Once you
settle on a TV size, you can
narrow your choice further
by choosing a display type.
Most flat-panel TVs sold
today are LCD-based, mainly
because the cheaper, smaller
screen sizes are all LCD
TVs. And if you want a TV
smaller than about 42
inches, LCD is your only
choice. Midsize HDTV
models--42 inches and
up--are either LCD- or
plasma-based, and the
largest size--starting at 60
inches--can also include the
now rare rear-projection TV.
What
about LED? The first thing
to know is that LED TVs are
just expensive LCD-based TVs
with fancy backlights. Of
course, it gets a lot more
complicated than that; see
LED TVs: 10 things you need
to know for more
information.
Here
you'll find our
quick-and-dirty evaluations
of each display type;
however, these are
generalizations only and
variations among different
models are quite common. For
more information about this,
check out our
Four styles of HDTV
article.
LCD
Size: 19 inches to 65 inches
Manufacturers: All
Pros: Consumes a lot less
power than plasma; models
with matte screens work well
in bright rooms.
Cons: Dark-room performance
generally worse than plasma;
worse viewing angle and
uniformity.
Best for: General use in
brighter rooms where
potential flaws won't be as
visible as they are in dark
rooms.
LED
Size: 32 inches and larger
Manufacturers: All
Pros: Uses slightly less
power than LCD; thin panels;
some models have improved
picture quality.
Cons: Expensive; most models
offer little to no picture
quality benefit compared
with LCD.
Best for: Big spenders who
want thin panels or
videophiles who understand
the differences between LED
technologies and don't want
plasma.
Plasma
Size: 42 inches and larger
Manufacturers: Panasonic,
Samsung, LG
Pros: Black-level
performance in dark rooms;
uniformity and viewing
angle.
Cons: High power
consumption; glass screen
can reflect light in bright
rooms.
Best for: General use in all
but the brightest rooms;
videophiles who place a
premium on dark-room picture
quality.
Rear-projection TV
Size: 60 inches and larger
Manufacturers: Mitsubishi
Pros: Huge
Cons: Huge
Best for: Those who want the
biggest screen for the buck,
period.
