There’s a lot to consider when buying a 3D television. Of course you want exceptional picture quality, but the type of TV you choose can also make a difference, as it will determine which type of glasses you need. That alone can be a big decision. Of course there are also things to consider such as features and accessories, and even how much energy it will consume. Here we’ve tried to make the choice a bit easier for you with our list of top ten best 3D televisions.
LG 3D LED – $1,259
With the best display, tons of features, lots of accessories and a fair refresh rate, the LG 3D LED is one of the best televisions on the market – 3D or otherwise. You can’t get better video quality on this 55 inch screen, and while it’s LED (plasma is often considered best for 3D TVs,) the refresh rate of 240 will always ensure pictures are typically crystal clear and rarely fuzzy or out of focus around the edges. This could happen now and then still, as plasmas are better known for keeping images clear and in focus. Like most of our top ten 3D televisions, it has a viewing angle of 178 that includes both vertical and horizontal angles. If you’re looking for features such as Wi-Fi, a web browser, a smartphone app, and video noise reduction, they’re all there; as is the ability to stream from Netflix, Vudu, YouTube, Pandora, and Amazon. And it comes with its own tabletop stand, too. Six pairs of 3D glasses are included with the price, but if that’s not enough for you, you can purchase more at a very affordable price. And if weight’s important to you, this one is pretty light coming in at just 47 pounds.
Sony Bravia XBR – $2,990
With a video quality of 100 just like the LG 3D LED, this one from Sony comes pretty close to taking the top spot. It’s still an LED, and still has an average refresh rate of 240, which makes the price a bit high for this type of television, but you’ll still get lots of bang for that buck. It starts with the 55 inch screen, and continues on with the 178 degree viewing angle. This TV uses active 3D, which means the glasses will shutter on and off, back and forth, unlike the polarized glasses you may be used to at the movie theater. You’ll also have to buy those glasses separately, which can get pricey if you need a lot of them. That being said you’ll still get all of the most important features including Wi-Fi capabilities, a web browser, video noise reduction, and the Energy Star feature. It’s got 2 USB ports for hooking up a computer, as well as an Ethernet port and 4 HDMI inputs, including one for your PC. A tabletop stand is also included, and it’s got its own smartphone app, meaning you can control it from anywhere. It’s also the only television on our list that has a warranty longer than a year; you’ll get six more months with this model.
Panasonic Viera Plasma TC-P55VT50 – $1,799
Plasma televisions are often thought to bring the best picture quality in 3D TVs, and the Panasonic Viera is the first one on our list. It’s got a 55 inch screen like our top two TVs, but a refresh rate of 600, which means that the left and right pictures necessary for 3D come even faster and leave little room for blurred images known as ‘crosstalk.’ This television uses active 3D, meaning that the glasses will have the shutter effect; and it comes with no glasses included. Be aware that buying glasses for this television is expensive, so you need to take that into account when looking at the price for the television itself. This Panasonic is also not Energy Star compliant, but all the other features including Wi-Fi, web browser, video noise reduction, and HDCP support are all there. You’ll also be able to stream to your heart’s delight, no matter where you’re streaming from. This television has 4 HDMI inputs, and a VGA PC input. You’ll also get an optical output, an Ethernet port, and optical output.
Samsung 8000 – $2,497
An LED 3D TV, this Samsung comes with the same refresh rate as the above LEDs on our list of 240. It’s the passive type of 3D, which will be good news for those used to the polarized glasses that are handed out in the movie theaters, and you’ll get four pairs included with the price. This television doesn’t come with the same quality of video, having a rating of 95 next to the 100s that top our list. It still has the 55 inch screen and also comes with Wi-Fi features, a web browser, 2D to 3D conversion, and is Energy Star compliant. It also has all the streaming channels available, an HDMI PC input, 4 HDMI inputs, and 3 USB ports. It also has a smartphone app and a tabletop stand, but the stand is quite large and takes up a lot of space, meaning that this one might be better mounted on a wall.
Sony Bravia W – $1,598
Just like the Samsung 8000, the Sony Bravia W is an LED television with a video quality of 95 and a refresh rate of 240. It too has a 55 inch screen and passive 3D, along with all the Wi-Fi, web browser, Energy Star compliancy, and video noise reduction. You’ll get four pairs of glasses to go with it, a tabletop stand, and a smartphone app. One disappointment may be the standard remote, which is a bit of a disappointment when compared with the touch pad remotes and media remotes that come with many within this list.
LG 3D Plasma – $1,499
The second plasma 3D television on our list, this one comes with the same outstanding refresh rate of 600 as the Panasonic plasma, but with a bit poorer video quality of 95. The screen size is the biggest we’ve seen yet on our list, at 60 inches, but that could be why this television is one of the heaviest on our list at 81 pounds. Another negative is that you won’t get any glasses to go with the active 3D viewing, and it also isn’t Energy Star compliant. You will get all the other features though including Wi-Fi and web browser, as well as a tabletop stand and a smartphone app.
Visio E551D-AO – $899
A passive LED 3D television that comes with 2 pairs of glasses, all the features included, and a great price. What could be bad about this television? The biggest drawback to this Visio is that the picture quality doesn’t touch the others on this list, with a refresh rate of just 120. And while it does come with a tabletop stand, it doesn’t have the smartphone app that so many others do. This one might be best suited for hanging on a wall though, with a weight of just under 54 pounds.
Panasonic Viera LED TC-L55WT50 – $1,695
This Panasonic LED 3D television has the same standard 55 inch screen that you’ll see on much of this list, and a refresh rate of 240. It’s an active type of 3D, which is a drawback with this particular television as those glasses are expensive to buy, and there are none included with this model. All of the features are still there though, including Wi-Fi, video noise reduction, Energy Star compliancy, and all the streaming channels. Four HDMI ports are included as well as a VGA PC output. Both a tabletop stand and a smartphone app are included with the price, and it’s got the touch pad remote that so many are looking for with 3D televisions. It’s also one of the lightest on our list, weighing in at only 43 pounds.
Sharp Aquos LC-60LE847U – $1,450
The video quality on the Sharp Aquos LC LED TV drops a bit to a rate of 90, but the 60 inch screen will truly give you that bona fide theater experience. The active 3D viewing type is a bit different than what you’ll get at a theater though, as are the shutter-type of viewing glasses, which are not included with the price and are very expensive. The viewing angle also drops slightly to 176, but it does come with all the features you could ask for. Wi-Fi, video noise reduction, web browser, Energy Star compliancy, and all the streaming channels are there. It also comes with its own tabletop stand, but no smartphone app to keep you connected to it when you’re not at home. The remote control is also a standard type, which can be disappointing for those looking for something a little more high-tech. That being said, this is a huge TV with a relatively small price for this market.
Mitsubishi 3D Home Cinema WD-73742 – $2,299
The video quality might not be perfect with this Mitsubishi, with a rate of just 95, but the DLP type of 3D will give you that truly theatrical 3D experience to make up for it – as will that gigantic 73 inch screen. If all that’s enough for you, you may not mind the fact that the refresh rate is only 120 and the viewing angle sits at only 130. The biggest drawback though, even more than the fact that it’s not Energy Star compliant, is that it doesn’t have Wi-Fi capability. You also won’t get the Amazon streaming channel, but all the others including Netflix, YouTube, and Vudu are there. The tabletop stand and the smartphone app though, are both there if you’re looking for features. You should consider the fact though that no 3D glasses are included with this package, which makes it one of the most expensive you could purchase.
