Zenith Plasma TV P50W26 Review

Zenith advertises that it is the Authority in HDTV and the Zenith P50W26 50in Flat Screen Plasma Television helps this company live up to its advertising. This 50” flat screen plasma television is an HDTV monitor display featuring a 16:9 widescreen ratio, one of the best in its class.

The cabinet comes in a choice of silver or black. Although the unit is just a little over 4” deep, it weights 122 pounds. The stand for the unit is made from metal and has a very large footprint, so be sure to measure before purchasing it.

The resolution of the unit is outstanding: 1366 pixels by 720 pixels, more than even the comparable 60” Zenith unit, making it’s picture one of the best on the market. The contrast ration is 460:1, respectable for a unit of this size and price value.

The unit is rather stingy with the connections, providing one VGA, one S-video and only one set of component connections. This forces users to be a bit creative in hooking up multiple input devices, but it is possible with a little creativity. Limited audio inputs also makes running the television with a home stereo system optimal, since audio input is so limited.

In addition to the standard 16:9 widescreen normal mode, there are also normal and zoom modes to choose from. For this size unit, picture quality is excellent, provided the standard viewing distance from the screen is observed.

The Zenith P50W26 50 Plasma Television is a great buy at about $4500, providing the consumer with the best picture quality in this price class.