One of the newest inclusions in Sony’s Bravia line is the KDL-52XBR9. Other than the 52-inch model, this series is also available in 46- and 40-inches which share the same features as the 52-inch unit. There is also a 32-inch model in the KDL-XBR9 series; however, the performance is not similar to the larger sizes.
On the Bright Side
The most notable difference of the Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR9 is its thin bezel compared to the usual 3-inch thick frames surrounding the LCD screen. This design made the model look less bulky. In addition to the minimalist look, Sony also decided to hide the speakers this time underneath the matching glossy black stand.
Sony also adopted the Cross Media Bar arrangement of its menu from the PS3 models and used the same on its higher-end TVs. There is also a noticeable improvement in the settings menu with increased controls for picture settings compared to last year’s menu options. One more thing to appreciate in the Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR9 is the expanded explanations of the menu options that help users easily locate the specific setting or option they are looking for.
Although the black levels of this Bravia do not match those of the LED-based and some Plasma TVs, this performs fairly well compared to other standard LCD TVs in the market. The deep black levels are adequate enough to produce rich colors and realistic feel to the images. Color accuracy, especially with the primary colors, is excellent and there is also high level of color saturation producing more vibrant pictures.
Sony is also big on add-ons with this XBR9 series, adding built-in Yahoo widgets, You Tube, free CBS videos and Amazon Video on Demand. The streaming videos from Amazon are fantastic, while the free videos from YouTube or CBS also streams pretty smoothly.
The Downside
The major drawback of the Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR9 is the price tag which ranges from $2000 to $3000. Some would find other LCD TVs of the same performance in terms of picture quality for a lot lesser cost. One of the major contributors to this expensive cost is the 240Hz video processing technology. However, the 100% increase of motion resolution from previous models is hardly noticeable to most consumers, which would not really justify the price for many.
When viewing a color-rich scene, it is also noted that brightness is not uniform all throughout the screen. Also, picture quality fades significantly when viewing off-angle. Deep black levels could also improve some more to be at par with most of the top LCD TVs and even Led-based TVs in the market.
Overall, the Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR9 will be much appreciated by those who do not mind the price tag for the added interactive capability and interesting add-ons. However, for most practical consumers, they will most definitely think twice before bringing this huge gadget home.
Jenna is a technology journalist from Dallas, she specializes in High Definition TV and Blu-Ray equipment. In her spare time she likes to jog and (on Wednesday afternoons) watching Lost series on her plasma.