TC-P65VT60 vs TC-P65ST60; TC-P60VT60 vs TC-P60ST60; TC-P55VT60 vs TC-P55ST60

The panels used in Panasonic VT60 and ST60 are differentiated mainly by the focused-filed drive technology: the former is rated at 3000Hz FFD, which has the sub-fields packed into 1/3000th of a second, while the latter has a 2500Hz FFD, so in this case the sub-fields are packed into 1/2500th of a second. That said, the advantage of a 1/500th of a second the step-up model has over its opponent doesn't necessarily translate to any huge visual difference between the two in terms of their performance when presented with fast-motion content, because the plasma technology in general needs only one impulse per pixel in order to create an image, so both have exceptionally low response time and are equally suited for sports and action-packed movies watching. However, there are also other more pronounced distinctions between them:

• The VT60 is better equipped for counteracting the on-screen reflections, as well as to maintaining the black color intact in brightly-lit environments, because of the more advanced AR filter (the Infinite Black Ultra). The ST60 has the Infinite Black Pro, so it still has the ability (albeit reduced) to minimize reflections.
• The 30720 gradation steps on the VT60 result in better shadow detail in dark scenes, and more subtle color hues as a whole in comparison to the step-down set, which provides only 12288 shades of gradation.
• The 98% DCI coverage (wide gamut) the higher-end set is capable of is of questionable benefit (with the exception of the more saturated red color out-of-the box due to the improvement in the purity of the red phosphor), since the current standard for HDTV is Rec.709, which both sets can meet.
• The VT60 has two THX-certified picture modes (Bright Room and Cinema), and two ISF modes (Day and Night), which can be used by a professional calibrator to tweak the picture for the specific conditions the TV is used under. All of the above mentioned presets are omitted from the step-down model.
• The Smart TV platform is identical on both, but the built-in camera that VT60 has allows for some advanced features to be accessible out-of-the-box, such as you being presented with your own personalized home screen by the means of facial recognition. The ST60 offers similar functionality, but it requires a camera that is sold separately.
• In addition to the standard remote, the VT60 packs a touch pad controller, which can also be used for voice commands thanks to the integrated microphone. On the other hand, the step-down model comes only with the standard clicker. However, you can install the Viera Remote 2 application on your smartphone or tablet, and control the TV in this way. It should be mentioned that the ST60 doesn't support the Smart Calibration via the remote app, though. But you can use Swipe and Share 2.0 with either of the two sets.
• While each has 3 HDMI ports, the ST60 has 2 USB inputs vs 3 on its counterpart.

The VT60 comes in the 65-Inch TC-P65VT60, the 60-Inch TC-P60VT60, and the 55-Inch TC-P55VT60 class.
The ST60 is available in the 65-Inch TC-P65ST60, the 60-Inch TC-P60ST60, the 55-Inch TC-P55ST60, as well as in the 50-Inch TC-P50ST60 class.