I got an email today from a gal who wants to buy a new plasma HDTV for her husband. She’s narrowed it down to two Panasonic models the TC-P42S1 and the TC-P42U1. Most stores don’t really list much information on them and she’s curious about what the difference between the two is so she can buy the right one. After looking at the two it turns out they are really different even though they are very similar in price.
Screen – The TC-P42S1 uses the Neo PDP plasma panel, while the U1 doesn’t. The biggest advantage of Neo PDP panels is that they use less power or at least they should when compared to regular plasma panels.
Power Consumption – Even though the TC-P42S1 uses the Neo PDP display it uses a maximum of 485 watts with an average wattage of 173 when turned on. The U1 uses only 142 watts by comparison.
Game Mode – The TC-P42S1 has a Game Mode, while the TC-P42U1 doesn’t. This means which that the television minimizes the time lag when displaying game images on the Plasma screen. The Mode synchronizes the response of the game image to the player’s operation, thereby producing an extremely clear image with no motion artifacts.
Screen – The TC-P42U1 doens’t have a coating on it’s screen while the TC-P42S1 does. It has a anti-reflective filter for people who will use their plasma TV in a bright room.
Picture Quality – Most times it’s hard to say to a certainty that one television shows a better picture but the TC-P42S1 is actually designed to provide a better picture than the TC-P42U1. Even though they are both 1080p HDTVs, the U1 only shows 5,120 shades of gradiation versus 6,144 in the TC-P42S1. Also the U1 series only display 900 lines of moving picture resolution while the S1 will show all 1080p lines.
Power consumption aside, I’d recommend the TC-P42S1 hands down. For the best price, Sears is selling the TC-P42S1 for $699 until 12/26.
Other Must-Read Articles
