Getting a reasonably priced plasma set isn't all that hard in 2008. There are plenty of options for consumers, and sets have reached a price that many households would consider attainable. Getting a reasonably-priced plasma set with a larger-than-average screen--say, 50 inches or more--is still no easy task, however. Luckily, Samsung has delivered this year with the PN58A550, which is part of the mid-priced models introduced this spring.

The PN58A550 offers a stylish design with a glossy black bezel, with the speaker bar neatly hidden below the screen to further reduce the overall footprint of the set. The look of the set is very sleek, which presents an air of class we've come to expect and welcome in larger sets. But there is no hiding that this is a big set--and at 126.3 pounds (without stand), no lightweight, either. This should be considered if you're thinking about wall mounting this model, and we'd recommend using a professional installer. Additionally, Samsung has introduced a motorized wall mount kit that allows you to swivel the set via a remote. It's certainly worth considering if you're thinking of putting this beauty on the wall.

Picture-wise, it's easy to be impressed with the 58-inch PN58A550. This full HD 1080p model includes support for the latest HDMI 1.3 x.v.Color technology, and while x.v.Color isn't widely used yet, it is nice to see it included a mid-range priced set. The set features a native resolution of 1,920x1,080 and can thus display every pixel from 1080i and 1080p source material. 720p HD content is upscaled accordingly. The Samsung DNIe technology will also help smooth the quality of images from standard definition content as well. Furthermore, this set has a few extra bells and whistles that serious videophiles will appreciate.

The A550 line includes five color temperature presets, three modes of noise reduction and a film mode to engage the 2:3 pulldown to reduce judder when watching film content. The set featured special entertainment modes, but we were disappointed to find that these can't be adjusted--and since there are adjustable picture modes that are independent per input, these extra modes seemed like an unnecessary addition. The PN58A550 features multiple aspect ratio modes, including four for HD sources with two that allow for subtle movement of the image, as well as four modes for standard definition content. We were generally pleased with the black levels on the set, though they weren't quite not on par with the latest sets from Panasonic or Pioneer. However, we did find the color with the PN58A550 to be very vibrant and lifelike.

The A/V connectivity options with the PN58A550 were adequate, featuring a total of three HDMI 1.3 inputs, and while we find a fourth would be ideal, for a mid-priced set we found this to be within reason. One of the HDMI inputs is on the side of the panel, but Samsung earns kudos for placing the rear inputs very close to the side inputs for easy access. In addition to the HDMI inputs there are two component inputs, a PC RGB input (with maximum resolution of 1,920x1,080), a composite video and a PC input at the back of the panel. While S-Video is on the way out, we found the lack of the input at the back a slight disappointment. The sole S-Video input is on the side of the panel, along with the second composite input and headphone jack. We also liked that there was a USB port on the side of the panel for viewing photos or playback of MP3 files.

We really liked that the set features two 15-watt speakers, which are a step up from the 10-watt speakers of the 50-inch model. These support SRS TruSurround XT to simulate a multi-channel surround sound system, and while for a 58-inch panel you'll still likely want to get a true home theater system for the full cinematic experience, we found these added a considerable bit of punch compared to most included speakers.

While manufacturers have played down the concerns of burn-in, the truth is, image retention from static images is still a bit of an issue with plasma TVs. To protect your investment, Samsung has included a few extra features with the PN58A550 to help reduce the likelihood of this happening. These include a slight pixel shift to move the image slowly around the screen, as well as options between light and dark sidebars for 4:3 programming. Should the unthinkable happen and you do experience some minor image retention, this 58-inch model features scrolling gray bars and a white field to help remove it.

The other main downside to plasma TVs remains the fact that these sets still don't perform well with excessive ambient light. While the Samsung PN58A558 does offer an anti-reflective screen, called FilterBright, we still found this picture difficult to enjoy if there were any bright lights in the vicinity of the screen. The set can handle reasonable light better than last year's models from Samsung, but this set still pales in comparison to the KURO line from Pioneer or the newest models from Panasonic. For those looking for a larger-sized panel who don't want to spend movie mogul money to get one, the PN58A550 is a good option to consider.

Pros: Good price, great design, very good colors
Cons: Screen glare, black levels could be deeper

Warranty
1 year, limited