Sony Bravia KDL-40NX700

Black Level (7.60)

The black level on the Sony KDL-40NX700 is just so-so. LCD televisions can never hope to achieve the deep blacks of a plasma TV, but even among peers, the NX700 produced an average score: 0.12 cd/m². As you can see from the chart below, the KDL-EX700 was more or less the same. The Samsung UN46B8500 could produce deeper blacks, and the Toshiba 42ZV650U was just terrible. More on how we test black level.

Read Reviews of Comparison Products
Sony Bravia KDL-46EX700	Toshiba Regza 42ZV650U	Samsung UN46B8500

Peak Brightness (9.98)

The Sony KDL-40NX700 produced excellent peak brightness scores, outshining all the comparison models we selected. Practically speaking, this may not mean as much as black level performance, but it still contributes to a good looking picture. More on how we test peak brightness.

Contrast (8.66)

The contrast ratio we measured from the Sony KDL-40NX700 is impressive, approximately 4032:1. Granted, the Samsung UN46B8500 was superior, at 4605:1, but anything over 4000:1 is very good. Of course, these scores are a far cry from the inflated ratios that manufacturers frequently tout. You’ll just need to readjust your expectations. More on how we test contrast.

Tunnel Contrast (9.85)

The tunnel contrast test scores indicate that the Sony KDL-40NX700 is more than adequately capable of maintaining a consistent black level, no matter how much bright white is being displayed elsewhere on the screen. More on how we test tunnel contrast.

White Falloff (9.98)

The white falloff scores indicate that the Sony KDL-40NX700 has no problem maintaining a consistent peak brightness level, no matter how much black is being displayed in other parts of the screen. This is the expected performance of an LCD TV. Normally, we only see problems in plasma units. More on how we test white falloff.

Uniformity (4.50)

The Sony KDL-40NX700 showed some distinct issues with screen uniformity. When looking at an all-black screen, we saw brighter blotches in the middle. The corners showed obvious flashlighting. When we switched to an all-white screen, it was harder to see any problems in the center, but the corners were distinctly darker. Practically speaking, unless screen uniformity is abysmal, you won’t notice it when watching most programs and movies. It comes to the forefront more when watching movies with lots of black shadows. More on how we test white falloff.

Greyscale Gamma (7.07)

The greyscale gamma chart below tells us the story of how the Sony KDL-40NX700 makes transitions from black to white. The first thing we notice is that the curve is relatively smooth. Bumps in the line would indicate instances where we could expect color banding. There’s a little bumpiness in the shadows (the lower-left side of the line). The slope of the curve is a bit steeper than ideal. The Sony produced a slope of 2.69, while the ideal is around 2.1 to 2.2. As a result, we can expect the Sony to produce a less fine gradation across the entire scale of greys. More on how we test greyscale gamma.

Other Models in the KDL-xxNX700 Series
For more information on other models in this series, check our Series Comparison Page.
Sony Bravia KDL-46NX700 46 in.