Sony 3D HDTV Delivers -> Sony Bravia KDL-55HX800

Price: $1500 direct

BUY FROM AMAZON (See all TVs)

When the Bravia KDL- 55HX800 arrived in PC Labs, we couldn’t wait to tear open the box. And we weren’t disappointed: Besides delivering 3D, it also has the latest TV tech, including LED backlighting and a fast 240-Hz refresh rate, which translates to a beautiful 2D picture, too.

The HX800 series is the least expensive of Sony’s family of 3D HDTVs, though you wouldn’t know it by this 55-inch HDTV’s hefty $3,400 price tag. And by the time you add in $150 3D glasses for the family and a 3D transmitter, you’re in for around $4,000. That doesn’t include a 3D-capable Blu-ray player or discs. As with most brand-new technologies, you’re paying a premium to be in on the ground floor.

But you won’t be disappointed. With its sleek lines and thin glossy black bezel, the HX800 is one good-looking HDTV.

Other than a couple of small status indicators and a polished chrome Sony logo in the center of the lower bezel, the front of the set is very clean. This model uses a proprietary LED backlighting technology dubbed Dynamic Edge, a hybrid of sorts consisting of edge-lit LEDs and a partial array of LEDs with local dimming. As a result, the HX800 is not nearly as thin as other edge-lit models such as LG’s 47LE5500 and Samsung’s UN40B7000, but it still maintains a reasonably slim profile. The cabinet is approximately 2 inches thick, except for at the bottom, where it extends out an additional 3/4-inch to accommodate a pair of embedded down-firing speakers. On the left side of the TV are two HDMI jacks, a set of composite A/V ports, and a USB port. The HX800 comes with an attractive 8.6-inch matte-black remote featuring a concave face with 43 buttons and a 4-way rocker. There’s also a dedicated 3D button for switching between 2D and 3D mode.

On our tests, the 3D effect was overall well implemented and fun to watch—but not perfect. The picture is not as bright as it is in 2D, due to the darkened lenses. Also, you get some ghosting around 3D images. The HX800 turned in a respectable contrast ratio of 2,814:1, and grayscale swatches from DisplayMate’s LCD diagnostic software showed no signs of tinting or saturation, and colors were very accurate. When it comes to 2D, the HX800 does an excellent job of displaying HD content. And for 3D this HDTV also performed admirably with the limited catalog of 3D content currently available. More important, its 2D image quality is stellar, and the set comes with a full complement of Web apps to keep you busy while you wait for more 3D content to become available.—John R. Delaney.

Pros 3D-ready. Very good 3D and 2D picture quality. Attractive cabinet. Plenty of Web apps.

Cons Expensive. 3D glasses and transmitter cost extra. Some backlight blooming. Glasses are heavy and can become a bit uncomfortable when worn for long periods.

BEST BUY FROM AMAZON AT AMAZING PRICES (See all TVs)