Sony Bravia KDL-52EX700

Value Comparison

The biggest difference between these two TVs is that the Panasonic TC-P50VT20 can display in 3D, as well as standard 2D. That’s a premium that clearly drives the price up, and you’re either willing to pay for cutting edge technology like that or you aren’t. We can say that the 3D display effect is good, but the Panasonic’s screen is surprisingly dim compared to LED LCD televisions. Know what you’re really paying for if you opt for the Panasonic.

Core Attributes Comparison
	Sony Bravia KDL-52EX700	Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20
Size	52 in.	50 in.
General Type	LCD	Plasma
Format	1080p	1080p

Blacks & Whites

The Panasonic TC-P50VT20, as a plasma screen, can get much darker than any of the other TVs in this comparison pool. But the Panasonic was terrible at producing a decent peak brightness. Side-by-side, it’s impossible to not notice how much brighter the Sony KDL-52EX700 appears. As a result of these numbers, the contrast ratio on the Sony is much better.

Color Accuracy

The Panasonic TC-P50VT20 did a better job maintaining a consistent color temperature than the Sony KDL-52EX700, which had a tendency to warm the whites at as the signal got darker. However, the Sony showed better, smoother RGB color curves. This means you should see less color banding on the Sony.

Color Temperature Comparison
Sony Bravia KDL-52EX700 (Score: 4.63)
Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20 (Score: 7.81)

RGB Comparison
Sony Bravia KDL-52EX700 (Score: 8.19)
Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20 (Score: 7.7)

Motion

The motion performance on both these TVs was very good. We were quite impressed with the efforts of Sony and Panasonic to create an immersive experience that avoids glaring motion problems like strobing, false coloration, or loss of detail that plagues a lot of cheaper TVs.

Motion Scores
	Sony Bravia KDL-52EX700	Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20
Motion Score

Viewing Effects

The Panasonic TC-P50TV20 is a plasma TV, which all but guarantees a much, much wider viewing angle than all the LCD televisions in the comparison pool.

Viewing Angle Comparison
Sony Bravia KDL-52EX700: 4.91	Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20: 12.67

Connectivity

The Panasonic TC-P50VT20 and the Sony KDL-52EX700 are similarly matched in connectivity. Both make good hubs for a home entertainment system. The Panasonic adds a second USB port and a media card slot, but it loses the analog audio output.

Connectivity Comparison
	Sony KDL-52EX700	Sony KDL-52XBR9	Panasonic TC-P50VT20	Samsung UN55C7000
HDMI	4	4	4	4
Component	2	2	2	1
Composite	1	2	2	1
S-Video	0	1	0	0
VGA	1	1	1	1
Analog Audio In	3	4	4	2
Digital Audio Out	1	1	1	1
Analog Audio Out	1	1	0	1
Ethernet	Yes	None	Yes	Yes
Wi-Fi	Requires separate purchase	No	Yes	Yes
USB	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Memory Card Types	None	None	SD/SDHC/SDXC/SDXC	None
DLNA	Unknown	No	Yes	Yes

Other Comparisons

The Panasonic’s 3D display is clearly a cool feature, but do you want to pay for it. The fact is that 3D is something the manufacturers want you to want more than the public is actually asking for it. The growing ever-expanding market opportunities but low profit margins of TVs, combined with a faltering economy, have egged the big companies on to create the ‘next big thing.’ It’s here: 3D. Try it before you buy we, we beg you.