Buy Now or Wait?

By Scott Wilkinson • Posted: Jul 15, 2008

Peter Zolldan asks a perennial question:

I have been thinking about buying a larger LCD HDTV soon. Should I wait a little longer until more LED backlit displays are available or purchase now? My short list includes the Sharp LC-52SE94U, Samsung LN52A750, and a few different Sonys, such as the KDL-52XBR4 and KDL-52W4100, which I believe is about the equivalent of the XBR4. I also really like the looks of the KDL-40Z4100.

All consumer-electronics shoppers are faced with a similar question—buy now or wait for the Next Big Thing? The answer depends on several factors. For example, how urgently do you need it? If you're current TV is in its death throes, you might not have the luxury of waiting.

Then there's the question of new versus mature technology. I tend to avoid buying anything in its first—or even second—generation, preferring to wait until all the kinks have been worked out in the hands of unpaid beta testers (aka early adopters). On the other hand, I realize that if a substantial number of early adopters don't buy a new technology, it might never mature, so I always applaud them.

Regarding your specific question, I am a great believer in modern LED backlighting with local dimming, which changes the brightness of the backlight in different regions of the screen depending on the brightness of the image in those regions. This results is astonishing black levels and extremely wide contrast ratios, but it can also cause halos around small bright elements in an otherwise dark environment, such as white credits on a black background.

There are very few such LCD TVs available today, and like all new technology, they are more expensive than their conventional counterparts. As I recall, one of the early Sony Qualia LCD TVs had LED backlighting, but Samsung was first to bring this technology to a wider audience with its 81 series, which is still available. I reviewed the LN-T4681 for The Perfect Vision last year, and I liked it very much except for its sub-par shadow detail. Samsung and Sony have new models due out this fall or winter.

As for the conventionally backlit models you mention, I really like the Sony KDL-52XBR4 and Samsung LN52A750, with a preference for the Samsung. I'll soon be getting the Sony KDL-52W4100 for review, so look for that in the coming weeks. Sharp has not sent me an LCD TV to review in quite some time (was it something I said?), so I don't know how the LC-52SE94U stacks up.

Bottom line: If you opt for the next generation of LED-backlit LCD TVs, you'll be waiting at least until late this year, and you'll pay a premium. If your timeframe and budget allow, this is a promising option. On the other hand, the Sony XBR4 and Samsung A750 models produce an excellent picture for less cost, and they're available now, along with many other choices. Which way you go depends on your particular situation, but either way, I doubt you'll be disappointed.

If you have an audio/video question for me, please send it to scott.wilkinson@sourceinterlink.com.

Comments

Submitted by dave on July 15, 2008 - 4:44pm.

I'm a technician in woodland hills.I would like to tell you i've been waiting to buy my next HDTV.I currently have a sony kd34xbr970.It has one of best pictures i have seen on a HDTV.I just like the crt tvs.Just thought you you would like my opinion.

Submitted by Scott Wilkinson on July 15, 2008 - 5:02pm.

I appreciate your opinion; thanks for sharing! I agree that CRT TVs generally produce a fantastic picture, but for me, they are too heavy and bulky, and the screen is too small. If you want a flat panel that approaches CRT picture quality, the Pioneer Kuro plasmas are just the ticket.

Submitted by Cajun_Mike on July 16, 2008 - 10:13am.

With the way the Pioneer Kuro plasmas and even the Panasonic plasmas look, I just see no reason to purchase a LCD unless it's going into a room with lots of natural light that can't be squelched or if it's going into a sun room or back patio.

Submitted by Claude on July 16, 2008 - 10:24am.

I own a Sony XBR800 34" CRT and the picture is fantastic but I do agree the screen is is not as big as I'd like and the set is very heavy. A friend bought the 52" Sony XBR4 LCD and it is beautiful. I'm not much of a Samsung fan but their sets look nice too. My preference is Sony. As to "buy now or later"....you have to bite the bullet sometime....technology marches forward and if you don't jump, you will never own anything.

Submitted by Scott Wilkinson on July 16, 2008 - 10:42am.

Amen, Claude! I often say the same thing...if you keep waiting for the Next Big Thing, you'll never get anything. Also, even though technology marches on, whatever you get now isn't going to degrade just because something better comes along in the future...it will continue to perform as well as the day you got it. The only thing that could change is your attitude toward it when you learn of something better, and you have control of your attitude.

Submitted by The Flap on July 17, 2008 - 6:29am.

LED backlight looks to stay a premium for sets for quite a while. But as the technology improves the cost will go down. I say wait for the third gen of led backlit set to come out then you have the best of price/reliability/performance. On the plus side this can only drive down the conventional backlight models even more. BUt if someone wants a happy feel good about their purchase then they won't get it, because there is always something better on the way.

Submitted by Ron on July 17, 2008 - 8:05am.

I have had a 65 in. "Toshiba" 1080i ISF calibrated RP CRT for six and a half years now. The depth of color and black levels still today can't be beat. The only video monitor I have seen that comes close to matching it is the Pioneer "Elite" Kuro and to get a similar size television to what I have still has a considerable price tag attached to it in Plasma. In my opinion, LCD"s are still very two-dimensional in their presentation and and I can't get around the fact that, (call me picky), I am just watching a television picture on a large computer screen. Perhaps it is "pie in the sky", but I am hoping my current set continues to last for awhile until new OR existing technology comes forth that provides me with a comparable size screen and picture to what I have along with a reasonable price.

Submitted by David Vaughn on July 17, 2008 - 10:25am.

When I was buying a TV for our spare bedroom/kids video game room, I went with plasma over LCD because the picture was far superior in the price/size range I was looking in. I purchased the Vizio 1080p 50" plasma from Costco for $1399 and it has an impressive (yet not perfect) picture. If it was for my primary viewing, I would have went with the Kuro without hesitation. David

Submitted by Casey on July 23, 2008 - 8:29am.

I own a Sony 34XBR970 and the picture is very nice. I recently purchased a Pioneer Elite 1150 and even though it is a 720P set the picture in my 18 X 15 room is one of the best I have seen.