LCD vs plasma TVs Plasma TV

How do plasma televisions work?

Panasonic's flagship Viera plasma TV – the TX-P46Z1

A plasma TV display is an array of tiny gas cells sandwiched between two sheets of glass. Each cell acts like a mini fluorescent tube, emitting ultraviolet light which then strikes red, green and blue spots on the screen. These spots glow to build a picture.

Plasma has lost HD TV market share to LCD over the last few years, due largely to many of the key TV manufacturers concentrating efforts on LCD and LED televisions.

For the latest head-to-head test results check our expert television reviews. Which? tests televisions throughout the year, so new results are added every month.

Who makes plasma televisions?

Panasonic dominates the plasma TV market. It produces by far the most extensive range of plasma TVs and continues to place plasma at the heart of its TV strategy.

LG and Samsung still produce a handful but largely concentrate their efforts on LCD-based technologies. Other big brands, such as Sony, Toshiba and Pioneer have ceased plasma TV production.

How does plasma picture quality measure up?

Plasma TVs have some key advantages over LCD televisions. They tend to produce deeper blacks and richer colours, have wider viewing angles and typically boast a faster response time. This is the amount of time it takes a pixel to go from black to white and black again, and in theory means the TV should cope with moving images, reducing the chance of blurry or stuttering pictures.

Are plasma TVs the best option for 3D TV?

Thanks to the faster response time of plasma TVs (the amount of time it takes a pixel to go from black to white and back again) in theory they should be the best option for 3D TV.

TVs with slower response times (LCD and LED) are more likely to suffer from double (or ghost) images caused by the images for each eye overlapping – once you notice them, they’re hard to ignore.

Check our report to find out more about the best 3D TV.

Do plasma televisions use more power than other types of TV?

The simple answer is yes. However, with new European power consumption legislation round the corner plasma TV power consumption has begun to fall.

For instance, Panasonic claims that a mix of more efficient light transmission and new plasma gas cells capable of creating more ultraviolet light has led to a significant reduction in power consumption in its latest models.

The new technology seems to have had an effect. For instance Panasonic this year's 42-inch G20 model uses just under 200 watts when switched on, 100 watts less than last year's equivalent the G10.

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