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Here’s nearly all of the information I’ve been able to get from CES and since regarding the shiny new TVs of 2012.
I know it’s not every TV; minor brands aren’t represented, and lack of information from some manufacturers (namely Samsung) prevents me from capturing a few midrange and entry-level models. But as of press time I’m confident that the chart above contains the most comprehensive, current information on forthcoming 2012 models available anywhere.
This information isn’t available on manufacturer Web sites yet and occasionally consists of exclusive tidbits told to me by the TV makers directly.
In all, more than 150 TVs occupy the rows and columns above, ranging from groundbreaking big-screen OLEDs to a 24-inch model with, yes, a built-in DVD player. None of them is on sale now.
Chart notes
An entry of “X” or a brief description (such as “1mm” or “4 mode”) means the TV has the feature. A blank entry means it does not. An entry of “TBD” means I don’t know yet, usually because the manufacturer hasn’t yet released the information, typically pricing and availability.
I limited the chart to features I think matter, focusing on those that differentiate one model from the next. For example, I don’t list refresh rate (120Hz, 240Hz, and so on) because I don’t think it matters enough to justify spending more on any TV. The same goes for numerous other manufacturer-supplied specs, like contrast ratio and viewing angle, that you won’t find on these tables. In general you can safely ignore these specs when shopping for a TV.
For the most part I don’t yet have in-depth specs anyway, and don’t expect to until these models appear on manufacturer Web sites. The same goes for basics like dimensions and number of inputs. What in-depth info I do have (that matters) can be found in the posts and explanations of features linked to from the chart, and in the individual manufacturer breakdowns below. Check LG’s breakdown, for example, if you want find out more about “LED+.”
Related stories with tables, notes, and ‘Changelogs’
- LG TVs 2012: Thin bezels, motion remotes and lots of LEDs (Updated 2/3)
- Panasonic TVs 2012: Sleeker, better plasmas, more LCDs, and…passive 3D? (Updated 2/27)
- Samsung TVs 2012: Micro dimming LEDs, blacker plasmas, gesture control (Updated 3/7)
- Sony TVs 2012: Ten is enough (Updated 2/13)
- Sharp TVs 2012: 60 is the new small (Updated 3/2)
I plan to update the tables whenever new details, such as pricing and availability, or the introduction of a new series I deem worthy to include, become known. And when I’m able to review any of these sets, I’ll link the charts to those reviews.
All updates will be tracked in the “Changelog” sections of the blog posts linked at the left (and on my Twitter feed); I won’t clutter this post with them. Vizio and Toshiba didn’t get dedicated breakdown posts of their own, but I threw them into the chart anyway.
As always, please credit CNET if you use this information. And feel free to leave a comment below if you have any feedback.
