Sky Glass TV review: how does it work and is it worth it?

Sky Glass is the TV and broadband giant's own foray into the TVs market with a set that offers the features you'd expect – a 4K screen, HDR and smart apps, but it's also got a trick up its sleeve.

Normally you need a Sky TV box, such as Sky Q, connected to a TV to watch Sky channels, but on the Glass everything is built-in. That means there's no need for extra devices or wires aside from the power cable. 

In this guide we'll explain how the Sky Glass works, what subscription you need, how much it costs, what features you get. We'll also take a look at Sky Glass 2, its upgrade over the original model, ahead of our full reviews later this year.

Best TVs: discover which TVs aced our labs tests.

What is Sky Glass 2 and Sky Glass Air?

In 2025, Sky switched from the Sky Glass to the Sky Glass 2, so the original model is no longer available. You might be able to find the original second-hand online, but since we found the TV so awkward to use without a Sky subscription, we wouldn't recommend buying one.

By and large, the Sky Glass is the same as any TV you can pop down to Currys and pick up, with specs and features that are consistent with a model from LG or Samsung.

The difference is how you get the content. It's essentially a Sky streaming device with a 4K screen and some speakers. It does have an aerial socket and a Freeview tuner, but it's designed to stream from built-in apps or from Sky channels if you've got a Sky subscription. You can also connect other devices through the three HDMI inputs.

• TV screen sizes: 43, 55 and 65 inches
• Screen type: QLED
• Resolution: 4K
• HDMI inputs: three
• USB inputs: one USB A port, and a USB C input for power
• Tuners: Freeview 
• Basic HDR formats: HDR10 and HLG (standard formats supported by most 4K TVs)
• Advanced HDR formats: Dolby Vision (advanced format that adjusts contrast to suit each scene). Read our HDR guide to learn more about these formats.

The Sky Glass also has a built-in soundbar which sits under the screen, comprising six speakers and a subwoofer. It's rare to see a dedicated, front-firing speaker section like this on TVs – typically they're behind the screen and point downwards.

Sky said the updated model has more dimming zones in the display, which should make for better contrast, with more control over how each part of the screen is lit. It's also added more speakers into the soundbar at the base of the screen.

Aside from the built-in Sky streaming, the other key way the Glass differs in how often it's changed. The Sky Glass 2 is the first time a Sky has had a hardware update since the first one released back in 2021. Sky update the software more often, though. These updates generally change how the Sky Glass operates and add new features, but updates can also improve the picture and sound. 

The majority of TV manufacturers release an entire line-up of new TVs every year, with the previous year's models dropping in price and typically going off sale shortly after. Sky Glass TV prices have remained consistent since launch and the new models cost the same as the original Sky Glass TVs. The fact that the successors have launched for the exact same price, despite having upgrades, shows how expensive the original models were by the end of their life.

You can only buy these TVs direct from Sky and you can still pay for them monthly along with your Sky subscription or buy them outright. Even if you choose to pay for the lot upfront, you'll still need a Sky subscription to make the most of them.

Our hopes for Sky Glass 2

Our issues with the original TVs was how restrictive they felt without a Sky subscription. Some of its best features, such as playlist which combined your most recent watches from different apps into one list, was disabled if you ended your subscription. 

You couldn't use the aerial and have it connected to wi-fi at the same time, either, and voice control was tied to your subscription, too. We hope the new models are less limiting without a subscription.

What about Sky Glass Air?

The Air is coming later in the year and it's a smaller, cheaper model. It will work the same way as the Sky Glass when it comes to content and also has a QLED display, but will forego the soundbar in favour of built-in stereo speakers.

How much does Sky Glass 2 cost?

How much the Sky Glass costs depends on whether you buy it outright or pay for it monthly. Your ongoing cost is also affected by the Sky subscription contract you take out when you buy it. The bottom line is, Sky Glass isn't cheap, so weigh up your options carefully against our pick of the best TV deals so you can make the right purchase.

You currently have three options per size when buying a Sky TV.

43-inch TV:

• Pay over 48 months £14 per month and £10 upfront (£682 in total)
• Pay over 24 months £28 per month and £20 upfront (£692 in total)
• Pay upfront £699 (available to buy from Sky)

55-inch TV:

• Pay over 48 months £19 per month and £10 upfront (£922 in total)
• Pay over 24 months £38 per month and £20 upfront (£932 in total)
• Pay upfront £949 (available to buy from Sky)

65-inch TV:

• Pay over 48 months £24 per month and £10 upfront (£1,162 in total)
• Pay over 24 months £48 per month and £20 upfront (£1,172 in total)
• Pay upfront £1,199 (available to buy from Sky)

Prices are correct as of January 2025.

Bear in mind that the costs above are for the TV – you need to pay extra to get Sky channels. Sky Entertainment is the default package and this also includes Netflix Basic for £26 per month for a minimum of 18 months. Alternatively, you can get a 31-day rolling contract for £29 per month if you'd rather not be tied into a longer subscription. 

This means the cheapest Sky Glass TV, with a Sky subscription and Netflix Basic, costs £40 per month. You can also add other channels to the subscription package, such as Sky Sports and Sky Cinema. 

The Sky Glass is a 4K TV with upward-firing speakers that work with Dolby Atmos to send sound overhead, but you need to pay £6 extra per month to watch 4K Sky content that supports Dolby Atmos. This additional charge only applies to Sky content. If you paid more for 4K Netflix (only basic HD is included in the subscription price), but weren't fussed about 4K Sky, then you could upgrade your Netflix package while leaving Sky at HD, for example.

The TVs are available in different colours (black, blue, green, pink and white), but your choice won't affect the price. You can select a different colour for the speaker mesh for an extra £39.

What size TV should I buy? Find out which screen size is ideal for your living room as well as our favourite TVs at each size.

Should you upgrade to Sky Glass 2?

The original Sky Glass launched in 2021 with a 48-month payment plan being one of the ways to pay, so many early purchasers will have fully paid for their original Sky Glass and potentially be considering an update.

Our annual customer survey shows most people wait closer to eight years before upgrading and that feels about right. Four years is typically too soon to get a new TV because the technology doesn't move that fast.

Compare the Sky Glass with Sky Glass 2 and you'll see, from a specs perspective, both are very similar. 

Upgrading a TV because you're not happy with the quality is a different matter. If your TV doesn't look or sound good, then you'll see an improvement by choosing a Best Buy. It's great to see that Sky has looked to improve the picture and sound quality on the new range. In our tests of the original models, we had issues with the picture. But most of our issues were with the restrictive design choices that severely hindered the TVs if you didn't have a Sky subscription.

We'd never recommend buying a TV until we've tested it, particularly ones as expensive as the Sky Glass 2s, which have launched at a time when top-tier models from LG and Samsung are at their cheapest point.

Original Sky Glass review: is it worth it?

Considering how long the same Sky Glass TVs were on sale (they first launched in 2021) all three remained expensive throughout their life, with prices ranging from £699 for the 43-inch model to £1,199 for the 65-inch set. 

These prices put them in the mid to high-end bracket sitting alongside the likes of the Samsung QE65QN85D. That's some tough competition.

Along with our lab-tested reviews, we went hands on with the TV at Which? HQ to give Sky's innovative approach to content a go and we can see the appeal.

A clever approach to content

Where most TV smart menus have rows of ads and a row of streaming and catch-up apps, Sky wants to show you content instead. It comes with several apps built-in, such as BBC iPlayer, ITV X and Netflix, and the menu design makes it easier to pick up where you left off.

Say you'd been watching Eastenders on iPlayer, The Chase on ITV X and Squid Game on Netflix you'll have all three shows in a row at the top of your smart menu, so you can click straight in and keep watching. This works with other streaming apps on the TV, too.

Having such quick access to the content you've been watching is great, but there are drawbacks. Sky needs to integrate each app into this operating system, which takes work. It means you can't just download any app you like from an app store because Sky wants to guarantee it will work with this 'continue watching' row. There's no app store at all, so you're stuck with the apps that come installed. Sky has added more since launch, but you're not getting the sort of variety you'd see on other smart TVs.

We understand why Sky wants to control the apps and make sure they integrate with the operating system, so you can easily continue watching where you left off, but it would be nice to give people who've spent hundreds on a new TV some control of what apps they have.

Restrictive design choices

There is an aerial socket in the back of the TV and Freeview tuner built in, but Sky has made it difficult to make use of them. This tuner is a backup because Sky Glass gets its channels over wi-fi, though, so may not need to use an aerial at all.

That's fine as long as the internet's on, but if you lose connection, you'll default back to your aerial, which is why it's a backup. Sky wants you to use its smart system and wi-fi channels, and it's designed the TV so that aerial doesn't work while the TV is connected to the internet. That means if you ever cancel your Sky subscription and lose access to wi-fi channels, you'll need to disconnect the TV from the internet whenever you want to watch broadcast TV. That's aggravating to say the least.

The smart menu is connected to your Sky account, but you'll still be able to access to smart apps if you decide to cancel your subscription. You'll lose access to the clever playlist feature, though. This essentially let you save content for later by adding, but it doesn't function without an active Sky subscription. You lose access to voice control, too.

Overall, it means the TV becomes is more awkward to use if you're not a Sky customer. 

Read our review of Sky TV and broadband to see if it's speed, reliability, content and customer support are worth signing up for

How does Sky Glass work and do you need a subscription?

The big selling point is you don't need any extra devices to get Sky content onto Sky Glass. Once it's plugged in and connected to wi-fi you can start watching Sky channels and using streaming apps because everything you need is built-in. You don't even need a satellite dish, since all content comes over the internet.

Sky recommends at least 30Mbps broadband speed to watch 4K content on the TV or 25Mbps if you just have the HD package (if you're not sure what yours is, check your internet speed). This doesn't need to be Sky broadband, either.

Sky and Sky Glass are clearly designed to go hand in hand, but people keep their TVs for six years or more. If your circumstances change, you might not want to keep a Sky subscription going for the entire time you have the TV. 

Since Sky Glass has a Freeview tuner, you can connect it to your existing aerial to receive Freeview channels. This means you'll be able to continue watching broadcast TV without a Sky subscription, but obviously you'll lose out on the extra content that's part of your Sky package.

The three HDMI inputs mean you can connect external devices to it, such as Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, TV streamers and games consoles.

You can access close to 30 apps on the TV, including popular ones such as Apple TV, BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITVX, Prime Video and YouTube.

Although Sky may add more apps to the TV over time, there's no app store, which means you can't download apps yourself. It's both unusual and disappointing to not have this as it gives people the option to download the apps they want.

If you ever end your Sky subscription, you'll lose access to some features on the TV. The Playlist feature that lets you save content to watch later (although, it's not actually stored on a hard drive, just a temporary link to a catch-up service or streaming app) and voice control are disabled. You also can't access smart apps and broadcast TV together. The TV needs to disconnect from the wi-fi before the aerial input will work.

Is a Sky Glass subscription more expensive than Sky TV?

You don't need a Sky Glass TV to get Sky content. You can also get it through a Sky Q box or Sky Stream. The prices are similar, but a Sky Glass subscription can be slightly cheaper if you don't factor in the monthly payment for the TV. The costs are for the cheapest Sky package, which is Sky Entertainment and Netflix Basic.

• Sky Stream From £15 per month for 24 months with £20 setup fee.
• Sky Q From £31 per month with up to £49 setup fee.

You also need to pay extra for 4K or HD channels on the Sky Q, and extra for 4K and Dolby Atmos support on the Sky Stream. 

We update our best TV deals every month, so you can find a bargain whenever you're ready to buy.

Can you record on Sky Glass TV?

One of the best things about traditional Sky boxes is the ability to record TV onto the hard drive built into them.

Unfortunately, that's not an option for the Sky Glass. There's no PVR functionality, no internal hard drive to record onto and no USB port to add your own hard drive. This means you also can't watch content stored on a USB hard drive on Sky Glass.

Instead, Sky Glass lets you 'playlist' shows. This works like adding a show to your watchlist on Netflix and lets you go back to it later. It's not a dedicated recording, though, so if you added a BBC show to your Playlist it would be available only for as long as it is on iPlayer. You can't add shows from some channels to your Playlist, either, due to licencing restrictions.

Sky Glass deals

Since you can only buy Sky Glass with a subscription (either 18 months or a one-month rolling contract), you need to buy Sky Glass directly from Sky. Any offers tend to be on the subscription rather than lowering the price of the TV. 

Sky sometimes offers the first few months of the subscription for free and may offer reduced introductory offers on other content packs, such as Sky Sports and Sky Cinema. And if you're already a Sky customer, you may get exclusive discounts if you decide to switch to Sky Glass. Give Sky a call to see what's on offer if you're interested in the service.

What is Sky Live?

Sky Live is a camera that clips on to the top of your Sky Glass TV. With it, you can have video calls with other Sky Glass users, or people using a phone or tablet. It also incorporates motion control, which means you can play video games using gestures.

You can also watch TV with other Sky Glass users, so you'll see them and the content you're watching together on the same screen. It can also help improve workout sessions by letting you know ways to make your movements better or giving feedback on the workout in tandem with the Mvmnt exercise app.

Sky Live is £290, or you can add it to your payment plan for £6 per month for 48 months.

Could you get the same content from the Now app?

Before Sky Glass there was the Now TV app. It's just called Now... now. But the functionality is the same, it gives you access to Sky programmes, movies and sports for a monthly fee. It's effectively a Sky streaming service. 

It's usually available to download on smart TVs and TV streamers, so are you already getting a lot of the functionality of Sky Glass on one app? You don't get access to full range of Sky channels on the Now app and you won't get Freeview channels, either. But since your TV gets Freeview channels that isn't such a big deal. 

Resolution is a bigger difference. Sky Glass TVs are 4K, so you can watch content at that resolution, whereas streaming on Now is restricted to Full HD and lower. Not all Sky content is 4K, but the bits that are will only be viewable at Full HD on the Now app.

If you're not ready to upgrade your TV, then the Now app is a great way to get a wide array of Sky content. Plus, you can watch it on a wide variety of devices, including smartphones and tablets. Sky Glass gives you a more complete Sky experience and lets you watch it at 4K resolution.

Now streaming sticks

If you're looking to get Now onto your TV and the app isn't available, these TV streamers will do the job. Just connect them to a HDMI input and you're ready to go. Bear in mind that all the models shown below are frequently on offer with significant discounts, so if you're not in a rush to buy, hold out for a good deal.

Amazon Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote

Amazon's most recent HD streamer is one of the most popular, offering access to a wide range of streaming services through an intuitive interface with voice control. It's HD-only (see below for the 4K version), which is enough to get the most from the Now app.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

The 4K version of the Fire Stick offers much the same in terms of features and functionality, but with a more powerful processor, support for Wi-Fi 6 and, importantly, 4K streaming. While that won't be useful for a Now subscription, if you've got Amazon Prime or Netflix, then you can watch 4K content there.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Roku's streaming stick is also 4K enabled, plus it has voice control to search for content in some apps. Roku offers the same range of streaming services as Fire Sticks, but has more device options, integrating better with Apple and Google devices. If you don't have an Amazon Prime account, it might be a better bet.

What are the alternatives to Sky Glass?

There are plenty of TVs that give you access to broadcast channels and apps, but none that let you stream Sky channels over wi-fi.

You can turn a TV into a Sky Glass of sorts with a Sky Stream box, though. This Apple TV-size box connects to a TV with HDMI and gives you access to Sky channels over wi-fi, just like Sky Glass. 

The subscription terms are the same, so you can have a 31-day rolling contract for £22 per month or pay £19 per month for 18 months. This gets you Sky Entertainment plus Netflix Basic, but you're free to add the likes of Sky Cinema and Sky Sports to your package.

Sky Glass problems and how to fix them

Sky Glass won't connect to the internet

With wi-fi being so intrinsic to how the Sky Glass works, it can be frustrating when it won't connect. Check other devices are connected to the internet, so you can rule out an error with your provider.

If your internet isn't the problem, head to Network settings on the TV and hit Reset to restart the connection of your TV. 

Sky Glass remote not working

Aside from the obvious – check the batteries – a Sky Glass remote may need re-pairing or restarting if it stops working. As a temporary solution, you could also try using voice control. Sky can help with a replacement if nothing else fixes the issue, so head to the Sky Glass remote support page for more information and troubleshooting tips.

Sky Glass screen is turning on and off

Sky Glass TVs have a fancy feature called Glance Motion Technology, which turns the screen on when it detects movement (turning off again after a short time if you don't go on to interact with the TV) and off when you leave the room. The sensors only work if you have a Sky subscription, though.

You can turn this feature off in the settings if it starts to irritate you.

Sound issues with Sky Glass

If you're suffering audio problems, first check whether the problem is specific to a particular channel or app. If so, it's likely a problem with that specific broadcaster or app developer. However, if the audio problems occur on all channels, try switching the viewing mode in the Picture & Sound menu to see if that improves things. You can also boost the bass and dialogue here.

Sky Glass software error

There's a number of error messages that can pop up on the screen. To decipher them and get tips on how to fix the problem, take a look at Sky's support site.

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