SLIM PICK (BEST FOR SPORTS!!)
Samsung PN50B860 50-inch Plasma

THE GOOD: At just 1.2 inches thick, this sexy set’s more svelte than a wallet burdened with Benjamins—but looks even better switched on: The contrasty colors provided the most 3-D picture in our test. And, NFL fans, take note:  Since it’s a plasma, there’s no noticeable motion blur.

THE BAD: Its picture was so sharp we could see Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson’s pancake makeup in Race to Witch Mountain. Gruesome. $2.159, amazon.com
Rating: 4.5

BACK TO BLACK
LG LH90 Series 47-inch LCD

THE GOOD: During our test this set’s local-dimming LED backlight made an HD Donnie Darko look, well, really dark-o, and its 240 Hz screen refresh rate (though not as high-tech as Sony’s) reduced motion blur to near zero.

THE BAD: Our other three sets all had Net connectivity—this 
LG doesn’t. And during playback of two Blu-ray discs, we saw a pixelated stripe near the bottom 
of the screen. $2,400
Rating: 3.5

FILM FREAK (BEST BUY!!)
Toshiba SV670 Series 46-inch LCD

THE GOOD: This set offers the most cinematic experience of the bunch; during a viewing of Fargo, Maxim staffers were amazed by this local-dimming LED set’s deep blacks and rich, ultrabright renderings of Minnesota snowscapes.

THE BAD: Its big stand looks like a turkey platter; not good unless you’re seeking a place to serve hors d’oeuvres. $1,740
Rating: 4.5

GADGET GOD
Sony Bravia XBR KDL-52XBR9 52-inch LCD

THE GOOD: This Sony is loaded with more extras than a garbage pizza; it can connect to the Web through an ethernet cable and stream Netflix and Amazon movies on demand. Even when you’re watching live TV, applets will update you on stocks and how much your body mass index is ballooning as you sit motionless.

THE BAD: Even with tweaks the picture looked grainier than the other sets’, and we couldn’t get shadows Gotham-dark in a viewing of Batman Begins. $2,298
Rating: 3.5