Everyone looking to buy a flat panel TV ends up asking themselves the same question; Whats better an LED, LCD or plasma TV? When you walk into the store looking for an HDTV and see these huge beautiful televisions, some with astronomical prices and some with much more modest prices, some as thin as paper while others are a few inches thick its difficult to decide which technology is right for you. These days when buying a TV you really need to know your stuff. LED vs LCD or even plasma which one is better? What does it all mean?
The Backstory on LCD and Plasma
A few years back, maybe a decade or so ago Plasma TV’s seemed to be all the rage. They were thin, they looked great and the word plasma just even had a futuristic ring to it. As cool as plasma TV’s were, they were quickly overtaken in the market by LCD TV’s. This was because LCD TV’s were just much more versatile, lighter, as well as more energy efficient. LCD displays had a much longer lifespan at the time and this really started driving buyers towards LCD displays for everything from TV’s to computer monitors. Plasma’s though have gotten remarkably better in recent years and even today a plasma TV’s picture quality is still across the board superior to the regular CCFL-LCD TV (non-LED-LCD). Regardless though LCD TV’s have taken a big portion of the market and now the main question is should you by a regular LCD TV or an LED TV.
LED VS LCD – Getting Into The Details
Regular LCD TV’s work by using a cold cathode fluorescent backlight to illuminate the liquid crystal display (LCD). An LED on the other hand uses LED lights or light emitting diodes. So the real story here is the type of backlighting.
LED TV’s are able to produce a higher picture quality then the standard LCD TV. This is because of higher contrast ratios. LED TV’s can show truer blacks and brighter whites. This is what leads to a better contrast ratio and an overall better looking picture. It makes the colors richer and just the overall picture more vibrant and impressive. Within an LED TV you may also see options for backlit LED or edge-lit LED. Usually backlit is preferred, but edge-lit LED’s still produce an amazing picture.
Due to LED TV’s using LED lights rather then the normal LCD florescent backlight, the TV’s are also able to be much thinner with better heat dissipation. Due to a regular LCD’s backlight they will never be able to match the thinness of an LED backlit TV. This is why if you go to the store, the TV’s that are almost paper thin are LED TV’s. They are able to get so thin these days it really is incredible. It also leads to a more energy efficient TV that can’t be rivaled with a regular LCD TV. Most LED TV’s are energy star certified and are able to use such little electricity that it equates to less the $15 a year with regular TV usage.
What About Plasma?
It should be mentioned that plasma TV’s have really come a long way. They still are able to produce the best picture quality due to their ability to produce the deepest blacks. Hardcore 3D enthusiasts claim that plasma TV’s are leagues better when it comes to producing a 3D picture. Plasma’s have the ability to use very high refresh rates, which in turn produce an excellent picture with very little crosstalk (3D blurriness).
The downside to a plasma TV is their energy usage and size. Although plasmas are about as thin as LCD TV’s (not LED’s though) they weigh a decent amount more and tend to use more then 10x the energy.
Lets Talk About Price
Now I know what you’re thinking… LED vs LCD, its so obvious! Everything I have stated has given an LED TV the edge but there is still one major factor. Price!
LED TV’s are the most expensive on the market. Usually the prices go in this order : plasma, regular LCD and then LED TV’s. This becomes a big consideration in the LED vs LCD debate and really is dependent on what you are looking for and what your budget is. Although LED TV’s have all these great advantages, regular LCD TV’s still look pretty darn great these days and come with a much cheaper price tag. Especially when you start getting into the over 50 inch and above size range. Certain LED TV’s can cost upwards of $5000 when you can get a comparable size LCD TV for less then half of that. Not all LED TV’s are this expensive but regardless you will be paying more for one then you would for a regular LCD TV. Plasma’s on the other hand will cost almost 3/4 to 1/2 of what an LCD TV will cost you, but you may end up paying more for it in the end due to a higher electric bill.
LED vs LCD – Which One is Best For You?
So when shopping for a new TV and wondering if you should get an LED or an LCD TV, just think about these points. If you want the thinnest, most energy efficient TV with a picture quality that rivals plasma and budget is not a huge concern, then absolutely go LED. They are the Rolls Royce of TV’s these days. If you do have a budget though, you will be able to get a bigger TV, possibly with more features at a cheaper price if you go regular LCD or even plasma. LCD’s look so good also that you might not even notice a huge difference if you are not a big visual technology hound. Either way at this point in time LED, LCD or even with a plasma TV you can’t really go wrong. The technology is so good all around anyway.
If you are interested in learning more about this type of backlighting technology, Sony has produced a great video describing it all in great detail.
