Panasonic TC-P50GT25 Review

In this review of the Panasonic TC-P50GT25 Plasma 3D TV, we will look at the 2D and 3D performance of this HDTV along with all the new features in the Panasonic GT25 series. The GT25 series is the mid-range Plasma 3D TV offering from Panasonic that offers amazing bang for the buck, making it our top pick for our list of cheap 3D TVs. The Panasonic TC-P50GT25 is a 50 inch, plasma 3D TV which is the largest in the GT25 series. With excellent image quality, great 3D performance, THX certification, Internet Connectivity and very aggressive pricing, this is a fantastic 3D TV for consumers who are on a budget. Read on to learn more about the TC-P50GT25 in this review.

Highlights of the Panasonic TC-P50GT25 Review

Strengths

• Excellent Black levels and Color accuracy
• Amazing 3D Performance with minimal cross-talk and sync mismatches
• Excellent viewing angle
• Very aggressive price point makes it a great pick for consumers on a budget
• Internet capabilities are quite well though out and implemented

Weaknesses

• Styling and aesthetics while attractive are a bit dated and reflect the lower price of this panel
• Some extra motion noise as compared to the VT25 series
• Some judder due to 3:2 pulldown processing of 24fps video content

Panasonic TC-P50GT25 Screen Size and Appearance

Design

The aesthetics of the TC-P50GT25 is perhaps one of the only major complaints against the TC-P50GT25 TV. While it certainly isn’t unattractive, it has a bit of a dated look as the bezel and casing is similar to Plasma TVs from 2008 and 2009. The bezel is a glossy plastic with a brownish tinge and the base is a disc shaped glossy plastic piece. This Plasma 3D TV is also a bit thicker than most of the 3D TVs released in 2010, measuring 3.5 inches deep. While the TC-P50GT25 certainly isn’t sexy like some of the ultra-slim 3D TVs in the market, it still has an attractive if dated look. Also, one has to keep in mind that this is a consumer-range 3D TV that is significantly cheaper than most of the premium 3D TVs offered by other manufacturers.

Flatpanel Resolution and Viewing Angle

The TC-P50GT25 Panel is a 1080p (1920×1080 resolution) display capable of displaying Full HD 3D. It is also an HDMI 1.4 capable TV so it can handle all the 3D formats listed under the HDMI 1.4 specification.

One of the areas in which the TC-P50GT25 shines is when measuring the Viewing Angle. Since this is a Plasma 3D TV, it has the inherent viewing angle advantage of Plasma TVs and displays images with good contrast ratio even at angles as large as 70 degrees on either side of the TV.

The GT25 series also features a pretty effective anti-reflection technology on the front panel that does a good job at battling glare from reflection of ambient light. Keep in mind that the TC-P50GT25 has a glossy screen finish, so even with a good anti-glare filter, it can only do so much to get rid of ambient reflections.

Panasonic TC-P50GT25 Picture Quality

Black Levels, Brightness, Color Accuracy and Contrast

The TC-P50GT25 features Panasonic’s Infinite Black Panel technology that reduces electrical pre-discharging in the plasma cells in the display. This ultimately helps produce deeper blacks. While the GT25 series does not feature the Infinite Black Panel Pro technology that is available in the premium VT25 series, it still performs exceptionally well when it comes to Black levels. The TC-P50GT25 still has one of the best black levels out of the 3D TVs released in 2010, bested only by its elder sibling, the VT25 series. This is very impressive considering that the TC-P50GT25 is targeting consumers who are on a budget.

The Panasonic TC-P50GT25 is actually brighter than the VT25 series and is actually very bright in comparison to other Plasma 3D TVs. However, it is obviously no match for LED/LCD based 3D TVs that have the inherent advantage of being able to run brighter. If you plan on viewing your 3D content in bright environments at all time, then you might consider getting an LED 3D TV such as the Sony KDL-55NX810. The dimmer peak brightness of plasma TVs lowers their net contrast ratio specification, but they still provide beautiful images.

When it comes to Color Accuracy, the Panasonic TC-P50GT25 holds its own and does a great job of showing great color accuracy and range. It also maintains very stable and precise color temperature and also has a virtually perfect color gamut. This might have been expected since the GT25 series of 3D TVs are THX certified, thus guaranteeing  excellent out of the box color performance and calibration.

Backlight Uniformity

Being a Plasma 3D TV, the TC-P50GT25 has no issues with any non-uniformity in “backlighting” as it does not rely on backlighting to produce an image.

Refresh Rate and Videoprocessing

The TCP50GT25 features 600Hz sub-field drive technology which means that it has a very quick screen response time. This HDTV is excellent at displaying fast moving images and video content. The TC-P50GT25 display features the same fast-decay phosphor technology that is present in the premium VT25 series thus enabling fast screen response times.

However, the GT25 series does have a tendency to have a tad bit more in terms of noise artifacts around the edges of some moving objects. This gives a slight perception of graininess, but this is very hard to catch during regular viewing.

The TC-P50GT25 also has to use 3:2 pulldown to display 24fps content (blu-ray) which isn’t as smooth as the 4:4 pulldown  technique used in the higher-end VT25 series.

3D Performance of the TC-P50GT25 Reviewed

The TC-P50GT25 really excels when it comes to 3D performance, just like the VT25 line of 3D TVs. Panasonic has received many accolades for producing the best implementation of 3D in their 2010 lineup of plasma 3D TVs and the TC-P50GT25 is certainly no exception.

The TC-P50GT25 exhibits very minimal cross-talk, which is great news as it is perhaps one of the most annoying defects that can ruin the 3D experience. The other area where Panasonic has done better than the competition is in the way their 3D glasses communicate with the television set. The glasses lose sync with the TV very rarely thus preventing flickering and eye-strain.

The combination of both the low cross-talk and good sync  between the 3D glasses and the HDTV makes the TC-P50GT25 an excellent 3D TV. Additionally, the TC-P50GT25 has an additional feature missing in the VT25 series, namely, conversion of 2D content into 3D.

3D Gaming on the TC-P50GT25

The TC-P50GT25 has a “game mode” that significantly reduces lag when displaying video or game content on the screen. This makes it very well suited for 3D Gaming. The only downside is that many consumers are still apprehensive of using a Plasma 3D TV for gaming hours on end due to the concern about screen burn-in. It should be noted that screen burn-in is not a real issue any longer with all the advances in Plasma screen technology. While the Plasma panels might exhibit some amount of image retention, this is purely a temporary effect. However, if you play video games 4-5+ hours a day, then we would recommend that you consider a LCD/LED based 3D TV instead of a plasma 3D TV like the TC-P50GT25.

Media, Internet and Connectivity

The Panasonic TC-P50GT25 is an internet cable 3D TV that has an Ethernet port and the ability to also connect via WiFi (separate adapter required). It features Panasonic’s popular VIERACast feature that includes apps and widgets for services like Netflix, Amazon VOD, Twitter, Skype and a host of other services. If you purchase a separate Panasonic Webcam, you can use the Skype application to video chat with friends and family on your TC-P50GT25. This TV can also connect to your DLNA home network and stream video directly. The Panasonic TC-P50GT25 can also play photos, videos and music from SDHC cards or USB thumbdrives.

Price and Verdict

The TC-P50GT25 probably has all the competition scared stiff. While it might not have a fancy cabinet and styling and also have slightly lower specs when it comes to contrast ratio, one thing is abundantly clear from this review of the Panasonic TC-P50GT25 – Panasonic has hit the 3D nail on its head with the VT25 and GT25 line of Plasma 3D TVs. They definitely provide the best 3D experience out of all the 3D TVs released to date. What is amazing is that the GT25 sells for such a low price while providing amazing 2D and 3D image quality. While it lacks some of the higher end features of the VT25 series (see our article on the difference between VT25 and GT25 3D TVs), the TC-P50GT25 is our pick for the best value 3D TV currently available.