Panasonic has had a great 2013. It’s had a string of five-star verdicts, and now it’s got another one.
The Panasonic TX-L24X6B is a fantastic TV. And it’s not just about the looks and performance; it has an embarrassment of features. Unsurprisingly, it also costs a lot. But is it worth it?
Design
It’s seriously impressive straight out of the box. The picture looked good enough that we were tempted to skip our customary THX optimisation process – but in the name of fairness, we give it the same treatment as everyone else. Even so, this TV puts out an effortlessly good picture.
We start with the tuner, and spend some time flicking through Freeview channels. It’s a clear step above other small-screen tellies; the picture is clean and sharp enough for us not to lament the standard-definition resolution.
Colours are punchy and bold but never unnatural. Contrast is strong but not overpowering. Whites are brilliant and blacks are ink-deep.
The TX-L24X6B’s subtlety is remarkable; there’s so much fine detail that we had to check we were, in fact, watching in standard definition. And then we flick to Freeview HD, where the Panasonic cements its place a whole league above its rivals.
What really surprised us is the fact that this it isn’t even a Full HD picture (the screen has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, rather than Full HD’s 1920 x 1080).
We put on a DVD of March of the Penguins, and the Panasonic continues to impress. The mix of bright glaciers and dark fur proves to be a stumbling block for less-capable performers, but the Panasonic puts out a detailed, balanced image that juggles the two with ease
A strong performance so far, then, but it’s with Blu-ray that the L24X6B really shines. The added detail shows off just how well the TV processes information, and blacks look even better than before.
Unlike a lot of tiny TVs, the Panasonic doesn’t have a built-in DVD player. It does one better: it can connect to the internet (via wi-fi or ethernet) to give the full smart TV suite found in Panasonic’s other 2013 TVs.
The customisable My Home Screen interface lets you choose between live TV and apps, and you have access to BBC iPlayer, Netflix and Facebook, with more services available for download.
There are a few missing: for the price of the TV we’d really like to see LoveFilm and 4oD, but it’s still a solid selection.
Verdict
£280 is a lot of money for a 24in TV. Yet the TX-L24X6B has brilliant picture performance across its tuner and inputs, and we like the inclusion of smart features from higher up in Panasonic’s range.
If your budget can stretch that far, it’s an excellent purchase. But as impressed as we are – and we are – it’s hard to say it offers the best value for money.
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