Panasonic Viera VT50

Bottom Line

If you want the best picture money can buy, look no further than the Panasonic Viera VT50. Although it's very pricey for a plasma set, it's still a bargain compared to equivalent LED TVs and a better performer, as well. There are two screen sizes in the VT50 series, the 55-inch TC-P55VT50 (*Est. $2,500) and the 65-inch TC-P65VT50 (*Est. $3,700).

Performance

The best you can get, at any price. There's no shortage of high praise for the picture quality of the VT50. CNET calls it the best TV since Pioneer's legendary Kuro sets were discontinued, and Sound+Vision magazine concurs. Based on objective and subjective testing, TelevisionInfo.com adds that Panasonic swung for the fences and hit "a home run."

Performance-wise, the VT50 is one exceptional TV. Blacks are extraordinarily deep -- equaled or slightly bested only by the long discontinued Pioneer Elite Kuro plasma sets and Sharp's budget-busting LED-based take on the Elite introduced last year (*Est. $4,600 and up). The contrast ratio is "awe-inspiring," says Sound+Vision. Geoffrey Morrison writes: "Bright parts of any image explode off the screen, while the dark parts sink into infinity. When you watch a letterboxed movie, the black bars disappear into the room. This is the brass ring, folks, the Grail itself." Keep in mind that the VT50 is still a plasma, however, so it won't get quite as bright as a good-performing LED set.

When it comes to colors, accuracy is excellent; the VT50 outperforms virtually every other TV, past and present. Experts who conduct bench tests have a couple of complaints, but each says they're so minor as to not be observable during viewing of program material. CNET compares the VT50 to a host of sets, including the Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-111FD as a reference, and says the Panasonic is the best set in the room in this regard.

Unlike plasma sets of both years past and current TVs from other makers, Panasonic's higher-end 2012 plasmas do a pretty good job of holding their image quality under bright lights. Black levels are well maintained and reflections, if not eliminated, are well controlled. Viewing angles are excellent, as is screen uniformity.

One non-highlight is 3D performance. It's not bad -- in fact, many call it adequate or better -- but it's not a notable improvement over more pedestrian sets. Ghosting, a typical bugaboo in active-shutter 3D TVs, can be fairly noticeable unless a default picture setting is changed. See the CNET review in Our Sources for details.

Like many plasma TVs, the VT50 consumes a bit of power, certainly more than its LED counterparts. No set in the series is Energy Star qualified.

Features

3D and Internet streaming, too. These are now almost obligatory features in high-end and even midrange sets. We addressed 3D performance above, but it's worth mentioning that if you care at all about 3D, you'll need to spend extra for the glasses because none are included. Panasonic's specs will likely set you back about $50 per pair. Since these TVs are compatible with glasses from other makers, however, options as low as $20 each are available.

Panasonic's Viera Cast streaming platform is fairly robust, with most major and minor Internet content providers available. Performance is better than on some of Panasonic's step-down efforts, most likely thanks to a more powerful processor, CNET says. Wi-Fi and DLNA compatibility for streaming content from a personal computer are also on board.

Panasonic rolls in some advanced picture features targeted toward videophiles, as well. Those who like to play with image settings will find controls to fiddle with to their heart's content, and two hidden Imaging Science Foundation modes make the calibrator's life a bit easier. The set is THX certified, and includes a THX mode that automatically adjusts settings to mimic what you'd see in a THX-certified movie theater. In other sets, THX settings aren't always accurate or adjustable, but reports say the THX modes here are quite good, and can help the viewer get the best 3D picture.

Design

Panasonic's best-looking plasma TV ever. That's the verdict of several reviewers, including CNET and PlasmaTVBuyingGuide.com. A thin bezel with an even thinner sliver of metal is fronted by a pane of glass that goes edge to edge. The stand, however, isn't as well liked. "One flaw is the comparatively cheap-looking two-tone stand…which provides more motivation than usual to simply have your VT50 wall-mounted," says CNET. Connectivity is robust with four HDMI inputs. Panasonic includes a touchpad remote in addition to the standard TV clicker, which can make getting around all of the on-screen menus a little easier.

Value

You knew there had to be a catch. When compared to sets that perform on par or better -- arguably limited to the LED-based Sharp Elite efforts -- the Panasonic Viera VT50 looks like a mighty good bargain. However, many experts say that while the series' picture quality is better than any other plasma TV, the difference is a fairly small step that in many cases carries a substantial price premium. For picture perfectionists, that could be money well spent. For everyone else, it might be better spent elsewhere.