At a lookSkilled’s Ranking
Professionals
- Stunning OLED panel
- Prime-notch processor
- Wonderful gaming options
- Extremely configurable image
Cons
- Complicated menus
- Too many steps for voice management
- Restricted audio
Our Verdict
The Panasonic MZ980 is an astonishingly good tv, with Panasonic’s high-end HCX Professional AI processor and a stunning OLED panel working collectively to nice impact. The MZ980 packs some fashionable OLED upgrades, whereas some options are somewhat advanced to navigate, however general it’s an excellent show that can fulfill players and movie buffs alike.
Worth When Reviewed
Unavailable within the US
The Panasonic MZ980 OLED isn’t the perfect or brightest Panasonic OLED on the market, nevertheless it is perhaps the neatest alternative of the agency’s 2023 vary.
That’s as a result of this sensible TV, constructing on final yr’s LZ980 mannequin, makes positive to supply crucial issues in a house cinema display – even when you miss out on a few next-gen, flagship options.
It begins at £1,599 for a 42in mannequin however I’ve examined the 55in dimension which is the most important MZ980 at £2,099. These costs put it in competitors with the likes of LG and Sony so it’s not simple.
Design & Construct
- Pedestal TV stand included
- 4 HDMI 2.1 ports
- Tremendous-sized distant
The MZ980 is available in three display sizes: 42-, 48-, and 55in. That’s a great vary, although it means this set is healthier suited to these after a small-to-medium TV, fairly than the bigger sizes discovered with the MZ1500 (55-65in) or MZ2000 (55-77in).
The MZ980 incorporates a skinny OLED panel, with a compact sound system and sequence of ports bolted onto the rear. The display comes with a central pedestal stand that screws into the again of the show, and retains its 14.5kg weight balanced; nevertheless, the MZ980 lacks the handy swivel stand discovered on Panasonic’s fancier OLEDs.
Panasonic is all about choices for the viewer – and that’s clear within the massive distant, which packs in buttons for every part from quantity and playback controls to 6 streaming service shortcuts
Henry St Leger / Foundry
By way of connections, you’ll discover 4 HDMI ports; two of them are specified at HDMI 2.1, supporting 4K video passthrough at 120Hz, whereas enter 2 helps eARC (enhanced audio return channel) for two-way soundbar communication. There are additionally two USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port, and inputs for Ethernet, optical, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Panasonic is all about choices for the viewer – and that’s clear within the massive distant, which packs in buttons for every part from quantity and playback controls to 6 streaming service shortcuts and a full numerical keypad. It’s fairly a special expertise to LG’s ergonomic Magic Distant, or the modern Siri distant for Apple TV, however Panasonic makes positive that every part you want is within the palm of your hand.
Henry St Leger / Foundry
Specs & Options
- My Dwelling Display 8.0 interface
- 120Hz refresh price
- Gentle sensor and adaptive image
Most of Panasonic’s 2023 OLED vary makes use of its proprietary My Dwelling Display 8.0 interface, which helps all the same old suspects on the earth of streaming: Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, YouTube, Twitch, and extra.
The eponymous residence display pops up as a clear overlay over no matter content material you’re watching, with key streaming apps and companies listed alongside the underside of the display. In case you hover over the apps, you’ll see a row of instructed titles and ‘proceed watching’ choices, so you may dive instantly right into a present fairly than having to search for it in-app. It’s a neat timesaver.
My Dwelling Display may be very clearly designed for many who like twiddling with their image settings
Henry St Leger / Foundry
Nevertheless, My Dwelling Display may be very clearly designed for many who like twiddling with their image settings, and there’s lots if you already know the place to search for it. You’ll be able to shortly see an summary of main image modes with the distant’s ‘Image’ button, and even amend the shortlist within the full settings – although to get into the nitty gritty, you’ll need to hit the ‘Menu’ button, citing a horizontal overlay, then choose ‘Predominant Menu’ to ditch it for a vertical overlay with extra in-depth choices.
The MZ980 additionally incorporates a mild sensor for adaptive HDR codecs like HDR10+ Adaptive or Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ. This detects the extent of ambient mild in your viewing surroundings and tweaks the HDR output to greatest go well with its environment.
In case you like speaking to your TV, the MZ980 technically helps Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa sensible assistants – permitting you to manage playback, quantity, and common search capabilities with simply your voice.
Nevertheless, establishing voice management is hellishly difficult: you’ll want to move to the ‘Voice management’ setting menu to set the assistant up, then set up the ‘Panasonic TV’ ability on the Alexa cell app, earlier than heading to your ‘Good speaker settings’ within the ‘Community’ menu, and registering your TV as a chosen sensible speaker (you’ll additionally must create / signal right into a Panasonic account to do that).
For a ‘comfort’ characteristic like voice management, we’d hope there have been fewer hoops to leap by, and that the setup wasn’t unfold throughout so many menus, units and purposes.
Henry St Leger / Foundry
There’s a cornucopia of gaming specs, which fortunately are extra widespread in TVs as of late. In addition to the 120Hz assist, which means you may get the utmost decision and body price out of any related sport consoles, alongside VRR (Variable Refresh Fee) for a clean image, and each AMD Freesync and G-Sync for anybody utilizing their TV as a gaming monitor.
All 4 HDMI ports assist ALLM (auto low latency mode) to make sure gaming feels responsive, too – you may not get sub-10ms enter lag, nevertheless it’s shut sufficient to be negligible.
Photos are vivid and detailed
Image High quality
- Superior HCX Professional AI processor
- No warmth sink or Micro Lens Array (MLA)
- Dolby Imaginative and prescient HDR, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos audio
The headline right here is the HCX Professional AI processor, which is similar chipset you’ll discover within the flagship MZ2000, so you may count on the identical stage of high-end image processing and Panasonic’s characteristically correct photographs.
Panasonic has shut ties to Hollywood, which makes use of its screens as mastering screens for big-budget movies; it’s a giant advocate of Filmmaker Mode, which strips again TV processing to assist depict a movie or TV present the best way the creator supposed, and Panasonic’s HCX Professional AI chip has related inclinations. Photos are vivid and detailed – and whereas they might lack a number of the ‘pop’ of different televisions, they gun for realism and tonal accuracy in a really efficient method.
Assist for any and all HDR codecs actually helps, with better color depth and distinction when utilizing the likes of HDR10+ or Dolby Imaginative and prescient – particularly heightened by the ambient mild sensor the MZ980 makes use of to raised calibrate its brightness output.
Dynamic HDR codecs can scale back general brightness somewhat, in pursuit of more practical distinction, and OLEDs can use all the assistance they will get.
Henry St Leger / Foundry
You don’t have to make use of Filmmaker Mode, both, and might swap simply between another presets (Regular, Dynamic, Sport, Cinema) relying in your choice and the type of content material you’re watching – although I like to recommend switching off the Clever Body Creation characteristic fully within the TV’s ‘Image’ settings, to cut back pixelated noise round fast-moving objects.
With the setting turned on, even a barely frantic shopkeeper within the opening scenes of HBO’s The Final Of Us makes for a really messy view.
As an OLED TV, the MZ980 has wonderful viewing angles, and that well-known ‘infinite distinction’ between the display’s turned-off black pixels and its vivid highlights. Even the town skyline screensaver that performs on the Apple TV 4K seems to be astonishing, stuffed with innumerable tiny glints of sunshine that individually stand out at nighttime.
You’re not getting a number of the newest OLED panel enhancements, just like the MLA (Micro Lens Array) layer discovered within the MZ2000 or LG G3 OLED, which makes use of 1000’s of microscopic lenses to spice up brightness output, so the same old warning about OLED brightness stays. Darkish scenes might be onerous to make out in vivid environments, although the TV is an utter delight for a post-dinner film, and might take somewhat oblique mild with out it being too disruptive.
Sound High quality
- 2x15W audio system
- Dolby Atmos appropriate
The foremost distinction between the MZ980 and Panasonic’s step–up fashions is the sound output; the MZ980 makes do with a pair of 15W audio system, for a easy stereo system in comparison with the MZ1500’s 2.1 channel setup and the MZ2000’s roaring 150W output.
That 30W can solely achieve this a lot, so it makes the MZ980 your best option for somebody with an present sound system or soundbar they will hook up with the show, to profit from the display’s Dolby Atmos functionality.
Nonetheless, the built-in audio is detailed, and has sufficient heft to it to present motion pictures some presence; watching Prey (2022), the opening thwunk of a handaxe into wooden is instantly arresting, and the movie’s chase sequences handle to deftly separate the lead’s panting breaths from each sprinting animals and the tense rating, even when the audio system can’t do justice to the deep roll of thunder and not using a devoted subwoofer.
Henry St Leger / Foundry
Worth & Availability
The MZ980 is somewhat dear, in comparison with another mid-tier OLEDs – although its vary of sizes (42-55in) means it can save you somewhat by not opting for a bigger display.
The MZ980 begins at £1,599 for the smallest 42in model, going as much as £1,699 for 48in, which means there’s little cause to not go for the latter (so long as you may match it in your house, that’s). You’ll be paying £2,099 for the most important 55in dimension, which is across the similar value of the LG C3 OLED at launch.
If you’d like a less expensive Panasonic mannequin, you may take a look at the MZ800, which costs just £1,299 for a 55in dimension – although you’ll need to make do with 20W audio, a 60Hz panel, the Android TV working system (fairly than Panasonic’s MyHomeScreen sensible platform), and a much less superior processor.
You’ll find the MZ980 at quite a few expertise retailers, resembling John Lewis, Richer Sounds, Sevenoaks, and Hughes.
Try our chart of the perfect TVs for extra choices.
Verdict
The Panasonic MZ980 is a superb OLED TV, with a succesful processor and fully-packed characteristic set for cinephiles and players alike. It might lack the newest OLED enhancements and isn’t at all times as user-friendly as I’d like, however this is a wonderful residence cinema display regardless.
For anybody with an present sound system, significantly, this can be a great alternative for a brand new TV.
Specs
- Sizes: 42/48/55in
- Mannequin examined: 55in
- Show expertise: OLED
- Decision: 3840 x 2160 4K
- Refresh price: 120Hz
- HDR assist: Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
- HDMI: x2 (2.1), x2 (2.0)
- Tuner: Freeview Play
- OS: My Dwelling Display 8.0
- Dimensions: 1227(w) x 765(h) x 303(d)mm (with pedestal stand)
- Weight: 18.5kg (with stand)
