I've written TV reviews for more than 10 years, but I'm pretty sure this one is the most important. I'll cut to the chase: if you value picture quality, don't have money to burn, and don't game seriously enough to worry about input lag, you should buy the Panasonic TC-PST60.
Yes, it's a plasma. That's the main reason why its picture is so good. And despite what you may have heard, there's very little reason not to get a plasma TV. Once you decide to go plasma -- don't worry, you'll be fine -- the next question is which one. That's what makes the ST60 so important. It's Panasonic's least expensive 2013 TV set to boast this extremely high level of picture quality, and Panasonic is the only TV manufacturer even trying to make premium-performing TVs affordable these days. Given the company's financial trouble, the future of its plasma TV business is far from certain.
Yes, I expect a few TVs to deliver an even better picture than the ST60 this year, but they'll all cost a lot more. And yes, a couple of cheaper 2013 TVs, in particular Panasonic's own S60 series, might perform well enough to earn an "excellent" picture quality score from us. But I'll be extremely surprised if any 2013 TV surpasses the ST60's combination of jaw-dropping performance and practical affordability.
Editors' Note, November 15, 2013: Panasonic has announced that it will no longer manufacture plasma televisions after 2013, making these TVs the last of their kind. That fact doesn't negatively affect our buying advice; in fact, just the opposite. We have confidence Panasonic will remain a viable company, and continue to support its plasma TVs, for years.
Series information: I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 55-inch TC-P55ST60, but this review also applies to the other screen sizes in the series. All sizes have identical specs and according to the manufacturer should provide very similar picture quality.
| Models in series (details) | |
| Panasonic TC-P50ST60 | 50 inches |
| Panasonic TC-P55ST60 (reviewed) | 55 inches |
| Panasonic TC-P60ST60 | 60 inches |
| Panasonic TC-P65ST60 | 65 inches |
DesignV
iew Full Gallery (17 Photos)
Panasonic upped its focus on external appearance again in 2013 with what it calls "glass and metal design." While metallic touches on a TV might not be as impressive as they are on a smartphone, the ST60's chrome edging feels decidedly higher-end than the clear acrylic of the ST50 from last year.
The TV's glossy black frame, at a bit over an inch along the top and sides, is the same width as last year's, and panel depth is also relatively thin at 2 inches. These svelte dimensions allow the ST60 to at least approach the minimalist look of a many modern LED-based LCD TVs.V
iew Full Gallery (17 Photos)
I also appreciated that the company returned to the black stand rather than sticking with 2012's silver one. Its profile is pleasingly low-slung, but it still doesn't allow the panel to swivel. When asked why not at a press event, Panasonic's reps claimed first that swivels cause cords to detach, and then that plasmas' wide viewing angles (compared to LCD) make swiveling less necessary. I say, cop-out.V
iew Full Gallery (17 Photos)
The ST60 gets the nonilluminated remote that shipped with step-down models like the UT50. I like its logical layout and clear button differentiation. Tweaks for 2013 are mostly improvements (dedicated Netflix key, better labeling, and a few extra keys) but there are exceptions. Apps and Home, both part of the Smart TV suite, get too-prominent keys, while Menu is tiny. More than a few times I accidentally hit Home instead of the Up cursor.
The TV has two separate menu systems -- one for Smart TV and the other, accessible via that little Menu key, for more mundane TV settings like picture and network options -- and there's no way to get from one to the other using the menus themselves (Update: There is but it's still tough to find; select the Menu icon from top row of the main Viera Connect apps page). I thought the blue Settings icon from within the Smart TV Home system would take me to the TV's settings, but instead it took me to a configuration page for Smart TV itself. Once I found them, Panasonic's 2013 settings menus were a big improvement over last year's version, with easier navigation and sleeker design.
| Key TV features | ||||
| Display technology | Plasma | LED backlight | N/A | |
| Screen finish | Glossy | Remote | Standard | |
| Smart TV | Yes | Internet connection | Built-in Wi-Fi | |
| 3D technology | Active | 3D glasses included | 2 pair | |
| Refresh rate(s) | 96Hz, 60Hz, 48Hz | Dejudder (smooth) processing | Yes | |
| DLNA-compliant | Photo/Music/Video | USB | Photo/Music/Video |
