Savvy Consumer: Big-screen TVs

In GH Research Institute tests, these supersize TVs were all winners

Wide-panel TVs are down in price, but shopping for one is still a tough job. To save you the headache, we tested the newest models in three size categories — and found the best in each. Which to choose? It depends on the size of the room in which you'll be watching — images won't look their sharpest if you're too close to the screen. The rule of thumb is to think double: If a screen is 50 inches, say, you need to sit 100 inches away (around eight feet)

42-inch Winner

Our engineers flipped for the great picture quality of this flat-panel Vizio P42HDTV ($1,599.99).