With a few caveats, the 50-inch Vizio P50HDTV is one of the best plasma HDTV values out there. True, the overall picture quality and feature set cannot compete with the premium models from well-known manufacturers, and as with any low-cost brand, there is always a question mark regarding long-term reliability and after-sales service. However, the P50HDTV is priced at least $1,000 cheaper than most comparably sized models, and its picture quality will satisfy plasma shoppers on a limited budget.

With its glossy black bezel and built-in silver speakers, the P50HDTV certainly looks the part of a high-tech plasma HDTV. The sleek, contoured design should blend with most home theater systems, whether you choose to wall-mount the unit or use the included tabletop stand. This TV is rather heavy for its screen size, though, so you'll need a second pair of hands to safely install it. Beyond this, the P50HDTV is easy to set up, with simple-to-understand configuration menus and a novice-friendly user interface. The impressive connectivity options including two HDMI ports, two composite video inputs, two S-video inputs, two component video inputs and a VGA input for linking a PC. The P50HDTV also has a headphone jack, although it is curiously located on the rear panel. This makes it rather difficult to utilize, especially if the TV is mounted on the wall.

The P50HDTV has a native resolution of 1,366x768, and all content is scaled to display at 720p. Overall, the picture is sufficiently bright and generally exhibits solid, inky blacks and accurate, well-saturated color. Picture quality does deteriorate during high-contrast scenes with bright whites and dark blacks, with visible motion artifacts appearing along light/dark edges. Fortunately, this isn't severe enough to be distracting, although if you're serious about your TV, you may disagree.

As with any budget TV, the P50HDTV will not impress with its feature set. The unit lacks a CableCARD slot, so you'll need an external cable box to watch digital cable content. Of course, this probably won't be a deal-breaker for most budget shoppers. Still, the meager convenience features don't stretch much beyond PIP.

Despite the limited features, if you are looking for a big plasma HDTV at a bargain price, it's hard to beat the Vizio P50HDTV.


Pros: Great price for a 50-inch plasma HDTV, solid picture quality, PC input
Cons: Minor artifacts, limited features, no CableCARD slot,

Warranty
1-year limited