Sony KDL-46HX850

Sony KDL-46HX850

In 2011 we reviewed two excellent Sony TVs in the form of the HX929 -- the best-performing LCD TV of the year outside of the Sharp Elite -- and the NX720, a more affordable yet still superb performer that earned our Editors' Choice Award. Our expectations were high for this year's HX750, but it turned out to be a disappointment. It was like getting tickets to see Led Zeppelin and instead getting reggae cover band Dread Zeppelin. At least Dread has an Elvis impersonator in the band. Sony doesn't. Get your lighters out, friends, because the HX850 is everything we were hoping for in the HX750: svelte looks, high performance, and a price tag much lower than full-array local dimmers like the HX929. While the HX850 is not quite as good as the HX929, the $500 difference in price makes up for that. Feature-wise Sony misses out on voice interaction and other fripperies, but that suits me fine; the emphasis here is on picture quality. If you can't bear to buy a plasma like the amazing Panasonic ST50, you will pay more for the HX850 but I think you'd be quite happy with it. Sony HX850 series (photos) 1-2 of 11 Scroll Left Scroll Right I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 55-inch KDL-55HX850, but this review also applies to the other screen size in the series.