The Panasonic TC-P50G25 ($1500) is a 1080p 50-inch, entry-level plasma display. For its price, it performed well in our lab testing. An ethernet port offers access to streaming content, Panasonic's offerings still lag far behind the competition. On the whole, though, this could make a great, inexpensive hub for your home theater system.

There's no doubt that the TC-P50G25 positions itself as just such a hub. One look at the chassis and its multitude of ports tells you that. There are three HDMIs, two composites, two components, VGA, digital and analog audio outputs, an SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot, and two USB ports. So equipped, Panasonic clearly imagines you using this as a display device for photos, video clips, and music. The supporting interface is fairly straightforward: you just plug in a thumb drive or media card and follow the on-screen instructions from there.

There's also the ethernet port and option for WiFi (with separately purchased USB dongle) to view streaming content. Panasonic's selection of content partners is weak compared to Sony, Samsung, and even LG. Out of the box, there's YouTube, Amazon Video on Demand, Pandora, Picasa, Twitter, and a handful of others. More services could come online in the future and work retroactively on already-sold units, but we haven't seen any movement so far. The absence of Netflix is apparent, and it's hard to consider Panasonic as a first-tier streaming content provider without it.

In terms of aesthetics, the Panasonic TC-P50G25 is clearly rooted in the design of a few years ago. There's a lot of cheap, shiny, black plastic, particularly around the stand. The buttons and ports on the side are large and ugly, though thoroughly functional. As a plasma display, the chassis requires a bit more depth than an LED LCD display, so the TV could not be described as thin, per se. If you're more interested in performance than aesthetics, read on. But be warned: it's not the prettiest TV.

Performance (Read the full lab performance results at Televisioninfo.com)

The Panasonic TC-P50G25 scored well in our lab tests. Like most plasma TVs, the black level was very good. Conversely, it has a very hard time producing a bright white, another common trait in plasmas. All told, though, people tend to appreciate deep blacks and good shadow detail more than bright whites. The color performance told a similar story. We saw a lot of detail in the darker areas, but there was a lot of missing data in the brighter areas (a phenomenon called peaking).

The motion performance was strong. Objects in motion retained a lot of fine detail, though we did see instances of artifacting, mostly false coloration trails if there was a strong contrast between foreground and background. We also liked the viewing angle, which extended nearly 80 degrees from center in either direction (160 degrees in total).

Comparisons (Read more in-depth comparisons at Televisioninfo.com)

In order to put the Panasonic TC-P50G25 in context, we selected three similar TVs. The Sony KDL-52EX700 ($1979) is a 52-inch LED LCD display. The color and motion scores were better, and though the black levels were not as good, the whites were much brighter, making for a wider contrast ratio. However, the Panasonic far exceeded the Sony in viewing angle. Next, the LG 55LE8500 ($3499), an LCD display, failed utterly in the black level test. Though it held its own in other tests, the exceedingly high price of the LG makes it a weak choice compared to the Panasonic. Finally, we reviewed the Samsung UN55C7000 ($3299), a 55-inch LED LCD display. Another high-priced unit, the Samsung has the unique distinction of being a first-generation 3D display. We recommend reading the full review for all the details, but in summary, 3D is in its infancy and comes at a high cost. You can easily find a cheaper 2D TV for a fraction of the price.

In conclusion, the Panasonic TC-P50G25 is a good choice for those who insist on a plasma TV (there's plenty out there) but don't have the budget for a top-tier model. The wide range of connectivity options ensure that this TV will remain a viable part of your home entertainment network for several years, though we can only hope Panasonic expands its line of streaming content partnerships.