Panasonic TX-P42GT50

Panasonic TX-P42GT50B review

Panasonic's Viera plasmas have a well-deserved reputation for producing outstanding images, and the ST50 I reviewed recently showed that the company has lost none of its deft touch. The 42-inch Panasonic GT50 promises even better picture quality, with finer graduation of colours and speedier smart TV apps powered by a dual-core processor. Priced at around £1,100 online, it's pricier than the ST50, which you can now pick up for £850, so is it worth it? The major weakness of Panasonic TVs recently has been their user interfaces. Sadly, the GT50 suffers from the same problems in this department. The menu system has barely been touched from what appeared on last year's GT30, and even that looked quite dated at the time. You get none of the slick graphical touches and 3D-style animations that are the trademark of the latest Samsung and LG TVs. Instead, you're left looking at drab and dreary menu screens. Some people won't give a fig about this, but I find it lazy on Panasonic's part. If I had a mate who owned an LG or Samsung model, I'd feel slightly embarrassed calling up the menus here because they look so dated in comparison. Thankfully, the electronic programme guide (EPG) has at least been modernised.