Check out our full written Panasonic AS530U series review.
Panasonic today unveiled its new fleet of entry-level HDTVs, the Life+Screen AS530 series. The series presents a feature-rich four-pack of sleek 1080p LED displays, offered in screen sizes ranging from 39-inches up to the 60-inch patriarch.
Touting Panasonic’s “Beyond Smart” features, the AS530 TVs promise high picture quality and an intuitive overhaul of the company’s “My Home Screen” smart interface, all at a budget-friendly price point. Features for the interface include a customizable home screen with voice guidance, remote access to select “video memos” and messages on the home screen away from home, and a wide selection of all the stalwart apps users expect from a modern smart TV.
Perhaps the coolest feature offered in Panasonic’s new cheap-seat lineup is Swipe & Share functionality, which allows users of both Android and iOS mobile devices to share personal videos and photos back and forth between the display and their devices with the swipe of a finger.
While the new series definitely packs a punch in the software department, hardware is more limited, supporting only two HDMI inputs, which greatly decreases functionality in today’s component-heavy media landscape.
Other features for the new AS530 series include WiFi connection with DLNA support, dual USB inputs, and Backlight Blinking Technology, which is Panasonic’s version of the kind of motion enhancement you’ll usually find on mid-to upper tier LED displays.
Pricing and sizing for the new AS530 series is as follows:
- TC-39AS53OU (38.5-inch display) – $549.99
- TC-50AS530U (49.5-inch display) – $899.99
- TC-55AS530U (54.5-inch display) – $1,099.99
- TC-60AS530U (59.5-inch display) – $1,399.99
The largest of the family won’t be out until the middle of the month, but the rest of Panasonic’s Life + Screen AS530 series TVs are available at Panasonic’s website, and at select retailers now.
[This article has been edited to specify that the AS530 offers automated voice guidance, April 28, 2014]
