Another day, another TV that's got me feeling conflicted.
Having finished my testing with a few Blu-ray discs, I'm still basking in the warm glow of the P54Z1's truly exceptional HD movie performance. And yes, I've been at least a bit seduced by the extraordinarily skinny design and extremely effective WirelessHD technology.
But forcing myself into a more sober reflection on my experience with the P54Z1 as a whole recalls those sometimes underwhelming standard definition images - which look slightly worse than they did on the P46Z1 because of the P54Z1's extra screen size. And then there's that £4,500 price tag to consider. This is a price so high, of course, that it actually makes the now £2,500-odd asking price of Pioneer's 50in KRP-500A look cheap. And while the Panasonic arguably matches that legendary Pioneer with Blu-ray playback, the Pioneer is for me a more consistent picture all-rounder.
So unless you're desperate for the Panasonic's extra 4in of pictures, slim/metallic design or wireless technology, the Pioneer is arguably the more sensible buy. If you can get hold of one before they disappear forever, of course…Read full review
Overall
8/10
By John Archer
Reviewed 26 August 2009
Updated 05 February 2011