Sony XEL-1 OLED TV Makes It To UK, With Huge Price Attached

Having received "hundreds" of pre-orders, Sony are finally bringing the BRAVIA XEL-1 TV to the UK, complete with its super-bright, super-colorful 11-inch OLED display.  Never ones to look a gift horse in the mouth (or at least not without ransacking its wallet), Sony are making the most of the interest: by charging around twice what the XEL-1 costs in the US.

In fact, when the BRAVIA XEL-1 lands in Sony stores across the UK this week, it will carry a huge £3,489 ($4,944) price-tag: £317 per glorious inch.  Compare that to the US, where the XEL-1 comes in at around $2,500 list price but shopping around for street prices make the UK version more than twice the price in some cases.

According to Sony, the OLED TV is "recession proof" and the lure of a bleeding edge, 1,000,000:1 contrast display will be enough to tempt in those whose wallets haven't yet buckled under.  In Japan, buyers of the XEL-1 generally use their sets in the study, as desk TVs, or in the kitchen, apparently; UK buyers keen to do the same will be able to from this week, with more general availability in high-street electronics retailers from March.

[via OLED-Info]