Plasma TV Vs. LCD Television Flat Screen HDTVs

Determine which type of HDTV suits your preferences.

LCD and plasma HDTVs may appear similar on the outside, but there are key differences in the quality and makeup of these types of TVs. Learn what makes LCD and plasmas unique in order to buy one that fits your needs.

Sizes

Generally, plasma TVs rarely dip below 40 inches. They are also also heavier and usually thinner than LCDs due to the materials used and composition of the screen. LCD screens range from less than 10 inches to more than 60.

Quality

Plasma TVs have a higher quality display comparatively to LCDs. Although both have superb picture quality, a plasma is capable of displaying lag-free, crisp images while LCDs can suffer from motion blur.

Plasma Screen Burn-in

Perhaps the biggest fault of plasma TVs is screen burn-in. This happens when the same image is displayed for an extended period of time, such as when you pause a DVD or video game. Some of the pixels on the TV then freeze that image forever. LCDs do not have this problem.

Display

LCD screens are brighter, due to the back-light shining behind the screen. This back-light also makes it more difficult to view images from the side rather than straight on. Plasmas displays, on the other hand, are self-lit, making viewing clearer from an angle.

References

• Crutchfield: Plasma vs. LCD
• CNET; Plasma vs. LCD: Which TV is Right For You; Randolph Ramsay, et al.; Sept. 23, 2009