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Which? helps you choose the best LCD or plasma television
Choosing a new LCD or plasma television can be a daunting experience, but Which? advice cuts the jargon and gives you the facts about which are the best flat screen TVs, so you can be sure you get the best picture and sound quality possible.
Video guide to buying an LCD or plasma TV
Which? subjects more than 200 LED-backlit, LCD and plasma TVs a year to our extensive tests, so you can be sure the Which? Best Buy televisons represent the best flat screen TVs out there. But it can still be hard to choose which LCD or plasma TV will suit your home and family best – follow the tips in our video guide to make buying a television easier.
Buying the best flat screen TV for your entertainment needs
How to choose the best flat screen TV
Does a higher screen resolution mean the TV has a better picture? Is the contrast ratio of my television important? Is it worth getting an extended warranty for my LCD or plasma TV? Which TV features should I look for?
These are just a few of the questions you should consider when buying a new LCD or plasma TV – and Which? has the answers.
LCD vs plasma televisions
Not sure whether you want to go for an LCD TV or a plasma television? Or perhaps you're considering a television that uses the newer LED TV technology?
We've compared LCD TVs with plasma TVs on a series of measures including screen size, picture quality, power consumption, versatility and cost to figure out which technology is best.
What’s the best TV brand – Panasonic, Samsung, Sony?
The LCD and plasma TV experts at Which? have noticed that there's some things certain TV manufacturers do well, and some things others do poorly. Our guide to the best flat screen TV brands looks at seven top brands, including Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and Philips, to help you choose the best TV. We also examine whether own-brand TVs are worth considering.
Every year, we assess TV brand reliability based on the real-life experiences of thousands of TV owners, and list the top three reasons TVs break down, as ask the owners how happy they are with their LCD or plasma television – with two TV brands standing out as member favourites. On top of this, our independent tests have also found some TVs we think you should steer clear of – these are the Which? Don't Buy TVs.
- Best flat screen television brands
- LCD and plasma TV reliability
- LCD and plasma television owners' views
- Which? Don't Buy LCD and plasma TVs
My old CRT TV isn't broken – is it worth upgrading to an LCD or plasma TV?
If you already own an old Which? Best Buy CRT television, the picture quality on standard definition is likely to be better than you'll find on all but the best flat screen TVs.
But if you want to watch programmes in high definition, you'll need to upgrade to an LCD or plasma TV.
Making the move to HD TV
High-definition television, or HD TV, offers better-quality picture and sound than standard-definition TV. To watch HD TV, you need an HD-ready television – with the minimum requirements necessary to receive and display the higher resolution HD picture. Most new LCD and plasma TVs in the UK are now HD-ready.
You also need to be able to receive HD TV broadcasts – these are available via Sky or Virgin subscription services, or free of charge from satellite provider Freesat – though the content available in high definition is still limited, so most of what you watch will still be in standard definition.
Which? tests more thoroughly than any other organisation
The Which? Best Buy TVs impress not only our eagle-eyed viewing panel but our listening and ergonomic experts, too.
Which? spends weeks assessing LCD and plasma TV quality
Which? spends six weeks scrutinising each LCD and plasma TV. Apart from the meticulous technical tests (including measuring background buzzing), our experts even test how easy it is to use the televisions purely via the front-panel controls – as you might have to if you’ve lost your remote control down the sofa.
