Sony Bravia KDL-S5500 / S5600 / S550 Series LCD TV (22", 26", 32", 37", 40") (TVs)

Available for around £650 online, Sony's latest 37-inch LCD TV is part of its brand new line-up of Bravias for 2009. So why does it look like last year's tech? LCD TV technology has moved on from 2008, when blur, poor contrast and limited viewing...

Easy-to-use interface, Full HD resolution, simple remote control

Poor contrast, visible blur, noisy Freeview pictures

The KDL-37S5500 is not a bad television, but there are others out there that offer better value for money

It looks like a bargain, but what kind of 40in Full HD TV does £590 get you these days?

Despite the harsh tone of much of this review, if considered purely in the context of other £500-£550 40-42in TVs, the 40S5500 isn't an unmitigated disaster. It's just hugely average. Its backlight issues are a massive problem for any discerning film...

Many people will probably be overjoyed at the prospect of being able to get a decent-sized Sony Bravia TV for £600. Before you get too excited, though, you should know that the KDL-37S5500 comes with some pretty major performance strings attached

Exceptionally affordable for a Sony Bravia TV ; Reasonably well built ; Bright and colourful pictures

Black levels aren't great ; Some motion blur at times ; Pretty feeble audio

Conclusion Sadly, the Bravia KDL-37S5500 isn't the answer to cash-strapped Sony fans' prayers. It's not an unmitigated disaster, but its performance falls so far short of that of Sony's V5500 range that you'd be well advised to spend an extra £100 or...

With its KDL-37S5500 LCD TV, Sony proves it can get down and dirty with the entry-level efforts of its rivals.

To some extent, the 37S5500 is another successful Sony LCD TV. While it's certainly got its fair share of performance flaws, it's still better than the entry-level efforts of many rival brands.

Sony's latest foray into the 26in screen market might be accomplished in some areas, but it's not the best in its class

Good detail and motion tracking ; clean and well balanced pictures

Pictures lack some depth ; menu irritates ; can't handle 1080p

This is good value, but if stretch your budget slightly you can catch yourself a class-leader from the same stable

Good value ; awesome colour balance ; confident with Blu-ray and DVD pictures

Noisy Freeview pictures ; not the final word in clarity and detail ; sound not great

Great budget TV, but you can get a superior performance for not much more money

A detailed, balanced and vibrant picture for the money ; usual Sony usability ; decent sound ; very good motion without processing

None of the hi-tech frills

For a product where you would imagine cost cutting is key, the S5500 certainly doesnÂ't look cheap. The bezel is robust with a solid build quality and instead of the usual black gloss; the frame has a matte style dark grey finish. There may be a lack...

Average

A good entry into HD TV for the first-time buyer

The KDL-37S5500 does have its rough edges, and it's by no means the cheapest 37in Full HD set on the market. However, it's a solid entry-level set that provides a good set of features and the image quality and build quality that you'd expect from a...

The Sony KDL26S550 is a 26-inch, HD-ready LCD screen with three HDMI ports round the back. It has a 1366x768 resolution, a 24p True Cinema & Theatre mode, a contrast ratio of 33,000:1 and plenty of connections, including: PC connectivity, 1x component,...

Squeeze one of Sony’s luscious 768-pixel panels down to just 26 inches and the close-up detail is pin-sharp. But bear in mind that to get the full befefit of HD on this 26-incher, you'll need a viewing position that's quite close to the set ; Triple...

The Bravia isn't as cheap as many 26-inchers, especially as you’ll need to shell out a few more for a good HDMI cable. Otherwise, pretty much a perfect backup television

It might be expensive, but think of the 26S5500 as an investment in your visual future and this colourful gaming telly suddenly doesn’t seem so pricey. Highly recommended.