• james
• Aug 29,2008
• In: Technology

Buying an HDTV: 720p vs. 1080p

One of the most important decisions an Alpha Man can make is what kind of HDTV to buy. After all, a man’s HDTV is where all his great rivalries are settled; Man vs. Roommate in a Wii Tennis Match, Man vs. Online ESPN Fantasy League during Monday Night Football, and the feverish bout of Man vs. Genitals via the newest installment of Girls Gone Wild, in Blu-Ray HiDef of course.

I recently moved, and in traditional Alpha Man fashion, have no furniture, but I did go out and buy a grill. The next necessity is a television. I have been looking at a few different models, but ever since I began my search I had my heart set on 1080p. I plan on getting a PS3, so I figured it’s a must…

Talking with a friend of mine who works for Circuit City, I heard a different opinion. He told me that 1080p is a huge marketing ploy, and it’s by far not the most important consideration when buying a new TV. Things like color accuracy, contrast and refresh rate (on an LCD) are far more important. He explained that the best reviewed HDTV ever made was in fact a 720p model.

This insight got me thinking if 1080p really was worth the extra money (which is a big step for someone like me who needs to have the best everything.) I did some research and have posted an excerpt from what seems to be the definitive source on the topic:

720p vs. 1080p HDTV: The final word - Fully Equipped

We believe that when you’re dealing with TVs 50 inches and smaller, the added resolution has only a very minor impact on picture quality. On a regular basis in our HDTV reviews, we put 720p (or 768p) sets next to 1080p sets, then feed them both the same source material, whether it’s 1080i or 1080p, from the highest-quality Blu-ray and HD DVD players. We typically watch both sets for a while, with eyes darting back and forth between the two, looking for differences in the most-detailed sections, such as hair, textures of fabric, and grassy plains. Bottom line: It’s almost always very difficult to see any difference.

So there you have it, unless you plan on buying a 60″ HDTV and then sitting 2 feet from it to make happy time with Skinemax in HD, save the money and go with the 720p model. One cool thing about saving money on technology is that the less you spend, the sooner you can rationalize replacing the item. Let’s say if you would spend $2000 on an HDTV and replace it in 4 years time; if you only spent $1500 you could replace that HDTV in 3 years, and lets face it, in 3 years whatever HDTV you buy today is going to be a relic.

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