Panasonic Z95A OLED TV review: A look at brightness and colour

Photo: Ryan Waniata

Thanks to excellent image processing, details pop, crystal clear from 4K Blu-ray to 1080p and even 720p upscaling. Only the faintest SD images fail to impress, sometimes coming through a bit choppy, but that’s true of any 4K TV.

The only minor chinks in the armor I noticed over the course of several days were some minor stuttering or juddering with challenging motion scenes and some color banding with compressed video. Otherwise, I was able to just sit back and enjoy the glow.

The highlight for me is the Z95A’s incredible colors, which are so rich and vibrant that they hold me back even when compared to all the other great flavors of Panasonic’s Special Sauce. Starting with a casual viewing of the holiday classic I was hooked from day one curl up From Bill Murray’s deep navy suits to the red-gold of Robert Mitchum’s pajamas, I found myself mesmerized—and it wasn’t just me.

Fantasia One of my wife’s most watched movies, yet we were both blown away by the artistry. Sapphire blues, flashing silvers, pastel purples, and deep yellow golds all burn beautifully. Even something as simple as a targeted fish Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Pay attention, I moan like magma, but a TV this good will do that to you. There are only a few TVs on the market that keep pace.

Photo: Ryan Waniata

LG’s G4 One, offers similar pleasure (and four HDMI 2.1 inputs), but so far I’ve had bad luck with review samples. Sony’s A95L QD-OLED (9/10, WIRED recommends) is my favorite rival. It’s not quite as bright, but it’s impressive all the same and has slightly better image detail. Samsung’s S95D (8/10, Wired recommends) isn’t as attractive—and skips Dolby Vision—but its matte screen offers impressive anti-glare capabilities. Finally, Sony’s Ultrabright Bravia 9 Mini LED TV (9/10, Wired recommends) is a wild card for those looking for next-generation brightness, though its backlit display isn’t as smooth or balanced as OLED.

All of these competitors offer larger model sizes than the Z95A’s lone 65-inch size, which can be a difference maker. Still, there’s something about the Z95A that floored me. Apart from its Fire TV system, it is a top performer in every category and easily one of the best TVs you can buy Welcome back, Panasonic. It has been too long.