If you're all about the numbers, you might think that a 1080p TV is the pinnacle of home-entertainment equipment. While we agree that the future is entertainment in 'Full HD', we don't recommend buying something just because it has a high number.
That said, Full HD screens are falling in price all the time, and it's now possible to get a 1080p TV for far less money than just a few months ago.
If you watch most of your movies on HD DVD or Blu-ray, a 1080p TV is an almost essential buy for you. Likewise, gamers can get a lot of benefit out of a high-resolution screen. If you mostly watch Freeview, or standard-definition cable or satellite, we don't think your needs are going to be best served by a screen like this -- you're better off saving money and getting a 720p screen.
If 1080p is something you must have, here's a selection of good-value screens that should impress with their picture quality without emptying your entire bank account.
Three of the screens here are under £1,000, and the cheapest are well under £800. The only TV that costs more than £1,000 is the trusty Sony W2000, but the extra cash outlay is worth it -- it's one of our favourite TVs ever. And because it's an older model you should be able to pick up a bargain if you shop about.
Editors:
4.0 stars out of 5
Users:
4.25 stars out of 5
If you want a 1080p screen at a remarkably low price, this is probably the TV for you. It's a good performer and beautifully designed. It has a few annoying quirks, but it's a solid LCD television Read more
£800
Reviewed on 28 November 2007
Editors:
3.5 stars out of 5
Users:
0 out of 5Not yet rated
Having long proclaimed that plasma is the only technology worth using on large flat TVs, Panasonic's first ever 37-inch LCD, the Panasonic TX-37LZD70, is a generally solid, sometimes spectacular, effort. But while it stands up well versus many other 37-inch LCD rivals, we'd still take one of Panasonic's plasmas every time Read more
£440
Reviewed on 13 November 2007
Editors:
4.0 stars out of 5
Users:
4.5 stars out of 5
We liked the 37X3030D a lot, especially when watching high-definition material -- the addition of 1080p to the middle of the Toshiba range is an excellent sign for the future. It is only let down slightly by its standard-definition performance Read more
£820
Reviewed on 17 April 2007
Editors:
4.5 stars out of 5
Users:
4.3 stars out of 5
Sony's KDL-40W2000 has set a new benchmark for large screen displays. The full 1080p specification is equipped for the future while LCD image quality has never looked this good Read more
£480
Reviewed on 27 November 2006