Plasma vs. LCD
Source: http://reviews.cnet.com/4351-12658_7-6583301.htmlHaving trouble discerning between plasma and LCD televisions? This handy chart can help you determine which technology is best for you.
| Plasma | LCD | |
| General | ||
Screen sizes | 42-65+ inches | 5-65+ inches |
Cabinet depth | 3+ inches | 3+ inches |
Power consumption | Slightly less-efficient per square inch | Slightly more-efficient per square inch |
Off-angle viewing | Excellent from all angles | Image fades slightly when seen from extreme angles from sides or from above or below |
Reflectivity of screen | 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 | Matte plastic screens usually reflect less light. Some models have screens that are actually more reflective than plasma |
| Features | ||
PC connectivity | Less common but still included on many models | More common than with plasma |
Other features | 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. | Varies, although generally worse than plasma on many models, and better than plasma on best models |
Color saturation | 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 | 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. | 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 | ||
Burn-in (faint after-images left on-screen) | 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 | 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 | Excellent given a model with good black-level performance | Very good, although models with worse black-level performance are less desirable |
Games | 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 |
