Amid the hubbub about Panasonic's financial trouble and questions about how it will affect the future of plasma TV, it's easy to forget about Samsung. The world's No. 1 TV maker has invested substantially in plasma research and production, and has managed to compete strongly against Panasonic for the hearts of the video-quality-obsessed.
The Samsung F8500 series continues the tradition beautifully, delivering the best picture quality we've ever tested in a Samsung TV. It's not quite as good overall as Panasonic's best 2013 efforts, such as the like-priced VT60, but it does offer one major advantage: light. The F8500 can produce a brighter image than competing plasmas, which combined with an excellent antireflective screen, leads to superb picture quality in high-ambient-light situations. If you have the kind of room that required an LED-based light cannon in the past, the F8500 might be bright enough to open your door to plasma.
Since this is a high-end Samsung TV, you can also expect oodles of features, including an all-new Smart TV suite that plays nice (sort of) with your cable box, as well as a built-in camera and mic for voice and gesture control.
The main downside is price. Unlike previous years with models like the awesome PNE6500 -- our third-favorite TV of 2012 considering value -- Samsung decided not to produce a relatively inexpensive yet permium-performing plasma TV in 2013. The F8500 costs a mint, meaning Samsung effectively forfeits the "videophile value" ballgame to the Panasonic ST60.
On the other hand, for plasma fans with the cash to burn who crave LED-like punch, the F8500 is the only game in town.
Editors' Note: This review was updated to include testing for gaming-related input lag, but its rating has not been modified. See the Picture Quality section for more.
Series information: I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 60-inch Samsung PN60F8500, 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) | |
| Samsung PN51F8500 | 51 inches |
| Samsung PN60F8500 (reviewed) | 60 inches |
| Samsung PN64F8500 | 64 inches |
