LG 55LH90

Though not as expensive as some LCD TVs with LED back lights, the 55-inch LG 55LH90 delivers terrific picture quality. Blacks fall just short of the very best, such as the 55-inch Samsung UN55B8500 (*Est. $4,050), but are deep and inky in their own right, besting most other LCD TVs and even many plasma TVs. Colors are terrific -- among the best of any LCD TV -- and LG offers a ton of user adjustments along with special modes for those who want to dial things in to their version of perfection. For those who want to set things and forget them, a special THX mode (LG's LH90 series sets are the first LCD TVs to have earned THX certification) delivers colors that are supposed to be technically accurate, though at least one review found the presets to be off. Some reviews note that the Mark Levinson-designed sound system is a step up from what's normally found in LCD TVs, though you'll probably still want to pair a big screen like this with a home theater system to give films and other programming their full due.

Signal processing is generally solid for high-def image sources, but we found split opinions regarding how well standard-definition images are displayed. Like all LCD TVs with a full-matrix LED backlight with local dimming, some blooming (light from bright objects seeping into dark backgrounds can be seen. Limited viewing angles mean that the best picture quality is pretty much reserved for those sitting directly in front of the screen. The lack of any interactive features is a turnoff for some, but others aren't particularly bothered by it. While less costly than the very best LCD TVs, the LG 55LH90 is still expensive. If you are constrained by a tighter budget, the 52-inch Samsung LN52B750 (*Est. $2,020) has a conventional backlight, but is a terrific performer and packed with features. The LG 55LH90 is also available in smaller screen sizes, including the 47-inch LG 47LH90 (*Est. $1,800) and the 42-inch LG 42LH90 (*Est. $1,400).

We saw several reviews for 55-inch LG 55LH90. The best is at CNET. Though the site actually tests a small screen size in the series, performance should be nearly identical. ConsumerReports.org does test the 55LH90, but discussion is painfully short and you must be a subscriber to see the ratings. DigitalTrends.com's report on the 55LH90 is a bit superficial, but does go into some details that are only touched upon elsewhere. BestBuy.com is the best source for user reviews, though some can also be seen at Amazon.com.