December 21, 2007

Should I Buy An HDTV Now Or Later?

Any technology that evolves rapidly tends to leave consumers confused. We can't decide whether to pay the big bucks now and join the early adopters or wait a couple of years until prices drop and included features are better. In the HDTV market, things are especially confusing at the moment. Prices on 40 and 42 inch HDTV's have dropped 39% in the past year and research firm iSuppli figures they'll drop another 30% or so in 2008. Price decreases are comparable for 47 and 52 inch HDTV's dropping 40% this year, and another expected 25% decrease by the end of 2008. So what should you do? Buy now or wait a year?

The New York Times recommends opting for cheaper models at any given time rather than paying an arm and a leg for the newest technologies. If you want to know why, consider this. Only 5 years ago, Fujitsu had a top-of-the-line HDTV tagged at $15000. Early adopters then figured that buying the best HDTV available on the market would future-proof their purchase against technological change over the coming years. They were wrong. That TV is unable to display a 1080p signal, the best resolution currently on the market. If you do want to make the big HDTV purchase now though, what should you be looking for?

HDTV Magazine founder Dale Cripps figures that display resolution won't move beyond 1080p anytime in the near future, so definitely look for a 1080p set. Also make sure there is an ample supply of HDMI ports, preferably three or more. Look for LED backlighting and frame rates of 120 Hz as they tend to produce a clearer picture devoid of motion blur. And as always, just use common sense. More expensive doesn't necessarily mean better.

Via New York Times