LED vs LCD TV vs Plasma
The first thing you should know is that LED is actually LCD. This has to do with marketing, and that people don’t understand the different back lighting technologies. The panel itself is always LCD no matter if you buy LED or LCD.
Basically, standard LCD TVs use CFL lights. You know, like those “energy efficient” light bulbs that keep getting pushed. Well, same thing here. If you notice, they’re also pushing out LED light bulbs. So why don’t TVs adopt this technology as well?
Well that’s pretty much what’s happening.
CCFL vs EDGE LIT vs FULL ARRAY
Edge Lit LED vs Full Array LED
TV manufacturers use two different standards for LED. One is where they only put the back lighting on the edge, allowing for extremely thin screens and the other is having an array of LED lights in the back, which is considered Full Array LED.
Picture Quality Advantages
Neither one makes much difference in picture quality when compared to regular LCD screens using the old CFL standard.
Power Consumption & Longevity
It does have less power consumption and will probably last longer. Those are the only real advantages.
Full Array With Local Dimming
Full array with local dimming is what you want to buy if you’re going with LED. If you don’t go this route, you’re just overpaying for something that will deliver the same picture quality as the old LCD models. This can produce much better blacks and color in general. Maybe even start to compete with Plasma displays.
Power Consumption & Longevity
Unfortunately, there’s really no gains here. Regular LCDs will use about the same amount of power. Longevity should be more than LCD panels.
Edge Lit With Local Dimming
This is kinda like the bargain version of full array with local dimming. You will notice SOME improvement in picture quality, but not the full effect.
Power Consumption & Longevity
Obviously, due to the display not being fully lit in the back, it’s going to use less power. Will it use less than regular LCDs? Yes. Longevity should be more than LCD.
My opinion on LED vs LCD
I really don’t think LED is ready for prime time. Much the same with LED light bulbs, it’s just not there yet. It does offer some advantages over LCD, but not enough to justify the extremely high prices of full array with local dimming, which is the only “real” LED TV in my book. The rest you really ought to just get LCD or Plasma if you want better picture.
Plasma
From a value standpoint, I still think plasmas are king and unless you plan to put the TV in a brightly lit area there’s no reason not to go with Plasma. Over the years plasma has gotten better and better with their display technology, burn in is no longer an issue, plasmas use less power than they did, and overall it’s a pretty solid technology. LED will have its day soon, but not now.
