Budget Plasma TV

Inexpensive plasma TVs: Getting better

Not long ago, the shelves of retailers were filled with low-cost plasma panels from value manufacturers such as Vizio. Most, including Vizio, have stopped making plasma TVs, but budget buyers are far from out of luck. Several plasma TVs from major manufacturers like Panasonic offer good -- though not perfect -- performance at an attractive price.

Though it certainly won't please the most critical viewers (or reviewers), we saw feedback indicating that Panasonic's PX1 plasma-TV series, including the 50-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P50X1 (*Est. $750) and 42-inch Viera TC-P42X1 (*Est. $650), delivers good picture quality considering the price. However, the plasma sets are plagued by a couple of issues that could bother some viewers.

Initial reports said the Panasonic PX1 plasma TV series had some uniformity issues. Unlike traditional banding, which is far more common in LCD than plasma TVs, this showed up as a pattern of faint lines that could be seen in light areas of the image if viewers sat closer than 10 feet from the screen. However, CNET reports that the issue has been fixed in later versions of the TVs (the site looked at a set with a June 2009 manufacturing date to confirm). User discussions at AVSForum.com and elsewhere indicate that even for those sets affected, the problem bothers some viewers more than others, and some say they don't notice it at all. The sets' other shortfall is color accuracy, which "fell well short of ideal" in CNET's testing, with green being considerably off the mark.

Even with those defects, several well-regarded reviewers find enough goodness in the Panasonic PX1 series to recommend its members. For example, they are the only plasma TV sets to make it onto CNET's list of top inexpensive plasma displays. User reviews are also very positive, with more than 90 percent of owners at BestBuy.com saying they would recommend the Panasonic TC-P50X1 to a friend. Black levels are the primary reason, and by all accounts, they are outstanding -- falling just short of the very best plasma TVs but handily outperforming most LCD TVs. Shadow detail is also excellent, with fine features easily seen in darker portions of the screen.

Features are not particularly rich, and resolution is only 720p. Whether or not you'll miss the extra resolution provided by a 1080p set is a matter of debate and will be influenced by your proximity to the TV and the acuteness of your eyesight. The plasma TVs also lack the more energy-efficient panels found in Panasonic's upscale models, so you'll consume more watts. Connectivity is adequate, with an SD card slot being a nice perk.

Reviews are scarce for other budget plasma TVs. The entry-level LG 50PQ30 (*Est. $800) and LG 42PQ30 (*Est. $670) plasma TVs are the subject of some write-ups at ClearReviews.com, though the reports are more focused on features and appearance than performance. However, while value is undeniable, Panasonic's budget TVs seem to get more respect when it comes to picture quality. Color accuracy is good, but blacks are lighter than sets like Panasonic's TC-P50X1. Additionally, one report notes issues with false contouring. User feedback for these LG plasma TVs isn't extensive but is generally positive. That said, we've seen some mentions of a highly reflective screen, which means the TV probably performs best in dimly lit viewing areas. Resolution is 720p.

Not to be left out, Samsung offers the B450 series of entry-level 720p high-definition televisions. We've yet to see any professional reports on either the 42-inch Samsung PN42B450 (*Est. $680) or 50-inch PN50B450 (*Est. $900) plasma TV sets, but user feedback is plentiful and impressive. Picture quality and value are both good. However, while most regard the blacks to be satisfactory, the blacks produced by Panasonic's budget plasma TVs are said to be deeper still.