Review scores - when does a 4star become a 5star?

[Oldboy]

Hello all,

Bit of a question for the WHF team but feel free to contribute, i was just wondering at what price point does a 4 star TV or any peice of review equipment become a 5 star product, if atall? The only reason i ask is because a friend of mine asked me this question recently when deciding what TV to purchase and was looking at the Panasonic TX-P42G20 (4 stars - reviewed at £1100) at the same time i was looking to buy my 40EX503 and found it available for £838 from Amazon (i beleive it still shows at this price). At this price point is the G20 now better value or do your concerns at the £1100 price point ring true even now it's available for 838?

Also is there a magic formula you can use in this instance or a percentage of the RRP that then makes it a 5star purchase?

Nick.

 

[Clare Newsome]

That's a brilliant price for the Panasonic.

We change ratings if/when we reevaluate a price cut by going back to compare a set with its rivals - which, in the TV world, probably have also come down in price - plus any newer models that come along.

To stress, it's not just about price, it's about performance at that price. A product could be dirt cheap and still not get a higher star rating due to it just not stacking up against rivals - for example, there's a stereo amp in our latest issue that goes down a star despite a price cut: its rivals have simply left it far behind.

But that's not the case with the Panasonic - we said it was a great set when we reviewed it and it remains a must-consider if you're after a 40-42in set. In our opinion the Sony still matches or outperforms it for everything but black tones - where the Panasonic's plasma strengths come to the fore - but the G20 is rightly winning many fans.

 

[Oldboy]

Many thanks Clare,

I wasn't sure how much of an impact prices had on your review scores hence the topic so many thanks for clearing that up.

I thought at the time the G20 was a good deal but i wasn't sure if it represented the best value just because of the price it was available for when up against the EX503, it's great to hear that price alone dosen't influence the review score though.