Panasonic VIERA TH-42PX80U

CNet.com's David Katzmaier gushes over the deep black levels and great value, but notes some flaws. User reviews are beginning to accumulate at sites like Amazon.com and Best Buy.com, and overall, most owners are very pleased with the TV.

While some budget plasma TVs are less expensive, the 42-inch Panasonic VIERA TH-42PX80U delivers a great picture for its price. The 720p resolution falls short of the 1080p resolution offered by more expensive plasma TVs, but it is still high resolution, and experts say that at normal seating distances, the benefits of 1080p can't really be seen in a 42-inch screen anyway. Some picture flaws are noted, but those are more than offset by the overall quality and great black levels. If you have a bigger budget, the 42-inch Panasonic TH-42PZ85U (*est. $1,020) delivers 1080p resolution and blacks that are deeper still. Budget options include the Vizio VP422 (*est. $700). That 720p TV, available exclusively at Wal-Mart, has yet to receive much user feedback; however, Vizio has earned a reputation as a solid performer among budget labels. If you want the same picture quality and relative value as the TH-42PX80U but in a larger screen size, experts say that the 50-inch Panasonic VIERA TH-50PX80U (*est. $1,000) should perform similarly.