TV manufacturers today appear to be engaged in an elaborate game to see who can label their products with the most long-winded and esoteric model numbers possible. And, seeing as you’ve ended up here, you’re probably aware that Panasonic is a keen participant, right up there with the likes of Samsung and LG. But don’t worry! At Expert Reviews, we’re always testing the latest Panasonic TV models and we’re here to help you tell these TVs apart.
It’s worth noting that the famous ‘Viera’ branding, short for ‘Visual Era’, appears to have been dropped by Panasonic UK, although in the USA it’s still used as a catch-all term for Panasonic TVs. On its UK website, Panasonic divides its television into three distinct categories depending on the type of panel used. There’s the high-end 4K Ultra HD OLED TV category, the mid-range 4K Ultra HD LED TV lineup and, lastly, the budget HD TV range.
Want to know your Panasonic TX-55HZ2000B from your Panasonic TX-40HX800B? Read on. To skip to a specific range of Panasonic TVs there are quick links provided below.
Panasonic TV model numbers explained: Panasonic 4K OLED TVs
The most expensive and desirable of Panasonic’s televisions are its OLED sets. Unlike competitors such as Samsung, LG and Philips, Panasonic hasn’t invested in 8K consumer televisions, choosing instead to focus on mastering its 4K OLED panels. All TVs in this category are 4K/UHD (3,840 x 2,160) and utilise OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) panels.
Let’s look at a typical model number for a Panasonic 4K OLED TV like the dazzling Panasonic 65in GZ950, which we gave a 5-Star review. It’s also known as TX-65GZ950B, which isn’t quite as catchy. Browsing Panasonic TVs, you’ll notice that every single model begins with the code TX. Very simply, this is just Panasonic’s coding for TV models sold in the UK, Ireland and some European countries. 65 is easy: the display measures 65 inches across the diagonal. G is Panasonic’s code for the year 2019 – in 2018 it was F and in 2020 it’s using H. All Panasonic OLED TV model numbers feature the letter Z after the year code, so whether you see FZ, GZ or HZ, you know it’s an OLED.
The number 950 represent the model series this particular TV belongs to. As Panasonic says, “the higher the value, the more features and the more applications [that are] supported” on said TV. The 65in GZ950 was a pricey TV at launch, but nowhere near as expensive as the top-end Panasonic 65in GZ2000 – which, as you can see, has a higher series number. Finally, we have the letter B. As stated on Panasonic’s website, this “denotes a television designed to be sold in the UK market”.
Now you know that a TX-65GZ950B is a 2019 65in 4K OLED 950-series Panasonic TV made for the UK. And if you can decode one Panasonic OLED model number, you can decode them all.
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Panasonic TV model numbers explained: Panasonic 4K LED TVs
Not everyone can afford a Panasonic OLED, and that’s where the mid-range 4K LED family comes in. These are all still smart TVs with a 4K/UHD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution but, instead of OLED technology, they have LED (Light-Emitting Diode) panels. Or, more accurately, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panels that are LED-lit.
One of our favourite mid-range Panasonic TVs in recent times is the Panasonic 40in GX800, known formally as the TX-40GX800B. If you’ve stuck with us so far, you’ll know that the TX at the beginning and the B at the end both basically mean the same thing: this is a TV made for the UK market. Next up, 40 tells us that this TV is a 40in model. The GX800 comes in four different sizes so it’s handy to have the size listed in the model number.
As established earlier, G is Panasonic’s code for televisions manufactured in 2019. If it were a 2020 model it would have an H instead. An X following a year code (e.g GX, HX, FX) indicates that the TV is a 4K LCD LED TV, as opposed to a 4K OLED or a non-4K model.
Lastly, 800 is the series number of the TV. The higher that number, the more advanced the TV – and the pricier it will be too. According to Panasonic, models that are series 700 or below “are considered entry smart 4K TVs, with limited applications” and features.
And with that, you know that TX-40GX800B is a 2019 40in 4K LCD LED-lit 800-series Panasonic TV produced for the UK market. Armed with this knowledge, you should be able to decode any mid-range Panasonic 4K TV model number you encounter.
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Panasonic TV model numbers explained: Panasonic HD TVs
Finally, we come to Panasonic’s budget-friendly HD TV range. These are all still smart TVs, but none of them are 4K; instead, they’ll either be HD Ready or Full HD (FHD) meaning they have minimum resolutions of 1,280 x 720 or 1,920 x 1,080, respectively. Like the non-OLED 4K panels discussed above, they use LCD LED-lit panels. Panasonic states that, compared to the 4K models, these televisions are “entry smart” with “very limited features”. However, if you want a smaller TV, an FHD or HD model may be your only option.
Take the Panasonic 32in GS352, aka TX-32GS352B. This is the 32in variant of the GS352, as indicated by the 32 in the model number. The odd thing about this TV, and other Panasonic budget TVs like it, is that the resolution can be different depending on the size. The 32in GS352 is HD Ready while the 39in GS352 is actually FHD, yet there’s nothing in the model numbers to tell you. Digging into the specs of the TV you want is always a good idea, but it’s especially worth double-checking the resolution on Panasonic’s budget TVs.
What about the rest of the model number? TX and B, as you’ll know by now, tell us that the GS3252 is intended for sale in the UK market. G means it was made in 2019, and S marks it out as an HD/FHD TV opposed to a 4K model. However, not all Panasonic HD/FHD TVs adhere to that last rule, the Panasonic 32in G302 (TX-32G302B) being one of them. If there’s no letter following the year code then you can assume it’s an HD/FHD TV. Rounding off the GS352’s model number is its series number, 352. Remember that the larger the number, the more features it will have.
Your dreams have come true: at last, you know that TX-32GS352B is a 2019 32in HD Ready LCD LED-lit 352-series Panasonic TV sold in the UK. That’s a mouthful but, thankfully, it also means that we’ve now covered every type of Panasonic TV on the UK market today.
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