Sharp Aquos XS1: Ultra-slim 1080p TV with LED backlight

Thin TVs are all the rage at the moment, although truth be told, we aren't sure why. Sure, when we ditched the massive CRT screens the massive size reduction that flat-screen TVs brought was amazing, but the biggest improvement was the potential screen size.

Nowadays the advantage of shaving millimetres off the screen depth is greatly reduced. If you're a wall-mount nut though, the slimmer the TV the better, because slender screens are generally also lighter, and can sit flush against your wall. As dedicated cravers of technology, we'd never criticise a company for trying to do something better, so our hands are slapping against each other in admiration of the Sharp Aquos XS1.

Sharp has managed to get the depth of this LCD TV down to just 23mm -- although that's considerably more than Sony's 9.9mm, the Sharp should be out a little bit sooner, which might help people with walls creaking under the strain of a lardy TV at the moment. The size reduction is mostly down to the new LED-based backlight, which is a more traditional system than Sony's side-mounted LEDs.

LED backlighting has many advantages, including low power consumption and a great contrast range. The technology isn't without its problems though, such as halo effects on bright objects shot against dark backgrounds. We'll reserve judgement until we get our hands on one though.

The styling is excellent too. On the front, the buttons are flush with the metallic bezel, giving it a cool streamlined look. Because it's so tiny, Sharp has also opted to have the speaker mounted beneath the screen, something the company is no stranger to. What is new is that the audio system is Pioneer-branded -- clearly one of the first signs that the two companies are working closely together.

The XS1 is a 1080p, 100Hz model of course, which should be a massive bonus for film lovers. No word yet on pricing, but don't expect them to be cheap! Photos for you to drool over are included. -Ian Morris

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