Panasonic TH-85VX200 review

The ultimate 3D display is as expensive as it is vast

Panasonic TH-85VX200B
Out of the price range of us mere mortals, the TH-85VX200B is a showcase of what Panasonic engineers can do when let of the pricing leash

TechRadar Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Stunning picture quality

  • +

    Exceptional build quality

  • +

    Enormous adorable size

Cons

  • -

    Poor 3D glasses

  • -

    Limited multimedia features

  • -

    Stratospheric price

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Bigger is better where 3D is concerned and they don't come any larger than the 85-inch Panasonic TH-85VX200. You could, of course achieve an even bigger picture with a 3D projector, but you'll need to find a way of bringing about near-total darkness in order to reap the benefit. No such room control is necessary with this plasma.

The only thing about the TH-85VX200 more mammoth than its screen is its price, which equates to the sort of deposit you'd need for a £200,000 house.

Despite that, the TH-85VX200 isn't even a telly: it's just a tuner-free screen. With all this in mind, it's not surprising to find the display shipping via Panasonic's 'Pro' division (check awe-europe.com/dealers) rather than the consumer channel responsible for the brand's Viera 3D TVs.

That the TH-85VX200 is one of Panasonic's Pro screens bodes rather well; experience of previous pro models suggests that they sometimes get additional compromise-free technology that improves picture quality even beyond Panasonic's acclaimed consumer plasma TVs.

If you can't run to the TH-85VX200's colossal price and size, the 65-inch TX-P65VT20B can be yours for around £5k, complete with integrated Freeview and Freesat HD tuners. Clearly this is a significant saving in itself, but if you step down further to the 50, 46 and 42-inch VT20s, prices become aggressive, with even the most expensive TX-P50VT20B only setting you back around £1,500.

It isn't about the money. With the TH-85VX200, though: for anyone who can even dream of owning one, it's all about the sheer, unadulterated size and status of the thing.

John Archer
AV Technology Contributor

John has been writing about home entertainment technology for more than two decades - an especially impressive feat considering he still claims to only be 35 years old (yeah, right). In that time he’s reviewed hundreds if not thousands of TVs, projectors and speakers, and spent frankly far too long sitting by himself in a dark room.