Choosing the Right HDTV: Plasma or LCD?
by Dave Shumway
I’ve always been into computers, gadgets, and the like, but it wasn’t until I spent a summer selling TVs at Circuit City that I developed an appetite bordering on obsession…or disease. But hey, choosing a TV isn’t really as easy as it might sound. And sifting through a barrage of pixel counts, refresh rates, and contrast ratios can quickly turn what was once an exciting ride into a dark, scary, and confusing place.
That said, after nearly a year (a YEAR!) of much research and experimentation, I decided on a Panasonic Plasma TV, and even my wife Jess was duly impressed with how great it looked. Having brought home and returned an embarrassing number of TVs, I was convinced that I had given LCD more than its fair shake and concluded that Plasma was the superior technology.
Flash forward to two years later, and while I have followed the many new advancements in technology, I find that much remains the same. Which at long last brings me to the impetus for this post: my own personal rematch of the epic battle between LCD and Plasma!
Since the official end of the HD DVD/Blu-ray format war a month ago, I had picked up a PS3 and was excited about watching movies in HD. But I had begun to wonder whether my fancy new DVDs might look even better on a set with a higher resolution, which was one aspect (perhaps the ONLY aspect) where LCD has historically had Plasma over a barrel.
A few days ago, I saw a sale on a Samsung 1080p LCD at Circuit City, and my mind started to churn. It had been two years, after all. Maybe LCDs had come a long way since the ones I had tried in the past. Maybe the added resolution was worth any of the problems I’d seen before like off-angle viewing and poor black levels, and I’d save on my electric bill! Maybe there actually was something to what those LCD enthusiasts had been saying all along!
So a couple nights ago, Jess gave me a little pop quiz before she agreed to let me delve into the madness once more. It was three questions. I failed miserably. She even gave me one point out of sheer pity. Even then, she let me get it, knowing full well that it would be back at the store in less than 24 hours.
She was right.
I picked up the Samsung, took it home, and within thirty minutes of setting it up, I realized that, in the words of Gob Bluth, “I’ve made a huge mistake.” I could get into a lengthy discussion about what I saw or didn’t see, but this post is already far longer than I’d intended, although Jess could’ve told you that would probably happen.
Suffice it to say that the Samsung was back in its box within an hour, and peace was restored to the Shumway home as the Plasma reclaimed its rightful place as the clear, superior technology. In a nutshell, unless you are looking for a TV smaller than 42″ or you find a killer deal, there really is no situation I have experienced where the performance of LCD trumps Plasma.
8 Comments 
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March 20th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Interesting, Dave. I actually went with a 46″ Sony LCD (since it’s above your cut off of 42″, just assume I found a killer deal :-)).
But really, my issue with Plasma is the glossy/reflective nature of it. I don’t like being able to tell what brand my light fixtures are from their reflections in my TV. And, sure, you can get some Plasmas that don’t have this issue quite as bad. But you get what you pay for, and they always seemed to be WAY more expensive than their LCD counterparts.
But then, you mentioned some issues with LCDs. But most of what you mentioned doesn’t bother me as much as the glossiness of plasma. To each his own, I suppose.
March 20th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Very true. Fortunately, it’s been a non-issue for me unless it’s Saturday afternoon and I’ve got all the windows open! Other than that, no complaints here.
Plasmas are starting to come standard with Anti-Reflective coatings or filters that are supposed to cut down significantly on glare. Haven’t seen it in person myself, but I’ve read good things!
Historically Plasmas have seemed more expensive, but these days you actually get a little more bang for your buck. Glancing quickly at Circuit City’s website (sorted by price) shows 9 50″ plasmas cheaper than a comparably sized LCD. Now that might be too big for a lot of people, which is where LCD gains a lot of ground. There are so many different sizes of LCDs that they can really appeal to just about everyone.
March 20th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Interesting… I’ll have to look to see if these anti-reflective coatings or filters are now becoming more of a default. That would definitely change the situation for me the next time around!
March 20th, 2008 at 11:48 am
You know I have looked at a lot of Plasmas and LCD TVs and think there is just a lot variance between TVs no matter what display technology they use. Often times there is a reason that certain models are on a really good sale too; people return them. I about 90% sure that the anti-reflective coatings used on the TVs have nothing to do with the type of display technology used too. The technolgoy behind both Plasma and LCD are mature enough now that they are capable of great picture, so I lean more towards features and price (as long as the picture is good) as my deciding factors.
Currently, I’m really interested in HP’s new MediaSmart TVs. They have a built-in Media Center Extender with Wireless-N. That way I can access all of my DVR’d content from my PC on the TV without having another box around.
March 20th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
What makes me prefer plasma to lcd (not that I’ve got either) is the generally better black levels. It bugs me when I’m watching a fancy TV and the dark shades all blur together.
March 20th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
That’s where I’m coming from as well. I’m not denying that there are real benefits to choosing LCD over Plasma, but strictly speaking in terms of performance, LCD’s just aren’t quite there yet. And that’s after personally judging a very good plasma against a very good LCD side by side.
That said, it’s a MUCH closer call than it used to be.
March 20th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
And you haven’t even tried the GOOD plasma TVs, being the Pioneer ones and the NEW Panasonic line (the one that comes out this April — I recommend Pioneer because they support 72Hz instead of Panasonic’s 48Hz for the 24p movie-smooth trick). These are the only TVs that will trump your old Panasonic. No other plasma, and surely no LCD can. Not yet at least.
March 20th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
[...] From TechConsumer: I picked up the Samsung, took it home, and within thirty minutes of setting it up, I realized that, in the words of Gob Bluth, “I’ve made a huge mistake.” […] Suffice it to say that the Samsung was back in its box within an hour, and peace was restored to the Shumway home as the Plasma reclaimed its rightful place as the clear, superior technology.” [...]