Sharp fires the first shot in the LCD price wars

That didn’t take long.

You’ve read here that LCD prices are about to take a dive, and here’s the first shot in the price wars, I presume: Dell has the Sharp LC42SB45U 42-inch LCD on sale for $899, and that even includes shipping. And it’s not refurbished, used or a return; it’s a brand new model. That’s about $500 cheaper than the former list price, and it may signal an all-out war in LCD/big-screen prices.

It includes 1080p resolution and the LC42SB45U (companies really need to develop shorter names for these things!) also offers all the usual addons and trimmings: three HDMI inputs, two component inputs, and a QAM-compatible tuner.

Since it’s new, no reviews to share really, but Sharp has an really good rep in the HDTV market, so this is probably a good performer. And at a price like this, it’s tough to really lose. Prices should continue to slide in the months to come, which is good news if you’re in the market for a TV soon.