Plasma Versus LCD Versus LED TV
One of the most intense debates circulating on the internet is the one surrounding Plasma Versus LCD Versus LED TV. The various technologies for HDTV’s can be confusing so we’ve put together this quick visual aid summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of each HDTV technology.
Plasma Versus LCD Versus LED
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| • Ability to render deeper blacks and produce more color depth • Better contrast ratio • Better motion tracking (response time) • More availability in larger screen sizes • Great for videogames • Cheapest of 3 TV types • Great for 3D | • Great in brightly lit rooms rooms and high altitudes • High native resolution • More energy efficient than Plasma • Longer screen life than Plasmas • Gaming mode for videogames | • Renders deep blacks similar to Plasma • Well-rounded technology can produce exceptional picture quality, clarity + color • Amazingly thin • Energy efficient • Good for 3D |
| • Lower brightness than LCD/LED • Glass screens reflect light in brightly lit rooms • Not slim or light as LCD/LED | • Do not produce true black • Narrower viewing angle than Plasma • Motion tracking is less efficient than Plasma unless TV is 120Hz or 240Hz • Not good at rendering deep blacks • More expensive than Plasma | • Models with glass screens reflect light • Narrower viewing angle than Plasma • Not ideal for videogames • Most expensive TV technology |
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Plasma TV’s are the most affordable HDTV technology amongst Plasma Versus LCD Versus LED. A Plasma can cost up to 1/3rd less than an LCD or LED of similar size and there is a much better availability at larger screen sizes. For these reasons Plasma continues to surge in popularity.
Although you may have heard that Plasma’s suffer from burn-in, which is when an image such as network logo or stock ticker becomes permanently etched on the screen from sitting in one place too long, most modern Plasma’s have virtually eliminated this rare occurrence. During the first 100 hours of using a new Plasma the contrast should be kept lower than 50% and then afterward it can be set to your liking. Quality Plasma’s have burn-reduction features such as pixel orbiting, screensavers, or settings to treat burn-in as it occurs so that should not be a concern to any potential Plasma TV buyer.
The lifespan of Plasma’s has also improved over the years as well and mainly in response to the claims made by LCD TV manufacturers. Plasma makers now state their panels have a life span of roughly 60,000 hours before the panel fades to about half it’s brightness. That translates to the fact that even if you watched TV 8 hours a day, every single day, it would take 20 years for the Plasma to losee half it’s brightness. In short Plasma’s are a very durable technology, but let’s get to the nitty-gritty of what make them great.
Plasma TV’s create very deep black levels which deliver amazing contrast in overall picture quality. This is because sections of the screen can be completely dark while others are displaying bright color whereas a traditional LCD screen will have a single backlight array that can only alter brightness levels for the entire screen at once. Since Plasma TV’s are manufactured with glass screens they are more suited to room environments where there is not direct light shining on them. More and more Plasma’s are being made with antiglare coating to counteract this. Plasma’s also have very high refresh rates which translates to their ability to handle fast-moving onscreen images much better than LCD or LED making them ideal for sports, action movies and video games. Viewing a Plasma also looks great from any angle which is even more ideal if you have a wider room where more people will want to watch the TV.
Because of it’s excellent black levels and rich color contrast, plasma is an ideal technology for 3D capability and has made for some of the best 3D HDTVs available on the market. Read our reviews of the Best Plasma’s (link below) to find TV’s that give you the best value for your purchase.
*Special Note
In making the decision between Plasma Versus LCD Versus LED TV, regardless of which TV technology you decide to buy, ensure that you have quality HDMI cables, high-definition set-top boxes and recorders, and a programmable remote control that you are comfortable with. Since most sports are now broadcast in HD with 5.1 surround sound feeds ensure you have a high-definition digital cable box with a home theater equipped with 5.1 capable amplifier and matching speakers. If you are viewing outdoors then you will need full weatherproof 5.1 outdoor speakers.
See the Best Plasma TV’s
See the Best Gaming Plasma TV’s
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Liquid Crystal Display HDTV’s are very popular in smaller sizes as they can be quite expensive in larger screen sizes due to LCD being a newer technology and more expensive to manufacture than Plasma. While LCD’s are most popular at 37 inches and lower, it is not a coincidence that the smallest Plasma’s happen to be 37 inches.
LCD’s have a very high native resolution and display bright images which make them great for bright, sunny, open rooms. They also function well at high altitudes and there is zero risk of burn-in. Where they greatly differ from Plasma’s is that an LCD cannot achieve true black because there is always some light leaking through the pixels. LCD’s also cannot achieve the same color saturation that Plasma’s can as a result of their inability to completely turn off (blacken) the display pixels. This light leakage has an effect of the purity of color whether it be black or any other color being displayed.
LCD’s will have a ‘sweet spot’ for viewing which is usually right in front of the TV. Viewing an LCD from an angle off to the side will display brightness and color shifts, but if you are in front of the TV the native resolution displays High-Definition detail better than Plasma. LCD’s are generally recommended if you are going for smaller sizes, in brighter narrower rooms. New LCD’s do offset many of these shortcomings bringing them closer and closer to Plasma’s in the categories of black levels, color saturation and viewing angles. Read our reviews of the Best LCD’s (link below) to find TV’s that give you the best value for your purchase.
*Special Note
In making the decision between Plasma Versus LCD Versus LED TV, regardless of which TV technology you decide to buy, ensure that you have quality HDMI cables, high-definition set-top boxes and recorders, and a programmable remote control that you are comfortable with. Since most sports are now broadcast in HD with 5.1 surround sound feeds ensure you have a high-definition digital cable box with a home theater equipped with 5.1 capable amplifier and matching speakers. If you are viewing outdoors then you will need full weatherproof 5.1 outdoor speakers.
See the Best LCD TV’s
See the Best Gaming LCD TV’s
Back to Plasma Versus LCD Versus LED
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LED TV’s are essentially a sub-technology of LCD that are an attempt to blend the strengths of both Plasma’s and LCD’s into one panel. LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode which uses backlighting rather than cold cathode fluorescent lights (CCFLs) used in traditional LCD’s. LED comes in the two forms of ‘Backlit’ or ‘Edgelit’. These screens are known to be ultra slim and produce plasma-like blacks but with the resolution of LCD with approximately 40% more efficiency than the conventional LCD. This results in a thin panel, low power consumption and the ability to dim specific areas of the screen while keeping others bright to simulate truer blacks and whites for high contrast ratios as Plasma’s do so well. LED TV’s tend to be more expensive than Plasma and LCD, but as a TV technology they are very well-rounded.
Due to LED’s ability to produce high resolution images it also makes for an excellent technology in 3D capability and has made for some of the best 3D HDTVs available today next to plasma. Look for specific LED models that do the best job of balancing display quality, features, price, and performance. Read our reviews of the Best LED’s (link below) to find TV’s that give you the best value for your purchase.
*Special Note
In making the decision between Plasma Versus LCD Versus LED TV, regardless of which TV technology you decide to buy, ensure that you have quality HDMI cables, high-definition set-top boxes and recorders, and a programmable remote control that you are comfortable with. Since most sports are now broadcast in HD with 5.1 surround sound feeds ensure you have a high-definition digital cable box with a home theater equipped with 5.1 capable amplifier and matching speakers. If you are viewing outdoors then you will need full weatherproof 5.1 outdoor speakers.
See the Best LED TV’s
See the Best Gaming LED TV’s
Back to Plasma Versus LCD Versus LED
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