Compare Side-by-Side: Best LCD TV

The Samsung LN52B750’s winning combination of superb performance, great energy efficiency, and... read more

The Samsung LN52B750’s winning combination of superb performance, great energy efficiency, and value make it the best LCD TV overall. It outperforms nearly all other LCD TVs, including Samsung’s ultra-thin LED edge-lit models. This HDTV is also very energy efficient and has plenty of interactive features including Yahoo! Widgets for stocks, weather, news, and other information. The LN52B750 has excellent picture quality, delivering accurate colors and very deep blacks. Color temperature is also accurate, especially after adjusting the white balance controls. One of the step-up features found on the LNB750 series is a 240Hz refresh rate. While you may not be able to clearly see the benefits over a 120Hz refresh rate, this HDTV does a solid job with video processing. Like with most Samsung’s TVs, there are plenty of adjustment options to help you get just the right picture, including five color temperature presets, adjustable dejudder processing, seven-position gamma control, color space control and plenty more. The adjustable dejudder processing lets you set judder reduction and blur reduction separately.

Connectivity should be sufficient for most. Four HDMI ports, an Ethernet port, two component video inputs, one RF input, one stereo analog, one VGA PC input, one optical digital audio output, two USB ports and an AV input are all included. If you need an S-video input though, you’ll find yourself out of luck. A particularly noteworthy feature is the ability to upgrade the set’s firmware via the Ethernet port.

If plasma TVs are not for you and you’re still looking for top-notch picture quality at a reasonable price, then the Samsung LN52B750 is one of the best options out there. While it can’t match the sleekness or energy efficiency of the company’s edge-lit LCD TVs, it offers much more bang for the buck and delivers superior performance. Anyone shopping for an LCD TV should put this one at or near the top of their list. read less

Samsung’s B650 series improves upon last year’s A650 series LCD TVs, which were praised ... read more

Samsung’s B650 series improves upon last year’s A650 series LCD TVs, which were praised for their combination of performance and value. The LN46B650 offers superb picture quality and is one of the best performing HDTVs available. Black levels are very deep, colors are very accurate, and there are plenty of adjustable settings for fine-tuning. However, the screen is very glossy, which may be a problem in brightly lit rooms. Similar to the B750 series and UNB6000/7000 series, the B650 series offers excellent video processing. One of the most welcome features is customizable dejudder processing, which lets you adjust judder and blur settings separately. While this set doesn’t offer a 240Hz refresh rate like the B750, you’ll be hard pressed to see a significant difference.

The B650 series includes Yahoo! widgets and access to information such as weather, news, and stocks. Connectivity is sufficient with 4 HDMI inputs, 2 component inputs, and a PC input. This set also includes 2 USB ports and an Ethernet port that can be used to download firmware updates.

Overall, this HDTV is an excellent choice for anyone seeking an affordable HDTV with excellent picture quality. While it can’t match the performance of the B750 series, it’s without a doubt one of the best performing LCD TVs available. It also can’t beat the best plasmas, but is far more energy efficient, which makes it a great alternative. read less

The Samsung LNB550 series is less expensive than the LNB650 series, but still delivers very good ima... read more

The Samsung LNB550 series is less expensive than the LNB650 series, but still delivers very good image quality with accurate colors and relatively deep black levels. The Samsung LN46B550 comes in a stylish sleek cabinet with a Red Touch of Color. It’s equipped with 4 HDMI inputs, 2 component inputs, 1 composite input, 1 PC input, and 1 USB port. While this set lacks the network connectivity features found on more expensive models, many TV viewers are unlikely to use them anyway. If you’re shopping for an LCD TV on a budget, the B550 series is an excellent choice. This series also includes the 32-inch LN32B550, 37-inch LN37B550, 40-inch LN40B550, and 52-inch LN52B550. read less

Sony’s KLD-52V5100, which is comparable to Samsung’s B550 series, is one of the best val... read more

Sony’s KLD-52V5100, which is comparable to Samsung’s B550 series, is one of the best values among LCD TVs. It offers excellent picture quality with great color but remains affordable compared to other 52” LCD TVs. This set offers plenty of connectivity options with 4 HDMI inputs, component inputs, and a PC input. Overall, it’s an excellent value among LCD TV’s with performance that won’t disappoint. read less

Samsung’s UNB7000 series has an incredibly sleek, ultra-thin design (1.2” thick) and exc... read more

Samsung’s UNB7000 series has an incredibly sleek, ultra-thin design (1.2” thick) and exceptional energy efficiency because of its edge-lit LED backlighting technology. Additionally, this HDTV has solid video processing and features network connectivity that allows you to receive content from Yahoo! and Flickr such as stocks, weather, news, and photo albums.

However, there are also some downsides -- most notably, the Samsung UN55B7000 is very expensive yet its image quality can’t match the performance of the best flat-panel HDTVs, including less expensive models such as the Panasonic G10 series or Samsung B750 series. Compared to these HDTVs, the Samsung UN55B7000 does not perform as well in terms of black level performance, off-angle viewing, or uniformity. While black levels are still very deep, there is noticeable backlight fluctuation that hurts overall black level performance.

Though there are some flaws in image quality, it’s still very good overall. Color temperature and primary colors are very accurate, and there are tons of adjustment options to help obtain an optimal picture. For example, Samsung offers five color temperature presets, gamma control, and white balance control. There’s even a custom mode for adjusting the dejudder processing, which works very well.

As far as connectivity, most users will find it sufficient. There are 4 HDMI inputs, a PC (VGA) input, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, and an Ethernet port. Both the USB port and Ethernet ports can be used to upgrade the TV’s firmware, which makes the process very convenient. However, if you have a lot of older devices with analog connections, you may find connectivity limited since there’s only a single component input (which can be converted to accept composite video as well).

Ultimately, your decision to buy this HDTV will come down to what’s most important to you. If design, energy efficiency, and features are top priorities, then the Samsung UB7000 series is nearly impossible to beat. But if you’re looking for the best price/performance ratio, there are better buys out there. Available in 40”, 46” and 55” sizes. read less