Salespeople can sell you things by just talking really fast and using expressions that you don’t necessarily understand. To do something with that when it comes to shopping for a flat-screen TV, this article will aim to explain some of the basic expressions and what difference they make. LEDs really offer a step-up in terms of energy efficiency, image quality and durability when compared to ordinary flat-screen displays, but unless you have a clear understanding of the underlying technology, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to put these benefits into context.

There are TFT, LED and plasma TVs as far as the naming convention goes, but for the sake of simplicity, only the former two will be covered here. Some people are already aware of the fact that both TFT and LED TVs use TFT panels (most often TN+Film, sadly), and the only real difference between them is the backlight technology used. Those, on the other hand, who know about the consequences are few and far between.

A Samsung HDTV, for example, that is fitted with LEDs rather than fluorescent lamp tubes will consume up to forty percents less power during typical use. It can mean anything from 10 to 60 watts, depending on the screen size, but the important thing comes from it is that you actually save money by buying a LED TV. I know that LED models are more expensive, but given the fact that they often stay under $100 extra cost, and that they’re more durable, it seems like an investment to take.

Durability, now that it’s popped up, is something one could talk about for minutes, but the bottom line is this: LEDs are extremely resistant to physical atrocities such as shocks and vibration. They’re also rated at more effective operating hours than simple TFTs (that are built around fluorescent tubes). What does it mean for you? You’re unlikely to encounter a sudden LED failure, and even degradation in light-output of the ones in your flat screen TV will happen sometime during the next decade or the one after. This factor, combined with lower power consumption makes LED TVs a better financial choice and let’s not forget about the environment either.

Color representation is something I could talk about, and then you’d either have an idea or be completely off; the numbers just don’t mean a thing if you don’t check these TVs out for yourself. LEDs offer a better approximation of the optimal, homogenous white light, and thus give an exceptional chance for engineers to fine-tune the same old TFT panel. Better control circuits will mean better contrast ratio and more true to life color representation, but like I said, it’s something you’d have to see for yourself.

If I had to single out one parting advice, I’d suggest you to go to a local store and see the difference between LED HDTVs and ordinary ones. You can even see models that only differ in the backlight used (and the model number, incidentally). Those are probably the best to put next to each other for a quick comparison.