Planning on doing the majority of your gaming from a couch? You might need to upgrade your HDTV then. Significant advances in the last few years have made LED and Plasma the preferred choice for gaming. Here are some of the best with features specifically geared towards gaming.
Panasonic TC-P50S60 50" 1080p Plasma
Don’t worry, Plasma HDTVs have come a long way since the days of burn-in. That doesn’t happen anymore. Instead, you’re just left with darker black levels without any of the hassle. This 50-inch (also available in 60 and 65-inch) plasma HDTV is among the best available and features a 600Hz refresh rate with extremely low display lag. It comes with built-in Wireless LAN, allowing you to connect to the internet for online streaming services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Instant Video without the need of additional hardware. That’s important too, as the TC-P50S60 only has two HDMI ports, making them all the more vital if you don’t have a receiver to manage ports with. Most of all, the large screen size makes it perfect for sitting back on the couch without having to worry about missing any details. Sadly, Panasonic's plasma lines will soon go the way of the dinosaur, as the company has announced it is discontinuing all plasma display production, so if you want one, act fast.
Specs:
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Toshiba 39L1350U 39-Inch 1080p LED
Looking for something a little smaller? Toshiba’s 39L1350 is a 39-inch (also available in 23, 29, 32, 50, and 58-inch sizes) LED HDTV that manages to not only squeeze out a 1080p display, but also a 120Hz refresh rate at a highly inexpensive price. There’s even a special Game Mode that claims to reduce controller delay when enabled. Because of the LED panel, it uses very little power compared to comparable Plasma and LCD sets. On top of that, it has more ports that most other similarly-priced options, offering three HDMI inputs, a VGA input for your PC, and a Component input for any of your older consoles. That’s extremely helpful and keeps you from needing to reach behind to swap out systems. Of note, however, is that it doesn’t have a headphone jack, so if you’re planning to use it that way, you’ll need an adapter.
Specs:
See it:
Samsung UN75F6400 75-Inch 1080p 3D LED
You want to go big, you say? Then Samsung’s UN75F6400 is your best bet. It’s a 75-Inch (also available in 40, 46, 50, 55, 60, and 65-inch models) 3D Slim Smart LED. It’s extremely large, while managing to be slimmer that most other options on this list. Not only that, but it’s 1080p resolution, has a 120Hz refresh rate, and full active 3D capabilities. It’s a powerhouse of a machine. With the 120Hz refresh rate, games will never look even better...until you play them in 3D. It’s fully compatible with both PlayStation 3’s 3D games and 3D Bluray movies. It even has a dual core processor that allows you to take advantage of the system’s smart apps and web browser without having to stop what you’re doing. You can pull up Grand Theft Auto cheat codes on the side while entering them in your game.
Specs:
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VIZIO E500i-A1 50-inch 1080p LED
The VIZIO E500i-A1 isn’t you typical 50-inch LED HDTV, it’s ultra slim frame allows for an immersive experience that leaves behind the giant black frame surrounding most HDTVs. It has a 120Hz refresh rate to make your games look better than ever and future proof you, just in case you ever decide to plug a gaming PC into it. It has wifi built-in too, so you can watch Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Instant Video without having to quit out of your game to load it up on your console. Best of all, it packs all of this into a ridiculously inexpensive price, especially for a thin-bezel display. It even has a built-in subwoofer to take advantage of the bass in your games if you’re stuck using the built-in speakers.
Specs:
See It:
Sony Bravia KDL-55W802A 55-inch 1080p 3D LED
The Sony Bravia KDL-55W802A is the perfect gaming HDTV if you’re comfortable with the size. It has a 1080p, 120Hz LED display that picks up even the brightest of colors in-game and makes them all the more vibrant. It even has a unique front surround technology that uses the display’s built-in speakers to create a simulated surround sound environment, which is great if you aren’t pairing it with an expensive surround sound system. It also has 3D capabilities which, since it’s a Sony TV, allow for simultaneous multiplayer on one screen through SimulView. Using the passive 3D glasses, it splits the screen in half virtually for select PlayStation 3 games, showing a different perspective for each person wearing the 3D glasses. Most importantly, it has minimal display lag, making it perfect for hardcore gaming sessions.
Specs:
See It:
Alex Rubens is a freelance writer based in Seattle who spends too much time talking about Star Wars and The Fast and The Furious. Talk to him about it on*Twitter at @alexrubens.
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Panasonic TC-P50S60 50" 1080p Plasma
Don’t worry, Plasma HDTVs have come a long way since the days of burn-in. That doesn’t happen anymore. Instead, you’re just left with darker black levels without any of the hassle. This 50-inch (also available in 60 and 65-inch) plasma HDTV is among the best available and features a 600Hz refresh rate with extremely low display lag. It comes with built-in Wireless LAN, allowing you to connect to the internet for online streaming services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Instant Video without the need of additional hardware. That’s important too, as the TC-P50S60 only has two HDMI ports, making them all the more vital if you don’t have a receiver to manage ports with. Most of all, the large screen size makes it perfect for sitting back on the couch without having to worry about missing any details. Sadly, Panasonic's plasma lines will soon go the way of the dinosaur, as the company has announced it is discontinuing all plasma display production, so if you want one, act fast.
Specs:
- Type: Plasma
- Size: 50-inch, 1080p
- Refresh rate: 600Hz
- Ports: 2 HDMI, 2 USB, Optical Cable
See it:
Toshiba 39L1350U 39-Inch 1080p LED
Looking for something a little smaller? Toshiba’s 39L1350 is a 39-inch (also available in 23, 29, 32, 50, and 58-inch sizes) LED HDTV that manages to not only squeeze out a 1080p display, but also a 120Hz refresh rate at a highly inexpensive price. There’s even a special Game Mode that claims to reduce controller delay when enabled. Because of the LED panel, it uses very little power compared to comparable Plasma and LCD sets. On top of that, it has more ports that most other similarly-priced options, offering three HDMI inputs, a VGA input for your PC, and a Component input for any of your older consoles. That’s extremely helpful and keeps you from needing to reach behind to swap out systems. Of note, however, is that it doesn’t have a headphone jack, so if you’re planning to use it that way, you’ll need an adapter.
Specs:
- Type: LED
- Size: 39-inch, 1080p
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Ports: 3 HDMI, USB, VGA, Component
See it:
Samsung UN75F6400 75-Inch 1080p 3D LED
You want to go big, you say? Then Samsung’s UN75F6400 is your best bet. It’s a 75-Inch (also available in 40, 46, 50, 55, 60, and 65-inch models) 3D Slim Smart LED. It’s extremely large, while managing to be slimmer that most other options on this list. Not only that, but it’s 1080p resolution, has a 120Hz refresh rate, and full active 3D capabilities. It’s a powerhouse of a machine. With the 120Hz refresh rate, games will never look even better...until you play them in 3D. It’s fully compatible with both PlayStation 3’s 3D games and 3D Bluray movies. It even has a dual core processor that allows you to take advantage of the system’s smart apps and web browser without having to stop what you’re doing. You can pull up Grand Theft Auto cheat codes on the side while entering them in your game.
Specs:
- Type: LED
- Size: 75-inch
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Ports: 4 HDMI
See It:
VIZIO E500i-A1 50-inch 1080p LED
The VIZIO E500i-A1 isn’t you typical 50-inch LED HDTV, it’s ultra slim frame allows for an immersive experience that leaves behind the giant black frame surrounding most HDTVs. It has a 120Hz refresh rate to make your games look better than ever and future proof you, just in case you ever decide to plug a gaming PC into it. It has wifi built-in too, so you can watch Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Instant Video without having to quit out of your game to load it up on your console. Best of all, it packs all of this into a ridiculously inexpensive price, especially for a thin-bezel display. It even has a built-in subwoofer to take advantage of the bass in your games if you’re stuck using the built-in speakers.
Specs:
- Type: LED
- Size: 50-inch, 1080p
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Ports: 4 HDMI, Component
See It:
Sony Bravia KDL-55W802A 55-inch 1080p 3D LED
The Sony Bravia KDL-55W802A is the perfect gaming HDTV if you’re comfortable with the size. It has a 1080p, 120Hz LED display that picks up even the brightest of colors in-game and makes them all the more vibrant. It even has a unique front surround technology that uses the display’s built-in speakers to create a simulated surround sound environment, which is great if you aren’t pairing it with an expensive surround sound system. It also has 3D capabilities which, since it’s a Sony TV, allow for simultaneous multiplayer on one screen through SimulView. Using the passive 3D glasses, it splits the screen in half virtually for select PlayStation 3 games, showing a different perspective for each person wearing the 3D glasses. Most importantly, it has minimal display lag, making it perfect for hardcore gaming sessions.
Specs:
- Type: 3D LED
- Size: 55-inch
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Ports: 4 HDMI, Component, Composite
See It:
Alex Rubens is a freelance writer based in Seattle who spends too much time talking about Star Wars and The Fast and The Furious. Talk to him about it on*Twitter at @alexrubens.
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