If you want the ultimate 'plasma' for gaming with 1 frame/16ms, with black levels
that practically blend into the bezel, vibrant rich colors and a super bright image(Game mode)
GET either the Panasonic 42" S30 or ST30 1080p plasma from last year. Check out craigs list,
ebay or Amazon. However If you're in Canada, you're pretty much limmited to Craigs list.
I have the 60" S30, and it's an amazing set!
Don't bother with the 2012 models...they're pretty lousy for gaming in terms of input lag,
plus as mentioned numerous times they produce a soft image with 480p and 720p content. But
they do however have an even wider color gamut and brighter image than the 2011 models.
Still, the S30 and ST30 are a gamers dream when using 'Component cables' HDMI ups the lag a teeny
bit, but still blows away the 2012 sets...
The 42" Samsung E450 is dimmer, it doesn't produce blacks nearly as well and is also
pushing 2+ frames of lag. UNLESS you do the PC HDMI1 trick which appreantly knocks it down to
one....'apperantly' that is. i personally can't confirm this. But PC mode knocks
out most of the picture controls...
Trust me, find a 2011 Panny 42" S30 or ST30 and you are SET my man!
Also, i sold my Panasonic 2012 42" X5 and while it's got fantastic brightness and color
in 'game' mode, input lag performance wise it's dissapointing...I couldn't game on it, and the
black levels while 'good' in a dim room looked pretty crappy in the dark and the motion
handeling wasn't too good either. Better than an LCD or LED but no where near as good
as Panasonics 1080p sets....These 720p Pansonic budget plasmas are junk and should be avoided.
U50/UT50 easily beats out the X5 in motion handeling AND black levels. There's no contest
and the same deal goes for the S30 and ST30.
I personally don't need black levels better than the S30's and ST30's. They're so black
that in the dark it's hard to tell the difference between the black bars and the bezel.
Panny's reached a point where it's perfection in my eyes.
BTW, the ST30 has an anti glare filtre AND 3D Where as the S30 does not. I have no idea
if the glare filtre has an effect on picture quality. Some say it knocks down the brightness,
color and sharpness a little. But after fiddling around with my friends 2010 panny 50" G25
which ALSo has the filtre it doesn't exactly seem that way. looks sharp, colorful and
bright to me! Maybe panasonic has gotten more agressive with their 2012 or possibly 2011
filtres. XP
Edited by WaveBoy - 12/4/12 at 7:52am
