Sony Bravia KDL-40NX713 review

For this review we tested the 40in model in the NX713 range, but it’s also available in a 46in (KDL-46NX713) screen size. Those models have identical specifications except for their dimensions and power usage. We’re confident that image quality will be practically identical across the range.

If there’s one company we expect great styling from, it’s Sony, and its new flagship 3D TV certainly doesn’t disappoint. The Bravia KDL-40NX713 looks absolutely stunning thanks to its Monolith design, where the bezel and screen are indistinguishable from each other when the TV is off. The illuminated Sony logo adds a further touch of class.

Despite being less than 30mm thick, the KDL-40NX713 still retains all the connectivity options we would expect from a high-end TV; as well as four HDMI inputs, one component, one composite and a single D-Sub port, there are also optical S/PDIF and stereo phono audio outputs. A Freeview HD tuner, common interface (CI) slot to add a card for Pay TV channels, an Ethernet port and a single USB socket complete the set. There’s also integrated Wi-Fi, so you won’t need to run a cable from your router to your TV.

Although the USB port supports multimedia playback from an external hard disk or flash drive, we were disappointed with the poor file format support; audio and image playback is limited to MP3 and JPEG, and we could only get our AVCHD, MP4 and H.264 video files to play. DivX and XviD files refused to play and MKV files wouldn’t show up in the interface at all. The same was true when playing content across a local network; if you’ve got a lot of multimedia content, you’ll have to play it through a separate media streamer connected to the TV unless your file types are supported.

The integrated web service provides some compensation; we were impressed with the online content available on the budget Sony TVs we saw earlier in the year, but amazingly the KDL-40NX713 manages to squeeze in even more. As well as giving you access to Facebook and Twitter, you can view images on Picasa and Flickr, stream music using Sony’s proprietary Qriocity service and watch a whole host of video channels. Beyond YouTube, LoveFilm and Sony’s own 3D content channel, you can watch the latest headlines from EuroSport and Sky News, plus catch up on missed TV programmes with BBC iPlayer or Demand 5.

The sensibly laid-out remote control makes the KDL-40NX713 easy to use. It’s largely unchanged from previous Sony TVs, with the exception of a new blue backlight designed to make it easier to find the right button in the dark. The TV uses the PlayStation 3-style XMB interface, and it’s just as easy to navigate using a remote control as with a game controller.

Image quality was reasonable when watching standard definition Freeview channels; Sony’s Xreality picture engine helped keep noise artefacts to a minimum and even the lower quality channels looked surprisingly detailed. High definition channels looked much crisper, but Blu-ray content is where the KDL-40NX713 really shines.

Films looked fantastic, thanks to even backlighting that showed very little bleed, even during darker scenes. Colour accuracy was also fairly accurate, although slightly muted at the default settings. Like most LCD TVs, it still couldn’t make whites appear brilliantly bright, but it did a much better job than many other sets we’ve seen. Sound quality was also surprisingly good for integrated speakers; four separate drivers helped fill our test room with sound, although it’s still no match for a dedicated speaker set.

Although the KDL-40NX713 is compatible with 3D content, you’ll need to use an external IR emitter to sync the screen with your 3D glasses. Neither is included with the TV, so you’ll have to factor in £49 for the emitter and £99 for the glasses if you want 3D. The standard active shutter glasses aren’t rechargeable but run off a watch battery. There’s less flicker than we’re used to from active shutter glasses when watching in a dark room, and there was a noticeable amount of crosstalk in certain scenes, but for the most part the set coped well with 3D.

It’s difficult not to be impressed with the KDL40NX713’s design and comprehensive online features, but it’s not perfect. 3D video quality was reasonable but we were disappointed with file format support, an important feature for any TV that includes built-in DLNA streaming. It’s reasonably priced for a high-end set, but if you prefer image quality over style, a plasma set such as one from the Panasonic Viera GT30 range will give films more punch for less money.