Our colleagues over at What HDTV have been raving about Pioneer's PDP-607XD plasma. It marks Pioneer's biggest plasma yet, and its high-def performance is jaw-dropping.

We can't help but thinking that if this is how good Pioneer's 7th generation plasmas are, its much vaunted 8G efforts - the first of which we'll see next month - are going to be truly special indeed.

Think about it: a jump in contrast from 4000:1 to a staggering 20000:1, meaning breathtakingly deep blacks and spectacularly vivid colours - and all delivered in the full glory of 1080p.

We often talk about 'format wars'. Well, if LCD v plasma is a war, then plasma's cause is about to get a boost equivalent to 200,000 elite troops arriving fresh from a team-bonding exercise in the Maldives. We can't wait.

In the meantime, however, stunning efforts like the PDP-607XD can certainly hold their own. And just think, when the 8G Pioneers appear in all their majesty it won't cost £6,000 any more either.