Panasonic Returns to USA with Z95A MLA OLED TV (Review)

Introduction

After an eight-year hiatus, Panasonic has made its much-anticipated return to the North American market, announcing today the launch of selected TV models in the USA, including the 65-inch Panasonic Z95A OLED TV. This model brings several unique features that set Panasonic OLEDs apart from competitors, making it a noteworthy option for consumers looking for high-quality displays.

Unique Features of the Panasonic Z95A

Panasonic OLEDs are renowned for their superior near-black calibration controls. With the Z95A, users can adjust luminance and RGB balance down to 0.5% video stimulus, allowing for granular control over detail emerging from black levels. This capability enabled us to better match PQ EOTF tracking with Sony mastering monitors during dark sequences.

The Z95A continues Panasonic's legacy of factory-accurate color tuning. Although our review unit revealed a slight red tint in SDR filmmaker mode, a few adjustments to the RGB gains yielded an average Delta error of less than one. This translates to a stunningly accurate and cinematic presentation of SDR content.

For gaming enthusiasts, the Z95A features a dedicated game mode that targets D65 white point for accurate color reproduction while supporting source-based tone mapping, minimizing double tone mapping for HDR games.

In terms of audio, the Z95A incorporates innovative front-firing, side-firing, and up-firing speakers, delivering immersive Dolby Atmos sound. The Space Tune technology further enhances the audio experience by adjusting sound profiles to match room acoustics.

Year-on-Year Improvements

The Z95A is powered by the new Mediatek MT9025 chipset, introducing several significant upgrades over last year's MZ2000 OLED. These enhancements include:

1. Improved Native 10-bit Gradation: Near-black gradation has been notably refined, considerably reducing posterization, a common issue in older Panasonic OLEDs.
2. 4K 120Hz Dolby Vision Gaming: The Z95A is the first Panasonic OLED to support this feature, although we found better results disabling Dolby Vision in favor of HDR10 gaming on the Xbox Series X.
3. Enhanced Input Lag: The input lag in game mode has dropped significantly, making it one of the most responsive TVs available for fast-paced gaming.
4. Full HDMI 2.1 Bandwidth: The new model better supports HDMI 2.1, now providing 48 Gbps bandwidth, allowing for a 144Hz refresh rate—primarily beneficial for PC gaming.
5. Improved Brightness: The Z95A utilizes a micro-lens array (MLA) OLED panel, achieving HDR brightness above 1600 nits in windowed content and 220 nits full field, while effectively managing heat and preventing image retention.

The TV's HDR10 tone mapping adapts according to MaxCL metadata, preserving highlight details in 4K content without sacrificing overall brightness. However, we noticed some harsh tonal transitions still persisted.

Color Accuracy and Uniformity

The Z95A’s color gamut promises 99% coverage in UV coordinates and 76% in Rec 2020. However, compared to QD OLED models, the HDR color luminance was less saturated, and certain low-light scenes witnessed chrominance overshoot. Upscaling performance was satisfactory, with a subtle contouring filter option available but yielding only minimal effects.

Regarding screen uniformity, the review unit showed no noticeable dirty screen effect, with dark uniformity being clean overall. The intelligent frame creation setting performed adequately, but we observed frame skipping during certain content viewed at 25p.

Conclusion

The Panasonic Z95A stands as a remarkable upgrade over its predecessor, marrying advanced gaming features with traditional strengths in color accuracy and shadow detail. With low input lag, effective HDR support, and superior built-in audio capabilities, it is no surprise that the Z95A has received our highly recommended award.

Panasonic assures consumers that its American models are designed in Japan, sharing similar specifications to their European counterparts, albeit with a different remote and ATSC 3.0 support via an over-the-air update.

Despite its strengths, the Z95A does have limitations, such as less impactful HDR colors compared to LG's dynamic HDR algorithms or QD OLEDs. For those considering a purchase, Richer Sounds is a trustworthy retailer offering a six-year warranty to VIP club members on most TVs.

Keywords

• Panasonic Z95A
• OLED TV
• HDMI 2.1
• Gaming Features
• Color Accuracy
• Dolby Atmos
• HDR10
• Mediatek MT9025
• Smart TV

FAQ

1. What are the unique features of the Panasonic Z95A? The Z95A features superior near-black calibration controls, accurate color tuning, a dedicated game mode, and immersive Dolby Atmos audio with Space Tune technology.

2. How does the Z95A perform in gaming? The Z95A supports 4K 120Hz Dolby Vision gaming, offers low input lag, and full HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, making it responsive for fast-paced gaming experiences.

3. What improvements does the Z95A offer over last year’s model? The Z95A introduces enhanced native 10-bit gradation, improved HDR capabilities, reduced input lag, and higher HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.

4. Is the color performance on the Z95A comparable to other OLEDs? While the Z95A provides good color accuracy, its HDR colors may not be as impactful as those from LG OLEDs or QD OLED models.

5. Where can I purchase the Panasonic Z95A? Richer Sounds is a recommended retailer, offering a secure online platform and extended warranties for VIP members.