Choosing the right HDTV is not an easy task, especially with many models to choose from. One way of narrowing down your choices, though, is by selecting a brand then comparing two of the best models of that brand, like the Panasonic TC-P50G10 and the Panasonic TC-P50S1.

Both the Panasonic TC-P50G10 and the TC-P50S1 have sleek, glossy brack frames with a distinguishing silver strip at the bottom and hidden speakers which have become the new design standard for HDTVs. The frame of the TC-P50G10 is thinner, though, and is in fact, one of the thinnest ever manufactured by Panasonic. Aside from this, the TC-P50G10 has a silver wash on the frame to add to the silver strip and comes with a round black non-swiveling stand while the frame of the TC-P50S1 has more rounded edges. The latter comes with a rectangular stand like the previous models.

Both the TC-P50G10 and the TC-P50G10 also deliver the great image quality expected of an HDTV, with superbly deep black levels, saturated colors and excellent shadow detail. The images on the TC-P50G10, however, come closer to cinema quality, particularly in the THX mode. This new mode recreates movie images faithfully and better simulates the movie theatre experience. It also results in more accurate primary colors - something that the TC-P50S1 has a problem with at times.

Connectivity is a deciding factor when choosing an HDTV. After all, it is important to get an HDTV that is compatible with your existing devices. This is something you won’t have to worry about if you get the TC-P50S1, which has an SD card slot and three HDMI inputs where you can plug in your DVD player, Blu-Ray player and game console. If you have a computer, though, you might want to go with the TC-P50G10, which has a VGA input and a LAN port for the Viera Cast feature in addition to the connectivity options that the TC-P50S1 offers.

As for features, the Panasonic TC-P50G10 and the Panasonic TC-P50S1 each have their share of great ones. Both come with the Viera Link, one of the newest features made by Panasonic, which allows you to control your DVD recorder, Blu-ray player, surround sound speakers and other compatible devices remotely, sparing you the inconvenience of getting around and turning them all on and off one by one. Both models also have a game mode for gamers, an anti-reflective filter to prevent you from getting distracted when watching and a pixel orbiter to prevent screen burn-in.

One feature which sets the TC-P50G10 apart from the TC-P50S1 and previous HDTV models, though, is the Viera Cast mentioned earlier. This feature allows you to enjoy online content such as YouTube videos, Picasa web albums and Amazon Video on Demand, and other important information such as the latest stock market trends and weather reports, on a user-friendly web interface built into your HDTV. This means that you don’t need to have a computer to access all these. However, you will need an active internet connection and an ethernet line.

It is also worth noting that the TC-P50G10 and the TC-P50S1 are more energy efficient than most Plasma televisions, although they are still far behind their LCD counterparts in this area. Both come with a NEO PDP panel while the TC-P50S1 comes with an Energy Star 3.0 rating - something it owes to the low light output of its default picture setting. The TC-P50G10 has an ECO menu which allows you to turn off certain functions automatically, as well.

Indeed, both the Panasonic TC-P50G10 and the Panasonic TC-P50S1 are excellent choices with a number of similarities. They both even have price tags that are not that different from each other. Still, the Panasonic TC-P50G10 clearly has a few more perks, which makes it worth the few extra hundreds and clearly one of the best HDTVs released by Panasonic so far.

Edward is an electronics expert who writes plasma reviews. To learn more about the Panasonic TC-P50G10 hdtv, visit HDTVReviewLab.com

Filed under: Panasonic HDTVs