The electronics market is an increasingly confusing one with new technologies appearing all the time. If you’re in the market for a new TV and have already done some research you’ll know that LCD and Plasma are the ones to buy. But which is best? We won’t tell you, but we will give you enough information to make your own mind up.

The answer in short depends entirely on what you watch. LCD TV’s are great for everyday use. They are bright, slim, energy efficient and work well in most environments. Plasmas produce better colors, contrast and sharpness than LCD’s but aren’t as bright. Ideally they need a dim or darkened room to get the best out of them.

LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display and works by using a special liquid that is somewhere between liquid and solid. This chemical is highly conductive, and reflective so when it’s subjected to current it twists in a predictable way producing the light. Each pixel has three divisions, red, green and blue which react in different ways to the voltage. The electronics in the TV decides what color needs to be displayed in each pixel and provides the appropriate charge to produce it.

The downside is that light leaks through each pixel even when it isn’t charged, which is why most of the time black is more a dark gray. There are various technologies to minimize this, but they have yet to produce true black.

Plasma works differently in that each pixel contains a gas that when subjected to a charge produces phosphors which emits the color. Each pixel, or cell acts like a light bulb, emitting light in 360 degrees. This means that a plasma TV can’t be viewed at the angles an LCD can, but the light quality is better. Colors are richer, contrast is more defined and the overall picture quality is sharper than an LCD. The problem with plasma is that despite being more powerful than LCD it produces less light. This is why they work best in a darkened or dim room. They also consume more energy. LCD electronics technology has come far in the last few years, but still lags behind plasma for sharpness and contrast. Both technologies are being developed at a fast rate, but fewer manufacturers are supporting plasma, moving instead to LCD. Currently only three manufacturers are still in the plasma market, Samsung, Panasonic and Chanchong who supplies LG and others. Despite this, development still runs apace and plasma technology is still competitive.

So, the choice between the two technologies comes down to what you want to use the TV for. If you’re after an everyday device that will be in a normally lit room, an LCD would suit you better. If you want a large screen for HD movies and occasional viewing in a darkened room then a plasma will fit the bill perfectly.