Sony Bravia KDL40LX903 review

Can Sony's pricey new 40-inch 3DTV compete at the high-end?

Sony Bravia KDL40LX903
It's a shame the 3D on this LCD TV doesn't live up to the hype, becuase the 2D images are stunning

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Sony 40lx903

As Sony's 40LX903 proves once again, LED tech lags – literally – behind plasma technology when it comes to 3D duties, but there's plenty to like.

We liked

BBC iPlayer is probably the highlight of a vast array of online content – and it's presented brilliantly as part of a user interface that's second only to those found on LG's TVs. The 2D image is stunning with colour and contrast impressing and SD is upscaled well, while USB file support is comprehensive.

We disliked

Awfully expensive – and sometimes just plain awful – the 40LX903 struggles to convince with 3D imagery. That's a real shame because in almost all other areas (the exceptions being the standard issue flat weedy speakers, some networking niggles and a tiny issue with light leakage) it's almost impossible to fault.

Final verdict

With better options elsewhere that cost less, there's no obvious reason to buy the 40LX903 if you're after a 3DTV.

That's a shame, given its stunning package of features, but unless you're addicted to BBC iPlayer, YouTube (the 40LX903 is the finest example of a 'connected' TV we've seen so far) or the Sony Bravia brand, you'll find far better value elsewhere.

There's no doubt that 3D's day will come, but on this evidence it might be worth skipping a couple of generations.

Follow TechRadar Reviews on Twitter: http://twitter.com/techradarreview

TOPICS
Jamie Carter

Jamie is a freelance tech, travel and space journalist based in the UK. He’s been writing regularly for Techradar since it was launched in 2008 and also writes regularly for Forbes, The Telegraph, the South China Morning Post, Sky & Telescope and the Sky At Night magazine as well as other Future titles T3, Digital Camera World, All About Space and Space.com. He also edits two of his own websites, TravGear.com and WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com that reflect his obsession with travel gear and solar eclipse travel. He is the author of A Stargazing Program For Beginners (Springer, 2015),

Latest in Televisions
Google Chromecast 2
Google is finally rolling out a fix for broken Chromecasts – just as new bugs appear on the Chromecast with Google TV
Sony UBP-X700/K shown from the front
Sony launches new version of the best cheap 4K Blu-ray player that drops the streaming tech – but the price looks odd
Samsung, Roku, and Hisense TV screens
I review TVs for a living, and here are the 3 best budget TVs you can buy today
Eight Samsung TVs mounted to the wall showing different basketball games
Samsung is offering you 8 new TVs in one bundle for March Madness, in case you want to watch all games at once like a Bond villain’s lair
OLED Philips Roku TV
The new 65-inch Roku OLED TV is already under $1,000, and that's a price I can get behind
close-up of soundbar mesh with Sonos branding
Sonos reportedly cancels its streaming video player, but I hope it resurrects one part of it, because it could be huge
Latest in Reviews
WWE 2K25
I've spent days in the ring with WWE 2K25, and it's like a five-star match ruined by the Million Dollar Man
Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro electric toothbrush
Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro review: A powerful seven-mode, Swiss-made sonic brush
Atelier Yumia
I was already sold on Atelier Yumia as an RPG, but I wasn’t expecting it to have my favorite crafting system in all of gaming
Alienware 27 AW2725Q monitor on desk displaying a scene from Cyberpunk 2077
I played games with Alienware's new 27-inch 4K OLED monitor and now I don't want to see another LCD panel
MacBook Air 15-inch with M4 chip on a creative's desk with screen open
I've reviewed the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) - and it remains the best 15-inch laptop I'd recommend for most people
Samsung Music Frame on a table beside some books and a vase
I spent six weeks listening to the Samsung Music Frame and it kept missing the beat