The Sony XBR-52LX900 ($3999) is a 52-inch LED-edgelit television that can display 3D. As Sony's new flagship line of HDTVs, the LX900 series has the combined the bells and whistles of every TV below it, along with a pair of 3D glasses thrown in so you can enjoy 3D straight out of the box. Luxury comes at a price though, and it may be hard for some to justify four grand for a television.

The feature list that accounts for that price tag is certainly not short. In addition to 3D display and Active Shutter glasses, you also get built-in WiFi, a surprisingly high-quality remote control, and access to Sony's outstanding line-up of streaming content. Netflix, Amazon on Demand, Slacker, Picasa, and dozens more are available, putting Sony ahead of the curve on internet features.

It's ironic, but the Sony XBR-52LX900 continues a recent trend that flagship HDTVs actually have fewer ports than than cheaper models. Part of the issue is that the physical proportions are getting so thin, it's actually difficult to fit larger boards inside the TVs that can support so many ports. There's also the fact that people buying extremely high-end TVs probably don't need all those legacy ports for older equipment. The Sony LX900 offers 4 HDMIs, but just 1 component and 1 composite AV. There's also a LAN for ethernet, the built-in WiFi, and a USB input.

The Sony XBR-52LX900 offers a lot of on-screen options, as well. There are several video processing features that we strongly encourage you to experiment with. The USB port can be used to play video, music, and photos stored on USB thumb drives.

As far as 3D features go, the LX9000 requires the use of 3D glasses, as do all the Samsung, Panasonic, and LG 3D TVs. All the Sony 3D models (as well as Samsung) offer a realtime 2D-to-3D "upconversion," making everything you watch 3D. The result is less than spectacular, and we wouldn't recommend using it for anything more than the occasional novelty.

Performance (Read the full lab performance results at Televisioninfo.com)

The Sony XBR-52LX900 is an excellent performer in most regards. The black level was on par with good LCD displays, but is easily outpaced by plasma TVs. However, LCDs are typically much better at producing bright whites. As a result, the contrast ratio is quite good – better than any of the plasmas we've reviewed.

The color performance was also good, though there was some minor loss of detail in bright blues. In terms of motion performance, we found best results by using the video processing feature called Motionflow. The feature smooths out the look of objects in motion, but has the side effect of giving an odd, overly-smooth appearance to some types of programming.

The viewing angle on most LCDs pales compared to plasma displays. The XBR-52LX900 was hardly an exemplary performance, but with a 40-degree viewing angle (20 degrees from center on each side), it's not too bad, either.

The 3D performance was on par with most other 3D HDTVs. In short, it's certainly not the same experience as the theater. The glasses are heavy and cut down on a lot of light. There's enough crosstalk – images intended for one eye ending up in another – that the 3D immersion is frequently broken.

Comparisons (Read more in-depth comparisons at Televisioninfo.com)

To put the Sony XBR-52LX900 in context, we compare it to three similar models. The Sony KDL-46HX800 ($2699) is a step down from the LX900 series. In addition to have a smaller, 46-inch screen, it omits the included 3D glasses, as well as the 3D sync transmitter than most TVs have built inside. The WiFi is optional, rather than embedded. Beyond that, it's as good a performer as the XBR-52LX900. The Samsung UN55C7000 ($3299) is certainly a more stylish TV. It's bigger and less expensive, as well. The Samsung lacks the built-in WiFi and huge collection of streaming content, it does have the option for WiFi and its own modest collection of video and music streams. Finally, there's the Panasonic TC-P50VT20, which the Sony outperformed in most key areas. However, we thought the Panasonic produced the best 3D effect.

Overall, the Sony XBR-52LX900's features still may not justify its high price for enough people to make it a big hit. However, if you take the plunge, you're more than likely to love what you see. If you're on a budget and still want 3D, check out less expensive Sony and Samsungs. Or just pass on first-generation technology like this – never a bad policy.