Figuring out the top few displays was difficult; the bottom two, not so much. Since the resolution of all the displays was 1080p, the main concern became "what minor flaws can we find to distinguish the sets?" instead of thinking "these pictures are beautiful." There was talk amongst the group about the Samsung being the favorite, but the appearance of edge enhancement makes me shudder. All of the sets did most things very well, but, in the end, it came down to personal preference. For me, the Sony was most pleasing to the eye. It had a combination of good contrast, color, and value that edged (not enhanced) it above the second- and third-place contenders.—John Higgins

After submitting our opinions to Geoffrey, some of us began to discuss what we thought of the TVs. It seemed that people either loved or hated the Samsung. It had a noticeable edge enhancement, which gave it a distinctly digital look that I wasn't too fond of. Nonetheless, it seemed to re-create minute details better than any of the other sets. The HP set didn't fare very well—with me or the group as a whole—but I did think it possessed redeemable qualities. It had a certain softness that probably lost it points, yet I thought this softness was not unlike the look of an analog TV—and that's not a bad thing. Overall, I thought the Sony was the best, in spite of its slightly reddish tint.—Nikhil Burman

It's been two years since our last RPTV Face Off extravaganza. So much has changed on the TV landscape, but one thing has remained the same: I still chose a Sony TV as my favorite, although the competition was much more fierce. I could live happily with several of these TVs, but I ultimately went with the Sony because it was the most consistent performer, with good detail, natural colors, decent processing, only a minimal amount of quantization and other digital noise, and a good overall contrast ratio. The adjustable black level gives it a versatility that some of the other TVs lack and makes it the best choice for my living room.—Adrienne Maxwell

Participating in a Face Off can be an eye-searing experience, like watching too many video clips of Paris Hilton. I found myself gravitating toward the Samsung and the Toshiba. I think that the Samsung's hyperreal detail would fare exceedingly well in my home. Because it would have to face the windows behind the viewing position, the space calls for a brighter, more saturated monitor. Also, I guess I've seen just too many CGI-based films, with the edges of CGI images popping like images in a comic book. In retrospect, the Toshiba might suit my viewing environment with a bit more balance, given its more natural detail, its uncanny sense of depth, and its natural-looking colors. —Jerry Kindela

John Higgins and I completely disagreed on the Samsung. I thought the picture was completely lifelike and had good detail and color and no artifacts. It was the set that I was consistently drawn back to throughout the day. The Sony would be a close second. It had a great black level, and I thought it did the best out of all of the other sets with 480i-based material. I love these Face Offs because, after we have handed our results over to Geoffrey for tabulation, it's a great chance for all of us to sharpen up our debating skills.—Maureen Jenson