Which TV is better: plasma or LCD

Disputes on the topic of which TV is better - plasma or LCD - have been going on for years. But in order to get the most appropriate answer to this question, one should listen to the opinion of experts.

Screen sizes

This factor is decisive for many. Previously, manufacturers of LCD TVs were constrained by significant restrictions, and it was rare to see an LCD TV with a diagonal of more than 32 "on the market. Modern technology has allowed to overcome this 32-inch barrier and start producing LCD TVs with a large diagonal (up to 42-inches or more). But the fact remains: the cost of plasma, as a rule, is several hundred dollars less than the cost of an LCD with a similar diagonal.

"Defective pixels

Speaking of which TV is better - plasma or LCD - you can not fail to mention the problem of so-called "broken" pixels, which remains relevant in the production of liquid crystal displays. In particular, this concerns LCD with a large diagonal. At the moment there is a single standard ISO 13406-2. According to this standard, for LCD panels, the allowed number of "broken" pixels is determined. On the largest screens (4th class) the number of constantly glowing (white) pixels can reach 50, the number of "dead" (black) is 150, and the number of defective red, blue and green subpixels is 500. For TVs 2 and 3 Classes, these indicators are less - 2: 2: 5 and 5:15:30, respectively.

Cost

Despite the fact that in recent years, liquid crystal technology has become more accessible, there is still a certain validity: 1 square centimeter of LCD panel is approximately 25% more expensive than a square centimeter of plasma. Nevertheless, if we consider which TV is better (plasma or LCD), focusing on HD high-definition models, this price inequality practically disappears. And even more: in some cases, the plasma will cost more than LCD with the same characteristics.

Response time

Another defect of LCD TVs and monitors has been said for many years. This is the so-called "trailer effect" - the situation when specific dynamic "loops" appeared on the screen during the display of dynamic scenes. However, in the newest LC models, this defect was practically eliminated (if the response time is less than 8 ms, no trails will be noticeable). Plasma screens are a priori devoid of this shortcoming. That is, according to this criterion, the LCD is not inferior to plasma in any way.

Color and contrast

This is one of the first factors that buyers pay attention to, thinking about which TV is better - plasma or LCD. Traditionally, plasma benefits in this respect: due to the fact that such screens operate on the principle of direct radiation, the final image is obtained more clearly and contrastively. Liquid crystal TVs in this respect are slightly behind their plasma "colleagues." However, for someone, on the contrary, they may be more preferable: a less contrasting and softer picture less wears the eyes of a person, especially when it comes to viewing in low light conditions. But in terms of color saturation, both classes of TVs in recent years have been equalized.

Viewing Angle

Previously, when choosing plasma TVs or LCDs, people had to focus on the number of family members. After all, according to the standard, the viewing angle in the liquid crystal models did not exceed 45 degrees, which excluded the possibility of simultaneous viewing by more than one person. Modern LCD panels have a viewing angle up to 170 degrees (and the most "advanced" - up to 178 degrees), which equates them with plasma ones.

Lifetime, power consumption and safety

Which TV is better - LCD or plasma? To make a final choice, you should pay attention to these criteria.

As for the service life, the LCD TVs definitely win here. If you prefer the high brightness of the image, be prepared for the fact that replacing the plasma panel will take 3 times faster than in the case of a liquid crystal television. Another important drawback of the plasma is the high energy consumption and the property of heating (the latter makes it impossible to install the TV in a niche). True, manufacturers are gradually getting rid of such shortcomings, however, the general trend remains.

And, of course, we can not fail to mention the harm of various types of screen for vision. Since LCD screens do not radiate anything by themselves, they practically do not harm the eyes of the viewer either, which can not be said about plasma panels.