Ratings: 5/5
Price: $1500
Sony
KDL-40HX853
The Sony TV
stands out in this test, not least because of its distinctive design. Like the
excellent 46in and 55in screens in the HX series we’ve tested, the KDL-40HX853
uses the touch Gorilla glass screen that’s used widely in smartphones.
The 40in screen sits atop a full-width
plinth, at a relaxed angle. The plinth also houses the speaker system, giving
the Sony an edge in sound quality over rival TVs. As a result, sound is
marginally more substantial and has less of a sibilant edge here, with dialogue
easier to hear.
But it’s with picture performance that this
Sony positively shines. Clarity and detail definition are remarkable, with the
TV effortlessly bringing out subtle impressions of texture and colour where
most rivals struggle. Put on the Blu-ray of Star Trek and it manages to
pick out stars that were hidden on other sets.
The LED backlighting shows its talent as
well, maintaining black levels that are smooth and deep, making the bright
flashes of flares and sparks all the more punchy and exciting. The plasma P42GT50
still fares better with lowlight detail, but the Sony’s colour balance strikes
a more neutral, natural balance.
Superb DVD upscaling
We switch to Mission Impossible 4 to
test up scaling to 1080p, and we keep forgetting that we’re watching a DVD rather
than a Blu-ray. Images are clear and crisp, with no noise or blurring. The Sony
may have to battle it out with Samsung when it comes to outright detail
refinement with Blu-ray content, but the HX853 is far better at up scaling.
The Sony is an active 3D set, and comes
with chunky rechargeable glasses. (Extras will cost $90 a pair.) You can feel
your eyes working – passive sets such as the LG offer more comfortable viewing
– but the smooth motion and sense of depth immerses you into the beautiful
Victorian world of Hugo.
There’s no Freesat tuner, but tuning
Freeview HD channels is a fast and painless process. Sony’s XrossMediaBar is
one of the best graphic interfaces we know – it even has little pop-ups
explaining what each option does when you pause over the menus. And while most
other TVs require you to remember which input you’ve used, this Sony helpful
adds a little graphic next to the input in use – it’s a little thing, but it
makes such a difference to the user.
The remote control is a comparatively slim
affair, and is highly responsive with intuitively placed buttons.
Along with the ability to play multimedia
content from devices over your home network, there are dedicated tabs for
on-demand music and video, as well as widgets for Facebook and Twitter. The
Sony Entertainment Network (SEN) hub offers you HD movies from LoveFilm, TV
shows from BBC iPlayer and Demand 5, web browsing and game apps, all neatly
arranged in grids.
There’s plenty on offer from the 40HX853,
and its price tag of $1500 makes it a highly desirable TV. With its brilliant
picture performance, features and great design, it’s the one to beat.
Remote control app
Name: Media Remote
Ratings: 4/5
Price: Free
Devices: Android, iOS
Instead of flicking to separate screens,
the Sony app has a scrollable screen for its main controls. Its responsiveness
is great, but next to the Samsung and Panasonic apps it’s a bit lackluster, and
we found ourselves reaching for the physical remote.
