We've written about it before many times and undoubtedly you've read it just as often, so we won't delve into how great TFTs are, how they're lighter, thinner and consume far less electricity than clunky CRTs. We won't dwell on how prices have finally dropped so that the pricing gap has closed to a level where TFTs are actually affordable. Nor shall we pause and reflect on how response times in TFTs have been reduced so they perform nearly as well as their CRT brothers.
Instead, we'll simply let the facts speak for themselves.
Sony, one of the world's largest CRT manufacturers, is phasing out the manufacture of 17in and 19in CRTs this year in favour of larger CRTs, but with the emphasis on LCD manufacturing.
Sony is not alone. In recent years Sharp, Matsushita and Hitachi have ceased manufacturing CRTs altogether to concentrate solely on TFTs. According to analyst firm IDC, in the last quarter of 2002 CRT sales in Australia dropped by 5%, while TFT sales rose by a staggering 29.8%. This trend is expected to continue.
Anecdotally, we've been told for months that 2003 would be the year of the TFT, but even forewarned we didn't expect the response to these Labs like the one we received. Every company we contacted said that not only were its TFT sales going through the roof, but that they were keen on participating. We've never had a response like it.
If you were ever going to buy a TFT, now is the time. With the amount of competition, prices are being slashed, new models have come out, and major retailers have been offering hundred dollar discounts on models in 'crazy weekend sellouts'.
You already know you want to buy a TFT, so we're proud to present you with the most comprehensive and definitive guide to TFTs in Australia. We're a few models shy of having every available brand reviewed (Sharp, Proview, Compucon and Likom were caught out between model roll-outs, so we were unable to test those brands), but we still have a whopping 27 manufacturers represented. That's just about every brand you could find in any store anywhere. And we mean anywhere.
We asked for 15in, 17in, and an 18in and over from each manufacturer. Whatever size you're looking for, we'll have reviewed it here.
TECHNICAL EDITOR: Darren Ellis
contributors: Dan Chiappini, Nirmal Chandrasena