Panasonic VIERA TX-P50GT50B Pro Reviews

A class-leading plasma TV at an affordable price – at least compared to other high-end TVs – it's impossible to think of a better screen on which to watch both 2D and 3D Blu-ray. Standard definition sources are coped with unusually well, too, and while the image isn't as immediately bright as an LCD/LED TV, a picture this good shouldn't be difficult to live with in any setting. However, the user interface is a little drab, and we're sad to see no 3D specs in the box (especially as the cheapest ones don't cost much), but a picture completely lacking in motion blur and with awesome black levels makes this a reference-level television.

The Panasonic TX-P50GT50B is the third in a series of very similar and very excellent Plasma TVs we’ve reviewed from the Japanese manufacturer’s 2012 range. Like nearly every Plasma television the company has released, it represents outstanding picture quality and value for money. If you’re familiar with their 2012 Plasma lineup, think of the GT50 as a VT50 with a slightly plainer design and a less cutting-edge anti-reflective filter. Those are basically the only significant differences we could see, and whether you end up with an ST50, GT50 or VT50, it’s win-win, because they’re all brilliant. The TX-P50GT50 excels in nearly every usage scenario that we can think of. The only situation in which we’d advise against its purchase would be for an exceptionally bright room, where an LED LCD TV stands a better chance at being able to produce a picture that’s bright enough to compete with ambient light. However, for the average viewing environment, a Plasma such as the Panasonic GT50 will provide superior picture quality to the LED LCD competition.

Panasonic's incredible year continues, and the P50GT50B is yet another fantastic offering to join the ranks of the excellent P50ST50B and the reference award winning P50VT50B. The similarities between the specifications of the VT50 and the GT50 are obvious and whilst the VT50 has the edge, especially in terms of blacks, the GT50 does give it a run for its money. The P50GT50B may not have a facia made of a single sheet of glass but it's a very attractive TV nonetheless. The black bezel with its silver trim on the outer edge is elegant and sets off the screen nicely and the angle of the two tone stand gives the impression that the panel is floating above it. Despite the 50" screen size, the whole display is only 3cm deep and it has a solid and well-built feel that signifies a high quality product. There is a very comprehensive set of connections at the rear, with four side facing HDMI inputs and three USB ports but as always the HDMI inputs are too close to the edge.