TVs are a fantastic thing, they allow us to visit places we would never go and see things we may never usually see. As good as all that is, sometimes you can pay a hefty price for the privilege of viewing, but not so with the Panasonic TX40CS520 which is a great entry-level TV that doesn’t disappoint for the money…
Coming straight out of the gates, at a great price the TX40CS520 may not offer 4K Ultra HD but it does offer you Full HD viewing and a vast myriad of features that allows anyone with an interest in Smart TV to get a solid start with no real hassle. It uses a Vertical Alignment LED screen with adaptive backlight dimming to give you good contrast/black levels, and also Bright Panel Plus technology to give a good image in the daytime as well as the evening.
The motion on the CS520 is quite impressive as well with no major stuttering or ghosting issues when viewed on normal TV, but it does come across some issues when gaming – not major enough to ruin gameplay but ever so slightly noticeable. That being said the CS520 has never been heralded as a gaming TV, but a good budget TV for normal viewing and movie watching – in both of these cases, it rarely struggles.
The speakers, although low powered (10w x 2), can still give enough sound and clarity to make listening easy with dialogue being clear and low range frequencies having an element of depth to them, which is quite a triumph considering the ultra-thin nature of modern TVs. Like any TV though the Cs520 is definitely improved by the addition of an external sound system to really take it to the next level for cinema, and also to improve dialogue, this is easily achieved with a simple soundbar or 5.1 system for a real step up.
Probably the main selling point about the TV though is its Smart operating system. Built-in Freetime system allows you to scroll back up to 7 days (on select channels) through the EPG if you have Freesat running into the TV, not only that but you can use the built-in Wi-Fi to watch programs through a host of catch up apps – All4, BBC iPlayer, ITV player and Demand 5 being the biggest highlights. The internet connectivity doesn’t stop there though as you can use the Panasonic remote app to swipe and share content from your phone as well as sharing music and video files from your PC via DLNA. Both of these are great additions, especially the swipe and share which I’ve had hours of fun with by sharing pictures of Cats with the CS520 so everyone can see! But seriously in fantastic for showing Youtube videos to the whole room without being huddled around a small phone screen.
All in all the Panasonic 40CS520 is a great TV if you want a well-built Smart TV that can deliver bags of entertainment for an amazing price, which is probably what won it the What Hi-Fi? 2015 Award for Best 40-60″ TV under £500. But don’t take our word for it, why not pop into your local Richer Sounds store to take it for a test spin or call our friendly telesales team on 0333 900 0093 for more information.
To find out more about the Panasonic TX40CS520, click here.
Author – Hal, Plymouth store
