Overview

If there's one company that's really doubled its efforts in regard to TV design this year, it's LG. Judged purely from the outside, the 2012 line looks like it should comprise the best TVs on the market -- very sleek and slim. But based on our experiences with models such as the LM9600, LM6700 and the G2, looks can be deceiving. Similarly, the LG PM9700 has seen some design improvements and even some picture-quality tweaks, but it still finds competition tough.

This plasma is decent enough but out of its depth at this price level. Picture quality is improved on last year's with better black levels and a new matte screen that's a real boon in bright rooms, but when you're comparing it against plasma TVs as marvelous as the Panasonic ST50 and Samsung PNE6500, it loses out.

Featurewise it's not bad, with unusual inclusions like WiDi for mirroring your laptop display on your TV and LG's exclusive Wii-like Magic Motion remote, and the Smart TV suite is easy to use and content-rich. But when it counts, picture quality trumps features.

Is the TV the company's best plasma yet? As a Magic 8-Ball would say the "signs point to yes" but is it enough given the superiority of the competition? "My reply is no."

Read the full review of the LG PM9700.