Sony KDL-55HX850

Awards 2012 Product of the Year - TVs

Sony's latest premium Bravia release sits just under the existing HX925 flagship model. With the HX855's sleek Monolithic design and new Sony Entertainment Network platform, can this Dynamic Edge LED contender give the South Koreans something to think about? We find out.

For television buyers who prefer LCD over plasma, few manufacturers are doing as much to earn their dollars as Sony.

When I tested Sony’s flagship XBR-55HX929 TV for our November 2011 issue, I called it out as having “the best-looking picture I’ve seen from an LCD TV in a long time.” Jump forward a few months, and I’m attending a demonstration at Sony’s HQ. During the demo, Sony put its flagship XBR, a model with a full-array LED backlight, up against a group of other TVs, including the company’s new edge-lit HX85 Series set. If you follow our reviews, you’ll know that LCDs with edge-lit LED backlights typically don’t fare well, mostly due to screen uniformity issues. However, the HX85 set in Sony’s shootout not only smoked the competition but was about on par with the company’s XBR model. Naturally, I was eager to get my hands on one.

High-end television sets are increasingly overrun with gimmicky hardware—gesture control remotes come to mind—that few people need and even fewer want. But Sony's latest Bravia flagship does only what a TV should do—and does it better than any other LED. Thank goodness.

Excellent picture quality, but an outdated interface

Consumer electronics are being crammed with more and more features, but things are a bit different when it comes to televisions. Sony is known for its

High-end television sets are increasingly overrun with gimmicky hardware — gesture control remotes come to mind — that few people need and even fewer want. But Sony’s latest Bravia flagship does only what a TV should do — and does it better than any other LED. Thank goodness. What Is...

2D Performance 3D Performance Features

HX850 (HX853) has been designed with the monolithic design philosophy in mind and a new tilting base. It features the X-Reality PRO, 3D, Sony Entertainment Network

This edge-lit model from Sony features Monolithic design and new Sony Entertainment Network platform. Can this Dynamic Edge LED contender give the South Koreans something to think about? We find out.

There was a time when Sony’s BRAVIA TVs led the industry, and were the automatic first-choice for home entertainment enthusiasts. Little stays still in consumer electronics, however, and now …

With its one-sheet-of-glass design, the Sony Bravia KDL-55HX850 offers rather good 3D, excellent 2D and a good range of network smarts.