Panasonic VT30 vs. Samsung Series 8: 3D plasma TV showdown
- — 20 October, 2011 13:00
Conclusion
We’re not going to announce a winner — you can make up your mind from the information presented here. We highly recommend you read each review — of both the Panasonic VT30 and the Samsung Series 8 D8000 — before you go any further, to better understand each TV’s features and performance. We will say that the Samsung is a little cheaper in any given screen size but with TV prices so low across the market this shouldn’t be too much of a deciding factor.
Vital stats: Panasonic VT30
What’s hot: Good 3D and 2D Full HD performance, surprisingly reasonable price tag
What’s not: Free to air TV doesn't look great, black performance isn't perfect
The final word: Panasonic's latest and greatest and largest 3D plasma TV is excellent when paired with a high quality Blu-ray player, for both 2D and 3D movies. It's not even especially expensive given its huge screen size. Its internal digital TV tuner isn't very good though, so we'd recommend pairing it up with a TiVo or other high quality PVR. In addition, a few other questionable video quality changes since last year's VT20 mean that the VT30 isn't better in every way. Chassis thickness and bland bezel aside, the VT30 is a television that we're generally impressed with.
Vital stats: Samsung Series 8 D8000
What’s hot: Excellent picture quality, great design, impressive sound quality from a thin TV
What’s not: The Series 6 might be slightly better value, EPG is slow to load and navigate
The final word: The 2011 edition of Samsung's Series 8 plasma is, as we'd expected, an impressive piece of technology. Its sound and visuals are great, and the inclusion of various 'Smart TV' features makes the Series 8 a useful multimedia device as well as a traditional TV. The built-in Web browser isn't perfect and we'd definitely prefer a notebook if one was close to hand, and some of the features are a little imperfect, but the Series is is nonetheless a big step forward from the featureless TVs of a couple of years ago.
Do you disagree with our findings? Let us know in the comments below.
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Comments
Walter Harris
1
I had the59'sam 7000 tv with 600hz I WIll say the picture was great.But the tv went out in 15 days so I now have the 60'panasonic the picture is also great and the price is right.
this blog
2
I have read so many articles on the topic of the blogger lovers however this post is in
fact a good article, keep it up.
mutan
3
I had so much trouble with Samsung Series 8 TV's. I went through 3 brand new ones in 3 weeks before the store let me pick another brand. I took the Panasonic. And I'd NEVER buy another Samsung (anything) again, it almost cost me a divorce. All the bench testing means nothing when the TV life out of the box is so poor.
James Wallace
4
Yep, I agree with mutan. I got a nice shinny new samsung plasma series 8 smart tv. It lasted 3 weeks before it got a black line right through the middle. I was lucky the store took it back and let me pick another one the same day. NOT a Samsung. Seems to be so many problems with their reliability it is crazy. I should have done more research. As mutan says, no amount of bench testing and fiddling with settings and to have an well educated opinion of a product by the experts will save you from poor quailty parts. Its just a pity that samsung can't see its way to a more consistant product in a bid to be the worlds mega giant electronics monster. Quantity over quality is there motto by the look of it.