Panasonic Viera TC-P50X1

For those on a budget, it's hard to find a set that delivers better bang for the buck than the 50-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P50X1. At 720p, the TV doesn't deliver the full resolution of pricier 1080p sets, but many experts say viewers won't notice the missing pixels at typical viewing distances. A picture artifact that showed up as a pattern of faint grey lines in lighter regions of an image has been fixed in TVs manufactured since early summer. Otherwise, picture quality is solid, with blacks that are deeper than those on more expensive plasma TVs from other makers. Color accuracy could be better, but picture quality is described as solid by most experts and owners. The TV is also available in a 50-inch screen size. If you have a little more to spend, the 50-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P50G10 (*Est. $1,300) delivers blacks that are just as solid, throws in advanced features such as THX certification and interactivity, provides full 1080p resolution and is more energy efficient. In between, the Panasonic Viera TC-P50S1 (*Est. $1,050) offers the same picture quality and energy efficiency as the TC-P50G10, but strips out most of the features.

Professional opinions on the 50-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P50X1 are split. Those who consider value as part of the equation, such as CNET, recommend the TV for those who are on a budget. Some sites, however, such as PlasmaTVBuyingGuide.com, are more unforgiving. ConsumerReports.org also weighs in with its opinion. User reviews and discussions can be found at AVSForum.com, BestBuy.com and Amazon.com.