Best HDTVs (Overall)

Now that you’re finally convinced that the days of the old tubes are really numbered and HDTV’s are here to stay, it’s time you arm yourself with knowledge about these newfangled gadgets. It’s important you know about a thing or two when you hit the stores looking for a HDTV, as you’ll surely find yourself overwhelmed with specifications and marketing hype. We’ve compiled a list of the Best HDTV’s to jumpstart your search for the perfect HDTV.

Pioneer KURO PDP-6020FD

Definitely high-end but worth it, the KURO line of Pioneer product boasts of the true black - not ‘dark gray or bluish black’ black- in HDTV’s today. With the largest screen in the KURO line, infused with bright, breathtaking colors, and built with anti-reflective screen, the Pioneer KURO PDP-6020FD makes TV watching a truly new experience. Stark and clean black rectangle frame with removable speakers at the bottom makes this awesome plasma TV perfect for hardcore videophiles.

Samsung LN52A650

This amazing new Samsung Touch of Color HDTV Offers the best rendering of deep blacks in LCD’s - not as dark as those in plasma TV but definitely darker than other LCD’s. Accurate color rendering and easy-to-use picture controls, 120hz frame rate for blur-free fast action viewing, multi-connectivity including an Ethernet port and unique design makes this the prime choice for LCD enthusiasts.

 

Samsung HL61A750

Samsung’s top-of-the-line rear projection HDTV with good color fidelity right off-the-box. With a little tweaking, the rendering turns really exceptional - compelling blacks and color reproductions sweeps away the competition. Less expensive than plasma or LCD HDTV’s, this item has generous connectivity options and the standard glossy black finish of microdisplays - a really great deal for those looking for cheaper options.

 

Samsung PN50A650

Main plasma TV in Samsung’s arsenal, the PN50A650n has black levels that are better than most HDTV’s and superb color accuracy. The manufacturer has two versions of this TV, the PN50A650 is the Touch of Color version while PN50A550 is in plain black frame. The PN50A650 has a subtle touch of red in its frame, an excellent anti-glare filter, nicely rounded corners, hidden speakers and stylish swivel stand - making it the perfect HDTV set for smaller rooms. The redesigned remotes of Samsung TVs also make TV viewing a lot better experience.

Samsung LN46A950

The newly released 950 series of Samsung consists of the 46-inch LN46A950 and the 55-inch LN55A950. These LDC HDTV’s feature Samsung’s cutting-edge SmartLighting LED technology, 120hz frame rates, superbly stunning dynamic contrast ratio and solid video processing. The LN46A950 brings deep black rendering in LCD’s much closer to those in plasma TVs, almost eclipsing the plasmas in some tests. The LN46A950 also boasts in one of the best all-around color reproduction in the market, giving rich and extremely well-saturated colors. Other features of this high-end HDTV are an integrated NTSC/ATSC/ClearQAM tuner, InfoLink and WiseLink networking technologies and connectivity ports.

Samsung FPT5884

The Samsung FPT5884 may be over a year old but it still gives a lot of punch. With its full HD 1080p resolution, you can watch stunningly crisp image rendering from any angle, even in brightly lit rooms. The 18-bit processing of FPT5884 boasts of dazzling color array while the 15,000:1 contrast ratio offers deep blacks, clear whites, and rich detail in between. Other features that make this product immensely popular are Samsung’s anti-burn-in technology that ensures a long screen life, SRS TruSurround XT technology with 10-watt per channel audio amplifiers, and a full complement of audio and video inputs.

Samsung LNT4671F

If you’ve got the money to splurge, the LNT4671F is definitely worth buying. This 46-inch full 1080p LCD HDTV is quite pricey but its specs give ample reason to be so: 25,000:1 contrast ratio that gives sufficient black depth, lightning-fast 8ms response time and Samsung’s Auto Motion Plus 120Hz technology that prevents motion blur in watching fast-action scenes. The LNT4671F is gorgeously sleek and still one of the best performing HD LCD’s around, even a year after its release.

Pioneer KURO PDP-5020FD

Kid brother of the topnotch KURO PDP-6020FD, this smaller version surely doesn’t disappoint. The KURO PDP-5020FD also boasts of the deepest black in all HDTV’s in the spectrum, though the same inaccuracies in the primary colors persist in this version. The pricey-ness persists too, but with accurate color decoding, great anti-reflective screen and multiple connectivity options- including streaming files over home networks, the price is well worth it, particularly for hardcore videophiles.

 

Panasonic TH-50PZ700U

One of the highest rated HDTV’s that came out last year, the TH-50PZ700U boasts of the deepest rendering of blacks when it was released (though now surpassed by newer plasmas). Superb picture quality and razor-sharp details, along with accurate colors and excellent de-interlacing capability, make this HDTV a great choice for discriminating buyers who are willing to pay for performance. Downsides of this flat-panel HDTV include limited connectivity and adjustability, and no picture-in-picture capability.

Panasonic TH-50PX600U

A fine performing HDTV, with an impressive black rendering and high quality sound output. This is one of the earlier plasmas and it was considered one of the best during its time, but undoubtedly, newer releases from the same company (like TH-50PZ700U) and competitors have overshadowed it. Still, its superb high-definition outputs vis-à-vis black and primary colors, and image sharpness make it a good HDTV even today. The fact that its price is lower than the higher-end products that are coming out adds to its attractiveness.

Sony Bravia KDL-40W3000

The KDL 40W3000 is a 40-inch wide-screen Sony Bravia W series TV with full HD 1080p native resolution. It features the state-of-the-art XV Color technology to increase the color space input capabilities to 1.8 times the natural colors in the HDTV signals. It has a 10 bit processor that is capable of displaying a 6.2 Mega Pixel resolution image with enhanced picture quality. This is another HDTV that managed to keep its standing despite being in the market for more than a year.

Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR6

This Bravia HDTV definitely leads the pack in the non-LED LCD class. The KDL-52XBR6 gives precise color temperature; has great dejudder video processing and equipped with plenty of picture controls; wide-array of inputs including four HDMI and one PC, and smartly styled design. It’s no wonder that pre-order buzz on this piece is quite remarkable, and Sony certainly didn’t disappoint its loyal fan base when the XBR6 series came out.

 

 

Sony Bravia KDL-46Z4100/B

Sony’s flagship Bravia line of HDTV’s may not offer cutting-edge blacks and color reproductions that others offer but it has features of its own that aren’t on competing brands: Motionflow 120Hz that renders smooth, lifelike images; Bravia Engine 2 and ACE that give deep blacks and crisp shadow details; Game Mode that removes video processing to eliminate delays on onscreen action; and a host of connectivity options including a port for the Bravia Internet Video Link. With its handsome styling and revamped remote, the KDL-46Z4100/B may not be the best HDTV around based on experts’ reviews but for those loyal to the Sony brand, it certainly is.

LG 50PG60

One of the HDTV’s with official THX display certification, LG 50PG60 has won accolades including the ‘Best of Innovations’ award at CES 2008, for its excellence in technology and design. While the TV did not fare well on expert reviews vis-à-vis black and color accuracy, it does have a multitude of picture settings that allow users to adjust image rendering according to preferences. It is also one of the best designed - it’s ultra-slim with its single layer design and invisible speaker system. Even experts who panned its performance agreed that the LG 50PG60 is one of the best looking flat-panel TVs of 2008.

Sharp Aquos LC42D64U

For those who can’t afford the HDTV’s in the higher end of the spectrum, the Sharp Aquos LC42D64U is an excellent ‘entry-level’ HDTV product, with features that are definitely better than conventional TVs: good black depths; acceptable de-interlacing of 1080i materials; enough connectivity options with 3 HDMI inputs; and its thin frame and slim chassis make a nice, classy styling. The downsides of the Aquos include uneven uniformity which shows as bands on-screen and it lacks picture-in-picture capability. Still, this is good one for those wanting to experience HDTV’s at the least cost.

Sharp Aquos LC52D92U

Being part of the Sharp Aquos series, the Aquos LC52D92U suffers from the negative things found in its siblings. The barely discernible horizontal and vertical banding due to uneven uniformity and the lack of picture-in-picture capability make it less appealing than its competitors. But to be fair, the Aquos LC52D92U delivers good performance for its range, with deep-enough blacks, accurate colors and more-than-average video processing. Coupled with its fabulously slim design and relatively affordable price, this is an excellent choice for people who aren’t too finicky when it comes to picture quality.

Philips 42PFL7432D

The only Philips product to make it to our list, the Philips 42PFL7432D sports a conservative but handsome styling and the two-channel Ambilight backlighting feature that adds to the viewing experience. With a native 1080p resolution, the HDTV scales smaller resolutions quite nicely and gives accurate color rendering after calibration. The negatives about this set includes lack of picture-in-picture feature, has faint ‘blackness’, and requires calibration before getting optimal picture quality. The Philips 42PFL7432D also offers ample connectivity (though limited by today’s standards), and the headphone jack adds a nice touch.

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The above list represents the the best HDTV’s and the cream of the crop but is by no means comprehensive, or even detailed enough to make you decide. However, knowing which brands and models make it to the list certainly gives you enough to explore possibilities. With hundreds of products in the market, a little know-how on these consumer electronic products that are taking the country by storm will enable you to filter out the good stuff from the bad.