Overview

For many years, Samsung was the answer to the question, "Which LCD should I get?" While the company also manufactured plasmas, they seemingly weren't a priority for itself or the public. But beginning in 2011 with the superb D8000 and D7000 for example, the company demonstrated it was serious about the technology's picture quality potential. That newfound determination continues into 2012.

The Samsung PNE6500 is an excellent television, with all of the features you need and few you don't. Its picture quality is every bit the equal of the phenomenal Panasonic ST50 series. The PNE6500's picture quality is also basically identical to its significantly more expensive Samsung stablemate, the flagship PNE8000, with the same performance in key areas such as black levels and color accuracy -- making the E6500 an excellent value.

If you were looking to spend between $1,000 and $1,500 on a videophile-grade TV, the 50-inch Panasonic ST50 and the 51-inch Samsung E6500 are the two you should be looking at (no LCD comes close -- you'd need to spend a big chunk more on something like the Sony KDL-HX850 to get near this level of picture quality). With online prices only $50 apart, which should you choose? Brand loyalty plays a part here, but each has its own unique strengths. If I were buying a TV now, I would seriously consider the PNE6500 for its more mature styling and better bright-room performance, but some may prefer the overall contrast boost that the Panasonic ST50's brighter screen is able to bring, or want a 55- or 65-inch option. Regardless, both series offer the best picture quality for the buck on the market today.

Read the full review of the PN60E6500