Special thanks to Connexion Villefranche-sur-Saône which allowed us to carry out the Sony Bravia KDL-40X3500’s test in their store.

The KDL-40X3500 follows the precedent setting KDL-40X2000.  This is now Sony’s best and combines a 40 inch panel (102 cm), Full HD with 1920 x 1080 pixels and has all the Sony options: 3 HDMI inputs, a 24 images per second mode to avoid fluidity defects in tracking shots, an optional 100 Hz mode to reduce perceived afterglow, and finally, a wide gamut for more progressive gradations instead of uniform color blocks. In this new series, Sony even adds an H.264 compatible digital tuner for future channels that will transmit in HD.  The design has also evolved and there are brushed aluminum surfaces which make it even more refined than its predecessor, the KDL-40X2000.  There is also a USB port on the side.

TV programs and DVDs : there has been some improvement

What changes most compared to the previous X2000 series (as well as the brand new KDL-40W3000) is the arrival of the new image processing system, the Bravia Engine Pro, while the others have the EX (at best). In fact, we found the EX combined with a Full HD panel disappointing and this was the weakness of the KDL-40X2000.  Is the Pro better? Yes! The quality of DVDs and TV programs has definitely improved.

.. but we still prefer the D3000 series for SD sources.  Here’s why:

As you can see in the box, the Pro has a revised and improved system for rescaling non HD sources (TV programs and DVDs) to Full HD.  This is a very important function and particular attention has to be given to this characteristic.  You may recall that TV programs are still most often transmitted in PAL / Secam or with a definition of 720 x 576 pixels = 415 kpixels.  A Full HD panel like the one in the KDL-40X3500 has 1920 x 1080 points or 2 megapixels ! This is exactly 5 times as many pixels that the TV has to fill in – or interpolate – to display the original image on the entire screen.  You may have grasped the difficulty of this task as the image cannot simply be stretched because it will be too degraded   In the same way, a poor algorithm can cause significant shimmering, stair effects on object edges, color gradations show up as uniform blocks, etc. In short, a poor image.  The Bravia Engine EX left a little to be desired precisely in this area and SD sources were largely imperfect on the KDL-40X2000.  The situation has noticeably improved on the KDL-40X35000.  Images are cleaner…but not yet perfect.

The less expensive KDL-40D3000 always does better with SD TV or DVD sources.  Its HD panel is 1366 x 768 = 1 megapixel and "only" 2.5 larger than the original image.  Bravia Engine circuitry on the 40D3000 did indeed evolve less as rescaling is much simpler – especially on such a nice panel.  In the end, for a digital or DSL TV signal and DVDs our preference goes to the KDL-40D3000 (which will not be stopped contrary to rumors according to Sony France).  The KDL-40X3500 is more affected by shimmering and compression defects are more noticeable even if there has been some tangible improvement since the KDL-40X2000.

HD and Full HD movies and games: the revenge of the X3500 series!

On the other hand, with HD sources the KDL-40X3500 regains the advantage.  First of all, presettings have better color fidelity.  The slight rosiness of colors disappears as soon as we change into Cinema mode. Apart from this, we measured an average difference in our 18 standard colors of only 3 – which is amongst the best – with a very deep black at 0.20 cd/m² (even if the D3000 series does better).




Where the 40X3500 really shines is in terms of the precision of HD images and its amazing sharpness!  This advantage, combined with its wide gamut (displaying colors that are inaccessible for most of its rivals), assures impressive nuances in well encoded HD movies with a minimum of solarization even on more difficult sequences.  On the other hand, if the movie is poorly encoded as is the case with our Blu-Ray Xmen 3 disc, the amount of shimmering in color blocks is superior on the X3500 series than with the D3000.  This is only in HD.   Bravia Engine Pro processing is good but there are no miracles despite the possibility in the DRC menu to reinforce or slightly weaken the level of detail.

Finally, the 24 images per second mode (Sony says 24p) is truly effective.  This television isn’t affected (or at least significantly less) by cuts in fluidity on tracking shots.  As for the 100 Hz mode, it seems to noticeably improve reactivity in the scenes that need it most such as in games or sport programs.  The addition of this function is appreciable especially since Sony hasn’t improved afterglow with its liquid crystals at 50 Hz.