Pros
Dolby Vision and HDR10+
Built-in Dolby Atmos speakers
Accurate colours out of the box
Cons
Expensive
No 4K @ 120Hz
No Variable Refresh Rate
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Last year, Panasonic blew us away with its GZ950, a phenomenal 4K OLED TV which packaged class-leading colour accuracy with a price that had its rivals sweating. But now the pressure is on. In 2020, Panasonic will have to deliver something even more impressive – and just as competitively priced – or else risk losing out to the likes of LG, Sony and Philips.
Enter the Panasonic HZ2000, the Japanese firm’s new flagship 4K OLED. Starting at £3,500, it’s available in 55in and 65in variants, and will supposedly be Panasonic’s “most dynamic television yet”. Building on the success of the GZ950 and the FZ802 before that, the Panasonic HZ200 has the makings of an incredible OLED TV. And yet it’s lacking certain features that we’ve come to expect from cutting-edge TVs.
So, is it worth buying, or should you just pick up last year’s GZ950 or GZ2000 at a bargain price?
READ NEXT: The best 4K HDR TVs for gaming
Panasonic HZ2000: Key specifications |
|
| Screen sizes available: | 55in TX-55HZ2000B,
65in TX-65HZ2000B |
| Panel type: | OLED |
| Resolution: | 4K/UHD (3,840 x 2,160) |
| Refresh rate: | 120Hz |
| HDR formats: | HDR10, HDR!0+, Dolby Vision, HLG |
| Audio enhancement: | eARC, Dolby Atmos |
| HDMI inputs: | 4 x HDMI 2.0b |
| Streaming services: | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Freeview Play, BritBox, Rakuten TV, YouTube etc. |
| Tuners: | DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-C, DVB-S2, Analog (NTSC/PAL/SECAM) |
| Gaming features: | ALLM |
| Wireless connectivity: | WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth |
| Smart platform: | my Home Screen 5.0 |
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Panasonic HZ2000: What you need to know
Panasonic’s HZ2000 is a direct follow-up to the Panasonic GZ2000 launched in 2019, and it’s the company’s new flagship 4K OLED TV. Packing the same HCX Pro Intelligent Processor used in the GZ2000, it has a 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Atmos speakers and supports every major HDR format going. As an upgrade over the GZ2000’s ‘Professional Edition’ OLED panel, the HZ2000 uses a custom ‘Master HDR OLED Professional Edition’ OLED display which promises higher average brightness levels and boosted dynamic range.
Like last year’s GZ950 and GZ2000, the Panasonic HZ2000 supports HLG, HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, so you’re well covered for High Dynamic Range content, whatever streaming service you subscribe to. Panasonic has also brought back the Dolby Atmos upward-firing drivers and forward-facing speakers found in the GZ2000; these aim to deliver an impactful Dolby audio experience without the need for a soundbar.
A couple of new smart features have been added to the HZ2000, such as Panasonic’s own Intelligent Sensing system. This feature enhances the HZ2000’s Filmmaker mode by using sensors to detect ambient light and adjust picture accordingly, increasing the brightness in order to “perceptually match what you would see in a dark room”. Filmmaker mode with Intelligent Sensing works with HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG content. And for Dolby Vision content, there’s Dolby Vision IQ. This is supposed to further enhance the playback quality of Dolby Vision content by, once again, using ambient light sensors to optimise picture brightness in a way that “respects the original creative intent”.
There are various display modes to choose from on the Panasonic GZ2000, from Dynamic to Sport and True Cinema but, according to HDTV Test, Filmmaker mode is by far the most colour accurate. In fact, it’s practically perfect: as Vincent of HDTV Test comments in his unboxing video of the HZ2000, “90%” of the calibration work is done for you when you switch to Filmmaker from the default mode.
It’s not all good news, however. The Panasonic HZ2000 does not have an HDMI 2.1 chipset and does not support 4K playback at 120HZ. Nor does it support Variable Refresh Rate, an HDMI 2.1 gaming-focused feature that reduces screen-tearing.
Still, despite having only HDMI 2.0b inputs, Panasonic has managed to implement two HDMI 2.1 features: Auto Low Latency Mode, or ALLM, which reduces gaming input lag; and eARC for lossless audio passthrough.
Panasonic’s my Home Screen OS has its limitations too. At present, it lacks major streaming platforms like Disney Plus, Now TV and Apple TV. Yes, you could just buy a Fire TV stick or Roku device, but it would be nice to have all of your apps in one place. Especially when the TV’s asking price is so high.
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Panasonic HZ2000: Price and competition
The 55in Panasonic HZ2000 (TX-55HZ2000B) is expected to retail at £3,500, though it’s not out in the UK just yet. Meanwhile, the 65in Panasonic HZ2000 (TX-65HZ2000B) can currently be found for £4,000 at Appliances Direct – a £300 discount on the £4,300 RRP. If this sounds like a lot of money, well, that’s because it is. The HZ200’s predecessor, the 65in Panasonic GZ2000, also launched at £4,300, meaning that Panasonic hasn’t cut its prices year on year.
Meanwhile, competing brands are doing exactly that. OLED technology is becoming increasingly affordable, as evidenced by Sony’s flagship 65in A8 OLED, which has launched at £2,800. And, while Philips has yet to reveal the UK pricing for its new OLED805 range, we’re confident that it won’t be as expensive as the Philips 984 OLED+, a 65in TV from 2019 that launched for.
LG’s latest premium OLED, the LG CX OLED, will be another TV of particular concern to Panasonic. The C9 OLED as one of the most acclaimed OLED TVs of 2019 and its follow-up, the CX, is available from just £1,499 for the 48in model. Meanwhile, the 65in LG CX OLED (£2,799) is £1,500 cheaper than the equivalent-sized Panasonic HZ2000.
The post Panasonic HZ2000 TV: The best flagship 4K OLED TV in 2020? appeared first on abangtech.
source https://abangtech.com/panasonic-hz2000-tv-the-best-flagship-4k-oled-tv-in-2020/
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