Panasonic TC-L55DT50

Panasonic TC-L55DT50

Good HDTVs aren't always good-looking. You can have a bright and colorful screen capable of reaching inky blacks while not being visually stunning in its design. As more features become available in less-expensive HDTVs, it's design flourishes that become part of the justification for premium prices. The Panasonic TC-L47DT50 is an ideal example of this premise. At $1,899.99 (direct), this 47-inch, LED-edgelit LCD HDTV is more expensive than our budget Editors' Choice, the 55-inch Vizio M3D550KD ($1,429.99, 4 stars), but offers a similar feature set. What you get for the extra $500: active-shutter 3D, a better-than-average sound system, and one of the prettiest bezels we've seen on an HDTV yet. Editors' Note: This review is based on tests performed on the Panasonic TC-L47DT50, the 47-inch model in the same series. Besides the screen size difference, the $2,499.99 TC-L55DT50 is identical in features, and while we didn't perform lab tests on this specific model, we expect similar performance. DesignSimply stated: The L47DT50 is gorgeous. Its bezel is constructed of metal with a glass overhang on the bottom edge that houses a glowing Panasonic logo in the middle its transparent surface.