Introduction

But as you're shopping for a new TV this holiday season, the most important thing for many of you will be flawless picture quality. If what you want most out of your TV is vivid, lifelike color, shadows as black as the cosmic void, or bright whites that glow like the beard of Zeus, here are five TVs that deliver the gift of a perfect picture.

These picture powerhouses are not flagship TVs, so they're cheaper than the top-of-the-line models. Sure, they're missing the bells and whistles, and almost all have at least one flaw outside of the realm of picture production. But you're getting excellent picture quality at a much lower price than you'd be paying for the high-end TVs from the same manufacturer. We think these are all awesome sets.

You can jump into the full reviews for each TV using the links here, or navigate through this guide for a snapshot of why each TV is picture perfect.

|Samsung ES6500 || Sony HX850 || Toshiba L7200U || LG LS3400 || Panasonic XT50

This article is an update to the original post from September 2012, adding relevant accolades from our 2012 Best of Year Awards, though all of the TVs we're selected here are the same as they were a few months ago.

Introduction

At TelevisionInfo.com, we judge TVs for everything from menu design and smart features to the number of inputs and quality of the 3D effect.

But as you're shopping for a new TV this holiday season, the most important thing for many of you will be flawless picture quality. If what you want most out of your TV is vivid, lifelike color, shadows as black as the cosmic void, or bright whites that glow like the beard of Zeus, here are five TVs that deliver the gift of a perfect picture.

These picture powerhouses are not flagship TVs, so they're cheaper than the top-of-the-line models. Sure, they're missing the bells and whistles, and almost all have at least one flaw outside of the realm of picture production. But you're getting excellent picture quality at a much lower price than you'd be paying for the high-end TVs from the same manufacturer. We think these are all awesome sets.

You can jump into the full reviews for each TV using the links here, or navigate through this guide for a snapshot of why each TV is picture perfect.

|Samsung ES6500 || Sony HX850 || Toshiba L7200U || LG LS3400 || Panasonic XT50

This article is an update to the original post from September 2012, adding relevant accolades from our 2012 Best of Year Awards, though all of the TVs we're selected here are the same as they were a few months ago.

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Samsung's ES6500 series is a higher-end model from 2012 that delivers crisp picture detail and a wide contrast ratio.

We test each TV that hits our labs with the same equipment and processes as all the rest, ensuring objective test results that are comparable between any TV we've reviewed since 2008. It's rare to find a TV that meets our standards for perfect picture, but Samsung's ES6500 series scored at the top of its class.

Color

The ES6500's color gamut is a representation of the millions of colors it can display. Believe it or not, there's a standard for HDTV color display--called rec. 709 in shorthand--and most of a TV's color integrity is determined by how closely it matches the rec. 709 gamut. As you can see, the ES6500 is just about spot on--not exactly perfect, but so close you'd never know the difference.

The ES6500's color curves demonstrate its representation of the entire color and greyscale spectrum, from darkest to brightest. Forget 50 Shades of Grey, there's actually 256 of them, and their quality and smoothness is determined by the TV's signal intensity. The curves above are perfect, rounded and uniform. Combined with the ES6500's accurate color gamut, you end up with a perfect range of very accurate colors.

Contrast

Contrast ratio is a measure of how bright a TV gets, divided by how dark it gets. Contrast is essentially what makes the darkness of space or the brightness of sunlight believable when you're watching movies or TV. The higher the contrast ratio, the more pronounced the difference between dark and light. We consider a contrast ratio of 1000:1 to be average; thus, the ES6500's ratio of 2658:1, while not humongous, is still very good.

Price

Samsung's ES6500 series comes in four screen sizes:

|_. Size |_. MSRP|
| 40-inch | $1,499 |
| 46-inch | $1,729 |
| 55-inch | $2,519 |
| 60-inch | $3,179 |

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Sony's high-end HX850 series heralds from spring of 2012, and is another rare case of top-notch color accuracy and a wide contrast ratio. It even edges out the flagship HX950.

Color

As you can see, the HX850's color gamut is almost perfectly matched to the rec. 709 gamut, and the distance where it misses the blue point is negligible. This highly accurate gamut ensures an even relationship between the brightest points of white, red, blue, and green that the HX850 displays. In short, this is the way to perfect picture.

The HX850's greyscale and color curves proved to be uniform and smoothly curved, which is going to give an even transition and a wide spectrum representation to greys, reds, greens, and blues. These curves, taken with the accurate gamut above, mean the HX850 is capable of the ideal array of accurate hues and shades.

Contrast

At over 6000:1, the HX850 has an absolutely massive contrast ratio. It is both very dark and very bright, promising a rich viewing experience and ample black/white differentiation. It's hard to argue with a number that's about six times the acceptable range.

Price

Sony's HX850 HDTV series comes in two screen sizes:

|_. Size|_. Price|
| 46-inch | $2,100 |
| 55-inch | $2,600 |

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Toshiba's flagship, the L7200U series, brings A-plus color and contrast at a price that's considerably less than the competition. While it doesn't have a massive contrast ratio, the L7200U is still above average, and its low price boosts its value considerably.

Color

The L7200U's adherence to the rec. 709 color gamut is spot on, with red, blue, and green points lining up perfectly. While its white point was imperfect, the overall effect on viewing is miniscule. The accuracy of the color points ensures accuracy of color within the entire gamut.

While there's some bumpiness towards the end of the input signal, the L7200U still tested with very smooth, uniform curves overall. The rounded, even nature of these curves ensures smooth transitions between shades and hues, working in tandem with the gamut's accuracy to provide almost flawless color integrity.

Contrast

While the L7200U series doesn't have the widest contrast ratio on the market, its modestly deep blacks are bolstered into above average range by its huge peak brightness. The L7200U thrives in well-lit environments, promising plenty of dark/light differentiation during all forms of viewing.

Price

Toshiba's L7200U series comes in two screen sizes:

|_. Size|_. MSRP|
| 47-inch | $1,899 |
| 55-inch | $2,399 |

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LG's LS3400 series is a low-end, basic addition to their 2012 line-up that does one thing, and does it very well. The LS3400 is a testament to the fact that your TV doesn't need a huge price tag or a fancy appearance to deliver perfect picture quality.

Color

The LS3400's gamut is outstanding from a low-end TV. The red, blue, and green points are spot on with the rec. 709 ideal, with only the white point in the center missing by a small amount. This gamut promises the full, accurate range of colors that every HDTV is meant to display; only some manage to.

The LS3400's greyscale and color curves are almost perfect--they ramp up just a little too quickly, but are otherwise uniform and smooth. This means that the LS3400 transitions between its base 1,024 hues and shades flawlessly, providing maximum color integrity.

Contrast

While its contrast ratio of 1080:1 is only slightly above average, the LS3400 is still providing dark/light differentiation that's enough for most viewing situations. Coupled with its cheap pricing and awesome color production, an above average contrast ratio is really just icing on the cake.

Price

LG's LS3400 series comes in two screen sizes:

|_. Size|_. MSRP|
| 32-inch | $429 |
| 42-inch | $719 |

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