Should I buy an LCD TV or Plasma screen?

The two main display technologies for viewing films and tv in HD are plasma screens and LCD displays. The technologies powering the displays differ dramatically but in reality the differences between them for the end-user are shrinking as the disadvantages of each system are overcome with new techniques.

In a nutshell the advantages and disadvantages are as follows:
• Plasma Screens are often available in larger sizes, from 37" up to over 60"
• Plasmas offer better contrast and can display black more effectively in particulr, as well as a better colour accuracy overall.
• Plasmas update faster than LCDs so make following fast moving images on screen easier
• But...
• Plasmas generate more heat that LCDs, and are less energy efficient than LCDs at smaller screen sizes
• Plasma displays are more likely to 'burn in' (where an image that has been displayed for long periods remains fixed in the display) than LCD screens
• Plasmas also do not perform as well at high altitudes - but for many in the UK this should not be an issue!

Conversely, LCD TVs has the following advantages over plasma
• No screenburn or 'burn-in' of images - this is of particular consideration to owners of media centres or console gamers, as the same information can be displayed on screen for long periods
• Cooler running temperatures and better efficiency in smaller screens.
• No issues with watching while up a mountain
• Plus more image brightness than plasma, thanks to the backlight

All these issues - whether screen burn or image brightness - can be reduced by using newer technologies; an LCD screen with a very low response time and high refresh rate may perform almost as well as plasma for fast moving images, whlie newer plasmas are less likely to burn in.

As there is less and less to distinguish between the technologies these days the truth is it does not matter a great deal beyond personal preference, but the conventional wisdom is that if you are looking for a larger screen a plasma is best while for a smaller screen an LCD is the superior option.