What Is the Difference Between Plasma and LCD TVs?

Both plasma and LCD TVs offer higher-definition images than the original CRT TV technology, but they each take a different route to get that pivotal scene from a movie or sporting event to the screen.

Plasma TVs generate the image using small cells containing electrically charged ionized gases between two panes of glass. These are essentially tiny lamps that are luminous when electrodes “electrify” them. Plasma TVs do not require any backlighting and are best viewed in a dark room. They offer superior color rendering, deep blacks, wider viewing angles and cinema-quality image reproduction, all of which make them a popular choice for home theaters. [What's the Difference Between LED and LCD TVs?]

LCD (liquid crystal display) TVs essentially employ the same technology used in computer and laptop screens. LCDs may rely on one or two large fluorescent lamps as a backlight source, but the different colors are controlled by units that control the passage of light from the backlight to red, green, or blue images on the front of the panel. They are generally more energy efficient than plasma TVs and are viewable in a bright room. In addition, LCD TVs are typically the flattest of the flat-screen TVs.

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