Our Sky Glass review for 2026 in one line: Sky Glass is a well-designed, easy TV with great built-in sound that makes most sense if you already want Sky for years, but it is not the best-value 4K TV you can buy, and it always needs a Sky subscription. Sky now sells two versions, the premium Sky Glass Gen 2 and the cheaper Sky Glass Air, so the choice is more interesting than it was.
Below we cover prices, picture and sound, the subscription catch and who should buy one.
What is Sky Glass?
Sky Glass is a television with Sky’s streaming service built in. There is no dish and no separate box. Channels arrive over your broadband, just like Sky Stream, and you control everything with Sky’s remote or by voice.
You buy the TV outright or spread the cost, then pay a separate monthly subscription for the Sky channels you want. Sky says a Streaming TV subscription is required for Sky Glass.
Sky Glass prices in 2026
These are the list prices on Sky’s shop at the time of writing. Sky runs frequent promotions, so the price you pay may be lower.
| Model | 43-inch | 55-inch | 65-inch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sky Glass Air | £359 | £509 | £749 |
| Sky Glass Gen 2 | £699 | £949 | £1,199 |
You can also pay monthly on a 0% loan over 24 or 48 months, with an upfront payment from about £20. On top of that comes your TV subscription: Essential TV starts at £15 a month for new customers on a 24-month term, or £18 a month on a 31-day rolling plan.
Sky Glass Gen 2: what you get
Gen 2 is the flagship. Based on Sky’s specifications and independent reviews such as Expert Reviews, the headline features are:
- A 4K Quantum Dot LCD panel with local dimming and a direct LED backlight
- HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision support
- Built-in Dolby Atmos speakers that Sky describes as a soundbar, with seven speakers and a dual subwoofer
- Far-field microphones for “Hello Sky” voice control
- Three HDMI 2.1 ports, one with eARC, plus Wi-Fi 6 and Ethernet
The sound is the standout. For a living room where you do not want a separate soundbar, it is genuinely good. Reviewers also praised its brightness, which helps in sunny rooms.
Sky Glass Air: the cheaper option
Glass Air is a simpler, lighter model at roughly half the price of Gen 2. Sky’s own comparison says it drops the built-in soundbar and uses Dolby Audio instead of the full Atmos speaker system.
For a bedroom, kitchen or second room, Air is the more sensible buy. For a main living room TV where sound matters, Gen 2 justifies more of its extra cost.
The downsides you should know about
No review is honest without the weaknesses:
- Value: independent reviewers found that at £949 for 55 inches, Gen 2 costs about the same as some OLED and Mini LED TVs with better picture quality.
- Gaming: Expert Reviews measured a 60Hz panel with no dedicated game mode, so it is not a good choice for PS5 or Xbox owners who want 120Hz.
- Viewing angles: picture quality drops when you sit well off to the side.
- No recordings: like Stream, Glass uses a Playlist rather than a hard drive, and Sky Q recordings do not transfer.
- Broadband dependent: if your connection drops, so does your TV. Sky asks for at least 30Mb/s for Ultra HD.
Sky Glass vs a normal TV plus Sky Stream
The obvious alternative is buying a good 4K TV and adding a Sky Stream puck. That route usually gets you better picture for the money, more gaming features and the freedom to drop Sky later without a Sky-branded TV that is built around one service.
Glass wins on simplicity, tidy design and built-in sound. If you are weighing up devices more broadly, see our best streaming device guide and our explainer on 4K streaming requirements.
Some viewers also run apps from other services alongside Sky. If you want a wider international line-up, our own plan, IPTV Journal, is $89 for 12 months (billed in US dollars), though app availability varies by device, so check compatibility first.
Setting up Sky Glass at home
Setup is one of Glass’s genuine strengths. You place or wall-mount the TV, connect it to power and broadband, sign in and the channels appear. There is no dish, no engineer visit and no separate box to hide behind the TV.
If you want Sky in other rooms, Sky’s Whole Home add-on costs £15 a month at the time of writing and needs an extra Sky Stream puck or another Glass TV. Sky allows up to three Glass TVs and six Stream pucks in one household. Use Ethernet if the router is nearby, since a wired connection is more reliable than Wi-Fi for live sport.
Who should buy Sky Glass in 2026?
| You are… | Our pick |
|---|---|
| A long-term Sky customer who wants one simple TV with good sound | Sky Glass Gen 2 |
| Looking for a second-room TV with Sky built in | Sky Glass Air |
| A gamer or picture quality enthusiast | A different 4K TV plus Sky Stream |
| Unsure you will keep Sky for more than a year | A normal TV plus Sky Stream on 31-day rolling |
FAQ
Do you have to pay a monthly subscription with Sky Glass?
Yes. Sky states that a Streaming TV subscription is required for Sky Glass. That is separate from the cost of the TV itself, whether you pay upfront or spread the payments.
What is the difference between Sky Glass Gen 2 and Sky Glass Air?
Gen 2 is the premium model with a brighter Quantum Dot panel and a built-in Dolby Atmos speaker system. Glass Air is lighter and much cheaper, and Sky says it uses Dolby Audio without the built-in soundbar.
Is Sky Glass good for gaming?
Not especially. Independent testing found a 60Hz panel and no dedicated game mode, so console players who want 120Hz and low input lag are better served by a gaming-focused TV.
Can Sky Glass record programmes?
No. It uses Sky’s Playlist feature, which saves shows from the on-demand library rather than recording to a hard drive, so some content may not be available to keep.
Can I return Sky Glass if I do not like it?
Sky lists a 31-day cooling-off period for Glass, with a £25 return fee at the time of writing. Check the current terms when you order, as they can change.
Part of our guides: UK streaming guide
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