The Best 46- and 47-Inch HDTVs

This 46-inch model is an all-around excellent television, easy to use and a delight to the eyes. In our image-quality tests of nine competing 46- and 47-inch HDTVs, the Samsung came out on top. It excelled with Blu-ray Disc titles. The set swivels on its stand for odd-angle viewing and for easy access to the back. The result is a well-rounded high-def television that does close to everything you'd want it to. And at its price ($1500), it stands out as a clear winner.

Though neither the best performer nor the best designed or configured, at $1300 the Westinghouse was the least expensive HDTV we tested. An adequate but unspectacular 47-inch set at a very good price, the Westinghouse is a nice bargain. The sound quality was stupendous, thanks to a built-in subwoofer. Dollar for dollar, this model is a competitive choice.

This 47-inch HDTV has a poorly designed menu, but it compensates with quite good picture quality. The sound quality was decent as well. Quiet sounds came across clean and clear on this $1600 TV, and loud music had the desired oomph. Syntax-Brillian designed the speakers so that users can remove them and mount them elsewhere--or connect two external speakers directly to the TV.

Terrific image quality and a great price make this 47-inch HDTV set impossible to overlook. When it comes to goodies, the VO47LF delivers picture-in-picture, a free HDMI cable--and that's about it. But purely in respect to picture quality, the Vizio is about as good as it gets.

An okay HDTV encumbered with an exorbitant price is not a winning package. The 46-inch LT-46244 swivels on its stand, which comes in handy for watching it at odd angles and for accessing its rear inputs. On-screen menus are clear and pleasant. But the built-in speakers sounded lousy. For about $1600, the Mitsubishi would be a reasonably good TV--but for its actual $2500 list price, this set is out of the question.