I agree. 720p isn't bad at all. Only graphic whores notice huge differences. For average joes like me, its almost the same.
That is just for gaming though, if you plan on watching HD movies, 1080p is the way to go !

My mom can't tell the difference between 480p, 720p, and 1080i. It's strange, she claims to be very perceptive, but when it comes TVs she's arrogant about the fact she doesn't care because she can't see a difference.

Even if it's doesn't impress her she should be able to see and appreciate it.

I wonder if it's her eyesight? Or is it a coping mechanism for protecting herself from wanting a better TV?

Depends on the size of your screen. for a 36" and up I would recommend 1080p. I plan on a 25.5" in 1080p.

@ wessle
480p and 1080i are massively different. your mom needs to get her eyes checked !

I have a wii I play with 20 inch crt I cannot tell difference between 720p or 1080p on my wii

There were a number of articles that all said that 1080p isnt need unless your TV is 40" or bigger.

I play my PS3 on my 30" Wide screen CRT HDTV (up to 1080i), at first i was playing it on 480p til i got an HDMI wire and major difference 1080i is! All i can say is as long as you're playing an HD console on an HDTV you're good =)

Like some have said, it depends on the size of the TV and your personal viewing perception. I see a difference between a 720p and a 1080p signal on my friend's 42" LG LCD, but that's the smallest I've really took notice. I once owned a 55" LCD rear projection at 1365 x 768 resolution that accepts 720p and 1080i signals. Very nice looking picture, and I saw the difference between the two resolutions I later upgraded to a 55" SXRD rear projection at 1920 x 1080 resolution that accepted and displayed 1080p signals. And I noticed a significant difference between my current television and my older one. Is the money worth it for gaming? From my experience, yes, and it's even more worth it when viewing Blu-rays at that resolution as well when comparing between the two televisions.

I'm surprised no one posted this:

^Wow, but still, what's the minimum viewing distance that does not hurt the eyes? Can't imagine myself having to sit just 5 feet in front of a large 40 inch 1080p set!

My parents have such a TV at their home and we sit at least twice that preferred distance when we watch programmes!

In addition, this kind of implies that you need at least a 60 inch screen if you want to sit at a non eye burning distance (7.5 ft) if you want a 1080p set! 

I would use the chart the other way.

Based on the room the TV is in, decide how far away you will be sitting.  Then use the chart to pick the right TV for the distance.