LCDs' sharp images make up for a deficiency in style

Hard on the heels of rivals Sharp and Philips comes Sony with a series of affordable small-screen liquid crystal display (LCD) televisions that do not quite measure up to Sony's usual design standards.

The new Sony TVs, which start at 15 inches and work up to 23 inches, look dull and unremarkable. In fact, they look like ordinary PC monitors. The usual Sony touch of class is missing. For less money, I would pick a Sharp Aquos over the new Sony LCD TVs, if only for the styling.

Looks aside, there are some neat features to the new Sonys. For example, you could hide dangling wires by removing the rear cover. The 21-inch and 23-inch models have a 'screen memo' function that lets you freeze an image while the sound plays from the remote. Sony has also integrated heavy power adapters into the TV, so all you get is a clean wire.

The new Sony LCD TVs also produce excellent image quality on high-resolution XGA panels. Colours are vivid but realistic and images are fine and sharp. Sony says the TVs use a variety of hardware and software technologies to give high-definition, TV-like quality.

Both LCD TVs take Memory Stick storage cards.

Sony Wega LCD TVs