What kind of user are you?
To narrow your shopping criteria, we’ll describe seven typical HDTV users and list the features that are important to each type. Start by identifying yourself in one or more of these groups. Following each description, you’ll find feature recommendations and links to recommended models.
Living Room Family
The television is front-and-center in your living room, family room, or den. It’s the focal point for family entertainment. While you want a big, bright screen so that everyone gets a great view, cost savings and convenience—such as easy connections for digital cameras or game consoles—often trump luxury. The one extra to consider is built-in video chat, so you can meet virtually with family and friends.
Look for these features:
- The right-size screen that fits the room’s size, décor, and furnishings
- DynaLight™ Backlight Control
- Plenty of connections
- Video chat support
Movie Buff
You buy the director’s cut. You switch off the phone to watch movies uninterrupted. You’re willing to dedicate extra space in your home and money in your budget to get a great viewing experience. Your home-heater surround sound system is integral to your entertainment system.
Look for these features:
- A large HDTV
- 1080p resolution
- 3DTV support
- At least one HDMI® connector
- Integrated Wi-Fi® for trouble-free movie downloads
Gamer
As an avid gamer, you need your TV to deliver an immersive experience from a videogame console or personal computer. You need a bright screen so that you can play day or night—but you also need a fast response rate so that you can see all the action without blur or delay.
Look for these features:
- 120Hz refresh rate or better
- 1080p resolution
- Gaming mode
- Headphone jack (for late-night gaming)
- VGA port (if connecting to a PC that lacks a DVI port)
Sports Fan
Your HDTV is your ticket to the big games. A bright LCD screen puts you in the middle of the action even on a sunny Sunday afternoon. However, you’ll need a model can show high-speed action without blurring. You may even want 3DTV support, as sporting events are among the first to get live coverage in 3D.
Look for these features:
- DynaLight™ Backlight Control
- 120Hz refresh rate or higher
- 1080p resolution
- 3DTV support
Next-Gen TV Watcher
You want more from your television than, well, just television! You live in an interactive world of social networking and streaming media, and you expect your television to keep up. From widgets that download sports scores from the Internet to support for on-demand movies, you want an HDTV that can deliver the world—and connect to your PC for even more content.
Look for these features:
- Internet connectivity
- Plenty of HDMI® connectors
- Internet TV Apps
College Crowd
Student living situations such as dorms or studio apartments can be cramped, so you need to get the most out of your space. You don’t need a giant screen, but you do need a TV that can do double or triple duty as a computer monitor and DVD player.
Look for these features:
- LCD screen
- 120Hz refresh rate
- Headphone jack
- VGA port to connect to a PC
- Personal media player dock or connector
Content-Hungry Chef
Just because you’re in the kitchen doesn’t mean you're out of the loop. You're checking the traffic with your morning coffee, catching up on the day’s news as you get dinner ready, and watching DVDs while you tidy up afterward. The flat-panel HDTV in the kitchen should be as useful as it is entertaining.
Look for these features:
- A small LCD model
- Built-in DVD player
- Good off-axis viewing performance
- Swivel stand for easy positioning
