Sony have long been considered one of the market leaders in not only high definition television, but television as a whole. Among the flagship models of its hugely successful Bravia range is the NX813.
With its 55 inch display the NX813 is one of the largest high definition displays produced by Sony and has a stunning physical form, with an extra slim bezel and touch controls. The downside to the large size is that the set is extremely heavy and as such would not always be suitable for wall mounting and even some TV stands could struggle under its weight.
The NX813 comes with integrated Freeview as standard giving viewers access to around 50 free channels including a small number of free HD channels. In addition to Freeview the NX813 is capable of connecting wirelessly to your home network giving consumers access to video on demand services such as BBC’s iPlayer via an online portal.
The quality of picture provided by the NX813 varies depending on which type of image is being displayed.
3D images look excellent and don’t suffer from ghosting like some competing models. Sony’s 3D glasses are some of the most effective on the market for maintaining light and colour levels, but if you’re sensitive to flickering there is a small but perceptible amount there.
Likewise, high definition images are stunning on the NX813. Both the contrast and resolution are sharp and when teamed with a Blu Ray player the high definition experience is one of the best around.
However, one problem with the NX813, and larger TVs in general, is that standard definition images can tend to look blocky as they are not designed to be upscaled on such large screens. As more content is becoming available in HD, such as Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer’s Shooting Stars, this is becoming less of an issue.
Due to the ultra slim design of the NX813, the in built speakers unfortunately fail to produce a high sound quality to match the stellar imaging.
Retailing at around £2,300, the NX813 is pricey, even for a flagship model. Sony continues to charge a premium for its products as a result of its reputation however there are other models out there that carry many of the features of the NX813 for a lot less.
