A Review of Best Buy's Popular Sony 42" Bravia LCD HDTV Model KDL-42V4100

When it comes to higher end flat panel televisions without a doubt Sony is always near the top. Unfortunately for the typical consumer this usually also meant high prices too. Recently though as the economy has had a downturn and quality technology has become cheaper to produce Sony's prices have become much more competitive. A good example of Sony's aggressive pricing strategy is the 42" Sony Bravia KDL-42V4100 a flat panel LCD HDTV. Because of its recently popularity I have decided to get my hands on one and see just how good of a bargain this television really is.

Styling: 4/5

Picture: 4/5

Value: 3/5

Overall: 3/5

Product Overview:

With Samsungs a Touch of Color TV's a close second, when it comes to styling, no one seems to do it better than Sony. The KDL-42V4100 is certainly no exception. The 42 inch display is framed by a glossy black bezel with silver accents on the base. I found that this really made the TV a great centerpiece. The speakers are hidden within the slim silver strip at the base of the frame and produce decent sound quality for their size. The base is a square firm glossy fixture that provides the television a sturdy footing. The television is also a little thinner then average and as result is also a bit lighter.

The visuals on this television are superb. It is a 1080p display so it does produce what the experts call full HD. I had no trouble hooking up my Playstation 3 via HDMI to deliver a Bluray film and it looked fantastic at this resolution. Most consumers won't notice the average black levels. The viewing angle as with all of Sony's new LCD displays is also excellent. I found that the screen is a bit brighter then most so those with bright rooms shouldn't be concerned with wash out.

The connectivity goes above and beyond. It has a whopping 4 HDMI inputs which will allow consumers to get the most out of their new 42 inch screen. Other inputs include composite and component A/V inputs. I found that the conveniently placed side inputs were especially useful when conducting a slide show of my vacation pictures straight from my camera. There was no need to fiddle around with the plugs in the back, very user friendly.

Overall Value:

I think that overall this is a fantastic television. In the end however I feel that Sony still have the KDL-42V4100 a little over priced. There are too many other quality products on the market that are considerably cheaper. Priced at just under $1400 at most merchants this LCD TV is certainly worth the money, but not an overtly great deal.