LED versus Plasma
Your Guide to Comparing LED TV and Plasma TV

The LED versus Plasma competition is one that has baffled several consumers out to get an upgrade for their TV sets. Both types of TV technology hit the market with the promise of better picture quality.

If you are trying to make a choice between the two types of TV, you first need to consider several factors that affect the quality of both types.

How do They Differ?

The comparison between LED versus Plasma can be done using the usual set of criteria used to evaluate TVs, and these factors include the viewing angle, the color, the power consumption, the motion capture, the screen size, the price, the contrast ratio, and the TV screen life span.

The Viewing Angle

The viewing angle is an important factor that determines the capability of a television to meet your viewing needs. A TV with good viewing angles can provide good views to anyone standing anywhere in the room where the TV is located. Even if you stand by the side, you will still be able to see the TV scenes well.

Plasma screens offer excellent viewing angles, which is why they are more preferable if you are looking for a TV you can use for an entertainment room or a room where you expect a bigger audience. However, not all Plasmas are created the same, and some of the high quality LED TVs actually offer better viewing angles than some of the cheaper Plasmas. So it still helps if you take time to make careful comparisons of your possible choices.

Accuracy of Color

The accuracy of color or how a TV screen renders various colors is a very important factor. This will greatly affect the appearance of what you’re watching. So make sure to consider this in your decision.

Whether a TV is a Plasma or a LED does not necessarily have a big effect on how it will capture color, except that Plasmas are naturally able to achieve brighter hues than LEDs. However, some of the LED TVs feature RGB LED arrays, which give the TVs wider color gamut and more accurate rendition of colors.

The Power Consumption

Power consumption is a major determining factor in the LED versus Plasma competition. LED TVs are known to be extremely energy efficient because they already have their own backlighting system.

The LEDs used in making LED TVs already emit their own light, so there is no need to light them up as compared to when you use an ordinary LCD where you have to use electricity to light the fluorescent backlight.

Plasma TVs, on the other hand, feature several sub-pixels, and each one has to be individually lit, and this requires a lot of power. So when it comes to power consumption, if you really want a Plasma TV, you have to consider the maintenance costs of using one.

The Motion Capture

In the LED versus Plasma talk, motion capture is a rather confusing topic. Both LEDs and Plasmas capture fast picture motions excellently. Motion capture often comes in handy when watching scenes in fast motion, such as action films or sports.

In the past, Plasmas ruled the market for those who are looking for good motion capture because they had faster refresh rates than LCDs. Now, however, with some good LEDs offering advanced motion processing technology, LEDs are fast catching up.

Plasma TVs still capture motion better, but compared to how costly they are to use, you may want to get a LED TV instead since the difference will not be that huge anymore.

The Screen Size

The contrast and picture quality of a TV usually tend to suffer as the screen size gets bigger. However, this is one rule that does not apply much to Plasma TVs. Plasmas are capable of providing excellent contrast and picture quality even at large sizes.

LEDs make excellent choices for smaller sizes because they are more energy efficient and the difference in picture quality is barely noticeable. But if you are shopping for a TV for your home theater and needs to go beyond 50 inches, a Plasma TV would be a far better choice.

The Price

Naturally, you have to consider the LED versus Plasma prices. Plasma televisions are expectedly more pricey than LEDs, but they do come with certain advantages. The best way to make a decision is to not consider the price as an independent basis. Compare prices relative to the screen sizes for better comparison.

The Contrast Ratio

The contrast ratio is the ability of the television to show details in the high contrast areas of the screen. This can usually be seen in how the TV handles gradations of gray in shadows and in the deepness or brightness of blacks and whites respectively.

Although this can be quite confusing because manufacturers have different ways of measuring their offers’ contrast ratios, it is still a good guide of how clear and sharp your TV will turn out to be. But even though this could be something you may want to look at, you should not base your decision on it alone.

The Screen Life Span

All TVs have different screen life spans. During the earlier days of the Plasma TV, Plasmas suffered from short screen life spans. But this has so far been remedied, and the newer Plasmas can now achieve half-life of 60,000 hours. This means after using the TV for 60,000 hours, the brightness of the screen will degrade by 50%.

LED TVs have a much easier way of measuring life spans. The screen life span of a LED TV is based on how long its LED bulbs can work. Usually, LED TVs have 100,000 hours expected life span. All in all, Plasma wins the screen life span contest, so despite the higher prices, they do turn out to be worthy investments.

LED versus Plasma: What’s the Real Deal?

The LED versus Plasma comparison can be summarized by some pros and cons. For Plasma TVs, the pros would include excellent black levels, wide viewing angles, and a good overall performance in home theater settings. However, Plasma TVs suffer from burn-in potential and usually have reflective screens.

On the other hand, LEDs can almost achieve the same black levels of Plasma, and they are very energy efficient. Their ultra slim designs can also be a tempting factor. However, for the lower investment, you would have to give up a bit in terms of viewing angle and overall picture quality in big screen sizes.

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