The Sony SDM-X82B was one of the most consistent performers in this Labs, gaining clean passes in 16 out of our 19 test screens. Only the Eizo could beat this achievement, although the FlexScan edged ahead considerably overall due to its four distinctions from our judges.

One area where the Sony lost out slightly was viewing angles (though we doubt anyone will complain, as the X82B’s panel was still clear and easy to read from the side), which is due to the older IPS technology. But its response times are still fast, which is why it coped well in the game and DVD tests.

As with so many of the panels here, its main problems came in the colour-handling checks. In particular, it tended to over-compress colours at the higher end of the intensity scale, so we wouldn’t recommend it to photo professionals.
One neat touch that will appeal to the environmentally conscious is the Eco mode. This reduces the brightness of the backlight, which means it should last longer and cost less to run. However, Sony claims a typical power consumption of 58W, so it was hardly the most energy-efficient panel in the first place.

This screen does at least benefit from one of the best pairs of speakers on test, although even the Sony stamp of quality can’t prevent the inevitable tinniness. Other than this, there aren’t a huge number of features to lift the SDM-X82B from the 18in crowd. With a price that’s $300 over that of the Samsung, it’s difficult to justify the Sony’s extra expense.