2011-03-14T10:19:00.000-07:00

Panasonic Viera TC-P50GT25 Review:

Panasonic's first 3D TV, the TC-PVT25 series, earned our Editors' Choice award for its 2D picture quality, and in our opinion is currently the best overall TV you can buy. It's expensive, however, so the company decided to release a slightly cheaper 3D-compatible TV later in 2010, the two-size TC-PGT25 series reviewed here. It can't quite match the picture delivered by its big brother in 2D mode, and in 3D it also has issues, but it's still an excellent performer. That said, it's still significantly more expensive than Panasonic's G20/25 models--which are basically the same, sans 3D. The GT25 occupies a place somewhere in the middle of the 3D plasma TV landscape, and while it may appeal to plasma fans looking for a cheaper alternative to the VT25 and/or 2D-to-3D conversion, Samsung's top plasmas are better overall.

Pro's: Superb black-level performance; accurate primary colors in THX mode; great color saturation; effective antireflective screen; uses less power than previous 1080p plasmas; Viera Cast provides access to select Internet services and improved customization; includes 2D to 3D conversion.

Con's: Cannot properly handle 1080p/24 sources; loses some black-level performance over time; introduces artifacts in 3D mode; fewer streaming services and apps than the competition; uses more power than LCDs; does not include 3D glasses.

The bottom line: Although it does deliver excellent 2D picture quality, the 3D-compatible Panasonic TC-PGT25 series can't match the overall performance of the competition's best plasmas.

Where To Buy: We recommend Amazon.com as they are a highly trusted and reputable brand.