The Toshiba 46XV648U ($1799 MSRP, around $1000 in retail) is a 46-inch LCD television with the performance to please movie lovers and enough features to intrigue the AV geekset that loves tweaking all those gamma and color settings. It certainly doesn't have all the latest buzzworthy frills like streaming content or a super-slim design, but the Toshiba 46XV648U is serious workhorse with an already discounted (and hence, attractive) price.

If performance is the heart of the Toshiba 46XV648U, then style certainly is not. Few would classify the shiny, boxy design as anything more than "functional." Likewise, the remote control and and menu systems are wholly utilitarian. Sure, it's great that the menu is easy to use, but we're hoping Toshiba learns how to dress it up a little bit, before Samsung and Sony get too far ahead.

The key feature of the Toshiba 46XV648U is not even explicitly stated anywhere in the marketing. This TV, and many Toshibas like it, has a much deeper level of picture quality control than most brands. Buried in the submenus are dozens of little tweaks that should please anyone with a penchant for geeking out. That's not to say that everyday TV owners should shy away from this model. All those extra options can easily be skipped over, and you'll still enjoy a great looking picture.

As mentioned in the intro, the Toshiba 46XV648U may have a lot of customization tweaks, but it lacks some of the shinier new features that you've heard about in 2010 TVs. This is definitely not a 3D display, and it lacks an internet port for streaming content. There's a USB port, but it only supports photo playback, not video and audio. And the photo playback isn't very good. For a $1799 TV, it sure feels like there's a lot missing. Thankfully, the MSRP was dropped almost immediately in favor of a sticker closer to $1000.

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

The Toshiba 46XV648U produced strong results, overall, in our lab testing. The black level didn't quite match that of a plasma display, but for an LCD TV, we were pleased. Throw in a very strong peak white score, and the contrast ratio was rather good. The 46XV648U also showed relatively smooth color curves (aside from some occasional hiccups) and an ability to maintain a consistent color temperature.

The motion performance was particularly good, thanks in some part to the ClearFrame motion smoothing feature. You can turn this on and off, and it's recommended that you tinker with it while watching different types of content, because any motion smoothing feature will have an affect on the aesthetics of film and video. However, it did help maintain a lot of fine detail for objects in motion.

The viewing angle could certainly have been stronger, failing at about 48 degrees – narrow even for an LCD display. Overall, though, high marks all around for the Toshiba 46XV648U. 

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

In order to help your research, we took three comparable TVs we've reviewed and matched them up against the Toshiba 46XV648U. In brief: the Sharp LC-40LE700UN is a smaller, 40-inch LED LCD TV with slightly diminished performance. It offers streaming content, but it's poorly done.

The Toshiba 46RV525R is an LCD unit from last year, with many of the same performance benefits. However, it lags in motion performance and lacks the USB port for photo viewing. That said, you might find a better deal on it as merchants clear their shelves for newer TVs.

Finally, there's the Samsung LN46B750, a 46-inch LCD. Samsungs have a good reputation, well-earned, by and large, thanks to solid performance and thoughtful design. The LN46B750 is not a terribly high-end unit, so the performance falls short of the Toshiba, but the user experience will likely be more pleasant.

Overall, the Toshiba 46XV648U is a good investment for those that care about performance above all else. If you can sacrifice the bells and whistles, and a sleek design isn't all that important to you, by all means, be sure to check out this TV.