Samsung PN51E450 (51-inch plasma)
Can you get a good TV for less than $500? Judging from the sets on this list, which range from 32 to 51 inches and from $250 to $500, our answer is an enthusiastic "yes."
The Samsung PN51E450 is a 51-inch TV with picture quality that outdoes anything else on this list. In other words, it's the best TV you can buy for less than $500. The 43-inch version is also a steal at about $430.
The good: The inexpensive Samsung E450 series plasma TV is a well-rounded performer with deep black levels for the money and decent shadow detail. Color saturation is one of the TV's high points. The E450 uses less power than most plasmas its size.
The bad: The image washes out quite a bit in normal room lighting. The picture processing suffers from poor compatibility with 24p and 1080i material, and this could be symptomatic of the TV's low 720p resolution. Color accuracy is fairly poor.
The bottom line: The Samsung E450 series plasma may not be perfect, but you won't find another TV that performs this well for this low a price.
October 31, 2012 9:48 PM PDT
Photo by: CBS Interactive
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