In the labs: More TVs with 3D, LED backlights, Wi-Fi

New technologies are well represented in the new TVs now in our test labs, including two new 3D TVs, more LCD sets with LED backlighting, and two with Wi-Fi capability for wireless access to Internet-based content.

We're currently testing two new 3D TVs from Samsung, including a 58-inch set from the company's first 3D plasma line. (Check out our earlier coverage of Samsung's 3D LCD sets. Subscribers can view test results in our TV Ratings.) The plasma model, the 58-inch PN58C7000, is priced at about $2,400 (a smaller 50-inch version costs about $1,800). It has 1080p resolution and Internet access that includes streaming movies from services such as Blockbuster and Netflix.

The other 3D set is a 46-inch model from Samsung's lowest-priced 3D line. The LN46C750 costs about $1,500, and uses a fluorescent backlight rather than the LED backlights we've seen on the company's other 3D LCD models. It too has 1080p resolution, plus 240Hz technology, and the same online services found on the 3D plasma.

LED backlighting is showing up on more TVs, including a lower-priced, smaller-screen model, the Samsung UN32C4000, a 32-inch LCD set, which we saw selling for $630 today. This 720p model has edge-lit LEDs instead of the fluorescent backlights you might expect in this size and price range. Other noteworthy features include a slim 1.2-inch depth, a Touch of Color bezel, and four HDMI outputs, generous for this size.

We also have two Sony LCD TVs with edge-lit LEDs, the 46-inch Sony Bravia KDL-46EX600, about $1,300, and 52-inch KDL-52NX800, which we saw selling for about $2,500. Both are slim 1080p sets with sensors that automatically adjust the picture's brightness to room lighting. The larger set is among the few on the market to offer built-in Wi-Fi, which makes it more convenient to use its streaming video capabilities as you don't have to string a cable to your Internet connection. It also offers Internet video, including Netflix.

Two new Sharp LCDs with LED backlighting feature the company's new Quattron technology, a four-color filter that adds yellow to the traditional RGB. We're interested to see whether this provides what Sharp claims is "a vast array of colors." Both the 40-inch LC-40LE810UN, about $1,200, and 60-inch LC-60LE810UN, about $2,500, offer 1080p resolution and 120Hz technology and are less than 2 inches deep. This 60-inch model is also one of the Sharp TVs to offer a streaming movie service, Netflix.

Toshiba's 55-inch 55UX600, about $2,100, also has edge-lit LEDs. It comes with a Wi-Fi adapter, enabling cable-free Internet hookups to services including Vudu. It has 1080p resolution and 120Hz technology, plus a thin Air Lagoon design with a depth of about 2 inches. The 46-inch 46G300U offers 1080p and 120Hz for about $1,100. A third Toshiba is a smaller set that might work well for a bedroom or kitchen. The 26C100U, a 720p model, has a gaming mode and photo frame capability with auto slide-show. It costs about $400.

Also noteworthy in the LCD group is Panasonic's largest LCD TV ever, the 42-inch TC-L42U25, selling for about $800. Previously, Panasonic's LCD lineup topped out at 37 inches. This set has 1080p resolution and 120Hz technology.

Also in our labs is Haier America's HL40XSL2, a 40-inch LCD from its first edge-lit LED series. It has 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, plus a slim 1.2-inch profile. It's priced at about $1,000, and is available at stores such as Target and Walmart. The line also includes LED models in unusually small screen sizes—19, 22, and 24 inches. Rounding out the LCD group is the 720p 26-inch Sylvania LC260S1, about $330.

We're also testing two LG plasma TVs, both with 1080p resolution and a sensor that adjust the picture's brightness to room conditions: the LG Infinia 50PK750, $1,260, and 60PK540, $1,700. The Infinia model is a step-up set that's Wi-Fi ready (optional), and its Internet services include Netflix and Vudu streaming movies. Both sets are only about 2 inches thick.

Finally, we have a 54-inch plasma from Panasonic, the TC-P54G25, about $1,800. It includes Internet connectivity with access to streaming movie services from Amazon and Netflix. It also includes the Skype video phone service, which requires an optional video camera ($170). You can also attach a keyboard and wireless LAN adapter via USB.

—Eileen McCooey