Sony L5000 Series Review – KDL-32L5000 & KDL-37L5000

All HDTV manufacturers aim to please as many customers as possible, and that is why cheap LCD TV lines are coming of even the most reputable companies. Sony is not an exception, and the Sony L5000 series is the living proof that this manufacturer can provide great quality even at lower prices. Focusing on providing small screen sizes, Sony also is capable of giving its low entry models features and image quality that stands above other competitors in the same league.

Models

If you are fond of the idea of buying a smaller screen LCD TV, you may find these Sony L5000 models to be quite appealing:

  • 32 inch – Sony KDL-32L5000
  • 37 inch – Sony KDL-37L5000

Features

As a low entry series, Sony L5000 only sports 720p resolution, but, given the screen sizes it comes in, this is almost not an issue regarding image details, if the HDTV is placed at an optimal viewing distance. Another thing that is worth mentioning about the series is that its connectivity options are more than what it is usually seen on cheap LCD TV series, with three HDMI ports, two component video, one PC input, RF input, AV input, and analog and digital audio inputs. A particular aspect should also be said about the options of saving power the series comes appointed with. Some power saving modes are available, making these models quite flexible and innovative.

Picture quality

Performance is always the talk of the day when you want to buy a cheap LCD TV. Of course, the price is important, but you do not want to look at a poorly designed screen with subpar performance. Sony L5000 is not the best in its league when it comes to this, but not the worst either. Mainly, its performance is based on quite deep levels of blacks, color accuracy and uniformity issues that accompany it do not stand for good advertisement.

Black levels, as seen in Sony L5000 series, are better than one could see on Vizio, LG, and Panasonic, and only a little less than seen on Samsung models from the same league. Shadow details are quite good, as well, lending the picture enough realism to go around.

Color accuracy is marred by a green tinge that can become offensive for the eye in certain scenes. But, overall, colors look saturated and have enough punch, while the series’ blacks are not affected by the bluish tinge often affecting even the more expensive LCD TVs.

As far as video processing is concerned, Sony L5000 models are capable of handling high definition video sources as expected from their 720p resolution. Refresh rate is only 60Hz, but motion blur does not seem to be an issue for this cheap LCD TV series. A positive point is the fact that these HDTVs do not show artifacts when deinterlacing 1080i signal, like other LCD TVs do.

Uniformity is not Sony L5000’s strongest point. Some issues, like bright areas appearing in corners when dark scenes are rendered on the screen, are prone to appear. However, if compared with Samsung models, as cheap LCD TV reviews also point out, Sony does a better job in maintaining black levels.

Performance of Sony L5000 models under bright light conditions is good, and on par with many other LCD TVs, while superior to most plasma models that still encounter this issue.

Standard definition performance is only average, and the image tends to look a bit softer than what is needed in order to have a great watching experience. Noise reduction, however, is solid, and no artifacts are noticeable, performing even better in this area than other LCD TVs.

Conclusion

Sony L5000 represents one of the best choices for buyers looking for a cheap LCD TV that comes in small screen sizes. It is one of the greatest options to have installed in a family room, and the performance in terms of picture quality is fairly good, as it is to be expected from models equipped with 720p resolution. On the positive side, you get more connectivity options than in most inexpensive LCD TVs, and this might just tip the balance in Sony L5000’s favor.