Investing in a TV is a big decision, and when it comes to the 48-inch size, it's a very competitive field. Rivals like Panasonic, Samsung and LG are all great picks, but what about the price?
Well, right now, you can pick up the best 48-inch TV we've ever tested (holding a top spot amongst our best TVs guide), the Panasonic TV-48Z90B. For just £1099 at Richer Sounds, this step-down OLED can be yours for a whopping £400 off.
And while it's important to note that LG's C5 at the same size is currently £150 cheaper at Peter Tyson, there's plenty of reasons the Z90B is the better overall pick – and I'll jump into those below.
The Panasonic Z90B is a smaller OLED with some serious competition. But, what makes it our favourite? Well, it is armed to the teeth with many of the benefits that have made past Panasonic sets fan favourites among What Hi-Fi? readers and a regular sight in our best TVs guide.
It may be smaller in size, but it still delivers a striking cinematic image with ease, and it doesn't compromise on scale despite the compact footprint. So, if you love movies, you'll want to take a look.
Filmmaker mode provides the best picture we've seen from a 48-inch TV with colours that are warm and rich and a level of detail that lots of rivals lack. And it manages to retain these rich colours in low-light segments too, which is a huge bonus, as we found the LG C5 struggled in this area.
In the testing room, we said: "Thanks to its ongoing focus on colour accuracy and delivering an 'as the director intended' experience rather than razzmatazz, the 48-inch Panasonic Z90B is the best TV at its size that we have tested."
Sonically, it's also got a lot to offer. While we're keen to recommend one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars to accompany your new OLED TV, the Panasonic is a cut above the LG and Samsung when it comes to bass, dynamics and spatial separation. In fact, it's the best audio performance you'll find on an OLED this size.
Finally, the Z90B is amply stacked when it comes to features, especially when it comes to HDR support. Both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ are supported, though there is a minor setback when it comes to HDMI 2.1 ports. For the Z90B, there's only two, where as the LG would give you four.
Despite this, it's well-specced for gaming, with VRR and ALLM, and a maximum refresh rate for 4K/144Hz, so a little cable switching shouldn't be the biggest problem.
For such an excellent performer, it's great to see it at a dropdown price. £400 off at Richer Sounds is certainly not to be sniffed at, especially when you're getting one of the best OLED TVs we've ever tested in exchange for your hard-earned cash.
MORE:
Read our full Panasonic Z90B 48-inch review
As well as our Panasonic Z95B 65-inch review
And check out our picks for the best TVs on the market
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