Introduction

Panasonic's U5 series is second-to-last on their 2012 roster of LCD HDTVs. The U5 series is a frills-free TV that serves only to televise in 1080p HD, with no smart features or 3D technology built in. It only comes in one screen size, and is modestly priced at an MSRP of $499. If you need a basic HDTV that also performs decently and fits within your budget, however, we recommend you look elsewhere. This TV performs poorly in the two important areas of color accuracy and contrast ratio, and there are better budget buys on the market.