Our Verdict
Overall, the Sony KDL32R420B LED TV isn't a very good TV. Unless you can find it at a steep discount, it is worth spending a little bit more to get a better TV.
- Great viewing angle with consistent colors.
- Low input lag, which is great for fast-paced games. However, it has quite a bit of motion blur.
- Low contrast ratio. In a dark room, the blacks are gray.
- Significant amount of reflections. It also doesn't get very bright, so it is not suitable for daytime viewing in a room with windows.
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We buy and test dozens of TVs yearly, taking an objective, data-driven approach to deliver results you can trust. Our testing process is complex, with hundreds of individual tests that take over a week to complete. Most of our tests are done with specially designed test patterns that mimic real content, but we also use the same sources you have at home to ensure our results match the real-world experience. We use two main tools for our testing: a Colorimetry Research CR-100 colorimeter and a CR-250 spectroradiometer.
Test Results
The KDL32R420B looks very bland. Its frame and depth are thicker than average, even for this price range.
The contrast ratio of the Sony KDL32R420B isn't very good. In a dark room, you will notice that its blacks are gray. At least the default color calibration is quite good.
While its blacks aren't very deep, the uniformity of black scenes is good. The corners are slightly darker, though.
They uniformity of the gray color is better than average, but it is significantly darker around the edges.
The viewing angle of this TV is good. The colors stay the same even if you sit off-axis.
The Sony R420B reflects more than average, but the reflections still are under control (unlike the LG 32LB5800, which has a yellow tint when you have a few lights on).
This TV doesn't get bright. In conjunction with the higher than average level of reflections, this TV is less than ideal in a room with a few windows.
The Sony KDL32R420B has a long motion blur trail. Fast moving footage appears a bit blurry on it. Therefore, it isn't the best for sports or video games.
The input lag of this TV is good; it won't be noticeable even in fast video games.
1 Headphone Output
1 Composite Input
1 Component Input
1 Digital Optical Audio Out
1 RF In
