After seeing this display you'll never buy the cheapest option again! This really sets the standard for LCD picture quality. The picture is the most lifelike that I've seen, and knocks the socks off CRT displays. The main reasons for this are the super high contrast and 100hz image interpolation, which eliminates motion blur entirely. I've taken a look at the Sony efforts at this, but even thier 200hz system isn't as successful in fooling the eye.
This set is made to be connected to a home theatre system, so budget for a decent set of 5.1 speakers with optical input. Samsung produce a good system, but check out the Logitech Z series it you want something more cost-effective.
The built-in media player is impressive, playing videos at 1080p without any trouble. File support is good, but there's no DTS so you have to encode in Dolby 5.1.
The thin case means you'll want to mount this on a wall for safety reasons at least.