If you are looking to buy a new TV, choosing an LCD might help you save you money on your electricity bill. The reason for this is that LCD televisions use a backlight behind the pixels to produce their image while plasma TVs have a light source for every single pixel on the screen.
Under the majority of viewing conditions, LCDs can use less than half the power of a plasma television. As LCDs move to LED backlighting, their power consumption will be even lower, giving them a further advantage over plasmas.
One thing to keep in mind is that plasma TVs could very well use less power if you normally view darker images like movies. This is because pixels displaying black do not require plasma’s direct lighting, but LCDs continue their same backlight though the light will not come through those black pixels. While this could make plasma an economical choice for a dedicated movie room, this one occasion that plasma comes out ahead is negated as screen resolutions rise.
As an example, a 720P plasma TV would require nearly 1 million individual light sources. However, when comparing televisions at 1080P, the plasma would need over 2 million light sources while the LCD has the single backlight no matter what the resolution. At some point, screen resolutions will likely increase further, making LCDs an even better choice.
While LCD televisions can help you reduce the amount of electricity you use, there is another way to reduce the power consumption of any TV. You should turn down the contrast or backlighting options in your menu. Not only will this cut the power usage, but it will also improve your image with deeper blacks and a less irritating light output.
Image by LGEPR
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