We reviewed Sony’s 46-inch XBR series Bravia a few months back and found it to be quite a charmer. This time, we take a look at the cheaper X-Series 46-incher to find out whether its lower price tag has a direct effect on its performance. Could this be Sony’s best kept secret?
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The screen also worked well with various HD sources (Sony’s Blu-ray and Toshiba’s HD DVD player) and was able to remove motion smears with its 100Hz MotionFlow technology. The second generation Wide Color Gamut (WCG-CCFL), Sony’s Bravia Engine, as well as its Live Colour Creation technology did its work and made movies look vibrant and detailed.
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| The Sony bezel available in five colours starting at $499. |
The X-series has an interchangeable coloured bezel which is black out of the box, but comes in a variety of colours to choose from. If you want a different coloured bezel, you can buy another in black, blue, red, brown, or white. They carry an RRP of $499 for the 40-inch, $599 for the 46-inch, and $699 for the 52-inch model.
The XBR-series however, sports a fixed aluminium bezel that ‘gives it that slight edge and premium feel.’
Conclusion:
There is no major difference between the Sony Bravia X-series and the XBR-series. The two screens perform well and sport the latest technology Sony has to offer. If you don’t mind the black bezel of the X-series, then grab it, it’s about $300 cheaper than the XBR-model, and it delivers exactly the same performance as the more expensive model.
There is also the element of personal preference. If you want a screen that has a fixed aluminium bezel, then go for the XBR-series. But if you want a more ‘customisable’ screen, then the X-series may suit your taste. Just remember with the latter option that you will need to add the cost of purchasing the additional bezel ($599 for the 46-inch) to the overall expense (if the colour black is not for you), making it ‘more expensive’ than the XBR series.
To read our review of the Sony Bravia XBR-series, click here.
Product Specifications:
Picture
- Integrated High Definition Digital Tuner: Yes
- Native Display Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- BRAVIA Engine: Bravia Engine Pro
- Panel Bit: 10-bit
- Viewing Angle: 178 degrees
- Screen Format: Wide Zoom/Normal/Full/Zoom
- Picture Mode: Vivid/ Standard/Cinema/Custom
- Multi Picture: Yes (Picture And Picture)
- Noise Reduction: 3D Digital Comb Filter
- Brightness: 500 cd/m2
- Contrast: 2200:1 (On-Screen) 18000:1 (Dynamic)
- Response Time: 8ms
Sound
- Audio Output: Yes
- Sound Mode: Dynamic/Standard/Custom
- Surround Mode: S-FORCE/Simulated Stereo/Off
- BBE Digital: N/A
Terminals
- HDMI Input: x3
- Component In: x2
- S-Video in: x2
- Composite in: x3
- Headphone Out: x1
- HD15 / PC Audio Input: x1
Other Features
- Power Saving Mode: Yes
- Clock: Yes
- On / Sleep Timer: Yes
- Teletext: Yes (English) 250P
- Light Sensor: Yes
- Cinema Drive: Yes
- OSD Language: English
- Swivel: No
- Tilt: No
Power Requirement: 220-240V 50/60Hz
Power Consumption: 300w
Dimensions with stand: 1262x795x322
Dimensions without stand: 1262x734x121
Weight with stand (kg): 38kg
Weight without Stand (kg): 33kg
Standby Power Consumption: 0.3w
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Sony Bravia X Series (KDL-46X3100) | $4,499 | 
| www.sony.com.au
For: Product design; Various connectivity ports; Customisable colour settings; Rich and vibrant colours; Interchangeable bezel ($499, $599, $699)
Against: Confusing menu and remote control
Verdict: A cheaper but more ‘customisable’ 46-inch Bravia from Sony.
