FIRST TESTS
The Panasonic TX-55GZ2000B – is this the best TV we’ve reviewed? Plus all the latest kit
It can be easy to become fixated on a product’s standout feature to the extent that you overlook something else that’s ultimately far more exciting. So it proves with the Panasonic TX-55GZ2000B. The headline-grabbing feature is a speaker system that includes rear-mounted, upward-firing drivers for Dolby Atmos sound – and impressive it is, too.
But it takes attention away from the picture upgrades that Panasonic has bestowed upon this flagship OLED. Those upgrades are so special, in fact, they make the GZ2000 a better performer than LG’S 2019 sets – meaning this has the best picture of any OLED we’ve tested.
No-nonsense design
Panasonic sees itself as sitting at the pro end of the TV market, and the design of its TVS reflects that. As with every other model in the company’s 2019 range, the GZ2000 is decidedly utilitarian in appearance. There are no frills here, just straight edges, thin bezels and dark metal. It might look a little severe when placed in a light and airy lounge, but the intention is that there are no distractions from the image on the screen.
Other than the sound, of course, which is produced by five Technicstuned drivers, three of which fire forwards from a soundbar mounted below the screen, while the other two fire upwards from a unit on its rear.
The downside of having a TV laden with so many speakers is that it’s big and heavy. While almost all OLEDS have some casework mounted to the rear of the panel, the GZ2000 has more thick sections than thin, with only the top corners providing the remarkable thinness for which OLEDS are known. At around 8cm, those thick sections are 2cm thicker than its GX950 stablemate and almost 4cm thicker than an LG C9 and Samsung Q90R.
That might not seem like a big deal, but the GZ2000 has an undeniably awkward appearance when wallmounted, lacking both the floatingscreen look of rival OLEDS and the picture-frame approach of Samsung’s top-end QLEDS.
The quest for improvement
Of course, how the TV performs is far more important than how it looks, and Panasonic has put some real effort in here. The only hint on the spec sheet is a mention of a ‘Professional Edition OLED Panel’, which is half explained by Panasonic’s claim that it worked with LG (which supplies the OLED TV panels to every manufacturer) to create a bespoke panel. It’s tuned by Panasonic’s R&D engineers, with the help of Hollywood colour grader Stefan Sonnenfeld, and the result is apparently a more accurate, brighter and more dynamic picture.
The Professional Edition panel is exclusive to the GZ2000, but the rest of the TV’S picture tech is shared with its more affordable siblings. That includes the HCX Pro Intelligent Processor, which is responsible for everything from upscaling to motion handling.
The operating system is the same, too, and that means the GZ2000 is simple to use but a little unexciting. It has the major app bases covered, including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in 4K and Dolby Vision (the set also supports HDR10+, as well as standard HDR10 and HLG), plus BBC iplayer, ITV Hub, All 4 and My 5 catch-up services.
“The intention is that the design should offer no distractions from the image on the screen. Other than the sound, of course, which is produced by five Technics-tuned drivers, three of which fire forwards from a soundbar mounted below the screen, while the other two fire upwards from a unit on its rear”