The days of cathode ray tube televisions are irrevocably a thing of the past. They were first replaced by LCD TVs, and then with plasma TVs. At the same time, many consumers do not know how an LCD TV differs from a plasma TV and which one is better to buy.
Plasma TVs appeared later than LCD TVs, but this does not mean that they are definitely better. Each of the options has its own merits and demerits, so deciding which TV should be purchased must take into account a number of factors. First, decide what size TV you want. The peculiarities of the technology for the production of plasma panels do not make it possible to obtain a screen with a diagonal of less than 32 inches. Having decided to buy a small TV, you will have to opt for LCD, since plasma models of the required size simply do not exist. If you want to buy a TV with a screen size of 42 inches or more, opt for a plasma model. Large LCD screens are much more expensive than plasma screens, and besides, they may have “broken” pixels. However, this drawback practically does not occur, since the production technology is well developed. Thus, the question of what to choose - LCD or plasma - is relevant for TVs with a screen diagonal from 32 to 42 inches. And here you should already pay attention to other factors - for example, image quality. Both types of TVs give roughly the same quality, but plasma has a higher contrast and more vibrant colors. Is this good or bad? This is a matter of taste, for many users softer transitions from light to dark are preferable, not so eye-straining. In this case, it is better to opt for LCD. It should be noted that plasma panels get quite hot, so they should not be installed in places with poor ventilation - for example, in niches of furniture walls. It is also better to use LCD here. Plasma TVs can be equipped with fans to cool them down, which sometimes creates unpleasant background noise during operation. The advantages of plasma TVs include a larger viewing angle than LCDs. But the service life of the plasma is two times lower, which should also be taken into account. Plus, plasma TVs use more electricity. They do not like static images - in the first models, a long broadcast of one image (for example, from a computer) led to pixel burnout. Now this drawback has been eliminated, but it is still better not to leave a plasma TV with such a picture for a long time. It should be noted that LCD TVs are being improved, more and more models are being produced with light-emitting diode (LED) backlighting, which provides them with a long service life and uniform illumination of the screen, and in terms of the juiciness and brightness of the picture, the image approaches the quality of plasma. The development of technologies for the production of LCD and plasma TVs has led to the fact that both options provide approximately equal image quality, it is quite difficult to notice the differences. Therefore, when choosing, you should be guided by the screen size, the price of the TV and take into account those additional factors that were mentioned above.
