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For this review we tested the 32in model in the EX523 range, but it’s also available in a 40in screen size (KDL-40EX523). That model has identical specifications except for its dimensions and power usage. We’re confident that image quality will be practically identical across the range.
Sony has set the bar quite high with its budget TV line-up this year, so it’s difficult to see how it can persuade shoppers to part with their cash for a mid-range model. To make sure the EX523 stands above the cheaper Bravia CX523 range, it’s been fitted with an edge-lit LED backlight instead of traditional CCFL.
This proved a genuine step up from CCFL: colours were much more vibrant and there was very little light bleed around the screen edges. Brightness and contrast were both respectable, although we still had to turn the backlight down to get the deep blacks that make Blu-ray movies come to life.
Even before we switched the set on, it was immediately obvious that the EX523 is a step up from the slightly more basic CX523. The screen bezel is much thinner and has a stylish brushed aluminium effect finish. It’s also slightly thinner in profile, so would sit tighter to a wall if you chose to hang it. In other respects the two sets have a lot in common. Around the back, there are four HDMI ports, composite video, digital optical audio, a single Scart socket and a VGA input, as well as two USB ports and a Common Interface slot for pay TV.
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Free-to-air television also looked great; high definition channels were suitably detailed, with minimal noise and very few visible artefacts. High-bitrate standard definition channels also looked good, with Sony’s X-reality motion smoothing system retaining lots of detail. Lower-bitrate channels weren’t quite so impressive, with BBC News lacking defined lines and facial definition.
The slick new user interface (which replaces the XMB design of recent years) felt very responsive and easy to navigate. It’s now much easier to access the numerous web TV features within Bravia Internet Video. As well as access to YouTube video streaming, movies on demand from LoveFilm and social networking through Twitter and Facebook, you can catch up on any TV programs you’ve missed with BBC iPlayer and Demand 5 (Channel 5’s service).
You can also record programmes if you have an external hard disk, using one of the two USB ports. The only caveat is that you have to watch the same program you want to record, as there’s only one Freeview HD tuner. You can also use either port to play multimedia content from a USB memory stick or hard disk.
You’re also in luck if dragging files on to an external hard disk sounds like too much hard work. As with most of Sony’s 2011 line-up, the EX523 supports DLNA media streaming from any compatible device connected to your home network. The system was quick to browse through folders and supports all the major file formats, so you should be able to play all your content without hassle.
There’s no question that the EX523 is a great mid-range TV; it has plenty of features, great styling and a fantastic display for the price. The only problem is that the cheaper CX523 has the same feature set and its CCFL backlight still produces a great quality image. If you’re after a reasonably priced TV, the CX523 is the better choice. If you’ve got more to spend, the Samsung 6 Series D6530 range is a better alternative to the EX523 models.
