It was the best of televisions, it was the 2nd best of televisions.

A friend called me up this past weekend with a dilemma. He was looking to buy a new television. It was Massachusetts’ tax-free weekend and he was looking to take advantage and save a few percent. He said to me, (paraphrased)

Lazy Man, I have narrowed the choices down to two televisions both 46 inch LED TVs. One is a Samsung at $1500 and the other is a Sharp at $1000. The Samsung looks better…

I asked him about the Sharp television and he said it was the Sharp Aquos. You might have seen the commercials for the Aquos… they are the ones with the added yellow color. My friend and I joked for a minute or two about how yellow is a great color and it’s an awesome step forward by Sharp to bring it into our living rooms. I could have sworn I had seen yellow on my television in the past, but I guess not.

After the joking, I told that I see buying televisions a little like buying a diamond. You put an D color diamond next to a G color diamond and the G will appear very yellow. However, if someone were to just hand you a G diamond you’d say, “That’s a nice white diamond.” I don’t know anyone who comments on the whiteness of a diamond when it’s on a lady’s finger.

With televisions, you are going to bring it home and watch it without the point of comparison. I don’t know about you, but as long as I have good size and high definition, I’m all set. I don’t watch a Patriots’ game and think, “You know this game would be better if I went with the other brand in the store.”

With this in mind, I gave the following advice. Buy the Sharp Aquos (enjoying the world of yellow), and save yourself $500. Put that $500 in your television budget (yes this friend has budgeting down to a science) for when 3D televisions hit an attractive price point (and when there is enough 3D content to make it worthwhile). He agreed that I was probably the voice on reason on this one… especially since the Samsung was only about 10% better and not worth 50% more money.

I’m sure this isn’t exactly an unbiased audience, but which television would you have gone with? Let me know in the comments.