If you're looking for a big-screen TV of 60 inches or above, then Sharp should be one of the first brands you consider. Last year's LC-LE640U was a very good combination of picture quality and value, and its replacement offers more of the same. In fact they're almost identical, and that's not a bad thing.
The 650 incorporates a couple of tweaks to the set's design and picture processing, as well as a few extra features. The highlights are an expanded Smart TV offering with Skype and Hulu Plus now standard, while in picture-quality terms both color and shadow detail get modest bumps. On the flipside, a smaller cabinet means sound quality is compromised a bit, and the TV's processing doesn't perform as well with interlaced content.
At its current price, the 650U is still a good deal, even if it does exact a bit of a premium over the likes of the Vizio E1i-A3 series, a worse performer that's still its principal current competition. I expect that competition to stiffen further over the next nine months as more makers enter the 60-inch-plus mainstream, but if last year is any indication, the Sharp 6 series will continue to remain one of the best values.
Update November 25, 2013: Due to a recent price drop, the Value rating on this TV had been increased from 8 to 9, improving the overall rating from 7.4 to 7.8. The review has not otherwise been modified.
Series information: I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 60-inch Sharp LC-60LE650, but this review also applies to the other screen size in the series. Both sizes have identical specs, and according to the manufacturer should provide very similar picture quality.
| Models in series (details) | |
| Sharp LC-60LE650U (reviewed) | 60 inches |
| Sharp LC-70LE650 | 70 inches |
Design
Part of my setup involved placing the LE650 alongside last year's LE640, and once I did so, the differences between the two units became apparent. The The LE650 has a much thinner bezel -- especially on the bottom -- and thus it appears to sort of squat on its stand. What has the company excised in order to deliver a shorter TV overall? The speakers have been moved from below the screen, and instead fire toward the back.V
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The remote control that the company popped in the box is the same as last year's, with a bunch of handy shortcut buttons at the bottom you can customize for your favorite Smart TV services.
