HDTV and gaming
Is it the right time, for gamers to buy a HDTV yet?
With the Xbox 360 just released and the Playstation 3 on it's way, the HDTV era has finally arrived. Especially for games HDTV can make a huge difference, mainly because of the outdated visual performance of traditional TV compared to a computer monitor. Games are often judged on graphical aspects. The question of course is, should I buy a HDTV for gaming on a next-generation console?
This isn't an easy question but it seems better to wait just a little longer before switching to HDTV. This is because of the current price of decent HDTVs, a medium sized and medium quality high definition TV will cost you around $1000. If you want a big and high quality TV you might want to double that price.
But.there is a good alternative besides using traditional TV for your new Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. Computer monitors are a very good option to get maximum graphical performance from your new console, since most modern computer monitors easily display HDTV resolutions. LCD monitors like Dell's FPW line give great quality images and of course can be used as a regular monitor as well. These LCD flat panels support AGP, DVI, S-video, Composite and Component for high definition display. 16ms of response time will make ghosting nearly impossible.
Nevertheless, if graphics aren't such a big issue for you, waiting a little longer will only save you loads of money (which might be better to spend on new games). Prices of HDTVs are still dropping rapidly. Mainly because of the lager scale production and market competition that is going on these days. You should only buy a HDTV now if you are planning on using it mainly for watching movies or TV. If you are planning on buying a new TV anyway because the old one broke down, then buying a decent high definition TV might not be such a bad idea.