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Panasonic TC-P50G15: Review

Posted to Televisions 2009-08-29

One of the best-valued plasma screen televisions Panasonic has recently released is the 50 inch Panasonic TC-P50G15 Class Viera G15 Series Plasma. Not only does it bring the same amazing quality and performance that the G10 offered, but it is also nearly 2" slimmer. Although it is quite pricey, the G15 is well worth the price. If offers a superb picture that edges out even some of the most impressive 1080p LCDs, leading us to believe that it deserves a five star rating.

With the stand, this plasma measures 32.1 X 48.0 X 15.8 inches and weighs 75 lbs. Without the stand, it measures 30.3 x 48.0 x 3.9 inches and weighs 70.6 lbs. Because it is 2 inches slimmer than its predecessors, this model can be mounted on the wall without looking too obtrusive. As far as picture clarity and color, the Panasonic TP-P50G15 is superior. The blacks are true black and the whites are true whites, unlike in some LCDs. Some consumers claim the picture looks too dark, but this can be quickly corrected with calibration. Overall, this is a spectacular big screen plasma television.

Rating:

5.0 out of 5

Features

With its 1920 x 1080 resolution, 40000:1 contrast ratio, and VIERA technology, the G15 is great with both performance and features. This model features both NTSC and ATSC tuners for programming flexibility, in addition to support for YouTube etc via the Ethernet port and VIERA cast. Other ports include three HDMI, two composite, two audio-in, two component video, one S-video, one audio-out, one digital audio (optical), and one VGA. It also has a SD card slot to watch your creations with the simple and easy VIERA Image Viewer. Another exciting feature for the Panasonic TC-P50G15 is its THX certification, which ensures your picture will appear as the creators intended. This model also comes with a new AR (anti-reflective filter) and 600Hz sub-field drive to prevent annoying glares or distorted pictures. All in all, the features are impressive.

Ergonomics

Although the 50-inch Panasonic TC-P50G15 is virtually equal to the previous G10 model, it is much slimmer and streamlined than the G10. Because the components were rearranged and compacted to gain the extra 2" in the G15, this model is also over 2 lbs heavier. However, this is hardly noticeable once you position the plasma on the wall. If you have wall-worries, the stand works just fine to accommodate. More than anything, the size of the screen is noticeable, coming in at 50 inch (49.9 inch diagonally). If you want a high quality big screen, this is one to consider.

Summary

Overall, the Panasonic TC-P50G15 is a nice plasma television that offers a smooth balance of picture clarity, color, and performance. The features and ports are reasonable; however, this model is not perfect. Sometimes, the picture may appear too dark for viewing. But besides the occasional glitch, this 1080p plasma is the perfect addition to your living room. Keep in mind that it is expensive, so you may want to shop around before deciding on this one.

Pros

Pricey- cost should be considered, but well worth it
Pristine- great picture color and clarity, plus slimmer design
Powerful- full 1080p resolution introduces 600Hz sub-field drive
Personal- loaded with ports like HDMI, composite, and Ethernet
Panasonic-trusted company has done it again with this 50 inch plasma TV

Cons

There are no cons for this product