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Friday January 9, 2009 1:08 PM AEST
Skip Navigation LinksPC Authority > Features > Which Sony Bravia is best?
Which Sony Bravia is best?

Which Sony Bravia is best?

by Adam Turner  on Dec 29, 2008
Tags: Sony | Bravia | TV
Sony sells five types of "Full HD" televisions with HDMI inputs and integrated high definition TV tuners - the XBR, Z, W, E, and V series. So which is best for you?
When it comes to LCD televisions, Sony's Bravias are some of the best in the biz - but how do you choose the best Bravia for you?

There's no shortage of Bravias to choose from. The XBR, Z, W, E, and V series all offer a resolution of 1920x1080, designed to do justice to Blu-ray and high-def television broadcasts.

At the very top end, there's also the amazingly thin ZX1 series, a Full HD television which won't be available until early next year. Sony also sells the "HD" S series, with a high definition TV tuner and resolution of 1366x768.

The Full HD Bravias range between 32 and 55 inches, but remember bigger isn't always better so make sure you check out our big TV guide before deciding on a size.

Here's a breakdown of what Sony's alphabet soup actually means;

XBR4500 (40, 46, 55 inch)

from $3099

If you're after blacker blacks when watching movies, this is the Bravia for you. The XBR series' main selling point is its LED backlit screen, which offers reduced power consumption and greater contrast - resulting in blacker blacks with more detail in the shadows. The XBR series also features 100Hz "Motionflow" refresh rate for smoothing out the action in fast-moving scenes.

ZX1 (40 inch)

$???

If you're looking for style and substance, Sony unveiled the wafer-thin ZX1 at its September "Uchi" roadshow. The ZX1 is 9.9mm thick, weighs in at 12kg and employs 100Hz Motionflow plus similar LCD backlight to the XBR series. The ZX1 was expected to be available by Christmas but now Sony says "early next year".

Z4500 series (40, 46, 52 inch)

from $3399

If you're a big sports fan, this is the Bravia for you. The Z series' main selling point is its 200Hz Motionflow refresh rate, designed to all but eliminate motion jitter. The Z series also does an excellent job of reducing motion blur, making a great television for enjoying fast-moving action such as AFL.

W4500 series (40, 46, 52 inch)

from $2699

If you're after value for money, the W series still offers the Bravia's excellent video processing with 100 Hz Motionflow, detailed images and natural colours. What's missing is the luxury of LED backlighting or 200Hz Motionflow. The W series still puts most entry-level LCD televisions to shame, although you can see the difference when you sit it next to the XBR or Z series.

E4500 series (40 inch)

$2999

The stylish E series is pitched as an LCD picture frame, although it does feature a high-def TV tuner and offers similar features to the W series Bravias. The E series is available in blue or silver.

V4000 series (32, 40 inch)

from $1599

For those on tight budget, the entry-level V series is a no-frills television which still offers an impressive picture. The display uses an 8-bit panel rather than a 10-bit panel found in the more expensive Bravias, so it offers fewer steps of colour gradation. It's also a 50Hz display, so it doesn't handle fast motion quite as well as the others. The 32 inch model V series is available in red, white and black.

Series

XBR

Z

W

Price (40in) $3,099.00 $3,399.00 $2,699.00
Resolution 1920x1080p 1920x1080p 1920x1080p
Refresh rate 100Hz 200Hz 100Hz
Panel 10-bit 10-bit 10-bit
LED Backlight Yes No No
24fps playback Yes Yes Yes
Ethernet/DLNA Yes Yes Yes
USB Yes Yes Yes


Series

E

V

Price (40in) $2,999.00 $2,199.00
Resolution 1920x1080p 1920x1080p
Refresh rate 100Hz 50Hz
Panel 10-bit 8-bit
LED Backlight No No
24fps playback Yes No
Ethernet/DLNA Yes No
USB Yes No




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Comments: 2
Nato
Dec 29, 2008 9:31 PM
 Only the 46 and 55inch XBR45 lcd's get the RGB Dynamic LED Backlighting. The 40inch gets the normal WCG-CCFL Backlight. :)


Comment made about the PC Authority article:
Which Sony Bravia is best??
Sony sells five types of "Full HD" televisions with HDMI inputs and integrated high definition TV tuners - the XBR, Z, W, E, and V series. So which is best for you?

What do you think? Join the discussion.
ENFUSIA
Jan 5, 2009 4:54 PM
 I didn't know that about the 40inch Nato.

I'm glad i went with the 46inch XBR then :). All I can say about the XBR is that it absolutely cranks!
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