Sharp Elite PRO-X5FD (photos)
The overpriced Sharp Elite LED-based LCD produces the best overall picture quality of any TV we've reviewed since 2008.
Overview
But if you're reading this review, you couldn't care less. What you came to find out is whether we think the Sharp Elite PRO-X5FD has better picture quality than those alternative 2011 TVs or even than the legendary and now extinct Pioneer Elite Kuro from 2008. Yes and no, respectively. The X5FD deserves a 10 in picture quality, tying the score of the Kuro and beating every other TV we've ever reviewed. The Kuro still produces a better picture overall, especially from off-angle, but that hardly matters anymore since you probably can't get one. And if you could, you'd still lose certain bragging rights to deep-pocketed Sharp owners since the X5FD is the only Elite TV that can handle 3D sources and comes in a 70-inch size. If you don't mind paying any price to get the best current flat-panel TV, the Sharp Elite is for you.
That familiar gold logo
Corner detail
Top corner detail
Top back detail
Side buttons
Stand detail
Side view
HDMI inputs
Analog inputs
Other inputs
Included 3D glasses
2D or 3D mode
Elite Advantage Live
Main menus
Picture modes
10-point grayscale control
Color management system
Precision Color Plus
Picture quality
The Sharp Elite has the best black levels and contrast available anywhere, and good enough off-angle performance to still beat non-Kuro plasmas from most normal seating positions. Blooming is essentially nonexistent, uniformity is almost as good as plasmas', video processing is superb, and 3D is very good. Color accuracy in greenish/blue areas is perhaps the Elite's biggest weakness, but colors still looked excellent overall and the inaccuracies we noticed, along with screen reflections and some brightness variations across the screen, aren't serious enough to push the Elite down into 9 territory. Its picture is that much better to our eyes than any of the flagship plasmas from Panasonic or Samsung.