2. Plasma Or LCD? Continued

So if you plan on spending hours at a time with such a game, bring up the pause menu every now and then, or turn off the TV at stopping points. Plasma sets have gained a lot of ground in fixing this problem, but it’s still something to keep in mind. Also, plasma TVs usually have a worse glare effect than LCDs, so be sure to keep outside light sources at a minimum when choosing a spot for the TV.

The good news is that plasma is the leading technology for producing deep black levels. This is especially crucial in gaming, because you’ll look at environments for extended periods of time. Having deeper blacks means the contrast will be more defined and images will pop out on really high-end plasma sets, which is just not possible with LCD.

To really take advantage of this plasma feature, you’ll need to go with Pioneer’s Kuro line. Right now, they’re only available with a second-tier pixel resolution of 1365 x 768, but the added level of depth that is possible with the deeper blacks - a technology developed exclusively by Pioneer - makes it one of the most breathtaking views you’ll ever see. The retail price of $3,500 is what you’ll need for the PDP-5080HD 50" model, and $6,000 will get you the PDP-6070HD 60" set. Next month, Pioneer will launch two Kuro HDTVs with the top 1080p resolution, but they come at a very high price tag.

Pioneer’s PDP-6070HD plasma TV has the deepest black levels available on any 60" HDTV.

DLP and other projection TVs are just not a perfect fit for serious gamers. Unlike plasma and LCD, these technologies have not been aggressively improved, leaving them as the less-expensive HD alternative. They’re bulky and not always reliable it just doesn’t exude the same "wow" factor as a sleek flat-panel display.

In the end, plasma is probably the better choice for gamers who really want the best experience money can buy. It’s not the cheapest solution, but if you want a big HDTV with a reliably sharp picture, plasma is the way to go.