New Sony LCD TV: thinner than ever

The KDL-40ZX1M measures just 9.9mm thick.

(Credit: Sony)

At CES last January we told you "thin is in" in reference to flat-panel HDTVs this year, and Sony, despite neglecting to announce its own thin LCD back then, is never one to be left behind an emerging trend. Now the company jumps on board with what appears to be the thinnest flat-panel display yet, excepting the company's own OLED-based XEL-1.

The newly-announced 40-inch KDL-40ZX1M (price TBD, December) will boast a panel that measures just 9.9mm deep, which translates to about 0.39 inches in the good old U-S of A. There's no word on how deep the TV is with the base included.

The press release also mentions an "edge-lit" LCD backlight, which might provide a clue as to how the company was able to trim so much depth off of a standard LCD panel, which measures about 3-inches thick in models like the company's own KDL-46Z4100. We'll just have to wait for the review to find out whether that edge-lit backlight impairs picture quality.

As you can see from the pictures, this TV is pretty dang thin indeed, but it does bring up an interesting question: Why? Are current 3- to 5-inch-thick panels just too fat for some people? Do you have any interest in a thinner-than-average flat TV?

[nazquel]

uh so i assume its 40inches?

[katzmaier]

Yup, just clarified in the text. Thx.

[Carl Glover]

I do indeed have an interest in thinner televisions. Thinness, up to a point, lends an air of elegance and sophistication to a flat panel. It's a matter of refinement of aesthetics. So, would I buy the thinner of two televisions, everything else being equal? The answer for me is "yes," as I suspect it would be for most people. I think Sony's on the right track here.

[hkjhd123]

I am also interested in thin as possible TVs for one reason, wall mounting. I love a big TV mounted on a wall and the closer to the wall the better. I want my TV to look like a picture frame. This TV looks like it would do just that. Very cool.

[DocG]

I have no interest in thinner at this time since my TV sits in a fairly deep wall unit. However, due to the limited space (41 1/2") of the cabinet, I'm only able to have a 42 inch LCD. If manufacturers would focus more on the size of the LCD bezel (as some have with the DLP bezel), I'd be able to have a larger LCD. That'd interest me!

[Carlox1]

i agree, i have a 40 inch xbr4 and i hate the bezel size, thats the reason i wouldnt be able to buy a large one because the big bezel, thin is also important to me, i hope all this helps to reduce prices too

[barkomatic]

If its thinner that probably means its also lighter. It might be possible to hang this TV as you would a picture, without the need for expensive mounts or brackets like conventional LCD TV's still require.

[barkomatic]

If its thinner that probably means its also lighter. It might be possible to hang this TV as you would a picture, without the need for expensive mounts or brackets like conventional LCD TV's still require.

[kikinken]

I saw those new OLED Tv's in person at the Sony open in Hawaii about a year ago. They had two of them working and showed various images like a humminbrid that was feeding

The Colors blew away all the other lcds/plasmas they had there and i knew that i was going to wait for this technology and stick with my CRT Tv's for the time being. they just released a new OLED screen thats thinner than a credit card and plan on selling a 27 inch version of this for about $40,000 i suspect since the 11 inch is $1100 ($1000 an inch).

In time(3-5 years?) , OLED(superior image, (1 million to 1 ratio!) will be my choice and i hope it will be the same for the rest of you.

[norcalrivercat]

Sweet....Expensive.

[jimmybeam13]

uhm, i dont think everything else is going to be equal, e.g. the price tag.