What Hi-Fi? Verdict
TV Product of the Year, Awards 2010. A fantastic addition to the Sony range, and one that should be sampled at all costs
Pros
- +
Sensational value for money
- +
class-leading picture quality across the board
- +
Freeview HD tuner
- +
sounds impressively detailed
Cons
- -
Remote feels a little awkward, but that’s just being picky
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
We know Sony's regular test success winds some people up (especially the company's rivals), which is why its relative struggles with quality control last year were greeted in some corners with a small cheer.
It's unlikely that anyone really expected the Japanese manufacturer to stay down for long, though, and sure enough, the KDL-40EX503, the first telly from the 2010 range to grace our listening rooms, announced a serious return to form when it gained top whack recently.
The snowy peaks of the Scottish Highlands are realised with perfectly pure whites, while the greener hues of the wood around the witch's cottage are rugged and varied.
Skin tones are natural throughout, and when the blood starts to fly (and it really does), it's vivid and gory, just as director Neil Marshall intended.
Testing motion
There's plenty of testing motion on the disc, too, from slow pans across the frigid landscape to huge, frenetic swordfights, but the Sony takes it all in its stride, producing movement that's supremely solid and natural.
The upscaled image is clean and stable, but also impressively detailed, and that colour neutrality means the film's intentionally pale palette isn't overcooked.
