As a general rule, you won't [i]need[/i] (I said "need", not "want") a 240Hz refresh rate on your screen unless you're viewing 3D content. The norm seems to be 120Hz screens, while more expensive ones use 240Hz (used to be 60Hz and 120Hz, respectively). "Input lag" is typically noted as "pixel response" by manufacturers. Personally, I won't buy anything over 5ms. There are still PC monitors and TVs manufactured with pixel response times of 10ms or more. For lots of consumers, they won't notice the difference while browsing the web, reading email, or watching [i]American Idol[/i]. LED screens will generate a little less heat than those lit by fluorescent tubes. They will also consume less energy, last longer (the back lights, that is), and not fade unevenly over time (think about older laptop screens that seemed to dim around the edges as the years went by). Contrast ratio is also important. Many manufacturers now advertise "100,000,000:1" contrast ratios, but that's [i]dynamic[/i] contrast ratio. This means the screen will mess with the brightness setting to make images appear darker when it needs to. This is fine, provided you aren't playing in an extremely brightly lit room, then it can be an issue to clearly see everything on the screen. If you can (not all manufacturers publish this info), you'll want at least 1,000:1 [i]native[/i] contrast ratio. As for actual brand, Samsung tends to produce the best looking TV screens, but they're expensive (for ones with enough inputs, outputs, and options). Comparing them side by side, Vizio actually gives Samsung a run for their money, at a lesser price (and gives you a surprisingly large number of options). A tip for if you go to a store, don't immediately judge a screen by how it looks. You have no idea what the default settings are or if someone has messed with it. If you can reach it, try pressing the buttons on it to play with some of the options. Since stores like to show the same video and audio feed on all their TVs, you can easily compare them to each other. Having a "game mode" doesn't necessarily mean it's good for gaming. Having a "game mode" simply means that the designers put in a preset configuration that [i]they[/i] thought was good for gaming. I shut the gaming mode off on my TV. Instead, I tweaked the other settings to make it look how I want. This is the trick to getting a really good experience, calibrating your screen to the content you're displaying. The [url=http://www.avsforum.com]AVS Forum[/url] has some great tutorials and [url=http://www.avsforum.com/forum/139-display-calibration/948496-avs-hd-709-blu-ray-mp4-calibration.html] downloadable Blu-rays and DVDs[/url] to help you properly calibrate your TV. There is also a great tutorial from [url=http://lifehacker.com/5858625/how-to-calibrate-your-hdtv-and-boost-your-video-quality-in-30-minutes-or-less]Lifehacker[/url] which shows you how to use tools like those from AVS Forum, and may be easier for beginners to follow than the one from the AVS Forum. Hope that helps!