Introduction
Tour & Design
The front of the TV has a glossy black bezel that seems a bit thick in relation to the size of the screen. There are indicator LEDs in the bottom left. This is also where you should be aiming the remote.
The back is pretty standard. There's a grouping of ports off to the right side and basically nothing of interest anywhere else.
For information about the ports on the back of the Sony KDL-32EX700 see our Connectivity section.
The left side of the TV has a handful of ports; the right side is where you'll find all the basic on-set controls, as well as a giant switch for the power saver mode.
For information about the ports on the sides of the Sony KDL-32EX700 see our Connectivity section.
The stand is a trapezoidal slab of glossy black plastic that allows the TV to swivel. This is the most exciting description we could come up with.
The controls cover all the basics, with the addition of a giant (relatively, at least) switch to turn on the energy saver features.
The KDL-32EX700 comes with an interesting-looking remote, whose entire back slides to reveal the battery cavity. The button placement is a bit strange, however: several buttons are placed too close to the d-pad and the volume & channel buttons are too far away.
The Sony KDL-32EX700 ships with a remote control, batteries, stand, AC cable, and some documentation. Assembling the TV was no great trick, as long as you read the instructions first.
The Sony KDL-32EX700 looks good. The bezel looks a bit thick compared to the screen size, but it's not bad looking by any means.
Blacks & Whites
Our standard metric for a solidly good black level is 0.1 candelas per square meter (cd/m2). As you can see in the chart below, we measured the Sony KDL-32EX700's black level at exactly 0.1 cd/m2. Therefore, via the transitive property, we can deduce that the Sony KDL-32EX700 has a solidly good black level. No complaints here. (More on how we test Black Level.)
We measured the KDL-32EX700's brightness at 416.77 cd/m2. Our benchmark for a bright display is 400, meaning the KDL-32EX700 exceeded our expectations. If you have problems with external light shining on the screen, or just want to blow out your retinas by staring at a bunch of tiny light bulbs, the KDL-32EX700 is the TV for you. (More on how we test Peak Brightness.)
A deep black and a high brightness yield an impressive contrast ratio. The Sony KDL-32EX700 out-performed some fellow LCDs quite handily. The only model to even put up a real fight was the Samsung. The older Sony model had less than half the contrast ratio of the KDL-32EX700. (More on how we test Contrast.)
Regardless of how much black is on the screen, the KDL-32EX700's black level remains pretty constant. When there's just a small bit of black, it can get slightly washed out, but it's not anything the average viewer would notice. (More on how we test Tunnel Contrast.)
We saw absolutely no issues with the TV's peak brightness. It doesn't matter how much or how little white is on the screen: it's brightness will remain at a consistent level. (More on how we test White Falloff.)
Unlike it's over-sized sibling, the KDL-32EX700 has excellent uniformity. The black screen was smooth, with no blotches whatsoever, and the white screen was equally unblemished. The corners of the black screen had some very minor flashlighting and the corners of the white screen were slightly dim, but for all intents and purposes, the display was incredibly uniform. (More on how we test Uniformity.)
The KDL-32EX700 had a nearly ideal greyscale gamma. The measured gamma, which is the slope of the line in the graph below, should be a bit lower—ideally closer to 2.2—but is almost perfectly smooth. There aren't any significant bumps curves, meaning the TV has a nice, even progression from black to white. (More on how we test Greyscale Gamma.)
Color Accuracy
The Sony KDL0-32EX700 didn't have the most consistent color temperature, but it wasn't the worst we've seen either. For the most part, the TV runs slightly warm, but not by a margin you'd notice. The darker blacks, however, noticibly trend towards cool.
(More on how we test Color Temperature.)
The TV had pretty good color accuracy. We saw hardly any peaking at all across any of the channels, and the curves were pretty smooth as well. A bumpy curve would have indicated a loss of details, either because adjacent shades were too similar or too dissimilar for a smooth transition between them. The only problem we saw was with blue, which seemed to lag behind red and green. (More on how we test RGB Curves.)
Below we've plotted the above curves as gradients, in order to show how the TV presents each channel in its entirety. Look for when the colors turn toward black, or any vertical bars. Typically TVs tend to blow out the blacks, meaning there's a significant loss of detail in dark areas; in this case you'll notice the black point occurring much sooner than it should. Vertical bars mean there's some detail being lost, as similar colors will either be too similar or too different.
The KDL-32EX700 doesn't have the most accurate color gamut. The green point is pretty close to ideal, the blue point is slightly undersaturated, and the red point is slightly more undersaturated. Overall, not great, but not the worst we've seen. (More on how we test Color Gamut.)
Below we've listed the red, green, and blue data points, along with the rec. 709 international standards.
Motion
Typically we disable various video processing features, but in the case of the KDL-32EX700 we found it was beneficial to leave the MotionFlow feature on Standard. This will result in some slight artifacting, but it will all but eliminate motion blurring. We really saw no issues with blurring in pictures at 1080p. A moving set of color swatches showed significant blurring, however, as did a series of black and white bars. We thought this was an interesting combination: complex pictures didn't blur much, but basic patterns did. We're guessing the MotionFlow feature is simply geared towards complex images, since turning it off caused the photos to blur just as much as the other figures. (More on how we test Motion.)
Overall, the TV had very minor artifacting issues. When high-contrast areas move around, they suffer from a juddering effect. Fine patterns sometimes had false coloration or lost some detail. Overall, though, the artifacting we saw was minor and shouldn't pose much of an issue.
The KDL-32EX700 had some issues with 3:2 pulldown. Fine patterns seem to be a bit much for the TV's processing to handle, and will randomly flash for a half second at a time. To reduce the frequency of these flashes, set CineMotion to the Auto 1 setting. This won't fix the judder, however, which can cause a crawling effect in patterns. (More on how we test 3:2 Pulldown and 24fps.)
There are various different standard resolutions that today's content comes in. HDTVs need to be able to display them all well. Since the TV will have to upscale or downscale content that isn't the native resolution. Below we've outlined how the KDL-32EX700 handles different formats. (More on how we test Resolution Scaling.)
480p
The TV didn't have many issues with 480p content. There was a 3.5% overscan, some minor moire interference, and some other very minor problems, none of which amount to much.
720p
There were even fewer issues with 720p content.
1080i
The main problem with 1080i playback is moire interference. We saw some minor false coloration and fine patterns were often replaced by entirely different patterns. Lines were also a bit blurry.
Viewing Effects
The Sony KDL-32EX700 has a native resolution of 1080p. This is currently the highest HD format available.
We measured the TV's viewing angle at about 52°. This is decent for an LCD, but it isn't super amazing when you start bringing plasmas into the comparison. You should probably get a good picture if you're sitting on the couch, but if you're anywhere else in the room, you'll notice a drop in the contrast ratio. (More on how we test Viewing Angle.)
The KDL-32EX700 had some problems with reflectance. The screen itself We were able to see each and every LED in the array we shined at the screen. Further, the light created vertical and horizontal streaks. This is very distracting. When the light isn't facing the screen directly, the streaks aren't particularly noticeable. The glossy bezel might also catch light, but is far less of an issue, especially given the size of the screen. We wouldn't recommend putting this TV in a room that catches natural light. (More on how we test Reflectance.)
The TV has a handful of processing features, most of which don't really do much.
Calibration
[
](http://www.displaymate.com/)We calibrate all our TVs before we test them. Below are the settings we used. Feel free to use these settings, but if you want a truly customized TV, you'll have to call a professional to bring his own CS-200 ChromaMeter and set up your TV perfectly for your own viewing conditions.
No new modes have been added to the 2010 models, it seems: we still saw Vivid, Custom, Standard, and Cinema modes. The chart below is for those who have never used a TV before.
Remote Control
Ergonomics & Durability*(5.50)*
The Sony KDL-32EX700's remote looks decent initally. The buttons appear to have a nice layout, the back has a power button and can slide out, and the remote feels good in hand. In reality, the sliding back is somewhat annoying and ends up making the remote feel far cheaper than it actually is. The sliding back means you're gripping two pieces of plastic together. Operating this remote sounds like manhandling a well-worn Rubick's Cube.
The d-pad on this remote is a problem. It's very easy to hit one of those six buttons around the pad's periphery. Also, the volume and channel keys, although well-sized, are placed strangely far away from the d-pad. Add to this a set of identically-shaped buttons near the top of the remote and you have a fairly solid offering.
Programming & Flexibility*(0.0)*
The remote control can be used to control other Sony devices with the Bravia Sync branding, but not other devices.
Connectivity
- Composite Video
- VGA
- Component Video
- 4 HDMI
- 3 Analog Audio
- 1 3.5mm Audio
Below is a chart of the major ports you'll find on the Sony KDL-32EX700 and some competing models.
There are two output ports: a digital and an analog audio output.
The TV has a LAN connection to connect you to the wonderful world of online content. There's also an option for wifi, but that requires a separate purchase.
The TV has a USB port that allows the playback of music, video, and picture files.
The KDL-32EX700's ports are pretty easy to get at. The cluster on the back is close to the edge, there are a few on the side, and the TV's stand swivels. If that isn't enough, the TV is tiny and everyone should be able to just pick it up and rotate it when the going gets rough.
Audio & Menus
The Sony KDL-32EX700's built-in speakers weren't great. We were able to directly compare them to the 52-inch size of the same model, and found the larger TV came with far superior speakers. The KDL-32EX700 sounded really tinny and muffled by comparison. We'd probably recommend factoring speakers into the purchase price.
If you feel like fiddling around with your audio, there's an equalizer, surround sound, and sound enhancer you can toggle; none of these features seem to have much of an effect on the sound, strangely enough.
The KDL-32EX700's menu, like most Sony HDTVs nowadays, look very similar to what you'd find on a PS3. The main menu is a row of icons, each of which expand vertically. The menu looks good and makes sense, but we still really don't like how the menu doesn't wrap around: if you want to fix the picture quality, you'll have to scroll through all the other menu items along the way.
The KDL-32EX700's manual is relatively informative, but doesn't have a particularly robust index for quickly finding what you're looking for. We also thought that the text and pictures were a bit too small. Overall, a better than average manual in that it actually contains pertinent information.
You can find the Sony KDL-32EX700's manual online here.
Multimedia & Internet
In 2009, Sony won our Select Award for the best array of online features. The gap between Sony and their competitors has closed considerably since then, but Sony remains at the front of the pack. There are over 30 different providers, each with multiple sub-channels. The interface tends to remain fairly consistent between providers, which makes things easy for neophytes.
Of course, these options weren't all created equal. The big names, like YouTube and Netflix deliver; others, like Concierge.com and Sony's Digital Cinema concert series are a bit lackluster.
The Sony KDL-32EX700 can play photos off of USB devices. The photos will be listed under the Photo tab on the menu, which sounds self-explanatory, but is a little disorienting if you're expecting to find the USB drive listed as a separate entity. There are a few additional options for photo playback you can find by hitting the Options button on the remote. Again, this seems intuitive, but there's no reminder that the Options button can open up a submenu. Overall, the KDL-32EX700 performs about as well as we'd expect a TV's photo viewer to perform (think of this section's score like bonus points rather than an out-of-ten score). You can create playlists, add music to your photo playback, and add transition effects.
Music & Video Playback*(4.00)*
To play music, just insert your USB device and browse to the Music option in the main menu. Again, this isn't entirely intuitive if you're assuming the TV won't auto-locate different types of media. The Options button brings up a few additional features, such as the option to play a single track or all of them. There isn't an option to create a playlist, however, but you can circumvent this with a little planning: just make a folder for each playlist and copy its songs into said folder. This isn't as optimal as the TV recognizing playlist file, but isn't too obnoxious.
There are no other media features.
Power Consumption
The Sony KDL-32EX700 isn't an expensive to maintain by any means. This is partially due to its small size and partially due to the low overall power draw of LCD displays. Worst case scenario, you'll pay less than $20/month. (More on how we test Power Consumption.)
Below you'll find the 32EX700 compared to a few of its competitors.
Vs Sony KDL 32L5000
Value Comparison Summary
The new Sony shows an overwhelming number of improvements over last year's model, including online content. The older Sony is a much better value, however, especially if you really don't care about the online features.
Blacks & Whites
The new Sony has (barely) over twice twice the contrast ratio of the older model.
Color Accuracy
While the older model had a slightly less erratic color temperature, the newer one has more accurate RGB representation.
Motion
It certainly looks like Sony's motion processing has gotten better.
Viewing Effects
The two TVs have nearly identical viewing angles.
Connectivity
The newer Sony has an additional HDMI port, but fewer ports than the older Sony. The newer model also has an ethernet port to hook up to a vast array of online content.
Vs DX L32 10A
Value Comparison Summary
If you want quality, get the Sony. If you want a 32-inch that doesn't almost cost a grand, get the Dynex. The comparison is literally that straightforward.
Blacks & Whites
The Dynex offered solid blacks, but its whites were comparatively dim. The Sony had a higher overall contrast ratio.
Color Accuracy
The Dynex had some pretty bad color results.
Motion
The Sony has far fewer motion issues than the Dynex.
**
Viewing Effects**
The Sony has a larger viewing angle than the Dynex.
Connectivity
The Sony has fewer ports than the Dynex, excepting its HDMI and ethernet connections. The ethernet port allows you to connect to Sony's impressive line-up of streaming content.
Vs Samsung LN40B610
Value Comparison Summary
This Samsung is a slightly older model, but still compares in terms of picture quality. The Sony offers the online content, though, where the Samsung doesn't. Since they're the same price, the Sony seems like the better overall choice.
Blacks & Whites
Although the Sony has a slightly higher contrast ratio, the average viewer wouldn't notice any advantage.
Color Accuracy
Although the Samsung has a more accurate color temperature, Sony has better color accuracy.
Motion
The Sony's processing technology seems to be marginally better than the Samsung's, as the former edges out the latter in both smoothness and artifact prevention.
Viewing Effects
The Sony had a significantly larger viewing angle than the Samsung.
Connectivity
The main difference here is the online capability. The Sony opens doors to tons of online content; the Samsung doesn't.
Conclusion
Series Comparison
EX7 Series
The EX7 series features a slew of streaming options, 120Hz playback, and the option to connect to your home network wirelessly, via a separately-purchased wifi dongle.
Meet the tester
Mark Brezinski works on the Home Team, reviewing refrigerators, minifridges, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, air purifiers, and fans.
Checking our work.
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