In addition to the flagship Z95A and Z93A, Panasonic has today unveiled more OLED TV ranges with Fire TV, the W95A miniLED LCD, and mid-range models with either Fire TV, Google TV or TiVo.
In January, at CES 2024, Panasonic announced a major change in its TV strategy. The company is abandoning its in-house My Home Screen platform in favor of Amazon's Fire TV for most of its 2024 TV models, including the flagship Z95A and Z93A announced at the same time. In our previous article, you willl find an introduction to Panasonic's implementation of Fire TV.
Today, at an event in Düsseldorf, Germany, attended by FlatpanelsHD, the company has announced its full TV line-up for 2024, including the Z90A, Z85A, and Z80A OLED models, all powered by Fire TV.
Z90A, Z85A and Z80A will join Z95A and Z93A in 2024. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
- "At Panasonic we work with the best. Whether that is teaming up with Amazon or Hollywood filmmakers like Stefan Sonnenfeld, we ensure that the final product that makes it to our customers’ doors has been worked on by all the experts and that includes our own engineers," said Paul Darch, Director Marketing Consumer Electronic Europe, Panasonic.
Here is the news on the additional 2024 models. FlatpanelsHD will be back with hands-on impressions in a later article.
Z90A, Z85A and Z80A OLED TVs
Only the flagship Z95A features the 'Master OLED Ultimate', based on LG Display's second-generation MLA WOLED panel, with the highest brightness to compete directly with LG G4, Philips OLED909 and QD-OLED TVs.
Z90A features the 'Master OLED Pro', which is Panasonic's name for its customized version of the normal WOLED panel with somewhat higher brightness. Z90A is meant to compete with models such as LG C4, Philips OLED809 and Sony Bravia 8 (XR80).
Additionally, Z90A supports up to 144Hz and the latest gaming features, including HDMI 2.1. Z90A will be available in 42, 48, 55, and 65 inches, but be aware that the 42 and 48-inch models lack the customized OLED panel.
42" Z90A OLED. Photo: Panasonic
The company once again highlighted its partnership with Hollywood grading studio Company 3 to optimize color accuracy, as well as advanced gaming features that include a calibrated 'True Game Mode', HDMI 2.1 with up to 4K 144Hz support, VRR support (HDMI 2.1 VRR, AMD FreeSync, and Nvidia G-Sync Compatible), the Game Control Board on-screen menu, and 60Hz Refresh Mode for lower latency with 60Hz sources such as game consoles.
Meanwhile, Z85A features a 120Hz WOLED panel without Panasonic's customizations. Both Z90A and Z85A are powered by the same HCX Pro AI Processor MK II as the flagships. Z85A will be available in 42, 48, 55, and 65 inches.
Z85A OLED. Photo: Panasonic
Unlike last year's 8-series MZ800 OLED with Google TV, this year's Z80A runs Fire TV. It is powered by a less capable HCX Processor but still delivers the HDR picture quality that consumers have come to expect from OLED panels. Z80A will be available in 55 and 65 inches.
Only Z93A will be available in 77 inches, so there is still a distinct lack of large-sized OLED TVs in the 2024 line-up, despite Panasonic positioning its new products as premium TVs. The TVs are also still limited to two HDMI 2.1 ports.
Here is the 2024 Panasonic OLED TV line-up in brief. Click on the model names for full specifications in the TV Database.
2024 Panasonic OLED TVs
| Z95A | Z93A | Z90A | Z85A | Z80A |
|---|
| Display tech | MLA WOLED | WOLED (customized) | WOLED (customized) | WOLED | WOLED |
| Resolution | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Refresh rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | 144Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Processor | HCX Pro AI Processor MKII | HCX Pro AI Processor MKII | HCX Pro AI Processor MKII | HCX Pro AI Processor MKII | HCX Processor |
| HDR | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision |
| TV platform | Fire TV | Fire TV | Fire TV | Fire TV | Fire TV |
| HDMI 2.1 | 4K144, VRR, ALLM | 4K144, VRR, ALLM | 4K144, VRR, ALLM | 4K120, VRR, ALLM | 4K120, VRR, ALLM |
| Speakers | 150-160W 5.1.2 | 170W 5.1.2 | 50W 2.1 | 50W 2.1 | ? |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sizes | 55, 65" | 77" | 42, 48, 55, 65" | 55, 65" | 48, 55, 65" |
FlatpanelsHDW95A miniLED LCD and the rest
W95A is Panasonic's most advanced 2024 LCD TV, designed to compete with miniLED LCD TVs from brands such as Hisense, LG, Philips, Samsung, Sony and TCL in Europe. W95A will be available in 55, 65 and 75 inches.
Panasonic did not specify the number of miniLED dimming zones in its press material – FlatpanelsHD is chasing details. However, the company did confirm that W95A is built on the same HCX Pro AI Processor MK II as the high-end OLED models. In addition, W95A features 144Hz, Filmmaker Mode, and front-firing speakers.
W95A miniLED LCD. Photo: Panasonic
W90A features more conventional LED local dimming with fewer dimming zones but still offers 144Hz and the HCX Pro AI Processor MK II.
Stepping down to W80A, you lose LED local dimming, so despite advertising support for both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, we do not expect it to meet the bar for acceptable HDR picture quality. W80A features Fire TV.
Finally, there is W70A with Google TV, W60A with TiVo, S55A and S50A with Fire TV, and S45A and S40A with TiVo. We have covered these models and Panasonic's introduction of TiVo-powered TVs in this separate article.
There are no 8K models in this year's line-up.
Here is the 2024 Panasonic LCD TV line-up in brief. Click on the model names for full specifications in the TV Database.
2024 Panasonic LCD TVs
| W95A | W90A | W80A | W70A | W60A |
|---|
| Display tech | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD |
| Backlight | miniLED zone dimming | FALD zone dimming | LED | LED | LED |
| Resolution | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Refresh rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | 120Hz | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Processor | HCX Pro AI Processor MKII | HCX Pro AI Processor MKII | HCX Processor | 4K Colour Engine | 4K Colour Engine |
| HDR | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision | ? | ? |
| TV platform | Fire TV | Fire TV | Fire TV | Google TV | TiVo |
| HDMI 2.1 | 4K144, VRR, ALLM | 4K144, VRR, ALLM | 4K120, VRR, ALLM | | |
| Speakers | 50W 2.1 | 20W 2.0 | ? | ? | ? |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| Sizes | 55, 65, 75" | 43, 50, 55, 65" | 43, 50, 55, 65" | 43, 50, 55, 65" | 43, 50, 55, 65" |
FlatpanelsHD
