Panasonic Z95A OLED TV Review: Brightness and Colors

Photo: Ryan Waniata

Thanks to the excellent image processing, the details pop, from crystalline 4K Blu-rays to 1080p and even 720p upscaling. Only the SD images fail to impress, sometimes they pass a little, but that’s true of any 4K TV.

The few hardware cables I’ve seen over the past few days have been small stutters or jitters with complex patterns and color schemes with compressed video. Otherwise, I can just sit back and enjoy the light.

What really impresses me is the Z95A’s amazing colors, which are rich and funky enough to grab my attention, even when compared to all the other flavors in Panasonic’s special sauce. I was scared from day one, starting with a random glimpse of a luxury vacation Scrooged. From Bill Murray’s deep navy suits to the crimson-gold of Robert Mitchum’s pajamas, I found myself excited—and I wasn’t the only one.

Fantasy it’s one of my wife’s favorite movies, but we were both impressed by his talent. Sapphire blues, bright silvers, pastel purples, and deep yellow golds all burn beautifully. Even something as simple as a straight fish Assassin’s Creed Valhalla they pay attention, burning like magma. I doubt it, but this great TV will do it for you. There are few TVs on the market that do this well.

Photo: Ryan Waniata

LG G4 and one, offering the same pleasure (with four HDMI 2.1 inputs), but I’ve had bad luck with the lighting models so far. Sony’s A95L QD-OLED (9/10, WIRED recommends) is my dearest enemy. It’s not as bright, but it’s just as impressive and has great image detail. Samsung S95D (8/10, WIRED Recommends) isn’t the best – it skips Dolby Vision – but its high-resolution display offers excellent anti-glare capabilities. Finally, Sony’s Ultrabright Bravia 9 mini LED TV (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is a wild card for those who want next-generation light, although its backlighting is not as stable or balanced as OLED.

All of these competitors offer a model size larger than the Z95A’s 65-inch size, which can make a difference. However, there is something about the Z95A that appeals to me. Aside from its Fire TV performance, it’s a great performer in every category and is one of the best TVs you can buy. Welcome back, Panasonic. It’s been too long.