The Panasonic MZ2000 is the last word dwelling cinema package deal

For lots of flagship TVs this yr, brightness has been a key focus – and no extra so than for “conventional” OLEDs, for which this has standardly been one among their largest weaknesses.

The Panasonic MZ2000 isn’t any totally different. It’s the cream of Panasonic’s OLED crop this year, and makes use of the identical brightness boosting MLA (Micro Lens Array) know-how because the LG G3.

This goals to push the brightness out to the viewer extra successfully, through the use of billions of lenses within the panel to raised replicate outwards mild, making footage brighter and HDR extra impactful.

Not simply that, it additionally packs what seems to be to be a really succesful Atmos sound system in-built too. Does the MZ2000 make a late cost in what’s been an unbelievable yr for TVs? Right here’s my full assessment.

Panasonic

Panasonic MZ2000

Editor’s selection

The Panasonic MZ2000 serves up all the normal advantages of OLED, with a brighter total image and nice image processing for a very cinematic efficiency. Add in a robust characteristic set and very good built-in sound, and it raises the bar of what an awesome TV seems to be like in 2023. It is a whole dwelling cinema package deal.

Professionals

• Lovely, cinematic image efficiency
• One of many brightest OLEDs you should buy
• Nice built-in sound
• Full complement of HDR assist

Cons

• Solely two 4K/120Hz HDMI
• Not nice for wall mounting

Pricing, specs and availability

The MZ2000 is on the market in a selection of 55, 65 and 77 inches, and retails for £2,699, £3,599 and £4,499 respectively. Sadly there are not any costs for the US as Panasonic does not promote its TV in North America.

That makes the MZ2000 one of many costlier OLEDs this yr, coming near the Sony A95L‘s £2,999 price ticket at this examined 55-inch display measurement. By comparability, the MZ2000’s MLA competitors, the LG G3, prices “simply” £1,900, with Samsung’s flagship QD-OLED, the S95C costing £1,899.

Design

The design of the MZ2000 seems to be very a lot the identical as final yr, with slim bezels sitting on a round central pedestal, which swivels. This helps it to take a seat on slim furnishings that the large toes of Sony’s A95L could make troublesome – one thing I admire, as somebody with restricted area (and a penchant for big-screen tellies). It’’s maybe a barely practical look, however it’s good sufficient.

You will additionally discover the MZ2000’s built-in sound system, a 360-degree Soundscape Professional Dolby Atmos setup, tuned by Technics, that contains a traditional-looking soundbar in-built alongside the underside, two upfiring audio system sitting on the highest of the panel – simply out of sight – and a pair of side-firing drivers too.

This beneficiant setup for a TV is able to 150W of sound, and if different iterations of it are a sign, you could – as is certainly Panasonic’s intention – not want an exterior sound system in any respect.

The truth is, utilizing a soundbar wouldn’t solely look a bit foolish, you may additionally battle to get it to take a seat beneath the display, as a consequence of it sitting fairly low on the pedestal. The excellent news is, I do not assume you’ll want to fret – however extra on that in a bit.

Connections comprise 4 HDMI ports, although like a few of its competitors, the MZ2000 solely manages to make two of those 4K/120Hz succesful (Dolby Imaginative and prescient gaming solely at 4K/60Hz), for VRR/ALLM assist.

The truth that one among these can also be the eARC port limits your choices additional right here, although its succesful built-in sound system could assist to ease this port stress just a little.

There’s additionally an optical digital out, three USBs, a 3.5mm AV enter and a headphones/subwoofer in. There’s ethernet should you do not need to use the built-in Wi-Fi, and naturally tuners for terrestrial TV or satellite tv for pc.

Panasonic continues to shun the development for smaller, slimmer remotes, with the inclusion of a completely huge one within the field. I may lose a few of the issues on there, however it’s complete to say the least, and contains shortcuts for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube, Freeview Play and Rakuten TV on the high.

It’s fairly plastic-y although, and does not look as premium as you may anticipate from a TV at this degree.

Not like its huge competitor, the LG G3, the MZ2000 feels prefer it was made to take a seat on its stand. Its built-in sound system makes it comparatively chunky on the again – that makes no odds when you’ll be able to’t see it after all, however it’s higher for a TV to be on the slimmer aspect when wall mounting. That does not imply it is not attainable, however should you’d been planning that to your subsequent TV, it is one thing to think about.

Options

The MZ2000 could look similar to its predecessor, however inside, it is a very totally different story.

In fact, there’s that MLA panel I discussed above, nicknamed the Grasp OLED Final, which has one of many largest impacts on the MZ2000’s efficiency, providing a claimed 50 per cent brightness improve on the five-star LZ2000.

Nevertheless, it is price mentioning right here, that the 77-inch model makes use of a unique panel, which does not use MLA know-how – so efficiency might be very totally different. In case you like what you learn on this assessment, keep on with the 55- or 65-inch variants to make sure you’ll get the identical.

Regardless of which measurement you go for, the Panasonic’s HCX Professional AI processor is operating the present, promising Panasonic’s finest color accuracy and high notch AI-enhanced image processing. There’s additionally optimised warmth administration too, permitting the the system to push for these brighter footage, with out inflicting it to overheat.

The MZ2000 has the total complement of assist for HDR, with HDR10 and HLG, in addition to HDR10+ Adaptive as nicely as Dolby Vision IQ – which perceive the quantity of ambient mild within the room and tweak the HDR efficiency to go well with.

The ambient mild sensor accountable for this additionally works with the Netflix Calibrated Mode that is on board right here, in addition to an improved Filmmaker Mode – essentially the most correct mode you will get out of the field. However extra on that shortly.

Panasonic’s good TV system is dealt with by its personal comparatively easy, minimally invasive My House Display screen 8.0.

Press the “House” button on the distant, and a scrollable bar of round thumbnails will overlay over no matter you’re watching. It has all of the streaming apps you possibly can need, with a pop-up rail of suggestions showing above it once you decide on an app for greater than a second.

You may as well add or take away companies and transfer them round relying in your preferences. Count on Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and AppleTV+ amongst others, plus all of the UK’s TV catch up companies, because of Freeview Play.

There’s additionally the choice to load up My Surroundings, which lets you show your selection of “restful photos or video” – typically accompanied by corresponding Dolby Atmos soundtracks. Take pleasure in a calming picture of a rainforest with a soundtrack to match, should you want downtime earlier than mattress.

Avid gamers can benefit from a brand new Sport Management Board on the MZ2000, which – alongside the particular Sport Mode in image settings – ought to make gaming all of the extra insightful.

It’s going to show particulars like decision, HDR and body charge, which you’ll view at any time, in addition to select particular sound modes for the sport sort you are enjoying and improve darker areas of a sport for improved visibility it (I will not inform should you do not).

Lastly, there’s voice help out there through Alexa (you may have to press the mic button on the distant to activate, as soon as arrange), or it’s also possible to use Google Assistant to get requests to the TV, when you have a appropriate machine within the family.

Image efficiency

Out of the field, you have received at least 13 image modes to select from – in SDR mode a minimum of, and nearly the identical in HDR10/HDR10+.

Essentially the most correct of those is Filmmaker Mode – for each SDR and HDR content material – which turns off all further processing and preserves issues like color, facet ratio and body charges from the unique supply, guaranteeing you see what the director needed you to.

Whereas different modes may be instantly extra partaking, it is the mode I would advocate attempting out first. It will not get you the brightest image although – nor will or not it’s the place these huge peak brightness numbers will probably be measured from.

That is reserved for the Dynamic Mode, however – like most modes of this ilk – it verges on cartoonish in its color dealing with, and never one thing I would advocate in any respect.

In case you really feel such as you want a brightness increase on Filmmaker Mode, you possibly can strive the extra palatable Skilled 1. This boosts the luminance whereas maintaining additional processing off, however you may even see a knock on impact on black degree, so bear that in thoughts.

A fast point out, too, for Auto AI mode, which makes use of AI to detect what you are watching and adjusts the TV’s settings appropriately. Nevertheless, I discovered it just a little unreliable, and that it had a bent to verge in the direction of cooler tones than I would favor.

Dolby Imaginative and prescient content material is fortunately far more straight ahead, with simply three choices to select from. The one to stay with right here – until you may have a devoted darkened cinema room – is the default, Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ. Easy.

Whichever mode you select (and you may set totally different modes for various sources), I would advocate turning off all processing and extra options to start with after which including it again in slowly should you assume the image wants it. Panasonic’s native image dealing with actually does not want that a lot assist in any respect.

That mentioned, there are some things to be careful for. For instance, until you are watching in a very darkish room, maintaining the Auto Brightness on beneath Ambient Sensor Settings permits the image to subtly dim up or down based mostly in your atmosphere. That is notably useful in brilliant rooms, the place the additional brightness of the MZ2000 actually comes into its personal, and also will be wanted for superior HDR modes, like Dolby IQ, to work.

One other factor to look out for is Clever Body Creation – that is the identify for Panasonic’s movement processing. I discovered the MZ2000 handles movement fairly nicely with none further assist, however should you assume it wants it, a ‘minimal’ setting may help to easy out any niggles with out being too heavy handed. Something greater than that causes unnatural smoothing and distracting image artefects, which is far worse than a little bit of movement blur in my books.

So now you are arrange, how does the TV look? In brief, it is as about as cinematic because it will get.

Panasonic is understood for its image processing prowess, and that is on present right here from the second you begin watching. There is a actually pure dealing with of all footage, however with loads of punch to color once you want it too.

From a brightness perspective, there’s in all probability not so much in it compared with its 2023 flagship competitors, however the step up from final yr – and certainly from this yr’s succesful vary of sub-flagship fashions – is obvious.

Even in my comparatively brilliant lounge, the brightness on provide right here is sufficient to hold distracting reflections at bay, and isn’t just including punch to highlights but in addition elevating the APL (common image degree) to be total brighter too.

Beginning with the great things, and a 4K HDR10+ streaming of John Wick: Chapter 4 from Prime Video seems to be excellent. Within the scene the place the Harbinger visits the New York Continental to offer its proprietor an hour’s discover earlier than its destruction, the variable lighting of the moody setting is excellently dealt with.

Blacks are as inky deep as solely an OLED can muster, however a superb degree of shadow element is retained too, giving depth and texture to every little thing from go well with jackets to leather-based briefcases.

As daylight pours by means of some excessive home windows into the darkened room, it exactly highlights areas on in any other case shadowed faces.

Leather-based chairs choose up a wealthy reflection the place they dimple, lamps glow warmly on aspect tables, and the sand timer that counts down the hour till the lodge’s destiny glistens simply so – the brightness of those refined highlights may not be one thing you’d assume to pick usually watching, however it’s this consideration to element that makes all of the distinction to the broader viewing expertise.

In John Wick’s desert chase scene, simply moments earlier, the MZ2000 additionally reveals what it could actually do with brighter scenes. The gloriously daring, burnt orange sand sits dramatically in opposition to the intense blue sky, with very good element retrieval giving a tangible depth to the sweeping surroundings, in order that it nearly seems to be 3D.

Colors are brilliantly dealt with throughout the board too. As this scene reveals, there’s a richness out there when it is wanted, however there’s subtlety in spades too, and pores and skin tones look spot on.

Switching to a Dolby Imaginative and prescient Netflix stream of Intercourse Schooling and there is a slight elevate in total image brightness, with but extra left to push behind the white writing that overlays once you pause it. It is piercingly brilliant.

Colors look simply as nice right here, with loads of pop behind the 80s-inspired clothes. But swap to the low-lit scenes of Seven Kings Should Die, one thing many TVs can battle with, and the MZ2000 takes them in its stride, retaining element, avoiding black crush and looking out pretty much as good as I’ve seen it.

Drop right down to a full HD stream of Drive and the MZ2000’s upscaling capability is laid out for all to see. It is very good, and free from noise and some other processing quirks. Except you’re being very choosy certainly, it is nearly unimaginable to decipher that this isn’t 4K.

HD TV broadcasts may not be fairly so undetectable, with some faint element softness in faces and descriptions, however it’s solely actually commonplace definition broadcasts the place issues get questionably fuzzier. Color dealing with stays actually stable throughout the board although, making something you throw on the MZ2000 very watchable certainly.

Sound efficiency

It is not fairly often that I am going to say this, however with the MZ2000, you can also make do with out a soundbar long run. The sound system that’s in-built right here is actually that good.

You will be prompted to set it up correctly once you arrange the TV, with a comparatively brief, however loud, calibration course of known as House Tune – exhibiting it means enterprise. As soon as completed there are additional choices to re-run the method or tweak the ends in the menu must you require them, however I did not have to.

There’s additionally the choice for various sound modes, however I discovered the default Commonplace labored for many issues. There’s additionally Speech, Music and Stadium choices, the latter attempting to emulate the expertise of being within the crowd at sports activities occasions, plus a customized person setting – or you’ll be able to go away it within the palms of Auto AI to pick out for you.

It is a loud, ahead presentation, which has quantity to spare. Voices sound pure and targeted, there’s weight within the low finish for giving battle scenes authority, and encompass results are pushed fairly large too. It is a significantly larger sound than you’d anticipate from a TV.

Watching one thing with an Atmos soundtrack on Netflix delivers a noticeably extra ethereal and open presentation, and whereas top results are dangled in a 3D area someplace above the TV fairly than above you, the soundspace is far larger, and extra detailed than just about any TV I’ve heard this yr.

In case you actually end up wanting extra, there’s the choice for including a subwoofer, although I believe what’s on provide right here will probably be greater than sufficient for almost all of individuals.

Verdict

The Panasonic MZ2000 is a superbly brilliant OLED TV that serves up all the normal advantages of OLED, with a brighter total image and extra impactful HDR.

It is nice to have all HDR codecs supported too, and when you may spend loads of time within the menus tweaking settings if you want, choosing Filmmaker Mode out of the field provides you with a stable beginning floor inside minutes of getting it out of the field.

The photographs that the Panasonic MZ2000 is able to are nothing lower than very good, producing a finely detailed, cinematic image that appears nice with every little thing you throw at it. The image processing right here is simply effortlessly good.

Add in a surprisingly succesful built-in sound system, and the MZ2000 delivers an impressive efficiency that raises the bar, as soon as once more, of what an awesome TV seems to be like in 2023. It is a whole dwelling cinema package deal.