Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20

Value Comparison

The TC-P50G10 is not in the same class as the new TC-P50VT20, if you run down the specs sheets. No, the G10 is a step-down model from the VT20. Of course, it lacks the 3D display technology, but other tests indicate that things like general motion performance are nowhere near as good. On the flip side, black & white and color performance are largely similar. If you want to save money, the G10 series is a strong contender in the plasma category. If you seek the latest technologies, you’ll probably be more interested in the new VT20 series.

Core Attributes Comparison
	Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20	Panasonic Viera TC-P50G10
Size	50 in.	50 in.
General Type	Plasma	Plasma
Format	1080p	1080p

Blacks & Whites

The Panasonic TC-P50G10 and the TC-P50VT20 performed quite similarly in the blacks & whites tests, for better or for worse. The black performance is great, and the peak whites are terrible. It’s part for the course with a lot of plasmas, but these Panasonics seem particularly dim when you set them up next to a good LCD television.

Color Accuracy

The older TC-P50G10 managed to outperform the new TC-P50VT20 in terms of color temperature consistency. The RGB color curves were more closely matched. These are similar televisions in many regards.

Color Temperature Comparison
Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20 (Score: 7.81)
Panasonic Viera TC-P50G10 (Score: 10.0)

RGB Comparison
Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20 (Score: 7.7)
Panasonic Viera TC-P50G10 (Score: 7.71)

Motion

While the color accuracy of the two Panasonics were similar, they’re clearly not identical TVs. The motion performance was quite different, and we like the improvements we’re seeing from 2009 to 2010. The new display technology is showing less artifacting and smoother motion.

Motion Scores
	Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20	Panasonic Viera TC-P50G10
Motion Score

Viewing Effects

The new Panasonic TC-P50VT20 has a significantly wider viewing angle than last year’s TC-P50G10, increasing from 64 degrees on either side of center all the way up to 80 degrees. That’s an impressive leap.

Viewing Angle Comparison
Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20: 12.67	Panasonic Viera TC-P50G10: 8.56

Connectivity

The Panasonic TC-P50G10 has one fewer HDMI port than the new TC-P50VT20, but it includes an S-Video and analog audio out that the new TV lacks. However, the new model includes two USB ports and WiFi-ready capability. All told, the new TC-P50VT20 is the stronger choice in this showdown.

Connectivity Comparison
	Panasonic TC-P50VT20	Samsung UN55C7000	Sony KDL-46EX700	Panasonic TC-P50G10
HDMI	4	4	4	3
Component	2	1	2	2
Composite	2	1	1	2
S-Video	0	0	0	1
VGA	1	1	1	1
Analog Audio In	4	2	4	4
Digital Audio Out	1	1	1	1
Analog Audio Out	0	1	1	1
Ethernet	Yes	Yes	None	None
Wi-Fi	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
USB	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Memory Card Types	SD/SDHC/SDXC/SDXC	None	None	None
DLNA	Yes	Yes	Unknown	No

Other Comparisons

The big difference between these two is the 3D display technology on the new TC-P50VT20. Beyond that, the testing numbers and connectivity options indicate that the new model is simply in a different class and a better performer all around.