There is no major performance change with the new HX800 over last year’s GX800 and no added features either, but it is still a strong and able TV for normal living room TV duties. Despite Panasonic’s Hollywood branding for their OLED TV line-up, the HX800 is not as well suited to darkroom viewing and critical movie watching. The use of edge-lit VA LCD technology gets in the way of producing cinematic images in the dark and there are issues visible in such environments and use. However, the Panasonic HX800 is really rather good at the traditional job of a living room workhorse with SDR TV and film content. There is no HDMI 2.1 support via the three HDMI inputs, but there is ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) available for gaming and a measured input lag of 15ms, which makes the HX800 a possible choice as a gaming TV.

HID (Human Interface Device Profile) compliant keyboards are available. A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) compliant audio devices are available. The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Panasonic Corporation is under license. Android TV simplifies your entertainment experience. Access 400,000+ movies and shows in one place. Ask Google to control your TV with your voice. And cast your photos, videos, and music from devices to your TV easily with Chromecast built-in. According to Panasonic, the flagship LZ2000 will be around 40% brighter than last year’s model as a result. Like last year, the LZ2000 and LZ1500 sport “Master OLED Pro” panels on screen sizes 55in and up. The LZ1000 and larger LZ980 models use a less advanced “Master OLED” panel, while the 42in and 48in LZ1500 and LZ980, along with all LZ800 models, make do with a basic OLED configuration. Auto AI picture modeThe MZ2000 features the next level of picture tech in the Micro Lens Array OLED panel, which aims to offer high amounts of HDR peak brightness when combined with Panasonic’s own bespoke multi-layer heat management solution. The step up in peak brightness is said to be up to 150% more compared to the 2022 OLEDs. The 77-inch model does not feature the same OLED panel as the other sizes.

Far more exciting on the features front is the inclusion of both of the currently available dynamic metadata HDR formats: Dolby Vision and HDR10+. The biggest audio upgrades are seen on the flagship LZ2000, which gets directional sound courtesy of multiple built-in upward-, side- and front-firing speaker units. The TV also benefits from a series of front array speakers that run along the bottom of the panel. This new arrangement is able to deliver directional audio that can be adjusted to suit an individual’s needs via an easy-to-use UI. Viewers can select from three different modes: Pinpoint mode directs sound to a specific point in the room, Area mode shifts sound to a certain area and Spot mode boosts volume in a particular spot. Operating system Panasonic’s edge-lit LEDs still sometimes leak a bit of light close to the edge of the frame and the whole panel could be a little better shielded from its light source. This is simply the shortcoming of mid-range, edge-lit TVs, though. The only way to get beyond that with Panasonic is to make the significant step up to the company’s OLED range. The fact that this is the only place we notice the compromise is credit to what Panasonic has done here.There is a small caveat about the TX-50GX800’s HDR peak performance, what with it only being available through the Dynamic preset, but its images are so polished regardless, it doesn’t dilute our enthusiasm. Image quality is impressive straight out of the box, with crisp detail and lush colours. Handling the heavy lifting is the brand’s much lauded HCX processor. Contrast is aided by effective Local Dimming. There are significant benefits to having dynamic metadata support from (HDR10+ and Dolby Vision) on mid-brightness screens like the TX-50GX800. The screen is able to better manage high brightness and shadow detail, as images are optimised on a scene by scene basis.

When a Bluetooth device is connected to the TV, it is possible that the Bluetooth audio output may not be synchronized (i.e. be delayed) with relation to the images on the screen. This is not a defect of the TV or the device. The delay time will differ depending on the device.Similarly, in Star Wars The Last Jedi (4K Blu-ray), the opening scene’s Dreadnought takedown is dynamic and fittingly spectacular. The maximum number of colors, which the display is able to reproduce, depends on the type of the panel in use and color enhancing technologies like FRC. As mentioned, the HX800 supports the four main HDR standards, namely HDR10, HDR10+, the broadcast-friendly HLG and Dolby Vision. For a TV of this price, that’s a rarity.

Panasonic is keen to push the gaming credentials of its televisions in 2022 and its improved Game Mode Extreme is supported across the whole of the OLED lineup. The various entries all include HDMI 2.1 ports that support key gaming features including 4K@120Hz, High Frame Rate and Variable Refresh Rate. Naturally, this audio prowess disappears when there’s a lot going on in the mix, as TV speakers such as these are far too simple and small to keep up. The only real sacrifice is that the mid-range is fairly unexciting. There’s not much depth to voices and given that dialogue is a pretty large part of most films, it’s quite noticeable and stops this TV from scoring full marks on sound. Verdict Information about the maximum vertical viewing angle, within which the image on the screen is of acceptable quality. Approximate height of the display. If the manufacturer does not provide such information, the height is calculated from the diagonal and the aspect ratio.

Conclusion

New features include a game mode that can be calibrated with Calman software, as well as improved HDR Tone Mapping to deliver images as they’re meant to be seen. LZ1500: Like the LZ2000, the 55in and 65in models of the LZ1500 feature a Master OLED Pro panel and Dynamic Cinema Surround Pro, though they miss out on Panasonic’s Luminance Booster technology and don’t have quite as impressive an audio system. The 48in and 42in variants have basic OLED configuration panels, less impressive speaker setups and different stands but will of course cost rather less. We’re still waiting for official pricing and availability information for the 2022 range but have outlined the key features of each model below. LZ2000: The LZ2000 is Panasonic’s all-singing, all-dancing flagship OLED. It’s powered by the company’s most advanced chip – the HCX Pro AI Processor – runs the latest version of its smart OS, My Home Screen 7.0, and supports a wide range of HDR formats, including HDR10+ Adaptive and Dolby Vision IQ. It’s significantly brighter than last year’s JZ2000, has an improved audio system and is now also available in a 77in screen size.