42 Inch Plasma TV Reviews:

Ok, you are ready to jump into the plasma tv market and buy a 42 inch screen. The good news is that pricing is at an all-time low with plasma tvs and LCD televisions are still higher priced for the same screen size so buying a plasma makes sense. Some people wonder if going with the 42 inch plasma tv is a good decision given that 50 inch and larger plasma HDTVs are coming down in price as well. I bought a 50 inch Panasonic plasma about 2 years ago and it is large. My previous tv was a 36 inch Sony and so you can imagine how much bigger the 50 inches seemed at first. It still dominates our smaller family room and I like it a lot, but 42 inches would have done us just fine. At the time, Best Buy was having a huge sale around the holidays and I just couldn't pass up the 50 inch plasma screen since it was priced below $2000. Today, you can get a similar tv for the same price but it gives you 1080p resolution which is amazingly crisp and clear, even more so than the 720p plasma that I own.

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Panasonic is the leader in plasma tvs and Consumer Reports has always rated their 42 inch screens in the top position or within a few spots. For the price and long term reliability, it's hard to beat Panasonic when it comes to plasma HD capable televisions. The only real question is which model and do you go with 720p (older style) or the newer 1080p which will cost you a few more $$$'s. I say go with the 1080p as long as you have a cable or dish provider that gives you plenty of HD programming, otherwise you'll be missing all the great sports and shows that are telecast in HD. HD stands for high definition and at this point it doesn't get any better than 1080p on plasma screens. The 720p 42 inch plasmas are selling for around $800 and the 1080p plasmas in the same size are getting close to $1000. In fact, the Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ85U is available on Amazon.com for roughly $1000 and I'm sure electronics retailers like Best Buy and Circuit City will match those prices by Christmas 2008 or early 2009. The current recession that the country is facing should push down prices even further so the wise consumer can really score some deals if they just wait a few months. Nonetheless, if you are ready to buy, then you'll want to do your research on which brands are the best. As we mentioned, Panasonic is perhaps your best bet, but don't forget about Samsung, Pioneer, and Vizio. Vizio was once considered a cheap brand and most of the larger names thought it would die a slow death. On the contrary, Vizio has gained market share in the United States for plasma screens and their LCD televisions are doing great as well. Sold in discount retailers like Sams Club and Costco, Vizio was once a small name but they have built up a good reputation. Long term reliability of their plasmas is still to be decided, but so far for the immediate savings they are worth it. Plasmas all have great viewing angles, most have excellent contrast ratios, deeper blacks, and superb picture quality. A plasma will consume more electricity than an LCD flat panel, but it's not that significant. We found countless reviews for all plasma tvs on Amazon.com, on Best Buy website, and in Consumer Reports magazine. We have provided the main website for each manufacturer down below in case you want to check their website for the the latest offering. This article was published in late 2008 so these models should be available for at least another year. You can find lots of reviews on audio/video forums on the net like AVSforum.com and the one on CNET. For the best selling 42 inch plasma tvs go to Amazon.com.

Best 42 Inch Plasma - 1080p: RECOMMENDED - Plasma televisions with 1080p resolution offer up the best you can buy and you will pay a price for that improved picture quality, but it's often worth it. The Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ85U is a 42-Inch 1080p plasma HDTV which currently sells for about $1000. Retailer electronics sales are down across the board so we expect to see even more price reductions for a 42 flat panel plasma in early 2009. The Panasonic plasma HDTV can be bought on Amazon.com and at your local electronics store. It features 1920 X 1080 resolution (1080p), 1000000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio, incredible whites and deeper blacks. The value for 42 inch plasma flat panels is better than it's ever been and the Panasonic reputation and reliability in this category make it a "great buy" and "well worth it" say several customers in online reviews.

Top Rated 42 Inch Plasma TV - 720p:

As I mentioned above, I own a 50 inch Panasonic plasma screen with 720p resolution and I'm amazed at the difference between regular programming and that which comes in HD from Comcast. Sports are now a lot funner to watch and movies show up on the screen in vivid colors. The Panasonic Viera TH-42PX80U has recently come down below $800 in price and this 42-inch plasma HDTV with 720p is a bargain given the contrast ratio, dark blacks, and bright whites you will experience on the screen. I'm perfectly content with my 50 inch screen but a 42 inch flat panel plasma would still be a great buy. In all reviews we found online for the Panasonic Plasma HD TV 42" the vast majority of owners were happy with their purchase and enjoying brilliant quality colors and pictures on their television sets. You can find it online at Amazon or in major electronics retailers like BestBuy. To read up on all the technical aspects of this HDTV, see all the Panasonic plasma televisions here.

Budget Plasma - 42 Inch 720p:

Vizio is the clear leader in the budget television market and reviews done by Consumer Reports and 1000's of high definition TV owners show that even with a cheaper product, Vizio still delivers great quality. The Vizio VP422 ($700) is their 42 inch plasma tv that you will find in Walmart and Costco stores nationwide. Although the resolution is only 720p, this Vizio plasma deliver high quality images and intense blacks. Reviews show that the color quality is excellent and watching movies or playing video games is more exciting than ever. Some owners mention a "buzzing" sound on their sets, but the vast majority of consumers note that the audio is just fine. Vizio carries their entire lineup of LCD and Plasma flat panels online.

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