50 inch TVs invade your parlours

Last year, the majority of the TVs that we tested in our labs were 40'' models.  That's not only what manufacturers were most keen for us to test, but also what our readers told us they were most interested in.  We had thought that 2009 would be the year of the 46'' TV, but halfway through the year, we're beginning to wonder if a whole generation hasn't been skipped: will 2009 be the year of the 50'' television?

As Vincent Lheur wrote earlier in the week, 'the biggest manufacturers are leaving smaller, entry-level models to lesser-known brands, concentrating instead on mid-range and high-end TVs with plenty of options now passing the 50'' threshold.  Of the seven televisions in our lab today, only one of them is smaller than 50''.'

50'' Plasma TVs


Like a lot of plasmas, the Samsung and Panasonic models listed above only have HD Ready screens (1360 or 1366 x 768 pixels), but LG's is Full HD (1920 x 1080 pxiels).

52'' LCD TVs

LG 52LG5000	Samsung LE-52A566	Sony KDL-52V5500
Find the best price	Pixplace UK  1987.28                      Compare prices	Pixmania.co.uk  1077.00  Multizone AV  1176.00  Hiwayhifi.com  1199.95  E-buyer  1242.78          Compare prices

If you go for one of these 52'' LCDs, though, you can be certain of a Full HD screen, including this LG model from the middle of last year.