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Review: Vizio VP322, the world's smallest plasma

CNET reviews the Vizio VP322, the smallest flat-panel plasma HDTV on the market at 32 inches diagonal.

David Katzmaier Editorial Director -- Personal Tech
David reviews TVs and leads the Personal Tech team at CNET, covering mobile, software, computing, streaming and home entertainment. We provide helpful, expert reviews, advice and videos on what gadget or service to buy and how to get the most out of it.
Expertise A 20-year CNET veteran, David has been reviewing TVs since the days of CRT, rear-projection and plasma. Prior to CNET he worked at Sound & Vision magazine and eTown.com. He is known to two people on Twitter as the Cormac McCarthy of consumer electronics. Credentials
  • Although still awaiting his Oscar for Best Picture Reviewer, David does hold certifications from the Imaging Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology on display calibration and evaluation.
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David Katzmaier

Vizio's VP322 plasma measures just 32 inches diagonal. CNET

Before the Vizio VP322 came along, we always said that plasma-screen HDTVs basically started at 42 inches and went up from there. One exception was Panasonic's 37-inch size, which is still available in the form of models like the TH37PH10UK professional model, but now that Panasonic is into LCD at that size, it no longer markets a 37-inch plasma to consumers.

Vizio, one of the few budget companies that bothers with both plasma and LCD, has taken another tack in introducing the smallest plasma yet. The 32-inch VP322 is the same size as the company's popular VO32L, an LCD model, and it has the same list price. But a few items on the spec sheet are different, including native resolution, contrast ratio, or course, response time. So do those specs translate to visible differences between the Vizio and other budget LCDs?

As usual, the full review tells a different story from the specs. The plasma's higher contrast ratio didn't translate into better black levels, and the difference in resolution was negligible. This plasma's main weakness is color accuracy, which is only partly balanced by the advantage of superior picture uniformity. In the end we prefer some budget LCDs, but the Vizio plasma still might appeal to bargain hunters who want to go glass.

For the complete story check out the CNET review of the Vizio VP322.