Soniq QSL400XT 40in LCD television

A high-definition television with an incredible price

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Soniq's QSL400XT 40in LCD television lacks the LED backlighting and high refresh rates of more expensive TVs from brands like Sony and Samsung. However, given it's one of the cheapest 40in 1080p TVs we've seen, we can't really complain.

Pros

  • Inexpensive, 1080p resolution, plenty of inputs, displays a sharp image

Cons

  • Poor contrast ratio, struggles with fast-paced games, could do with more audio presets

Bottom Line

If you want full high definition without breaking the bank, Soniq's QSL400XT LCD TV could be the ticket. Boasting a 1080p resolution and an assortment of inputs, this television will work well by itself or with a entry- to mid-range sound system.

Would you buy this?

  • Price

    $ 799.00 (AUD)

The Soniq QSL400XT isn't the ugliest budget LCD television on the market; we certainly wouldn't object to having it in our living room. The television is connected to the stand out of the box, so there's no fussing about with screws when you're setting it up. It can be wall-mounted using standard VESA mounting holes on the back.

The ports on the back of the television are vertically oriented, so cables won't jut out when they're plugged in. There are plenty available, including three HDMI ports, two component inputs, S-Video, composite and RGB. You also get an S/PDIF port for directly connecting digital audio sources.

The remote control accompanying the television is adequate for basic use. However, the infrared receiver wasn't as sensitive as we'd like. At a close distance, the remote required direct line of sight to work; pointing at the middle or right of the TV proved futile.

The Soniq QSL400XT 40in LCD TV can natively display a 1920x1080 pixel resolution, or "Full HD" in market speak. However, it only supports a maximum resolution of 1024x768 pixels when using the PC RGB input.

Since this television uses traditional CCFL backlighting instead of LEDs, it doesn't have the seven figure contrast ratio figures of Samsung's Series 8 models or LG's 47SL90QD. However, the 3000:1 contrast ratio is still a little low for a television of this size, so it won't be able to display the deep black levels that films like The Dark Knight take advantage of. We found that reducing the TV's backlight level in the settings made for less noticeable black bars when dealing with abnormal aspect ratios, but made little difference to the image itself.

Though the QSL400XT LCD TV lacks high refresh rates, it fared well in fast-paced action movies like Terminator Salvation. However when playing a video game like Bioshock 2 we noticed a fair amount of clipping, which usually occurs when the TV can't display the action. For anyone but action gamers, this shouldn't prove an issue. Overall, the TV's image is sharp and has acceptable colour accuracy, provided you play around with the colour temperate and preset modes.

A slim audio bar beneath the television has a surprisingly loud maximum volume, and is more than capable of filling a small to medium room without distortion. Unfortunately, there is no "Cinema" audio preset or equivalent. Those presets that are available are better suited to vocals and music rather than movies and games.

Though the display's shortcomings are likely to be noticeable when placed next to TVs from premium brands, this television does an exceptional job for the price. Despite some issues with backlighting and the remote control, we think the Soniq QSL400XT LCD TV is a suitable addition to cheaper home entertainment setups.

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