Choosing a television that is energy efficient

Posted by Guest Blogger on December 9, 2011

Even though you may have gotten a great Black Friday deal on an HDTV, that new television may end up costing you more money than your old tube TV in the long run.

Large, flat-screen TVs use more energy than you might think. However, if you make your purchase carefully, you can choose a more efficient TV that won’t cause a jump in your electric bills.

Things to watch for

Plasma TVs have the highest picture quality, but they also use more energy than other flat screens. As screen resolutions increase, so do the devices’ electricity intake. Check to see how many pixels are in the TV you’re looking to purchase. The more pixels a device has, the more energy it will consume.

LCD’s are a much more efficient choice, especially the newer models that use LED (light emitting diode) technology for their back lighting. LEDs are the most efficient form of lighting available, and incorporating them into TV designs has greatly reduced the amount of electricity that they draw.

Consumers should also keep in mind that the size of the TV will greatly affect how much energy it will use. The smaller the TV, the more efficient it will be.

One thing that is very easy to look for when you’re shopping for a new energy-efficient TV is the ENERGY STAR label.

TV’s with this label are on average 40 percent more efficient than other models. There are even plasma TVs that are ENERGY STAR qualified, so you can still enjoy high definition imagery with less impact on your electric bill.

ENERGY STAR requirements are even stricter for larger sets. For example: On average, an ENERGY STAR qualified 60-inch TV will be 60 percent more efficient than a standard model. Choosing products with this label will help ensure that you’re finding the most efficient model for the size and picture quality that you’d prefer.

Source: http://www.energystar.gov/