If you’ve been waiting for the price on 3D plasma HD televisions to drop to an affordable price, you may not have to wait any longer. Samsung has unveiled two new series of plasma HDTVs in Korea this week, one of which is promising to hit the consumer market under $1000.
The Samsung PN50C490 is a 50-inch flat panel that will be one of the first 3D plasma HDTVs to hit the mark, available for pre-order now for $989. However, the new C490 is lacking in a few areas when compared to the more expensive competition.
Where most of the 3D HDTVs being released have a 1080p display, the C490 is only 720p and is a bit thicker than other models. It is also missing picture-in-picture capability and some of the other widgets that are available in higher-end models. Also, 3D glasses must be purchased separately.
Features that the C490 does have include an e3-panel which is supposed to make the TV easy to view from any angle, 3 HDMI inputs, a PC input, and USB 2.0 connectivity. Units are expected to begin shipping next month.
Will the lower price for a 3D HDTV be enough for more consumers to start picking up sales, which have been slower than expected up until now? I would wait until I can get more for my $1000, considering that a set of 3D glasses to go along with the TV would be an additional $200. Maybe now that manufacturers are starting to hit that sub-$1000 price point, higher-end models may get there soon.
