Earlier this year, Sony changed the name of its high-end LCD TVs from Wega to Bravia and launched a marketing campaign touting the line as “The world’s first television designed for men and women.” While it remains to be seen how the sleek, 40-inch Sony Bravia KDL-V40XBR1 ($3,499) scores with the ladies, it delivers a knockout in terms of LCD picture quality. No, it still can’t outperform the best similarly sized plasmas on the market, and yes, like most Sonys, this 40-inch flat-panel LCD has a premium price tag and costs quite a bit more than competing plasmas. But if you have your heart set on an LCD or just really like the look of this Sony–or the name Bravia–it might be worth the price.Thankfully, there’s not a trace of pink on the Sony KDL-V40XBR1. Silver trim and a slim silver strip along the front dress up the usual black border around the screen. Three tiny indicator lights reside below the right side of the screen next to the IR receiver, but they aren’t really noticeable when you’re watching the TV. Power, channel, volume, source-select, and menu buttons sit on the right side of the panel. Overall, this is one of the most distinctive-looking TVs we’ve reviewed.
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