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Panasonic Premiere TH-65VX100U

Discontinued

Reviewed

November 2009

Pros

Excellent picture quality
Very deep blacks
Lots of picture controls

Cons

Extremely expensive
No tuner
No speakers or stand
Limited standard connectivity

Our Analysis

Reviewers say that the 65-inch Panasonic Premiere TH-65VX100U delivers some of the best picture quality of any HD display, but its steep price and limited availability appeal to only the well-heeled or dedicated videophile. The TH-65VX100U is a monitor, which means there's no built-in tuner. The audio amplifier does a nice job if paired with good speakers, but they're not included, and neither is a stand or much in the way of inputs. The Panasonic Premiere TH-65VX100U does offer incredible picture quality, marked by blacks that are bested only by very few sets, such as the now discontinued Pioneer Kuro plasma TVs. Colors are lifelike, though some say they're technically inaccurate. For those looking for nearly as big a screen at a cheaper price, the Samsung PN58B650 (Discontinued) provides blacks that are almost as deep and very accurate colors. The Samsung PN58B650 is also a full-featured TV, with a tuner, speaker and stand included.

Despite its price, the 65-inch Panasonic Premier TH-65VX100U gets quite a few professional reviews. The most detailed are at Home Theater and Sound & Vision magazines. CNET and PlasmaTVBuyingGuide.com offer reviews that are also useful. User reviews are essentially nonexistent -- not a surprise given the TV's cost and limited availability (it is mainly sold through professional installers).

Our Sources

1. Home Theater Magazine Details/Subscribe

The Panasonic Premiere TH-65VX100U gets a Top Pick award, scoring four out of five stars in every category except value (where it receives three stars). Testing is hands-on, and reviewer Thomas J. Norton clearly likes what he sees, calling it "world class" but not "world-leading." He likes the discontinued Pioneer Kuro and Sony XBR8 series of LCD TVs slightly better.

Review: Panasonic Premiere TH-65VX100U Plasma HD Monitor, Thomas J. Norton, March 2009

2. Sound & Vision Magazine Details/Subscribe

Reviewer Rob Sabin says features on the Panasonic Premier TH-65VX100U are "sparse." A tuner and speakers are not included, and the optional stand will cost you an additional $1,000. All that seems outweighed by the excellent picture, which Sabin says is among the best of any set he's reviewed.

Review: Panasonic Premiere TH-65VX100U 65-inch plasma HDTV Test Report, Rob Sabin, May 2009

3. CNET

CNET says it lowered the rating for the Panasonic Premiere TH-65VX100U (still Excellent, though) because of marketplace changes. While enamored with the image quality, David Katzmaier says the high price and promise of better plasma TVs on the horizon make the monitor "a tough sell."

Review: Panasonic Viera TH-65VX100U, David Katzmaier, Feb. 10, 2009

4. PlasmaTV Buying Guide.com

Robert Wiley reviews the Panasonic TH-65VX100U and TH-65PF11UK together (they are the consumer and commercial versions of the same monitor). He's one of the few reviewers to give a high score for value, although it appears he's referring to the commercial version.

Review: Panasonic 65-Inch Flat Panel Plasma, Robert Wiley, June 2009

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Panasonic Premiere TH-65VX100U Review

Panasonic Premiere TH-65VX100U