Comparison CRT, LCD, Plasma

This is a page that lists advantages and disadvantages with CRT, LCD, Plasma and OLED.

Comparison

Further information: Cathode ray tube

Pros:

High dynamic range (up to around 15,000:1),^[1] excellent color, wide gamut and low black level. The color range of CRTs is unmatched by any display type except OLED.
No native resolution; the only display technology capable of true multisyncing (displaying many different resolutions and refresh rates without the need for scaling)
No input lag
No ghosting and smearing artifacts during fast motion due to ZERO-second or no response time, and impulse-based operation
Near zero color, saturation, contrast or brightness distortion.
Allows the use of light guns/pens
Excellent viewing angle

Cons:

Large size and weight, especially for bigger screens (a 20-inch (51 cm) unit weighs about 50 lb (23 kg))
Relatively high power consumption at high brightness and contrast levels and fast scan rates
Generates a considerable amount of heat when running
Geometric distortion caused by variable beam travel distances but fortunately, almost no distortion in the current and/or high-end CRT monitor (not TV) ONLY.
Can suffer screen burn-in
Produces noticeable flicker at low refresh rates.
Apart from televisions, CRT monitors are normally only produced in 4:3 aspect ratio (though some widescreen CRT monitors, notably Sony's GDM-FW900, do exist)
Hazardous to repair/service
Color displays cannot be made in sizes smaller than 7 inches. Maximum size for direct-view displays is limited to about 40 inches due to practical and manufacturing restrictions (a CRT display of this size can weigh about 300 pounds).

Further information: LCD and LCD TV

Pros:

Very compact and light
Low power consumption, generally speaking. On average, 50-70% less energy is consumed than CRT monitors. ^[2]
No geometric distortion
Little or no flicker depending on backlight technology
Not affected by screen burn-in (though an analogous but less severe phenomenon known as image persistence is possible)
Can be made in almost any size or shape
No theoretical resolution limit

Cons:

Limited viewing angle, causing color, saturation, contrast and brightness to vary, even within the intended viewing angle, by variations in posture
Bleeding and uneven backlighting in some monitors, causing brightness distortion, especially toward the edges
Smearing and ghosting artifacts during fast motion caused by slow response times (2-8 ms) and sample-and-hold operation
Only one native resolution. Displaying other resolutions either requires a video scaler, lowering perceptual quality, or display at 1:1 pixel mapping, in which images will be physically too large or won't fill the whole screen.
Fixed bit depth. 8-bit S-IPS panels can display 16 million colors and have significantly better black level, but are expensive and have slower response time.
Input lag
Dead pixels may occur either during manufacturing or through use.
In a constant-on situation, thermalization may occur, which is when only part of the screen has overheated and therefore looks discolored compared to the rest of the screen.
Unacceptably slow response in low temperatures.
Not all LCD displays are designed to allow easy replacement of the backlight
Cannot be used with light guns/pens

Further information: Plasma display

Pros:

High contrast ratios (1,000,000:1 static or greater,) excellent color, and low black level
Virtually no response time
Near zero color, saturation, contrast or brightness distortion. Excellent viewing angle.
No geometric distortion
Softer and less blocky-looking picture than LCDs
Highly scalable, with less weight gain per increase in size (from less than 30 in (76 cm) wide to the world's largest at 150 in (3.8 m)).

Cons:

Large pixel pitch, meaning either low resolution or a large screen. As such, color plasma displays are only produced in sizes over 32 inches (81 cm).
Image flicker due to being phosphor-based
Glass screen can induce glare and reflections
High operating temperature and power consumption. LCD and LED-based displays consume less power. ^[3]
Relatively heavy weight
Only has one native resolution. Displaying other resolutions requires a video scaler, which degrades image quality at lower resolutions.
Fixed bit depth. Plasma cells can only be on or off, resulting in a more limited color range than LCDs or CRTs.
Can suffer image burn-in. This was a severe problem on early plasma displays, but newer models have incorporated methods to reduce the chance of accidental burn-in.
Relatively fragile; should only be transported, stored, and operated upright, as the glass screen can shatter under the display's own weight if not supported properly
Cannot be used with light guns/pens
Dead pixels are possible during manufacturing

Pros:

Excellent viewing angle
Very light weight
Excellent black level
No ghosting and smearing artifacts during fast motion due to sub-millisecond response time
Wide gamut and vivid colors because of no backlit

Cons:

Can suffer screen burn-in
Difficult and expensive to manufacture at the present time
Organic materials used (as of 2011) are susceptible to decay over time, rendering the display unusable after some time