It's easy to become confused when deciding between an LCD and a plasma TV. Thanks to continued improvements in technologies, the best sets of both types are capable of excellent picture quality, and the major brands have been equally reliable for the first few years, according to our survey data. And both are slim and flat, just a few inches thick, no matter how large the screen.

Each of the flat-panel technologies has its inherent characteristics and differences to consider, though.

Plasma HDTVs: Plasma sets are known for deep blacks, accurate colors, and minimal blurring of fast motion, making them a great choice for action movies and sports. Their wide viewing angles ensure that no one in the room has a bad seat. However, their shiny screens can reflect light from windows and lamps, so they tend to look best in dimly lighted rooms. In the biggest sizes, plasma offers more screen for the money than a comparable LCD. For about $2,000 to $2,500, you can buy a highly rated 50-inch plasma TV from an established brand with a low incidence of repairs for the first few years, according to our surveys. Some emerging brands go for hundreds less, but we have no data on reliability. With LCD TVs, prices for 46-inch and larger models from major brands with a good record for reliability during the first few years run $3,000 and up, a bit lower for lesser-known brands.

Images displayed for a prolonged period of time--such as station logos, video games and stock tickers--can burn in on a plasma screen. Most new sets have screensaver or pixel-shifting features that minimize the risk, but we still recommend you avoid displaying static images for hours on end. Plasmas are generally heavier than LCDs with comparably sized screens, which might be a consideration if you're wall-mounting the set yourself. Don't be concerned that a plasma TV will have a short lifespan. These sets are now rated to give 60,000 or more hours of use.

There are currently only a few plasmas on the market with 1080p resolution (1920x1080). That is sometimes called "full HD" in ads. The first sets have been very expensive, but new sets selling in the $3,000 range should be out soon. (See the post about "New Pioneer Plasma TVs" on our free Electronics Blog.)

LCD HDTVs: These screens generally have minimal reflections, so it won't appear as if you're looking in a mirror when you watch dark scenes in a brightly lighted room. There are also a lot more LCDs with 1080p resolutions, which gives a TV the potential to display more and finer detail than models with lower resolution, and they carry less of a price premium than 1080p plasmas. Those characteristics make LCDs a better choice for playing high-def video games and for use as a computer monitor, though plasmas can serve those purposes as well. You'll also appreciate the higher resolution if you display slide shows of your digital photos.

The best new LCDs continue to address the weaknesses of this technology, improving their black levels, response times, and viewing angles, among other things. Most still don't render blacks as deeply as plasmas, though, and you might find some blurring of fast motion on some. Some newer models now have 120Hz refresh rates, which are designed to reduce incidents of motion blur. Our engineers have not yet seen a noticeable improvement from this faster refresh rate, though. Viewing angles on most LCDs are still narrower than on a plasma as well, so images might dim or show a shift in color when viewed from the side. Nevertheless, several of the newest LCDs we tested have made noticeable strides in those areas.