Panasonic TC-P46G10 Review

As well as its little brother Panasonic TC-P42G10, the 46 inch TC-P46G10 is considered to be the best plasma TV in its size category. Being gifted with the same great features available for the entire G10 series - amazing black levels and THX certification for great colors - this Panasonic plasma TV deserves such a great rating. The manufacturer seems to have thought about all the categories of customers. Those looking for a large screen plasma TV and better quality, may want to avert their attention towards the V10 series from Panasonic, while others that seek a better price deal, while settling for good (but not the best) quality, may be interested in Panasonic S1 models. But if you search for the best 46 inch plasma TV on sale right now, then your choice should be Panasonic TC-P46G10.

Note: Being part of Panasonic G10 series, this TV reviewed here shares the same features and quality present in all G10 models. For a slightly more in-depth review you should read Panasonic TC-P50G10 review of the 50 inch variant.

At a Glance:

Panasonic TC-P46G10
Manual
(PDF File)

• NeoPDP panel
• Resolution: 1080p (standard) / 1920×1080
• Contrast ratio: 40,000:1 (native) / 2,000,000:1 (dynamic)
• Shades of gradation: 6144
• THX certified
• New AR Filter
• 24p cinema mode
• VIERA Cast™
• VIERA Link™
• VIERA Image Viewer™ with AVCHD playback
• 600 Hz sub-field drive
• 3 HDMI inputs

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Has the same exceptional black levels as Panasonic V10 models
• THX mode provides good colors out of the box
• Viera Cast and Amazon Video on Demand
• Very good primary color gamut

Cons:

• Colors are not perfect. Equivalent Samsung models have more accurate colors.
• Not for those with a tight budget
• 1080p/24 content unwatchable using the 48Hz mode

Performance

It is not a wrong thing to say that, in terms of performance, TC-P46G10 from Panasonic is close to the very top of the line of plasma TVs released this year. One cannot complain about the impeccable black levels and shadow detail, even though color accuracy has some small flaws. The THX certification – that cannot be found in the previous series – is a warrant of great colors out of the box, no extra tweaking required. Video processing boasts about 24p cinema mode (also inexistent in the S1 series), but running the TV in 48Hz frequency still produces flicker, so owners of Panasonic TC-P46G10 have to use the 60Hz mode to avoid such artefacts when watching movies on a Blu Ray player.

Black Levels and Contrast

Panasonic TC-P46G10 shows its real powers when it comes to comparing its black levels with any other competitors. Expert reviewers agree that TC-P46G10 is on par with the V10 series, and only slightly behind the long acclaimed, but now out of production, Kuro from Pioneer, which is considered the best plasma TV ever made. The great quality of the black levels along with great contrast capabilities also influence the level of shadow detail, which is exquisite on the TC-P46G10.

Color Accuracy

With all the hype around the THX certification, one would expect no necessary extra tweaking to be needed for Panasonic TC-P46G10. Yet, specialists point out that color accuracy was not so easy to ignore, having small flaws, THX mode or not. Color decoding seems to be a problem for this model, as slight tinges of green and yellow may appear in scenes where such colors are predominant. Color saturation is good when watching HD content, but for SD sources, it seems to fall back a little.

1080p/24 Video Processing

It is not advisable to try to watch Blu-ray discs in 48Hz mode on Panasonic TC-P46G10. This option causes flicker to appear, and the whole watching experience is practically ruined. It is better to keep the 60Hz mode, this being a problem Panasonic succeeded solving, only with the V10 series that don’t come in 46 inch size.

Standard Definition / DVD Content

Attentive watchers can detect a certain level of graininess to the picture, when Panasonic TC-P46G10 makes the upscaling from SD sources, like the regular signal or DVDs. The contours are not as sharp as those rendered by other plasma TVs, and jaggies are still prone to appear. These do not cause big trouble, however, and watching your favorite DVDs won’t be a problem on this 46 inch plasma TV.

Conclusion

Panasonic TC-P46G10 is more than a good choice. If a 46 inch plasma TV is what you are looking for, then you should know there is hardly any other plasma TV in this size category to compete with this product. A step up from the manufacturer’s S1 series, Panasonic TC-P46G10 is the best you can get, even though V10 models are superior. As the latter does not come in 46 inch, we guess you know who sits comfortably on top of the list.