The LTM405W supports a resolution of 1024X768 which may not sound like much considering a 19" LCD computer monitor runs at 1280x1024, but compared to a resolution of 852x480 for plasma, the difference in picture resolution is obvious.

The higher native resolution also makes for a pretty picture when the Samsung LTM405W is connected to a computer through the built in DVI port, but more on that a little later in the review.

LTM405W Rear Panel Terminals
Terminals: DC power, Coax cable input, S-Video input, RCA Video input, RCA Left/Right Audio inputs, RCA component inputs (480i/480p) & left/right audio, and RCA component inputs (480p/720p/1080i) & left/right audio, a DVI computer video input, PC audio input, headphone jack, RCA left/right/center audio out, and a set of wire connectors for the two stereo speakers. Adjacent to the audio/video connections is a kensington lock hole. 480i/480p: Connects to a source with Y, Pb, Pr signals like a DVD player. 480p/720p/1080i: Connects to a source such as DTV (Digital TV) set top box with Y, Pb, Pr signals.

The screen has a pixel pitch of 0.6735mm which may sound extremely large again compared to current LCD monitors, but compare that to typically just over 1.0mm for an equivalently sized plasma display and you'll get the picture.

There are also none of the large vertical black address electrodes lines we find on plasma screens; adding yet another notch to the "I'm better than you" category for LCD vs. Plasma.

With a brightness value of 500cd/m2 and contrast of 600:1 the Samsung LTM405W features a pixel response rate of about 22ms, ensuring it is suitable for fast action flics without worries of ghosting (we didn't see any during several rounds of DVDs).

Generously wide viewing angles of 170 degrees / 170 degrees keep the 16:9 aspect ratio 40" screen looking good from just about any angle. Though, in our tests with the Samsung LTM405W we found the image contrast had a slight tendency to lighten up a little as one moved away from dead center. With the screen at eye level, a distance of about 10' away, the picture is quite simply amazing.

The LTM405W display draws 220W of power, with much of that figure being gobbled up by the large backlights. Comparably, Samsung's 42" SPL4225 Plasma display, which we reviewed previously here, draws upwards of 310W of power, or roughly 40% more juice. The difference in power consumption should make environmentalists and penny pinchers happy alike.

With a MSRP of $16,000CDN ($12K USD), and retail prices realistically more like $8,500CDN ($6K USD), going 'LCD' at this size is not a cheap endeavor. A similarly sized plasma screen will set you back a heck of a lot less, but a plasma screen's lifespan can be limited to just 30,000 hours before luminance begins to degrade.

And while an LCD television backlight can start to dull after about 60,000 hours of use, the backlights are separate components which theoretically could be replaced by qualified service personal. When a plasma's screen begins to burn out there is no means to repair it.