Media Platforms Design Teamcellpadding=“0” cellspacing=“0”> MANUFACTURER SonyPRICE RANGE $2100 to $5000SIZE RANGE 40 to 60 inchesGLASSES $150 (two pairs included)TECHNOLOGY LCDTEST RESULTSBEST OVERALLWe tested the 52-inch Bravia LX900 ($4000), which scored highest overall. Sony’s set had standout performance in rendering 3D animation (“just like theaters,” one tester said) and games. Some griped about the shutter glasses, however, calling them “heavy” and complaining that they “hurt the bridge of the nose.” But the set also scored high marks for general picture quality.Media Platforms Design Teamcellpadding=“0” cellspacing=“0”> MANUFACTURER SamsungPRICE RANGE $1700 to $7000SIZE RANGE 40 to 65 inchesGLASSES $150 to $200 (not included)TECHNOLOGY LCD, PlasmaTEST RESULTSSecond place went to the 46-inch Samsung UN46C8000 LCD ($2800). Samsung’s glasses scored highest (“much more comfortable than the others,” one tester said) and the set got top marks for gaming (“really sharp effects”). On the downside, the 2D-to-3D conversion (it was the only tested model with the feature) gave some subjects a “queasy feeling.“Media Platforms Design Teamcellpadding=“0” cellspacing=“0”> MANUFACTURER LGPRICE RANGE $4300 to $5400SIZE RANGE 47 to 55 inchesGLASSES $130 (not included)TECHNOLOGY LCDTEST RESULTSThe 55-inch LG Infinia 55LX9500 ($5000) was a beauty, with its razor-thin profile and transparent bezel. But setup was a chore (for some content, the user must select the proper 3D format). Plus, testers complained that the glasses felt “too tight” and fast-motion scenes were “too blurry.” Yet the LG ranked highest in overall picture quality—which it ought to for five grand.Media Platforms Design Teamcellpadding=“0” cellspacing=“0”> MANUFACTURER PanasonicPRICE RANGE $2600 to $4300SIZE RANGE 50 to 65 inchesGLASSES $150 (one pair included)TECHNOLOGY Plasma TEST RESULTSWe were surprised that the 50-inch Panasonic TC-P50VT25 ($2600) came in fourth—though not by much. Our tech editors loved the plasma’s picture, yet testers thought it was “too dark” and ganged up on its glasses (“too heavy,” “ouch”). The TV got the highest score for live-action footage, and the plasma’s 3D worked better than LCD models when subjects tilted their heads.>3D TV Buyer’s Guide »Media Platforms Design Team
