LCD TV Review

Evaluating LCD TV reviews

Both types of flat-panel TVs -- plasma and LCD -- are thin and wall-mountable, but each has some different considerations. In general, plasma TVs can achieve deeper black levels. LCD televisions are usually brighter than plasma TVs, and many can double as a computer monitor or media-center display. While LCD TVs used to be restricted to sizes smaller than 32 inches, LCD TVs up to 52 inches are now common, and larger sizes are available. LCD TV reviews also indicate that black levels have improved (although they are still not quite up to the level of plasma). In the past, plasma TVs had been less expensive inch-for-inch than LCD TVs, but that gap has now largely disappeared. Also, because LCD TVs are available in such a wide size range, it's easier to find a television that matches your budget. See our companion report on plasma TVs for more flat-screen options. Rear-projection TVs also give you a large screen, but they aren't as thin and are not wall-mountable.

In general, the most comprehensive source for LCD TV reviews is CNet.com. Its reports go into considerable depth and include lots of different models at different price points and sizes. Consumer Reports magazine regularly performs thorough, comparative testing of the picture and sound quality of LCD TVs. While the magazine offers testing results from a large sampling of 56 models for its latest LCD TV report, it falls short of CNet's reviews because performance is summarized in just a few short paragraphs.

Sound & Vision, HDTV Solutions and PC Magazine also have good LCD TV reviews but don't cover nearly as many models as CNet.com or Consumer Reports. User reviews at Amazon.com and BestBuy.com, and discussions on user forums such as AVSForum.com, are valuable for discovering how happy buyers are after the purchase. For those looking for more background before making a decision, we found terrific buyer's guides from Sound & Vision magazine, CNet and Consumer Reports, all of which compare and contrast the various HDTV technologies.

While many of the LCD TVs receiving high praise from reviewers are high-performance, high-priced models, there has been a small flood of inexpensive screens from a host of familiar and not-so-familiar names, including house brands sold by mass-market merchandisers like Best Buy. Although most can't compete on an equal footing with the top-performing LCD TVs, many are satisfactory performers in their own right and offer a value proposition that's hard to ignore.

Even so-called premium brands are starting to introduce lower-priced lines. Sony has had some success with its M-series of entry-level LCD TVs, such as the Sony BRAVIA KDL-32M4000 (*Est. $600), and its even more basic and lower-priced L-series, such as the Sony BRAVIA KDL-32L4000 (*Est. $560), which is drawing compliments from buyers. Others have had a tougher time gaining ground. Sharp used to be one of the top makers of LCD TVs, but many of its latest efforts have been panned by critics and users. One exception has been the company's entry-level offerings, but some of Sharp's efforts in that part of the market have come under some fire as well.

PC Magazine and CNet.com have reviewed the 32-inch Sharp Aquos LC-32D44U (*Est. $560). Of the two, PC Magazine is kindest, but only gives the TV a middling rating. Robert Heron cites poor color quality and smearing in scenes with fast motion as the primary flaws.

CNet.com, on the other hand, finds little to like at all and awards the Sharp LCD TV one of the lower grades of any current LCD model. David Katzmaier directly compares the Sharp LCD TVs to another budget model, the 32-inch Insignia NS-LCD32-09, which is available only at Best Buy, and says the Sharp TV falls short, again primarily due to poor color accuracy. Performance with standard-definition programming is also subpar. Black levels, on the other hand, are better than some budget choices, but not by an overwhelming margin. Still, Katzmaier's bottom-line assessment is that "there are better performers even in the entry-level space."