Panasonic TH-46PZ85U

Among professional reviewers, CNet offers the most credible reporting. David Katzmaier is largely pleased with the TV, especially the dramatic black levels, but notes picture quality quibbles that keep it out of the ranks of the very best. About.com's Robert Silva names it one of the best plasma TVs, but doesn't offer detailed reasoning. User reviews are still not plentiful, but what's there seems to indicate a high level of satisfaction overall.

Though professional opinions are split on the 46-inch Panasonic VIERA TH-46PZ85U, the most credible reviews say that it is a good, but perhaps not great, plasma TV. Reports say the primary colors are not as accurate as they could be and noise reduction is not very effective. However, reviewers say its black levels are among the deepest of any TV currently available, and that goes a long way in overcoming those issues. Panasonic is alone in offering the 46-inch screen size, which competes directly against similarly-sized LCD screens. If your budget is a bit bigger, the company's THX-certified TH-46PZ800U (*est. $2, 240) delivers this set's same great black levels and far better color performance. If you like what this TV has to offer, and are not married to the 46-inch screen size, the PZ85U series is also available in a larger 50-inch version as the Panasonic VIERA TH-50PZ85U (*est. $2,000) or a 42-inch version as the Panasonic VIERA TH-42PZ85U (*est. $1, 300).