The new Sky Glass Gen 2 TV is now on sale. Mirror Online has been putting it to the test and here’s what we think of this updated telly.
Sky has been on a mission to get users away from older satellite dish technology for a while. The firm’s first broadband-powered TV was originally announced all the way back in 2021, and this was quickly followed by the much-loved Stream box, which simply arrives in the post and plugs into existing tellies.
These devices use the internet to beam content to the big screen, and they’ve become hugely popular with Sky recently confirming that its connected gadgets now make up over 90% of its new sales. If that has got you thinking about ditching your ugly dish and switching to streaming instead, there’s a major update that could help convince you.
Sky Glass Gen 2 is now on sale and offers some decent improvements over Sky’s original broadband-powered television. Mirror Online has been putting this 2nd generation gogglebox through its paces, and there’s plenty to like. The first Sky Glass telly – which received some poor initial reviews – was already getting better thanks to endless software updates that added new features and a boost to the visuals, but Gen 2 feels like a significant step up.
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The refreshed Quantum Dot 4K screen is so much better than before, with content looking bright, rich and colourful. This QLED panel still can’t match full OLED technology from the likes of Samsung and LG, but those screens are very expensive and made for the more premium end of the market.
Sky Glass Gen 2 is perfectly watchable, and most consumers will genuinely enjoy bingeing on boxsets, watching sporting action and tuning into a blockbuster – it just won’t suit those wanting the ultimate OLED experience.
Along with the screen, the built-in sound system also has also had a boost. There’s still a soundbar under the display, and it gets an up-firing boombox and dual subwoofer as well. Plus, there is enhanced Dolby Atmos thrown in for good measure.
Once again, Sky can’t beat full surround sound systems or speakers such as the Sonos Arc, but it does offer decent audio without paying anything for extra accessories or having endless cables all over the room.
Other features we like include the simple setup, which lets you attach the Glass Gen 2 TV to its stand without needing any screws or DIY skills. It’s also a little lighter than the ludicrously heavy Gen 1 version, and Sky’s user interface still leads the pack thanks to stunning artwork of shows and easy ways to find content across all the most popular streaming platforms.
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There are full recommendations of things to watch, simple ways to resume viewing content from apps such as Netflix and Disney+ and very good voice search, which lets you find content by speaking into the remote. Just say, “Find movies starring Tom Cruise”, and you’ll be flooded with flicks available on streaming platforms and Sky’s library of blockbusters.
The remote is easy to use and doesn’t have needless buttons. Plus, the Playlists section – where you store online recordings – has improved thanks to individual profiles for the family.
Is Sky Glass Gen 2 perfect? Definitely not, as we have some niggles. Firstly, it’s still massive and will need two people to set it up and move it from one to another. We still prefer Sky Q’s physical recordings as Sky’s Playlists menu can still get a bit confusing, and once content – such as Match of the Day or films like Top Gun Maverick – is removed from servers, you can no longer view it. That’s not the case with real recordings, which will stay on hard drives until deleted by the user.
Despite Sky improving the live streaming lag, Sky Glass is still a bit behind, which is annoying when watching the Six Nations or FA Cup football. Luckily. Premier League action is now down to a lag of just 3 seconds as long as you watch on the dedicated Sky channel.
Finally, it can get expensive, and you will be tied to Sky for the best experience. Sky says prices start from £14.99 per month, but that does not include any content. Start adding things to watch in Ultra HD and bolt on extras such as advert skipping and you can face a bill of over £70!
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That said, if you want easy access to the best premium content in the UK and fancy a TV that’s easy to use, simple to install and offers decent sound and picture quality without endless accessories, Sky Glass Gen 2 is now a solid option and much more tempting than before.
It really is a great all-in-one system that packs a much better punch. Just be aware of its downfalls, and make sure you are happy to be locked into a Sky deal for years to come.
