Sony Bravia KDL-40HX723 review

Audio quality was above average, thanks to the three 10W speakers built into the set. We could hear our test footage from across a medium-sized room, but mostly the mid-range and high-end. Bass was sorely lacking at anything less than maximum volume, which resulted in a distorted high end. The speakers are adequate for watching TV or streaming internet video, but you’ll want to invest in a dedicated speaker system for watching films or playing immersive games.

3D pictures were delightfully flicker-free – even the active shutter 3D glasses (part code TDG-BR100B, £50 from www.currys.co.uk) coped well in a room with several different light sources. Crosstalk and ghosting were at a minimum, even in fast-moving scenes.

Thanks to its excellent specification, great image quality and superb 3D playback, the HX723 is easily one of the best all-round LCD TVs we’ve seen. The quality comes at a price, though, as £700 is a lot to pay for 40 inches. However, if you have a smaller living room and want an excellent 40in TV, it’s a good buy.