Panasonic and Pioneer appear to remain committed to producing large-screen plasma displays well into 2010, and folk still go for plasma TVs because of the quality of the image; few would sensibly argue against the output of, say, a Pionner Kuro 9th-generation TV.

Two of plasma's bugbears when compared to LCD, the rival flat-screen technology, lie with overall screen brightness and, to an extent, power consumption.

Panasonic is hoping to address this imbalance with the release of the X3 range - yet to be named officially - in 2010.

I saw a demonstration showing a leading Panasonic plasma TV from 2007 on the left and a prototype X3 on the right. The numbers highlight power-consumption levels with 100 per cent as the base reference level for the older, left-hand display.

Using what it terms as NeoPDP technology, the new panel can attain the same brightness as the 2007 leader by using one-third of the power consumption, although no real wattage figures were given.

Raising the power-consumption levels and the prototype panel was markedly brighter than the older model, even brighter than a number of LCDs to my tired eyes.

Black levels were suitably impressive, and the one-inch-thick display certainly has decent credentials, if specifications are to be believed. What's more, Panasonic claims that the NeoPDP panels will have a moving resolution of the full 1080 lines.

Also coming in 2010 is Panasonic's NeoLCD technology that, shown, above, had stunning black levels even in a darkened portion of the stand. Indeed, you can just about see a conventional LCD next to it - purposely chosen to have poor black levels no doubt - which looked bright in comparison.

With the screen going blank for a second it was impossible to tell if the LED-backlit IPS panel was switched on, which kind of puts my Sony 46W4500 to shame.

Better-than-ever plasmas and blacks to ogle at for LCDs. Start saving those pennies.


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