Sony Adds Mid-Price S-Series to Crystal LED Lineup

January 22, 2026 by guest author, Antonia Hamberger

Sony’s Crystal LED has always been one of the more expensive LED solutions out there. In contrast to other premium manufacturers, Sony almost exclusively uses the higher quality and more energy-efficient Chip-on-Board (COB) technology for its screens. At ISE 2026, Sony will be launching a new mid-price series to offer a slightly more affordable alternative than its flagship BH and CH series.

Just like the two high-end lines, the new S-Series uses COB LEDs which naturally dissipate less heat than SMD variants and have a sealed surface to protect the panels from damage. According to Sony, the line is designed for corporate environments, education, and commercial installations such as showrooms.

Two models are being introduced: the ZRD-S12G with a 1.25 mm pixel pitch, and the ZRD-S15G with a 1.56 mm pixel pitch. Both models deliver a maximum brightness of 800 cd/m² and use a modular design that allows for flexible screen sizes and aspect ratios. Sony says the S-Series is intended to provide a balance between performance and cost, targeting customers with growing display requirements but tighter budgets than those typically associated with premium LED installations.

The cabinets are 45 mm deep, allowing for slimmer wall-mounted installations, and can be paired with appropriate mounting solutions to meet European Accessibility Act (EAA) requirements. The S-Series is also compatible with Novastar’s COEX MX30 and MX40 Pro platforms. When used with a Novastar controller, Sony says the distance between the LED wall and the controller can be extended up to 100 meters.

“The S Series furthers Sony’s longstanding commitment to offering advanced technology with high image quality, exceptional visibility, flexible integration capabilities, and long-term reliability – all of which provide our customers with inspiring visual experiences that offer value, while enabling creativity,” said Rich Ventura, Vice President, Professional Display Solutions, Sony Electronics.

The elephant in the room, of course, is whether Sony’s LED lineup will eventually become part of the newly announced display joint venture with TCL. There’s a good chance it will, given that scaling the LED business depends heavily on reducing manufacturing costs and increasing volumes – areas where the Chinese electronics giant TCL is well positioned to accelerate progress.