We take a look back at some of the best 3D and HD TVs we have seen this year…

If you’re on the search for a new TV for Christmas or want to kit yourself out with one of the best sets available for the start of 2012, the following come thoroughly recommended.

There are so many TVs available and, unfortunately, no such thing as a perfect set, so we have broken things down into easy categories – just head to the one that interests you and away you go!

Best For Budget: Samsung UE37D5000 LED TV


Available for a very reasonable £467, the Samsung UE37D5000 LED TV was far and away the best budget set we looked at this year. With a feature set and performance that really belies its modest pricetag, the UE37D5000 offers a cracking, slimline design, backlit LED screen displaying 1080p HD, a realistic colour spectrum and good, deep blacks.

There are a few ommissions, although understandable when you consider the price. Samsung’s excellent Smart Hub Internet service is conspicuous by its absence and you only get the standard definition Freeview installed rather than Freeview HD; but if you subscribe to an HD satellite/cable service such as Sky+ HD, this isn’t going to worry you.

However, if you can live without these minor gripes – and we think most people can quite happily – then the Samsung UE37D5000 LED TV really is fantastic value and our favourite budget TV set of the year.

Grab it here! Samsung UE37D5000 LED TV

Best All-Rounder: Panasonic Viera TX-P50GT30B Plasma 3D HDTV



The Panasonic Viera TX-P50GT30B gets our vote for the best all-rounder set for this year, based on the sheer amount of quality on offer for a very reasonable price.

£1200 will grab you one of these excellent plasma TV sets and once you have switched on, you will be treated with top-notch 2D performance, a terrific, big-screen 3D experience, deep blacks, vivid colours and accurate flesh tones.

If there’s one criticism, it’s that the 3D glasses that Panasonic have included in the box aren’t overly comfortable to wear but this is a minor gripe in the face of some truly heavyweight features and performance. Thoroughly recommended.

Grab it here! Panasonic Viera TX-P50GT30B

Best For 3D: Panasonic Viera TX-P55VT30B Plasma 3D TV

Another triumph for Panasonic’s plasma department this year, the Viera TX-P55VT30B is currently available £2160. It’s not cheap, but if you are looking for one of the best 3D experiences we have seen released this year, then it could be worth reaching that little bit deeper into your pocket.

2D performance is excellent, but it’s the 3D that really catches the eye. The 55-inch screen is a great size for the 3D format and the Panasonic Viera TX-P55VT30B delivers it with aplomb; there’s no issues of crosstalk, blacks are fantastically deep and colours vivid yet not overblown.

In fact, the only really stand-out gripe is the price, but not because it’s too expensive – just that we can’t afford to buy one ourselves!

Grab it here! Panasonic Viera TX-P55VT3B

Best Small Screen: Sony Bravia KDL-32EX524 LCD TV


 

Available for a budget price of £499, the Sony Bravia KDL-32EX524 scoops the award for our favourite small screen released this year.

What you get is surprisingly good picture quality on a 32-inch screen and a huge array of features, with Sony’s first-class Bravia online platform, Skype access and DLNA to link to your home PC, all catching the eye.

It’s not perfect – the design is very basic; there’s a bit of motion blur and the screen isn’t the brightest we have ever seen – but if you are looking for a fantastic value small screen that offers more than some higher profile sets twice its price, you won’t be disappointed.

Grab it here! Sony Bravia KDL-32EX524

Best Large Screen: Samsung PS64D8000 3D TV

If you have the room in your house – and if you have the cash – then you might want to consider the Samsung PS64D8000; a 64-inch plasma monster that you can currently pick up for less than £2380.

You’ll get excellent quality 2D and 3D pictures with superb motion processing, solid, deep blacks, realistic colours and a packed feature set including Samsung’s Smart TV.

It’s a lot of money, but you get a lot for it and we have chosen it as our best large screen released in 2011 as it is considerably better value than its similarly-sized rivals.

Grab it here! Samsung PS64D8000

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,