The main share of all televisions on sale are models with a liquid crystal screen and plasma panels. When buying a TV, many consumers are interested in what is the difference between LCD and plasma and which option to give preference.
A few years ago, the difference between plasma and LCD was significant, both in technical parameters and in price. More recently, the maximum size of an LCD TV did not exceed 32 inches, and plasmas with screens of impressive sizes won in image quality and were many times more expensive.
Today, these two types of televisions are practically equal in basic characteristics, and the difference between LCD and plasma is known only to specialists, but is not too visible to the eye of an ordinary buyer. Modern plasma and LCD TVs practically do not differ in price, and the LCD screen has long caught up and even surpassed plasma in terms of screen size.
Of course, each of these technologies has its advantages and disadvantages, which the average user should be aware of.
One of the main advantages of plasma is almost instantly updating the screen without causing a loop during dynamic scenes, like an LCD TV. However, thanks to recent developments, LCD manufacturers have been able to significantly reduce the response time of the screen, and the cable today is almost invisible to the naked eye.
The difference between the LCD and the plasma is the viewing angle. For a long time, plasma was the leader in this characteristic. That is, when watching an LCD TV at an angle, the contrast sharply decreased, while in plasma the image was always unchanged at any viewing angle, which is associated with a feature of the technology. In recent years, LCD developers have achieved an improvement in this indicator, although minor errors are still observed.
Plasma panels are superior to LCDs in image contrast. However, some users prefer a more blurry image of LCD TVs. Most experts are inclined to believe that the plasma image quality is higher, and therefore it is preferable. At the same time, many users do not notice the difference and are quite satisfied with the less sharp LCD image.
Another advantage of plasma is a better image of dark colors. For example, the black color on a plasma TV is deep black, while on the LCD monitor, it is still dark gray. Plasma TVs are believed to convey more natural colors, although some users prefer LCD colors, considering plasma colors too harsh.
Users who want to purchase a small TV will have to choose from LCD models, since there are no small plasma panels, this is due to the features of the technology.
Another difference between LCD and plasma is the amount of electricity consumed. It is known that plasma TVs consume more electricity, and, therefore, emit more heat, forcing the ventilation system to work more intensively. Over time, the fan noise becomes louder. LCD TVs consume much less energy and do not produce heat, because they are cooled passively.
An LCD TV is superior to plasma in such characteristics as image fading. It is believed that the LCD is designed for 80,000 hours, and plasma - for 40,000. It is easy to calculate that the plasma panel will last 10 or even more years, not to mention the fact that TVs become outdated much faster.
The selection of a TV depends on the size of the housing. In standard apartments, it is recommended to buy LCD TVs, since plasma can cause discomfort in a small room due to fan noise and heat generated. In addition, in a small room, the distance from the viewing point to a screen of impressive size will be insufficient. Plasma TV should be bought in spacious rooms with ventilation and high ceilings, an area of at least 40 sq.m.