Best Panasonic TVs Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?'s round-up of the best Panasonic TVs you can buy in 2021.
Panasonic has been no stranger to What Hi-Fi? TV Awards over the years, from the company's class-leading plasma TVs, which are sadly no longer with us, to more recent LED, 4K and OLED TVs.
Its sets tend to look a little industrial in the face of sleeker competition, but don't let that put you off. In recent years, Panasonic has produced some of the best TVs going at all sizes, from 40 inches right up to big-screen lounge fillers.
So what should you look for when picking the best Panasonic TV?
Screen size is the most obvious consideration. Measure how much space you've got, and check out the full dimensions of your chosen set before spending any money. Some have slimmer bezels than others, which makes a real difference when squeezing into a tight space.
Do you want 4K? The picture quality has four times as many pixels as HD, making for sharper, crisper visuals. But if you only ever watch terrestrial, 4K won't be much use for a while yet.
The same goes for HDR. This enhances the difference between the light and dark parts of the picture, with more gradual steps in between. The result? Better contrast, which adds depth to the image, and makes it look more lifelike. Again, you'll need a streaming service like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video (or a 4K Blu-ray with HDR) to take advantage.
Let's have a look at the best Panasonic TVs around.
- These are the best TVs money can buy
Placement a bit of an issue? This Panasonic's stand swivels, so you can angle it accordingly, which should help you see the screen even if you're not sitting dead-on to it. Its small footprint of just 39cm gives you more options on smaller TV cabinets, too. And that tall neck is ideal for fitting a soundbar under the screen.
All formats of HDR are catered for, but the app selection isn't quite as exhaustive as rivals'. Though you do get all the big hitters.
But it's the picture quality that's the real highlight. Colours are rich but realistic, detail levels are excellent, and edges are supremely sharp without ever looking exaggerated. It’s not as bright or vivid as some rivals, but it is more subtle and nuanced.
The HZ1000 is an excellent handler of standard-definition content, too. So if you’ve got a much-loved library of regularly watched DVDs, it should go right to the top of your TV shortlist.
Overall, this is a superb TV. It’s just so balanced in its delivery: punchy but natural, sharp but not exaggerated, vibrant but controlled. And motion is smooth as butter. The best Panasonic TV around right now.
Read the full Panasonic TX-55HZ1000B review
This set comes in 50- and 58- and 65-inch sizes. But whichever you choose, you're in for a treat.
For a midrange set, it boasts a stellar set of features, including both Dolby Vision and HDR10+. It's priced very competitively, and this 58-inch model is actually better value than its five-star 50-inch sibling.
Like Panny's other sets, its design might be a little simple and staid for some. But look past the utilitarian styling and you'll see a superb picture. It's a cut above similarly priced sets, thanks to its more even handed approach. Colours are brilliantly judged, proving tonally natural and nuanced in their gradients. Subtle shades are smoothly blended and avoid the sort of blocking produced by less sophisticated sets, and that makes skin tones in particular appear natural and realistic.
The sound is pretty good too, with a wide open soundstage providing clear voices and plenty of detail. A great buy at this end of the market.
Read the full Panasonic TX-58GX800B review
The Panasonic TX-65HX940 is blessed with much of the company's top TV tech, including the 2020 flagship HCX Pro Intelligent processor, a 100Hz screen refresh rate, and Panasonic’s Local Dimming Intelligent Pro technology. It also supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ types of HDR, so you can be sure you're viewing the best available format regardless of streaming service or disc.
It's a tidy and decent-looking set, and has all the ports you could need. Though some apps are lacking: there's no Apple TV, Google Play Movies & TV, Disney+, Now TV, BT Sport, Spotify or Tidal. It only takes a relatively small outlay on a media streamer to fix this, but that really shouldn't be necessary.
The picture is impressive, but it takes a lot of time to fine-tune it to reach its full potential. That will undoubtedly put off some buyers. Even the preset modes don't really do it justice.
But if you can squeeze the most from it, this set is a joy to watch. There's tons of detail, excellent motion processing and strong dark detail. Settle in for a calibration session, and you'll be richly rewarded.
Read the full Panasonic TX-65HX940B review
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