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LCD, LED or Plasma for Computer Usage?

OrbitzXT

OrbitzXT

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Joined
Mar 22, 2007
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Location
New York City
System Specs
System Name AX-01
Processor Intel Core i5-2500K @3.7 GHz
Motherboard ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3
Cooling Zalman 9700
Memory Kingston HyperX T1 Series 8GB DDR3 1600 MHZ
Video Card(s) GTX 590
Storage Intel X25-M
Display(s) 42" Samsung LED HDTV
Case Antec Twelve Hundred
Audio Device(s) HT | OMEGA STRIKER 7.1
Power Supply Kingwin 1000W
Software Windows 7 64-Bit
Right now I have an LCD 32" 1080p HDTV Sharp Aquos. The screen is primarily used as my computer monitor and I've enjoyed it a lot. Occasionally I switch over and use it to play my 360, and occasionally during major sporting events I'll use it for TV watching. Lately though I've been wanting to upgrade, but there seem to be a lot of choices out there. Friends have been telling me that newer Plasmas don't suffer from burn in issues, though would that be true even for someone who plans to use it as a PC monitor?

LED screens seem to be nice for TV and movie watching, but will I notice a huge difference using an LED screen over an LCD screen while playing PC games, or just simply doing everyday tasks on the PC? Also, will the LED screen have a nicer image for Xbox 360 games?

I'm a little unsure what I want to spend right now, I'd like to keep it under $1500 I think. I'm not sure if I should go for a higher quality screen like the LEDs or Plasma, or stick with LCD and just get a much larger screen since they've gotten cheaper recently. The only thing I'm completely certain of is it must be 1080p. I've used 720p HDTV's as PC screens before and I didn't care for it. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. Also I plan to make this purchase with NewEgg, since I have my Preferred Account there, so if you're going to link any TV's please do so from there. Thank you!
 
For a PC, I think a LED LCD screen is the way to go. Less heat output, less energy usage which is all easier on the person using it, especially since you generally sit cloer to a PC screen than a television. A plasma just won't last very long as a PC monitor, hence the reason you never see them. Now if they would just start selling OLED monitors we'd all be happy. :toast:
 
Only guy I know using a plasma for their PC, besides W1zzard at one point, is Solaris17. Maybe shoot him off a PM and see if he will chime in for some pro/caons for the plasma end.

I agree with erocker that the plasma will most likely eat a ton of power, but I havent actually had my hands on a plasma in say 5 years. That may be a lot less of a gap then there was when plasmas first hit the market.
 
Heat and energy aren't huge concerns for me personally. I think I'm most concerned about just getting the best image quality for the price. Do things like 120Hz vs 240Hz make a difference when it comes to using HDTVs as monitors?
 
WUXGA projector on a 100+" screen. :D
 
Yeah today's plasmas don't really have burn in issues for normal viewing, but PC may be a different story. So long as your good about having the screen saver turn on or turn off the monitor after 15 minutes of idle you should be fine, but extremely prolonged static images could give you trouble. Bang for your buck image quality no doubt a good plasma will be king (look into the new panasonics and samsungs that are rolling out this month through next), but LEDs look pretty sharp with PC images.
 
LCD or LED is the way my cousin uses a 46" sammy 240hz for his laptop hes like 2-3ft away from it lol
 
The higher the hertz, the less "ghosting" you will see. Do you have a budget? There are some LCD screens out there that blow everything else out of the water. If you can find a smaller (24" or so) monitor with a very high resolution, obviously that will give you very good image quality.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ption=&Ntk=&CFG=&SpeTabStoreType=&srchInDesc=


Delta6326 said:
LCD or LED is the way my cousin uses a 46" sammy 240hz for his laptop hes like 2-3ft away from it lol
Click to expand...

That will seriously make him nearsighted/blind.
 
No such thing as an LED display. There are LCD displays that use LED backlighting. Other than that, though, for your $1500 budget, I think you'll find plasma and LED backlit LCD displays to be of about equal quality and that it will just come down to personal preference. Personally, I like plasma better--brighter colors, blacker blacks, etc., but the LED backlit LCDs are catching up real fast and exceeding plasmas in a lot of cases. Honestly, the most important thing is not the technology that you choose, but that you calibrate it properly to make sure the color temp and the contrast and the brightness and the sharpness are properly set.
 
Burn in is not an issue for current plasmas--they've handled that issue, unless you plan on running a static graphic 24/7 on them. LCDs tend to use a lot less electricity than plasmas, if that is a concern. Average plasma costs about twice as much to run.
 
OrbitzXT said:
Right now I have an LCD 32" 1080p HDTV Sharp Aquos.
Click to expand...

I don't mean to spoil your plans but with that monitor I wouldn't upgrade. Unless you intend to go much larger, or go 1920x1200....

If you were in Europe I'd buy your 32" from you. :)
 
Black Panther said:
I don't mean to spoil your plans but with that monitor I wouldn't upgrade. Unless you intend to go much larger, or go 1920x1200....

If you were in Europe I'd buy your 32" from you. :)
Click to expand...

It is a great screen, but I feel I'm ready for something bigger. Plus I have an old tube TV in my room that I use for TV watching most of the time, I'd like to make the 32" Aquos my default screen for TV watching.
 
Honestly speaking I will just get the one that is priced the best. IMO all the screens have matured enough to be of comparable quality, an average user will not be able to differentiate between all three unless he is actively comparing between them.
 
CJCerny said:
No such thing as an LED display. There are LCD displays that use LED backlighting.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is what all of us here are refering to. ;)

Orbitz, I see you are looking at televisions. If that's the case, and you have no budget concerns, I would go with a plasma.
 
OrbitzXT said:
I'm deciding at the moment between an LED and a Plasma. Here are the two contenders...

Plasma:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889005086

LED:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889253217

I'm leaning with the Plasma at the moment because it cost slightly less, is a little bit bigger. Though is this Plasma one of the newer ones that I won't have to constantly worry about burn in? Or do I need a newer model?
Click to expand...

The panasonic you linked above would be a better choice than the LG (the U1, the G10 46" is also being sold @ newegg for $899 now, which is a deal). Again, so long as you don't leave very prolonged static images on the screen you should be fine with burn in. Also w/ plasmas don't max out the brightness for until after 100 hours or so of viewing. The regza would be a fine choice as well. Tough call, but I'd lean toward the panny.
 
Samsung pn50b650 gets my vote. It's my favorite tv in the world. This site seems to be offering it at a very low price which is either good or bad. I didn't look in to how "real" or "safe" they are, but pn50b650 gets my vote for sure. It'll be my TV of choice once I have a house :)

Edit: I did a reverse phone look up for the number listed. The listed address for the site is Canada and the UK but the number given traces to dublin, pennsylvania. Therefore I'll just delete the link so someone doesn't stroll across it and become excited over something potentially dangerous to their money
 
Last edited:
Check the specs of the TV ahead of time My TV will only go 60hz when connected to a PC
it's a 120hz TV LG 47LH40...

Most TV's have a default setting for devices that cannot be changed

Go to the TV site and read the Manual I think most people here would be surprised at How many 240hz etc.. TV's will only do 60hz when connected to a pc
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889253209

I have read nothing but good reviews from this TV. It is 120hz, but it uses 60Hz input and converts that. I want it for the living room where I can't fit anything bigger without new furnature. Plus I can game on it and watch netflix and get a BR drive for my PC.
 
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