Panasonic Z95A OLED TV: A Game-Changer in the High-End TV Market

I just reviewed the Panasonic Z95A OLED TV and I'm blown away

If you didn't know, Panasonic has returned to the US and it's got one serious new contender for one of the best OLED TVs in the Panasonic Z95A OLED TV. It's arguably one of the most well-rounded TVs I've seen all year, leveraging LG Display's META Gen 2 MLA panel for superior performance in everything from SDR to HDR content. And it shows. The Z95A has awesome mitigation against reflections, which is perfect for those with more ambient-lit environments. Then, there's the 160W speaker system, an unprecedented amount of power for such a display, which works in tandem with its Sound Focus feature that lets you customize and fine tune your home cinema audio to great lengths. But after all this time, Panasonic's fated return comes as a market is flooded with some stellar offerings out of LG, Samsung, Sony, and more on the budget, Mini-LED front. Can Panasonic's flagship OLED stand against some of the preexisting best TVs in the market, or is it already too late to the party? The Panasonic Z95A, alongside the rest of the new US-based Panasonic lineup, is set to officially launch on September 18. Although one of the very first TVs from Panasonic to make the jump into the US market in eight years, it takes many of its design decisions from the Panasonic MZ2000, a stellar display in its own right that's only available in territories outside of the US. Although it only comes in a 65-inch model, the Z95A is priced competitively against the competition. As the flagship offering for Panasonic this year, it's weighted best against other flagships like the Samsung S95D OLED ($3,399) and the LG G4 OLED TV ($3,399). Now, it's important to note that both these displays are often discounted down to around $3,099, giving Panasonic a run for its money. The Panasonic Z95A is built on the META Gen 2 MLA panel by LG Display, a remarkable piece of engineering that gives this OLED TV one of the best screens on the block. It comes equipped with a 144Hz refresh rate, leveraging the HCX Pro AI processor MKII for upscaling support, motion processing, and the like. Unlike most TVs, it's also got a 160W speaker system on a 5.1.2-channel configuration, making it the star in audio this year. An ATSC 3.0 tuner also ensures you have access to NextGen TV and 4K broadcasts, when those become more available. The Z95A isn't entirely bezel-less, and much of its bottom half is taken up largely by its massive speaker. Given that speaker, it's also a hefty model weighing in at 56.2 lbs, which means you might want to get some help in the setup process. It also uses a 300 x 300mm VESA module so you can use it with some of the best TV mounts. One thing I'd like to commend Panasonic on is its ingenious stand, which rotates on a swivel. The stand makes it easy to get to the back of the TV for port access and allows a perfect dead-on vantage to the display with a little finessing. All the same ports you might see on some of the best TVs can be found on the Z95A. It might only have two HDMI 2.1 ports, but it still comes with two additional 2.0 HDMI slots, two USB ports (one 3.0 and one 2.0), plus an ethernet connection for wired internet access. Aside from those ports, there's little else on the Z95A, but it does have a digital optical output and headphone jack, which is switchable to a subwoofer. It also has an eARC connection, which inconveniently resides on one of the only two HDMI 2.1 ports. Finally, there's also Bluetooth compatibility, though Panasonic notes that "audio output may not be synchronized". To that end, you'll probably want to stick with the built-in audio or opt for one of the best soundbars for the available eARC port. There's so much to love about the Z95A and its ability to tackle practically any form of content with ease, making scenes pop thanks to its gorgeous OLED panel. Rich, deep blacks and striking contrasts make all the difference, plus if you look at its testing data you can see it's got some of the best brightness on the block against major competitors - and that works in its favor against reflections and more ambient-lit environments. The Z95A OLED also has a colorful, warm palette of a screen, and you can see this best in animated content and gaming, like "Elusive Samurai" and "Terminator Zero." Darker scenarios too looked rich in detail with minimal hiccups, especially in the likes of "The Batman" and "Tenet." If you're a fan of HDR movies and shows, the Panasonic Z95A is definitely the flagship model to consider thanks in large part to a speaker system that matches its picture performance for the all-around at-home cinematic experience. In terms of HDR support, the Z95A offers HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision, making movies like Blade Runner 2049 and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse all the more enjoyable. HDR aside, I was also pleasantly pleased with its upscaling and SDR performance. Older movies, like "Goldeneye" and "Field of Dreams" looked just as good as their higher-res HDR competitors, and little was lost in the overall feel of these movies. We follow a standard testing protocol for every TV we review at Tom's Guide. Our benchmarks include a series of technical and subject tests designed to rate the set's performance. For our technical tests, we use a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays' Calman TV-calibration software to take measurements. We also use a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester for determining the TV's gaming prowess. Subjective tests vary based on the reviewer, but usually feature anecdotes from a diverse selection of movies, TV shows, and other content reflecting the types of things you may actually want to watch on the TV. For a more detailed look at what we do and how we do it, check out our "How we test TVs" page. Panasonic is back and it's bringing some serious competition with its new OLED TV. We put the Z95A OLED up to the test against the market's best flagship offerings in the Samsung S95D, LG G4, and Sony A95L. While we don't have the HDR brightness of the Samsung S95D, as it was tested solely in Filmmaker mode, the numbers here still prove just how far that MLA gen 2 panel goes and the general performance capabilities the Z95A has in HDR workloads. And that isn't all, as its SDR brightness also beasts both the LG and Sony models out of the water. Although it might not have the best Rec 2020 or even UDHA-P3 coverage when faced with the Samsung and Sony models, the Z95A still does well with a much lower Delta-E. Sure, you would like to see that input latency higher, too, but the Z95A puts up a valiant fight against the competition. I've been testing TVs now for quite a while and I've got to admit that playing games on the Z95A was some of the most exhilarating experiences I've had in some time. Obviously, it goes without saying that the best gaming TVs are often OLED in design, but that's not the only reason the Z95A wins as a superior system. As we'll get into in a bit, the Z95A has one of the best TV sound systems I've ever seen and with that configuration you're allowed two different gaming modes in FPS and RPG. Beyond that, there's also a slew of additional features around gaming, including multiple preset picture settings, ALLM and VRR support, plus a dedicated game bar that makes it all the easier to change these settings on the fly. A 144Hz refresh rate makes all the difference for users of some of the best gaming PCs, and while we like to see that input latency a bit higher, at 12.6ms is fine -- especially against the likes of Sony displays, which are after over 15ms. That being said, just having two HDMI 2.1 ports is quite the bummer, especially with one of them being an eARC connection. You can read more about the Z95A and its gaming prowess and my recent piece on playing Star Wars Outlaws with Panasonic's new display. It puts up quite a fight against both LG and Samsung, which prove to be some of the most well-rounded OLED TVs for gaming. One of the Panasonic Z95A's biggest advantages over the competition is its 160W 5.1.2-channel speaker system, a testament to Panasonic's continued innovation despite being absent from the US in eight years. With that system, you likely won't need an additional soundbar, as audio is crisp, punchy, and bombastic. The only other TV to my knowledge that comes even close to the Z95A's power output is the Hisense U9N Mini-LED TV, which has an 82W speaker. That should put into perspective the sheer power behind the Z95A's sound, even if you might have to bump it up to over 20 to really get that oomph. Of course, it's not going to shake your house or anything and you could always do better with one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars and a subwoofer. But for the price you pay on the TV in addition to the loads of extras you get on top, like its Sound Focus feature, which allows you to dial audio in a number of ways, including Pinpoint, Spot, Area, and Ambient. Using Area, you can pinpoint the audio to a certain spot in the room on a 120 degree axis. This has never quite been done before and is particularly interesting for those with setups that don't look directly on the TV or for the folks that like to sit in a special seat that's not quite directly in front of the TV. It's a smart design decision that can be used in a wide variety of ways and it's being overlooked despite its ingenuity. Now, onto one of its least-appreciated aspects in its Amazon Fire TV interface. This is obviously more of a personal preference and you might find you actually enjoy the Fire TV experience, but I just don't like the way the UI is set up on the TV, making it hard for you to find the app you most want to use at a particular time -- given that only six options show up in its first carousel. But all the best streaming services you might expect from most TV interfaces will be found on this display. Plus, the Z95A and its Fire TV interface builds off the Samsung The Frame experience with its own AI-generated art backgrounds. Leveraging a sophisticated ALLM and your own imagination, the TV can breed life into spectacular on-screen worlds, all with a simple, "Hey Alexa, make me a wallpaper with a cat diving into a galaxy." There's little to complain about with the Fire TV remote, though I will note that I had some issues on set up (mainly with the W85A Mini-LED model, but they could crop up on the flagship OLED, as well). The remote, for some reason, would not function properly and required a full system reset to behave accordingly, which is frustrating -- but again this happened on the Mini-LED and your experience might vary. Aside from that, the Fire TV remote also doesn't have a dedicated input button, which means I have to click settings or pre-program its one user-set button for input switching. It's not a huge dealbreaker, but definitely is something to consider. A big blue Alexa button also rests at the top of the remote, which streamlines all the searching and navigation with just the use of my voice. It also has instant access to Prime Video, Disney Plus, Netflix, and Amazon Music, which is a bit of a limited selection but works for most people. It also uses batteries, which could prove costly over time. This is why I love the Roku Pro Series and its rechargeable remote, or Samsung's eco-friendly solar-powered option. Panasonic is reentering a market that's flooded with some top-tier, expertly priced displays from major contenders like LG, Sony and Samsung. But it's not like Panasonic wasn't making TVs over the past few years, and its design ethos and know-how in the space shine through on the Z95A. I can't get enough of this TV and it will be sorely missed when Panasonic reclaims it following this review. Gorgeous colors, rich and dark blacks grace the screen and HDR content popped with astounding vibrancy. I'm excited to experience the dimly-lit Gotham of "The Penguin" on this display, especially given its rewarding sound system. Minor issues, like just two HDMI 2.1 ports in the face of competitors with four, plus its weird Wi-Fi hitching issue on startup, bring the TV down only slightly. Again, it's also worth considering other top contenders like the LG G4 OLED that uses the same panel and trades Amazon Fire TV for LG's more user-friendly WebOS platform. But even in the face of these complaints and competition, I'm tempted to simply give it a full five out of five. It's truly one of the best OLEDs of the year and if you're willing to pay just a bit extra against LG's and Samsung's discounted flagships, it's entirely worth it.

Panasonic Z95A vs Samsung S95D: Which OLED TV should you buy?

Following an eight year hiatus, Panasonic is returning to the U.S. with three new TVs. The star of the show is the Panasonic Z95A, its flagship OLED with some serious potential as one of the best TVs to debut this year -- and it's got some tough competition, primarily in the form of the Samsung S95D OLED. Both prove to be extremely pricey, well-rounded displays with a ton of features to meet all kinds of varied entertainment needs, including HDR coverage, gaming specs, and more. But neither are made equal. In design and audio mainly, you'll see hefty variations that might sway your inevitable buying decision. And it's not like there's too much of a major difference between them when it comes to price either -- with their 65-inch models seeing just a $100 difference. From overall picture performance to advanced gaming features, let's dive into what makes either OLED model the better one to choose on your next TV purchase. Although both the Samsung and Panasonic flagships are OLED TVs, they differ slightly in their design, primarily the panel type. Samsung likes to leverage its own QD-OLED panels, which come straight from Samsung Display itself, and offer some improvements bred from similar technologies seen in Mini-LED TVs -- primarily color quality and a better range in sizes. On the other side of the spectrum is Panasonic, which doesn't have an OLED manufacturing plant of its own, and thus uses panels built by LG Display, in this case being the MLA gen two design, which for many offers the best viewing experience on the block. Though, this does come at the cost of additional TV sizes, and it why the Panasonic Z95A can only be bought in a 65-inch configuration. That's all well and good, but what really makes them unique? Panasonic's MLA panel, or Micro Lens Array, is intended to improve upon brightness significantly. The panel was only just revealed at CES 2024 and has already become a major staple in the TV sphere due to its incredible detail enhancer and META Multi Booster. And with that powerful brightness comes improved mitigation against reflections. Sure, Samsung's S95D might have a well-rounded anti-reflective coating (and likewise better brightness at 1777 nits), the Panasonic Z95A beats it out with more detailed colors and richer blacks. Then, there's the audio coverage. It's hard to go toe to toe with a display that sports one of the largest-watt speakers we've seen in the Panasonic Z95A's 160W system, essentially using one of the best soundbars inside it. It's also built out with a Sound Focus feature that allows you to fine tune your audio in a number of ways, particularly with a handy Pinpoint and Area function that sets the sound in a central location from the TV. While it might be a niche function, Panasonic giving you the keys to an unbridled home cinema experience need not be overlooked here. It's clear in its big return to the US, Panasonic is vying to pull out all the stops and very much delivers where it matters most -- and where others tend to fall flat. The S95D and Z95A are neck and neck in terms of the features they offer, and their 144Hz refresh rates are on a par with the industry. As for gaming features, both models support FreeSync and G-Sync, pus come equipped with VRR and ALLM. They also have four HDMI 2.1 ports, but the S95D's 9.2 input latency against the Z95A's 12.6 is a tough bargain to beat. But I must hand it to Panasonic, as even in something as simple as its TV stand is there immense ingenuity. Unlike almost every other TV in the market, the Z95A comes equipped with its own swivel stand, making it incredibly easy to change HDMI cables and inputs on the fly. Winner: Panasonic Z95A In the performance sphere, the Z95A and S95D aren't exactly neck-and-neck in picture quality despite their price. The test results prove that the Panasonic Z95A is a true powerhouse. Against the Samsung S95D, it delivers far better HDR brightness, and even yields a much lower Delta-E score at just 2.3334. The S95D can hit a as much as 276 nits in SDR content in Filmmaker mode, while the Z95A delivers just 114 nits. In HDR workloads, however, the Panasonic's 2,012 nits is quite a standout. HDR content is one of its shining feats, after all, thanks to its support of Dolby Vision, which the Samsung flagship lacks. But if you look at the UHDA-P3 and Rec.2020 gamuts, the S95D does sport better numbers at 99.97 and 89.73 percent, the former of which being quite extraordinary. This means that HDR color accuracy and general performance will slightly edge out the Z95A, making some content feel more immersive and realistic. The Panasonic Z95A and S95D both have incredible anti-reflective measures, but that gen two MLA panel on the former does such a fantastic job of maintaining an unblemished and clean picture. It's hard to truly say which is the better option here, but Panasonic might take the cake primarily due to it's better brightness scores. You can also notice far better motion processing on the Panasonic Z95A, as Samsung has always struggled on this front. Swift-moving objects as seen in video games like Call of Duty or Star Wars Outlaws, showed little to no banding or artifacting, while you might have to turn on "Picture Clarity" for the best performance from the Samsung model. And then there's audio. As I mentioned in my Panasonic Z95A hands-on preview, it has one of the highest wattage outputs we've ever seen on a display, sporting 160W on a seven-channel system with integrated upward and side-firing speakers -- which, just to be sure, were tuned by Technics. Of course, Dolby Atmos comes supported as well, which just adds to the fuel of never needing one of the best soundbars. That isn't even all the Panasonic OLED TV has to offer. It also comes equipped with a Sound Focus feature that allows you to fine tune the cone of sound in a particular environment, which is also set across four different modes. One way Panasonic explained this feature was for the elderly or hard of hearing, letting you set the area of sound closer to where they normally sit. Meanwhile, the Samsung S95D has all but a mere 70W of power on a 4.2.2-channel speaker system. It does have Dolby Atmos despite skimping on Dolby Vision, but it doesn't have that particularly interesting Sound Focus feature. What it does have is a few AI integrations, such as Active Voice Amplifier and Adaptive Sound Pro, both of which are feasible for the right buyer but not quite on Panasonic's level. Winner: Panasonic Z95A The Samsung S95D and Panasonic Z95A are, clearly, well-rounded premium displays with their own slew of advanced features. Although their prices might be close, there's a clear winner here and it's a fascinating turn of events -- one eight years in the making. Given its bombastic sound system and second generation MLA panel, the Panasonic Z95A OLED TV is the better option and one of the best OLED TVs on the market -- even if it's $100 more than its rival at $3,199. It's held back with just one size in its 65-inch model, but the popularity in this size should makes it an adequate choice even if you might want one of the best 75-inch TVs. Plus, Amazon Fire TV isn't the best choice of interface, but that's easy to live with. That being said, you could always save a bit by going with a 55-inch S95D that comes in at $2,399, if price is more your concern. You will be without Dolby Vision support and be missing out on that 160W speaker, which might require the extra purchase of one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, but that's the price you pay for a more value OLED TV model.