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Plasma Versus LED TV

To television aficionados, the answer to this question is obvious. You see, plasma televisions offer a different backlighting spectrum that makes the black images on the television be a truer black. On LED TVs especially, the black color comes from a combination of lighting, which means your black is either more white or more navy in color. There are other considerations in this decision, however, so let’s take a look at a full comparison.

Energy Efficiency Goes to the LED TV

In basic terms, the plasma television uses more power over the life of the unit than an LED television. Although modern plasma televisions receive high Energy Star ratings, the LED ultimately produces less heat and this means less energy is expended. That might only equate to a few bucks per year, but over the life of a television that could be a few hundred dollars in energy savings you receive.

Burn-In Images… Are They Still a Problem?

When plasma televisions were first introduced, they were a lot like computer monitors at the time. You had to put on a screensaver so you didn’t burn an image into the display itself. As monitors have evolved and don’t require this anymore, neither really do plasma televisions. Compared to an LED TV, there is a greater risk for burn-in to occur on the plasma TV, but the risks are all relatively low these days.

Screen Sizes – Do They Really Matter?

For the average person, screen size isn’t really that big of a deal. Most people who shop for a television remember the days when having a 19 inch TV was a big deal, so the difference between 40 inches and 47 inches is pretty relative. It’s when you get into the supersize categories where LED TVs have a big advantage. Most plasma TVs top out around 60 inches or so. LED TVs today are above 90 inches at the top of the line and will soon exceed 100 inches for regular home use in the near future.

How Long Do These Televisions Last?

For plasma televisions, the average lifespan tops out at around 60,000 hours of use. In realistic terms, that’s almost 7 years of use without ever turning the TV off! LED TVs have a longer lifespan than that, often topping out above 100,000 hours of use. LED televisions are also lighter than their plasma counterparts, but because of the extended time of use and the differences in technology, they’re also often more expensive than their plasma counterparts as well.

The bottom line is this: if you like to watch a lot of sports or action shows when you watch TV, then the higher refresh rates on the plasma television, up to 600hz, will give you a clearer, less glitchy or blurry image to watch. If you prefer scripted drama shows, watching the news, and other reality based television programming, than an LED TV might be a better option. Ultimately, however, either way you go you’re going to end up with a great TV in your home.

LED vs Plasma Comparison

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