Plasma vs LCD
September 27, 2009
Having trouble deciding between plasma and LCD televisions? You’re not the only one. The truth is you are not going to go wrong with either. Each technology still gives you a far greater picture than any analog TV, and with the widescreen image you get to see more information.
In general LCD TVs are best for more well lit rooms, however, Plasma TVs give a better image when you have solid light control.
If you tend to watch your TV a lot during the day then we recommend LCD TVs. If most of your TV watching is in the evenings, then we would recommend Plasma technology. Plasma TVs will give typically give you a sharper image but because of their reflective glass, it really depends on your viewing times.
On the other hand LCD TVs are best for playing video games, or for hooking up to PCs, as they less likely to suffer “burn-in”, which can be caused by having static images on the screen for too long. Plasma TVs, however, are best for watching movies and sports.
The key thing is that you are living in high definition, but, to help you out we’ve got this handy chart to help you determine which technology is best for you.
| Plasma | LCD | |
| General | ||
|
Screen sizes
|
42-65+ inches
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5-65+ inches
|
|
Cabinet depth
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3+ inches
|
3+ inches
|
|
Power consumption
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Slightly less-efficient per square inch
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Slightly more-efficient per square inch
|
|
Off-angle viewing
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Excellent from all angles
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Image fades slightly when seen from extreme angles from sides or from above or below
|
|
Reflectivity of screen
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Glass screens can reflect lots of light, so may be an issue in very bright rooms. Some models have glare-reducing screens that are more- or less-effective
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Matte plastic screens usually reflect less light. Some models have screens that are actually more reflective than plasma
|
| Features | ||
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PC connectivity
|
Less common but still included on many models
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More common than with plasma
|
|
Other features
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Varies per model
|
Varies per model
|
| Picture quality | ||
|
Motion blur caused by display
|
Negligible
|
Difficult to discern on most models, although subject to more blurring than plasma. 120Hz models less-subject to motion blur
|
|
Black-level performance (depth of “black” displayed)
|
Varies, although excellent on many models.
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Varies, although generally worse than plasma on many models, and better than plasma on best models
|
|
Color saturation
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Varies, although generally a bit better than LCD due to black level and off-angle advantages
|
Varies, although the best models can equal the best plasmas
|
|
Resolution
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Typically 720p, up to 1080p on high-end models. The benefits of 1080p are not obvious at screen sizes below 50 inches to the majority of viewers.
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Typically 720p, but 1080p is more common than plasma at more price and size points. The benefits of 1080p are not obvious at screen sizes below 50 inches to the majority of viewers
|
| Durability | ||
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Burn-in (faint after-images left on-screen)
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Possible with still images left on-screen with very bright settings for hours, although new models much less susceptible, and most burn-in is temporary and goes away after watching moving images
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May occur in extreme situations (very bright still images left on-screen for days) but much less likely than with plasma or even standard tube TVs.
|
|
Lifespan (hours until fades to half-brightness)
|
Typically 60,000 hours, or about 20 years if used 8 hours per day.
|
Typically 60,000 hours, or about 20 years if used 8 hours per day.
|
| Program type | ||
|
HDTV
|
Excellent
|
Excellent for HDTV-compatible models.
|
|
Standard-definition TV
|
Dependent mostly on screen size. The smaller the screen, the better standard-def usually looks
|
Dependent mostly on screen size. The smaller the screen, the better standard-def usually looks
|
|
DVD Movies
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Excellent given a model with good black-level performance
|
Very good, although models with worse black-level performance are less desirable
|
|
Games
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Excellent for most users, although burn-in might deter gamers who leave screens paused for hours or overnight
|
Excellent, although motion blur might deter the most sensitive gamers
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