Updated 01 Nov 2011

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Introduction

Find the right TV for your needs with our tests of 32 to 50 inch screens.

Our latest batch of test results is in the 40-46 inch size, and we found plenty to like. Manufacturers are finally making progress on providing better sound.

Our report also includes earlier test results for 32 inch and 50 inch screens, and we explain what to look for when you're buying a new TV.

See also our free TV buying guide for more about choosing and buying a new TV.

Models we tested

This report contains test results and recommendations for the following televisions:

50 inch plasma models

40-46 inch plasma, LED and LCD models

32 inch LCD and LED models

Plasma, LCD or LED?

They may have similar price tags and looks, but there are quite a few differences between plasma and LCD screens. And while LEDs are just a variation of LCD TVs, there are differences to consider there too.

Plasma televisions

Common sizes: 42 to 60 inches

Good points

• High resolution plasma screens have very good picture quality.
• Excellent for viewing fast-flowing action. Plasma screens have virtually no motion blur, unlike some LCD screens.
• Plasmas have the best contrast, with richer, deeper blacks and vivid colours.
• Screens can be viewed from any angle without losing picture quality.
• Good picture quality in normal to low-light conditions.

Downsides

• Screens run hotter than LCDs and generally require an internal fan. Make sure this isn't too noisy.
• Uses around twice the power of an LCD and can be expensive to run.
• Screens can be very reflective in bright light.
• Using them in temperatures above 35°C can affect the life of the screen.
• Screens can be damaged by lying them flat – they need to be kept them upright at all times. So you may not be able to take your new plasma television home in the back of the car.

Much has been made of the "burn-in" effect on plasma TVs. This is where an image frozen on the screen (such as a paused DVD or game) can permanently burn its shape or colour into the screen. But most newer plasma models have anti-burn-in technology (much like a screensaver) which has minimised this effect. It still pays to ensure you don't pause anything for too long though.

LCD (liquid crystal display) televisions

Common sizes: 17 to 55 inches

Unlike plasma screens, LCD panels need backlighting to light up the pixels that make the picture. Standard LCD TVs use lamps called cold-cathode fluorescent lights (CCFLs). LED TVs (see below) use light emitting diodes for backlighting.

Good points:

• Very good picture quality.
• Images tend to be brighter and screens less reflective than plasma TVs, making them a better choice for watching in bright rooms or in sunlight.
• Use less power than plasmas.
• Lighter in weight.
• Run no risk of "burn-in" on the screen.

Downsides:

• Limited viewing angle – the picture loses brightness and colour intensity when viewed from the sides.
• Contrast is not usually as good as with a plasma screen, and blacks aren’t as deep. But they're getting better.
• More prone to suffer motion blur during fast action or sports scenes than plasma. This isn't as big a problem as it used to be, and on some of the latest sets motion blur can be barely detectable.

LED (light emitting diodes) televisions

Common size: 32 to 60 inches

Despite all the marketing hype surrounding LED TVs, they are not a different “type” of TV technology. An LED TV is simply an LCD panel that uses different backlighting. Standard LCD TVs use lamps called cold-cathode fluorescent lights (CCFLs). LED TVs use light emitting diodes (LEDs) for backlighting.

The higher price tag and newer technology of LEDs doesn’t necessarily mean a better picture. Our recent tests found some LED models ranked at the top of the table while others were near the bottom, beaten by standard LCD models.

Good points:

• Much thinner and lighter than standard LCD models.
• Generally more energy efficient than standard LCD models and much more efficient than plasmas.
• Most have very good picture quality and some are superior to standard LCD models.
• Screens are not reflective.
• Very little risk of burn-in of static images compared with plasmas.

Downsides:

• Generally more expensive than standard LCDs of the same size.
• Like standard LCDs, images can dim as you angle away from the centre of the screen.
• Have the same risk of motion blur as standard LCDs and usually more than plasmas.
• Because of their thin profile, and therefore the thinness of their speakers, some (but not all) can have very poor sound quality.

Odd spot

LCD screens are used on aircraft, but not because they're cheaper or easier to install. Plasma TVs use gases to work, and these gases are affected by the lower air pressure at higher altitudes, causing an irritating buzzing sound. LCDs aren't affected by any change in altitude. So if you're looking for a TV in Arthur's Pass or any other location above around 2000 metres, an LCD is the best bet. 

Checklist

Here's what to consider when buying an LCD, LED or plasma television.

Resolution

Confused by the numbers? It's not too complicated once you know what they mean. The numbers refer to pixels, so 1920x1080 means a screen 1920 pixels wide and 1080 pixels high – the higher the number, the better the resolution.

As screen sizes are standardised, so too are resolutions. They’re often abbreviated to only the vertical number: for example, 1920x1080 becomes 1080.

The letters that follow the numbers are p and i. The p stands for progressive and i for interlaced. These are the types of scanning used to refresh the picture on the screen. Progressive scanning is usually better, because interlaced can create a flickering effect at lower refresh rates.

720i is the lowest resolution that’s still considered to be HD. But a “full” HD screen is 1080p, and this is the resolution we recommend when you’re buying a new TV. We no longer recommend TVs below this resolution.

User test
To do your own "user test" take a favourite DVD (or two) to the shop to check the picture. Try to watch a "talking head" so you can check skin tones and the quality of finer details such as hair texture. Also check out a nature scene, for any bias toward red or green colours. Be wary if you have to set a control to maximum to get the best picture.

Check action scenes – can the set keep up with fast movement?

Refresh rate

Something else to watch out for is the refresh rate, quoted in Hz. The Hz number refers to the number of images per second the screen can show. It’s true that the faster the rate, the better the look of fast-moving images (like sport or video games) on the screen. However, don't be upsold to a much more expensive TV on this alone.

Built-in Freeview digital tuner

Between 2012 and the end of 2013, the old analogue TV signal will be turned off. In its place is the Freeview digital signal. If you haven't got Freeview (or Sky TV), you'll have no more free-to-air TV once the analogue signal is turned off.

Most (but not all) new TVs have a built-in Freeview digital tuner. If you buy a new TV without the built-in tuner, you'll have to pay hundreds of dollars for a set-top box to receive Freeview.  Ask if the TV has a built-in Freeview tuner or "Freeview inside" before buying. (Our Digital TV guide has more information.)

Size

When comparing your options, make sure you're clear on how big you need the TV to be – you don't want to be squinting at a screen that's too small or not seeing the full picture on a screen that's too big.

A useful rule of thumb is for the screen to measure a third of the distance from where you’ll sit to watch it. So if you have a smallish room and your couch is 8-feet (2.4m) from the TV, then the best screen size is 32 inches (81cm). If you have a bigger room, you’ll need to get a bigger TV.

Also note that TVs in stores look smaller than they will in your living room. You may bring home your new 50" TV that seemed reasonable in the shop only to find it's far too large for your house.

• CRT televisions were measured diagonally across the screen. This measurement was typically given as cmv (centimetres viewable).
• LCD and plasma screens are promoted using quaint old-fashioned inches. If you want to do your own conversion, multiply the inches by 2.54 to get the cmv. Or use our table (below). 

Size
Inches	15	17	20	22	23	26	27	32	37	42	43	50
cmv	38	43	51	56	58	66	69	81	94	107	109	127

Ratio	Screen size
4:3 (older style)	34cmv (14")	51cmv (20")	59cmv (25")	68cmv (29")
16:9 (widescreen)	43cmv (17")	66cmv (26")	80cmv (32")	94cmv (37")

Viewing angle

On LCD sets check how the picture looks if you step to the side or move up and down. Viewing angles have improved, but some models still have a dimmer picture when not viewed centrally – important if several people are watching at once.

Brightness

This is usually referred to in units of measurement called candelas per square metre (cd/m2) or sometimes nits (1 nit = 1 cd/m2). The more nits, the brighter the picture. TVs are usually turned up very bright in stores to compete with other TVs around them. It’s unlikely you’ll need this level of brightness at home.

Contrast ratio

Check the contrast ratio – the difference between the brightest white and deepest black the screen can produce. You'll see some pretty impressive numbers (such as 25,000:1 and more) in brochures; but 600:1 is usually fine. Let your eyes be the guide. Take a DVD with clear blacks and whites with you, and get the shop to play it.

Also take a good look at the "depth" of the blacks on various screens. Good screens will have more uniformity with their blacks and smooth gradients from black to white.

Sound quality

When checking the sound, listen for clear high notes – they shouldn't sound tinny or harsh. Mid-tones should be full-bodied and voices should be clear. Bass should be more than just a booming sound, and it shouldn't distort. Check where the speakers are placed, as speakers facing to the sides can produce a muffled sound.

Every time we test flat-panel TV sets we find many with average to poor sound quality. As manufacturers make the sets slimmer and reduce the edging that holds the screen in, they make decent sound increasingly difficult.

There's really only one answer: an external sound system. A relatively cheap home-theatre system will improve the sound of any TV we've tested. And true surround sound gives you a much more satisfying movie experience. We’ve also found an amplifier and speakers connected to a TV has produced better sound and cost significantly less than many expensive home-theatre systems. See our test of home-theatre speakers for some good options.

Connections

TV screens aren't always supplied with a full range of cables. Talk to the retailer about the best setup for you, and make sure you get this sorted before you take delivery of the TV. Make sure you get the right cables and connectors for your needs: your DVD player/recorder, home-theatre receiver, Sky decoder, cable decoder, camcorder, and so on.

For digital cables like HDMI cables and optical audio cables, remember there is little to no difference between an expensive cable and a cheap one, so don't be pressured into buying an expensive gold-plated version.

Camcorder users should look for easily accessed front or side connections. That means you won't have to fumble around at the back (or even worse, un-mount the screen from the wall) to plug in.

For details (and pictures of the plugs), see our illustrated guide to Television connection options.

If the connection challenge is too much for you, ask how much it would cost to have the television installed.

Internet TV

While many manufacturers are trumpeting 3D as the game changer in TVs, the real change is accessing the internet. Many of our recently-tested TVs have an ethernet connection, and some have built in WiFi (or the capability to use WiFi with an extra attachment). Sony has been strongly pushing TV internet access and has developed cameras that sit on top of your screen for Skype phone calling.

While these internet-through-the-TV systems compete well with Apple TV and other set-top boxes, they don’t compare yet with a full media-centre PC. You do need a keyboard and mouse beside your remote control, but it’s worth it for all the extra content you get through the TV.

Remote control

Look for a remote where the most frequently selected buttons (volume, channel selector, standby, and mute) are easy to use and placed prominently. It's best if these buttons are a different shape or size from the rest, so you can locate them by touch only.

On-screen menus and instructions

Check the on-screen menu to see how easy it is to read, and whether you'll be able to follow the instructions. As well, look for a manual with clearly labelled diagrams and step-by-step instructions, written in plain English.

Positioning

Ask about the cost of a wall mount (if that's where you want your screen). And think about where all those cables will go! To make it all look clean and tidy, the cables may have to be put inside your walls – usually at further cost. You'll need an electrician to fit an electrical outlet behind the screen and to install inside the wall all the other connections.

Child lock

A child lock disables specific channels or locks the on-board buttons, useful if you have small children.

The future of TV

The modern TV is now a powerhouse machine that can connect to the internet for extra content, record programmes, and show crystal-clear images even in 3D. The number one change in television is that it’s no longer limited to what the TV channels can offer you.

More and more people have been connecting computers to their TVs and surfing the internet, watching legally downloaded movies and TV shows, and creating a new kind of media centre.

Media centre PCs can be used as digital video recorders too. With downloadable on-screen guides and timetables, you can make yourself a nice little system to take the place of a set-top box. And with more computers having HDMI outputs it only makes sense to connect the computer to your TV.

TV manufacturers know that new TVs are basically giant computer monitors and so they've taken the next step: your TV is now a computer too.

Truly the global village

The future of TV won’t be constrained by broadcasters and what they want to show you. Instead it’ll give you almost limitless access to the world. Many of the sets we've tested are WiFi capable, which means they can connect to your home network and also the internet.

Most of the manufacturers now have their own menu systems and mini-applications that allow you to browse the web, get content from sites like YouTube and Facebook, or video-chat with friends and family through Skype. And a few companies have unique content streams such as music channels.

With more TVs being able to record and play from USB devices, soon you may not need a recording device – although extra boxes like Apple TV, Play TV and other media devices that sell and stream content might still survive. (Apple TV also works with your iPhone and iPad to display photos and videos and play music.)