On the unit we tested there was only a modest game settings menu. Added to that is the familiar lack of 1440p support at 120 Hz seen on other Sony sets. When gaming on a console in 4K this won’t be an issue. PC gamers, however, may feel the limitation if they want to use 1440p to get more frames than in 4K while retaining higher detail than Full HD.

Input lag in the LG B6 is very low. At 120 Hz it is about 5 ms, and at 60 Hz it rises to roughly 15 ms. Both results are good enough that most gamers won't notice any delay between their inputs and what happens on screen. Dolby Vision performs slightly worse, with input lag rising to around 25 ms. That's still not a bad result, but the most demanding Xbox gamers may already notice a difference compared with standard HDR.

Latency on the BRAVII 6 is very low. At 60 Hz we measured 13 to 14 ms, and switching to 120 Hz brings it down to just 5 ms. This means the TV responds quickly to controller movements and doesn't interfere with gaming.

The LG B6 also works very well as a computer monitor. Low input lag, support for VRR, G-Sync and FreeSync, and a high refresh rate mean there's little to criticise about it for gaming. Compared with more expensive models it only lacks additional modes with even higher refresh rates. In the best OLEDs and some LCD TVs you can now find even 240 or 330 Hz at lower resolutions. The B6 doesn't have that, but for most people it won't be a big loss.

The subpixel structure of the WOLED panel may be more significant. Because it uses four subpixels, small fonts in Windows are not perfectly sharp and you can sometimes see subtle coloured fringes around them. For occasional web browsing or general computer work this is unlikely to be a problem. However, anyone planning to buy a smaller variant, for example a 48-inch model, and use it as their primary monitor at their desk should bear that in mind.

BRAVIA 6 performs well as a large screen for PC gaming. It supports 4K at 120 Hz, works with G-Sync and has an input lag of just 5 ms. Combined with a fast panel response this delivers very enjoyable gameplay with no annoying motion blur. The only thing missing is a higher refresh rate for those who want to use a powerful PC to game at more than 120 frames per second. As we mentioned earlier, you also can't use 1440p at 120 Hz. For text work it's good, though not perfect. The TV correctly handles 4:4:4 chroma even in 4K at the maximum refresh rate, so small letters remain legible and dark text doesn't lose parts of its edges. Up close you can, however, notice faint coloured fringing caused by the RGWB subpixel layout. They shouldn't be a major issue when browsing the web or doing occasional work, but if you plan to read documents for hours from a short distance, fonts won't look as clean as on a typical RGB-layout monitor.

Viewing angles on the LG B6 are very good, which is typical for almost all OLED TVs. Even when viewed from a wide angle the image retains high colour saturation and does not noticeably lose brightness. In this respect, only models with QD-OLED panels really perform better. However, there is one thing worth mentioning. Some WOLED panels may show a slight greenish tint at very wide angles. This is not a rule. Some units exhibit this effect more, others hardly at all. It depends on the individual unit.

The BRAVIA 6 can also be comfortably watched from the side. Blacks remain deep, and colours do not lose saturation as quickly as on LCD TVs with VA panels. At a 45-degree angle we measured a 31% drop in brightness, so the picture is a little darker than head-on but still looks good. With a wide sofa or when watching with a larger group you don't need to fight for a seat opposite the screen. 😉 In that respect, only QD-OLED screens are better.

In the case of the LG B6, one of the biggest changes comes from the new OLED SE panel. The TV is slightly brighter than its predecessor, but at the same time it is worse at dealing with direct reflections. The reason is a less effective polariser, so reflections from windows or lamps are less well suppressed and blacks in a bright room can look slightly lifted. LG tried to partially mask this effect with a satin screen coating. It does help to gently diffuse reflections, but it does not eliminate them as effectively as the solutions used previously. And in this respect the B series falls furthest behind the previous generation. By day the screen no longer looks as clean, and strong light sources can be clearly reflected on the panel. That does not, of course, mean the B6 is unsuitable for a bright living room. The higher screen brightness helps to cut through ambient light and during normal viewing the picture remains readable. The problem starts when there is a large window or a bright lamp opposite the TV. In those conditions the B6 does not perform at its best. It is therefore best suited to a room where you can at least partially control the light falling directly on the screen.

Watching it in a bright room is one of the BRAVIA 6's biggest weaknesses. The average brightness in SDR is only 266 nits, and with a lot of white on-screen it drops even lower. In a sunlit living room the image simply lacks the punch to cut through the ambient light. With darker films you may find that comfortable viewing is difficult unless you close the curtains.

The OLED SE panel used doesn't help either, as it lacks a conventional polariser. Its satin finish only moderately suppresses direct reflections, so a window or lamp opposite the television remains clearly visible even while an image is displayed. The blacks themselves perform very well in a lit room, but the combination of poor reflection control and low brightness severely limits its suitability for bright-room viewing. The BRAVIA 6 therefore works best in a room where you can control the amount of light, or simply for evening viewing.

Smart TV: webOS

LG B6 uses webOS, LG’s proprietary platform. Its biggest advantage remains the way you control it. The supplied Magic Remote works much like a mouse; simply move your wrist to shift the cursor across the screen and point at the items you want. At first it may feel unusual, but it quickly proves very convenient, especially when typing text, selecting apps or navigating a complex menu. The remote itself is fairly minimalist and does not offer many traditional buttons, but cursor control largely makes up for that. On the other hand, if you do not want to wave your hand to enter letters, you can always speak the desired phrase into the remote and the AI voice assistant will suggest appropriate recommendations.

In terms of available apps it is hard to fault webOS. You will find virtually all the major streaming services here, as well as additional features such as AirPlay, screen mirroring and Chromecast. The TV therefore works well with both iPhones and Android devices. It is a shame, however, that the system does not run on the B6 as smoothly as on higher-end models. At times it can respond with a slight delay, and the home screen is heavily cluttered with recommendations, tiles and ads. That does not make webOS unusable, but it could certainly be more organised.

Classic features

By contrast, the traditional TV features perform very well, features many manufacturers seem to be gradually forgetting. The LG B6 allows, among other things, recording programmes to a connected drive or USB storage. The PVR function also works with a scheduler, so a recording can be planned in advance from the TV guide. This comes in handy when you want to save an episode, a match or another event broadcast during your absence. There is also a clear channel guide and efficient handling of terrestrial, cable and satellite TV. For people who still regularly use traditional television, the B6 is therefore a relatively complete device, provided the lack of teletext does not bother you.

Google TV

BRAVIA 6 is currently the cheapest OLED with Google TV. That's a big plus, as there are plenty of apps and the system lets you install extra apps and search for content by voice in Polish. The only omission is AirPlay, which may bother iPhone users.

Unfortunately, during our tests the system caused quite a few problems. Navigating the menu itself was fast, but we encountered translation errors and frequent freezing. Some settings did not save the first time. We had to change them several times, and sometimes only cutting the power helped. To play videos and photos from a USB stick, we had to unplug the TV from the mains four times. The tested software simply looked unfinished. In this class of device that is hard to accept...

Remote and conventional features

The set includes a brand-new remote with a large number of buttons and a full numeric keypad. This is a convenient solution for people who watch regular television, especially older users. The star button is programmable. The remote does not need to be pointed at the screen, but it lacks backlighting. Its build quality is fairly average, and the rubber buttons do not feel particularly robust.

The TV features are basic. There is a clear programme guide (EPG) and teletext, but no USB recording or picture-in-picture. You can, however, use Bluetooth headphones and the TV's speakers at the same time. So the feature set is acceptable, but system problems significantly disrupt everyday use.

The LG B6's built-in player handles most common video files played from USB without much trouble. The TV also correctly supports subtitles and the most common audio formats, although it lacks DTS support. The situation is slightly worse for photos. The list of supported formats is rather limited and does not include, among others, HEIC, the format in which photos taken with an iPhone are saved by default. Such files therefore need to be converted to JPG beforehand, or you can simply use the AirPlay function.

BRAVIA 6 supports many popular video, music and photo formats. It also handled photographs with resolutions up to 32 MP, so in terms of file compatibility it performs very well. Unfortunately, there's a significant 'but' we mentioned when describing the system. Before the player began to correctly recognise videos and photos from a USB stick, we had to unplug the TV from the mains several times. In the end we managed to open most of the files, but it's hard to call that a convenient experience. The high rating in this category is due solely to the number of supported formats.

In terms of sound, the LG B6 performs very similarly to last year's model. It still uses a 2.0 speaker setup delivering 20 W, which is perfectly adequate for everyday viewing. Dialogue is clear and the sound isn't bad, but there is no soundstage, dynamics or bass you'd expect from higher-end models. The TV supports the Dolby Atmos spatial audio format, but lacks DTS:X. The main problem, however, isn't the speakers themselves but the settings. Compared with its predecessor, many of the options for tailoring the sound to your own preferences have disappeared. A few presets remain, including AI and Standard, but the ability to fine-tune the sound is much reduced compared with a year ago.

Despite its modest 2.0 speaker setup with a total power of 20 W, the BRAVIA 6 sounds quite pleasant. The sound is fairly balanced, dialogue is clear, and for everyday viewing there’s no need to reach for extra speakers straight away. The TV can also play loudly, as confirmed by a result of 94 dB. However, it shares a familiar issue with other TVs: a lack of deep bass. In quieter scenes this is not particularly bothersome, but in action films and music you can hear that the sound lacks a bit of "weight". Explosions lack a strong punch, and lower frequencies are more indicated than felt. Such a setup is fine for series and everyday programmes, but a soundbar with a subwoofer will give films more power and a stronger sense of surround sound. Especially since the TV supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

LG OLED B6 vs Sony BRAVIA 6 (A65)

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

TV appearance

Where to buy

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Colours

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

Daytime performance

Panel details

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

Sound connection options

Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):

Senior accessibility

Smart TV: webOS

Classic features

Google TV

Remote and conventional features

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements