Sony's flagship HDTV is great right out of the box

By releasing three separate 4K TV series this year, Sony has made its intentions clear: full-steam toward the next step in television tech. The Sony W950B is not part of that push, however — it's Sony's flagship 1080p HDTV, a direct successor to last year's W900A.

If you're not in search of Ultra High Definition (or "4K"), and would rather invest in a high-quality HDTV that's more relevant to the current content landscape, the W950B series could be a perfect fit. Available in 55- or 65-inch versions, they pack in all the expected features of a high-end TV, including 3D, a built-in webcam, and a smart TV platform with lots of apps.

Sony's new "Wedge" design is both unique and naturally tip-resistant. The TV is thickest at the bottom, and slowly thins out towards the top. It's a standalone, modern look that most people will enjoy, or at least not take issue with.

A second remote control has been added into the mix. Short and squarish, most of the surface is given over to a touchpad that responds to tap-and-drag gestures just like a laptop. The onscreen menus have received a similar treatment — reduce and refine. Sony's user experience is not perfect. Newcomers may be a little overwhelmed at first, but the learning curve is shallow, and the attention to detail is well worth the time it takes to figure things out.

Lab tests proved that the W950B is a solid performer with only a couple of flaws — and even those will be noticed by only the pickiest of aficionados. For a TV that uses "edge-lit" backlighting, we saw less of the typical cloudiness when watching dark scenes.

In fact, this TV makes a great choice for people that appreciate a great picture quality but lack the patience or expertise to do their own calibration. The W950B is the rare TV that doesn't really need to be calibrated: It just works right out of the box.

At $1999 for the 55-inch version (the 65-inch has no pricing information at this time), the Sony W950B has a lot going for it. A sleek, modern appearance, snappy smart features, two pairs of 3-D glasses, and some of the best picture quality we're likely to see from this class of TV all year.

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