When considering buying a 52 inch LCD TV, you are looking at making a big investment into a big screen TV. You have a few options of 52” LCD TV sets from Samsung, Sharp and Toshiba, let’s take a look at the candidates.
Samsung LN52C530 52” LCD TV – This model is the cheapest option in this class at a price of $1300. It has a 52 inch 1080p full HD LCD display with a response time of 6ms, a refresh rate of 60 Hz and an 80,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. Just in case it’s not obvious, the reason it is the cheapest option is because it a conventional LCD TV with CCFL edge lighting and a 60 Hz technology. That’s not to say that there is anything wrong with this but the other two options below are more advanced and hence more expensive. It is not full of cutting edge technology, however it does have Samsung’s Wide Color Enhancer, SRS TruSurrond HD sound and USB PC connectivity. But none the less this Samsung LCD 52 inch LCD TV is enough to impress due to its display size alone.
Sharp LC-52LE700E 52” LCD TV – This is mid priced option in this class at a cost of $1900. It has a 52” 1080p full HD LCD display. However the big difference here is that this time it has a refresh rate of 100 Hz and LED backlighting system that gives a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1. The back lighting system does not have local dimming capabilities but it does produce mega contrast. What does this all mean, well basically the Sharp 52 inch LCD TV is going to produce considerably brighter and smoother images than the Samsung, but then so it should, it costs $600 more. Does it have any other additional features to shout about for the extra cash… no, what you are paying for is superior images. Perhaps one thing worth a mention is that because it uses LED lighting it is going to be friendlier to the environment both in terms of power consumption and being mercury free.
Toshiba 52XV648U 52” LCD TV – This is the most expensive option at a price of $2000. Again it has a 52 in 1080p full HD LCD display. This time it has a slightly higher refresh rate at 120 Hz with a response time of less than 8ms. As it is a conventional LCD TV (not LED lit) its contrast level does not compare to the Sharp model (or the Samsung) at 50,000:1 it has the lowest ratio. This Toshiba 52 inch LCD TV is also energy efficient as it meets Energy Star ratings.
As this hasn’t been a like for like comparison it can’t be said which is the best 52 inch LCD TV out of the three option. What can be said is if you are on a budget – go for the Samsung. If you want the better pictures, go for the Sharp or Toshiba, the difference is marginal the Sharp has better contrast, the Toshiba better refresh rate. The benefits of having LED back lighting and the $100 saving in price is enough to tip the balance so the Sharp LCD 52 inch TV is the choice to make.
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