Pop quiz: what was the first remote control covered on Remote Central? If you go way, way, way back, you’ll find that it was Sony’s RM-AV2000, a touchscreen model that packed a surprisingly capable set of features into its armrest-sized housing. Since then, Sony has continually tweaked and improved their touchscreen series of remotes, releasing such models as the popular RM-AV2100 and RM-AV3000.

Today, we take a close look at the most recent design – the Sony RM-AV2500. This marks the fifth generation and third physical design for Sony’s RM-AV series. Like its RM-AV2100 predecessor, the new RM-AV2500 offers full control over 12 devices, a big backlit touchscreen, macros, learning and some key label customization.

The RM-AV2500 improves upon that particular design by adding more hard buttons, more and longer macros, better key customization and a number of other useful frills, all wrapped up in a slightly smaller case. But does it represent a worthwhile upgrade over the RM-AV2100, or is it merely an economized RM-AV3100?

For all the details, be sure to read our latest full-length review, which is packed (as usual) with photographs.

Read all about the Sony RM-AV2500!