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If you're ready to make the foray into high-definition TV, a big and beautiful 42-inch plasma set could be just the ticket. But which one? Famous makers enjoy trusted reputations, and they offer sets with fancy features and eye-catching designs. Those factors make it easier to justify paying over $2000 for an HDTV. Newcomers to the scene may not have name recognition or supply the cushy extras--in fact, their offerings may be downright rudimentary--but some deliver the HD goods, without charging a premium.

A 42-inch HDTV is a natural fit for many living rooms. "It's basically a similar size in screen height to the 34-inch CRT, so it's a size people are very comfortable with," says Ross Young, president and founder of research company DisplaySearch. And plasma vendors don't just want you to buy a plasma--they want you to buy a 42-inch plasma. "The panel factories are optimized for 42-inch panels, so they can make as many 42-inch panels as 37-inch," says Young.

As Young observes, "the plasma manufacturers aren't going after a lot of sizes." They're concentrating on 42- and 50-inch screens. Even though a 42-inch plasma's resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels falls a few columns short of the perfect high-def aspect ratio--a problem that 42-inch LCDs don't have--plasmas get little competition from LCDs in the 42-inch arena. Few LCD factories make 42-inch panels, instead leaving plasmas to battle with one another. This competitive market brings buyers a wide selection and low prices.

To help you select which of these myriad plasmas is right for you, we tested five 42-inch HD plasma models with 1024 by 768 resolution. Representing the better-known--and pricier--end of the spectrum are the $3000 LG Electronics 42PC1DA and the $2399 Philips 42PF9631D. The group's cheaper challengers are the $1700 AOC A42HD84, the $1800 Maxent MX-42HPM20 plasma monitor, and the $1599 Vizio P42HDTV.