Home Tech Panasonic Z95A OLED TV delivers dazzling brightness and colors

Panasonic Z95A OLED TV delivers dazzling brightness and colors

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Front view of a Panasonic Z95A OLED TV, the screen shows a vivid underwater scene of corals and fish.

Photography: Ryan Waniata

Thanks to excellent image processing, details pop, from crystal-clear 4K Blu-rays up to 1080p and even 720p upscaling. Only the blurriest SD images fail to impress, sometimes appearing a little blocky, but that’s true of almost any 4K TV.

The only minor glitches in the armor I noticed over several days were some minor stutters or jerks in challenging movement scenes and some color banding with compressed video. Otherwise, I was able to just sit back and enjoy the glow.

The highlight for me are the phenomenal colors of the Z95A, which are so rich and soulful that they took me by surprise, even compared to all the other fantastic Panasonic Special Sauce flavors. I was stunned from day one, starting with casually watching the Christmas classic. Scrooged. From Bill Murray’s deep navy suits to the crimson gold of Robert Mitchum’s pajamas, I felt mesmerized…and it wasn’t just me.

Fancy is one of my wife’s most watched films, and yet we were both dazzled by its artistry. Sapphire blues, dazzling silvers, pastel violets and deep yellow golds burned beautifully. Even something as simple as a target fish in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla It attracts attention, burning like magma. I’m excited, but a TV this good will do that to you. There are only a few TVs on the market that keep up.

Photography: Ryan Waniata

LG G4 is one that offers similar delights (and four HDMI 2.1 inputs), but I’ve had bad luck with review samples so far. Sony’s A95L QD-OLED (9/10, WIRED recommended) is my favorite rival. It’s not as bright, but it’s equally impressive and has slightly better image detail. Samsung’s S95D (8/10, WIRED recommended) isn’t as flashy (and omits Dolby Vision), but its matte screen offers interesting anti-glare capabilities. Finally, Sony’s ultra-bright Bravia 9 mini LED TV (9/10, WIRED recommended) is a wild card for those looking for next-gen brightness, although its backlit display isn’t as balanced or balanced as OLED.

These competitors all offer more model sizes than the Z95A’s single 65-inch size, which could make a difference. Still, there’s something about the Z95A that has me baffled. In addition to its Fire TV system, it’s a top performer in every category and easily one of the best TVs you can buy. Welcome back, Panasonic. It’s been too long.

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