LCD screens range from desktop-friendly 15-inch models up to 65-inch wide-screen wonders complete with speakers and TV tuners. At screen sizes smaller than 30 inches, HDTV LCDs still come at a premium price relative to conventional picture-tube sets, but the cost difference is much smaller than it once was. A 26-inch high-definition LCD, for instance, could sell for as little as $400. (A 26-inch wide-screen display has about the same screen height as a 21-inch TV with a conventional 4:3 aspect ratio.) And in large screen sizes of 50 inches and up, LCDs are now price-competitive with plasmas. According to the DisplaySearch Monthly Global TV E-Tail Pricing & Specification Database, the global average Internet price for LCD TVs fell by an average of 22 percent as compared with last year.

LCDs continue to play catch-up with plasma models in picture quality, however. LCD sets often come under criticism for having lower contrast ratios than their plasma counterparts, as they have a tougher time reproducing deep black and dark grays. They also have much slower response times (expressed in milliseconds) than plasmas. That limitation can lead to blurring in fast-moving action scenes, something that sports and video-game fiends are likely to find problematic. New advances in LCD technology have largely overcome the problem in the best sets, however. We'll talk about this further in .

LCDs are often one to several inches thicker than plasmas and have a somewhat narrower effective viewing angle. (Plasmas, like CRTs, are easily viewable from well off to the side and do not exhibit any change in brightness as you stand up or sit down.) On the other hand, LCDs are immune to burn-in, easier to view in brightly lit rooms, and just about always include all the standard features of a conventional TV. LCDs also run cooler than plasmas, which minimizes the need for potentially noisy cooling fans.

Another bonus of LCDs is that they give you the freedom to set them up almost anywhere in your house. LCDs work well in bright-light situations that would be tough for most plasmas. If you want your TV to serve double duty as a huge monitor, consider that LCDs are about a quarter to a third lighter than plasmas of the same size, so they're easier to tote between rooms.

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