Most expensive HDTVs come loaded with interactive features and the Sony KDL-52W5100 is no different. Still, it is relatively affordable compared to the higher-end Bravia series and to even other brands, and it offers excellent picture quality, which make it a great choice for those who want both an amazing viewing experience and hours of interactive fun.
Design
The design of the KDL-52W5100 is neither one of its strong nor weak points. The black bezel is fairly thin at the sides but thicker at the bottom, covered by a subtle transparent layer, which is fairly plain but still sleek.
Sony KDL-52W5100
Its invisible speakers make it a tad more attractive than some of its Bravia peers but like them, its stand still does not swivel.
Its clicker may be small, but that only makes it easier to hold. It also means it contains just the most important buttons which are all neatly arranged and easy to distinguish from each other. Its on-screen menu interface remains the same as most Bravia models – the one similar to PS3 gamers, with seven main options and various sub-menus. The explanatory text makes the functions easy to locate and understand, but some are sure to still prefer the more straightforward menu of Samsung HDTVs.
Screen/Picture Clarity
The black levels of the KDL-52W5100 are deep enough for a standard LCD display though they are still light comapred to LED screens and Plasmas. The other colors are rich and fairly accurate, as well, although a bluish tinge occasionally appears in dark areas and a yellowish tinge on skintones. The matte screen handles reflections very well for minimal distractions when viewing.
A 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth motion resolution on this Bravia HDTV, but to get its anti-blurring effects, you have to engage the MotionFlow dejudder processor – the two cannot be turned on separately as with other HDTVs. Still, this would have been fine if it didn’t reduce in loss of quality in film-based content. The KDL-52W5100 performs better than the V5100 models in processing and de-interlacing 1080p and 1080i content.
Features
Now, we come to the strength of the Sony KDL-52W5100 – its interactive suite. For starters, it contains basic Yahoo widgets for news, weather and finance, as well as one for Twitter – all of which you can move around the screen and place wherever you like. It also has the built-in Bravia Video Link capability, which means it can readily stream online videos – both paid ones from Amazon Video on Demand and free ones from YouTube, CBS and several other select providers. It is DLNA-capable, as well – good for those who have networked computers.
Picture controls are also fairly extensive with enough settings to make videophiles content, while connectivity is also impressive, the bulk of which is comprised of four HDMI inputs, two component-video and a VGA-style PC input. A USB port is provided on the side panel for convenient media sharing.
Indeed, the Sony KDL-52W5100 is a complete HDTV, and will surely satisfy most of those considering buying an HDTV, whether those who want an interactive set or those who simply want to sit back, relax and enjoy a home viewing experience unlike any other.
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