Panasonic Viera TH-P55VT50 (55-inch plasma)

Plasma TVs have long been favored for their deep luscious blacks and the 2012 Panasonic VT50 should be no exception. For this year, the company has made minor enhancements, such as adding a Web browser, to address the shortcomings of its predecessors.

But are these tweaks good enough to maintain the VT50's appeal with the impending launch of large OLED TVs?

Upside:

The TH-P55VT50 has retained most of the unique aesthetics of its predecessor including a "one sheet of glass" bezel design and a low-profile stand. Underneath its glossy shell is an improved Infinite Black Ultra panel and filter, which promise the deepest blacks even in brighter rooms among Panasonic's latest TVs.

Panasonic has also managed to shave another 10g off its latest active shutter 3D glasses, which weigh in at just 27g each. In addition, these goggles feature a Bluetooth instead of infrared connection and support 3D-to-2D conversion. The latter provides relief from giddiness for viewers with a lower tolerance for 3D.

More importantly, an Internet browsing function has been added to the company's Viera Connect smart TV platform. The companion iOS and Android remote apps will now have "push" capability for users to play back content from mobile devices. A compatible file format worth noting is MPO, which holds 3D images.

Downside:

There're no major omission and drawback as far as we can tell based on the information available so far. However, there's a possibility that Web content and services for Viera Connect might be limited based on last year's offerings. This is unless Panasonic goes radical and aggressively signs up content partners for 2012.

The impending arrival of large-screen OLED TVs from Samsung and LG could be a serious threat to this Viera, too. After all, OLED TVs are renowned for their plasma-like blacks, putting aside their presumably sky-high premiums.

Outlook:

The Panasonic TH-P55VT50 has addressed many shortcomings of its predecessor and we've no doubt that it will be one of the best performing panels for this year. Still, hardcore videophiles might be tempted to hop onto the OLED bandwagon since these newer panels offer the best of both worlds: Stunning picture quality and an ultra-sleek panel.