55-Inch, Sony Bravia KDL-55XBR8 LCD HD TV: A High-End LCD Television

Just walk into any major electronics and you'll be able to stand in the mesmerizing glow of an entire wall of televisions. This is, of course, so one product can be compared side-by-side to its competitors. It seems time after time some of the best looking televisions are produced by Sony, they also happen to be some of the most expensive products. In this review I'm going to about the Sony Bravia KDL-55XBR8. I've had the opportunity to spend a good deal of time with this 55 inch LCD television and I'm going to let you know if it lives up to the heavy ransom Sony has demanded for it.

Picture Quality: 5/5

Sound Quality: 5/5

Value: 3/5

Overall: 4/5

Product Overview:

Visually the KDL-55XBR8 looks similar to its other high end brethren. It has side mounted speakers which make the vertical portions of the televisions frame bulkier than the horizontal portions. The frame is a glossy black and smooth all the way around save the Sony logo. The included stand is sturdy and small but it does swivel.

Energy conscious people will be happy to know that this television is extra green thanks to the LED backlight. Those that love to adjust their picture settings will enjoy the options the LED backlights allow. The menu to adjust all of these screen settings is intuitive and easily navigable. I have mine in a bright room and it didn't look great at first but after spending about 10 minutes I was able to easily customize it to my viewing conditions. This is especially true for those of you that own a PlayStation 3, because the menu is heavily influenced by it. Another cool feature is you can feed videos straight to the TV thanks to the included networking option. This really cuts down on the wires and components needed to enjoy this television at its finest.

The Sony Bravia KDL-55XBR8 has a native resolution of 1080p and thanks to its size this really pays off. The blacks on this Sony are just amazing for an LCD, it literally performs like a plasma in this regard. The incredible picture is highlighted during fast paced sports broadcasts and video games thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate.

There isn't much to complain about this television except that the off angle viewing on this set isn't the best I've ever seen (unlike everything else about it).

Product Value:

Well if you have your heart set on the The Sony Bravia KDL-55XBR8 then I hope you have deep pockets. Prices start at $7000. This is a fantastic high definition LCD, perhaps one of the best on the market. This will not be a disappointment.