The Panasonic ST60 is a very good plasma TV. It doesn't get very bright, but it does a very good job at reducing reflections, as shown in our pictures. Of course, it has the downsides of all plasma TVs, like being heavy and creating slight buzzing noise (read more about plasma here). If you can live with that and do not have a very bright living room, it is a no-brainer; its contrast ratio is astonishing.
Our Verdict
The Panasonic ST60 Plasma TV has the best blacks that we tested. It is an exceptional TV overall, with almost no downsides. If you are picky, though, you will notice a bit of input lag. Also, it won't perform well in an overly bright room because it can't get very bright.
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Good anti-glare filter. You do not have to worry about overhead lights reducing the picture quality.
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Exceptional blacks. The picture quality is amazing in a dark room.
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Somewhat high input lag, although a lot of gamers won't notice it.
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Cannot get very bright.
- 8.7 Mixed Usage
- Updated Sep 22, 2013: Review published.
- Updated Sep 20, 2013: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Apr 16, 2013: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Test Results
With the lights off, the ST60 can expose all its glory. The blacks are really deep and the picture quality is phenomenal.
Due to its powerful anti glare filter, there is very little reflection. The ST60 cannot get very bright, though, so if you have more than one window, the picture will appear a bit dull. If you have a lot of windows and still want a plasma, the Samsung F8500 is a better choice, because it can get twice as bright and also has an anti glare filter.
Only direct light can be seen when displaying a bright scene.
Its viewing angle is very good. However, due to the anti glare filter, the vertical viewing angle is limited to about 30°. This could cause problems if you want to put it above your fireplace.
The motion handling of the ST60 is very good. It supports both 24p playback and the optional soap opera effect without any issues.
