Introduction
Well here’s something you don’t see every day. In fact, here’s something we’ve never seen before ever: a 39-inch TV. We’ve seen plenty of 37-inch models (though they’re less common than they used to be), and 40-inch models are 10 a penny. But 39-inch is definitely a first.
And first impressions are that it’s quite an appealing size – much more satisfying in a typically sized room than a 37-inch screen. We guess you can’t really see much difference between a 39-inch and 40-inch TV, but if you’re struggling to persuade other members of your household to take on a 40-inch TV, then 39-inches might at least be a bit easier to sell…
Panasonic L39E6 - Design
Making the L39E6 an even easier sell to people concerned about the aesthetic impact a TV might have on their home is the remarkable slenderness of its silvery bezel. It’s barely a centimetre wide on three of its sides, and even along the bottom edge the bezel width is only increased by the subtle addition of a narrow and attractive transparent external border.
As well as minimising the L39E6’s aesthetic impact, the ultra-skinny bezel has the effect of enabling you to focus more on the on-screen images, rather than the technology that’s producing them. Which is, of course, a good thing.
This latter point would be especially effective while watching 3D – if only the L39E6 actually supported 3D! As it is, though, if you want 3D you’ll need to step up to one of Panasonic’s ET60 models.
Panasonic L39E6 - Panel Type
The L39E6‘s 2D-only nature is, of course, a pity if you’re a 3D fan. If you’re not, though, our experience of Panasonic’s 2013 TV range to date (we've already reviewed the L42E6 and the L55ET60) suggests that the L39E6’s use of a VA-type panel rather than the IPS type used in its 3D TVs might serve the 39-inch model well, as the VA panels Panasonic is using this year seem able to produce a more convincing contrast performance.
Panasonic L39E6 - Connectivity
The L39E6’s connections are solid enough, although ideally we'd have liked to see four HDMIs rather than three, however multimedia uses are well catered for with two USBs, a LAN port and built-in Wi-Fi.
The USBs can be used for playing back a wide range of video, photo and music formats or for recording from the built-in Freeview HD tuner, while the network options can stream in files from DLNA PCs or take the TV online via Panasonic’s Viera Connect platform.
