Panasonic has today unveiled the LZ1500, LZ1000 and LZ980 OLED TVs, in addition to LZ2000, spanning 42 to 77 inches. The company will also launch refreshed LCD TVs – some with Android TV.
Panasonic did not mention OLED EX by name but said that "all OLED models use the very latest 2022 panel generation configurations". Update: Panasonic has confirmed that "all 2022 Panasonic OLED models we will launch today use OLED.EX technology (including Deuterium compounds)". The company also demonstrated a 40% brightness increase for blue OLED.
- "All 2022 OLED models have been custom engineered by Panasonic to deliver even more brightness in terms of higher peaks in True Cinema, Cinema, Filmmaker, and Professional modes. Furthermore, the colour volume for blues has been improved whilst still retaining high precision in terms of reproduction of various gradations, thanks to Panasonic’s HCX Pro AI Processor," added Panasonic.
Panasonic LZ1500 OLED TV
Four 2022 OLED ranges
The 4K OLED TV line-up encompasses the LZ2000 (77", 65", 55"), which was unveiled at CES 2022 as well as the LZ1500 (65", 55", 48", 42"), the LZ1000 (65", 55"), and the LZ980 (65", 55", 48", 42") ranges.
LZ2000 and LZ1500, except the 48- and 42-inch models, are brighter than the other OLED models and will be branded 'Master OLED Pro'. In addition, LZ2000 has 'Luminance Booster'. LZ1000 will provide "another bump in mid-level brightness" compared to last year's model.
This is also first time that Panasonic has offered 42-inch OLED TVs.
Panasonic LZ1000 OLED TV
New features for 2022
New features include the Game Control Board, low latency improvements for 60Hz gaming, improved ambient sensor technology to automatically adjust the picture to match surroundings including Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode support, and version 7.0 of My Home Screen, which is Panasonic's homegrown Smart TV platform.
- "All OLEDs and the LX940 LED TV use advanced sensors to detect the ambient colour temperature and adjusts the picture in a nuanced way to deliver a more natural experience when, for example, watching at nighttime. This new feature builds on Panasonic’s Auto AI mode, introduced last year," explained Panasonic. "This reflects the fact that humans perceive ‘white’ differently based on ambient lighting. For example, most European homes use warm-coloured lights at nighttime, meaning that on-screen white colours can be perceived as blueish and too cold."
Panasonic LZ980 OLED TV
The 2022 OLED models retain features from last year's models including the HCX Pro AI processor, AMD FreeSync Premium support, multi-HDR support (HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG Photo), Filmmaker Mode, Calman Ready, Dolby Atmos decoding support, AV1 video decoding, and two HDMI 2.1 ports with features like VRR and 120Hz HFR. 4K HDR10 is supported up to 120Hz while Dolby Vision is supported up to 60Hz.
The flagship LZ2000 has a built-in speaker system with upward-firing, side-firing, and front-firing speaker units while LZ1500 (65", 55" models only) features a sound system called 'Dynamic Cinema Surround Pro', which supports Dolby Atmos and uses a built-in woofer.
Panasonic's new Game Control Board
| Information – this option displays all the information coming from the source game, such as frame rate, HDR metadata, and chroma sub-sampling data.
Dark Visibility Enhancer – allows the gamer to granularly adjust the near black portion of dark scenes, making it easier to see the route forward or detect enemies hiding in the shadows.
HDR Tonemap – this shows the current HDR tone-mapping settings, which include "Off" (game console is managing the tone-mapping); "On" (TV is managing the tone-mapping); or Dynamic (TV analyses incoming frames in real time and produces dynamic tone-mapping on a scene-by-scene basis, even when source is static HDR).
Input Lag and VRR – display and adjust Input Lag and VRR settings.
Viewing Mode – allows the gamer in real time to change the viewing mode and see the effect live in order to select their preferred appearance.
Furthermore, it can be programmed to be accessed by just one click on the remote control by assigning it to the customisable "my App" button. |
FlatpanelsHD2022 LCD models
Panasonic also unveiled a couple of new LCD TV ranges; LX940 (75", 65", 55", 49", 43") and the LX800 (75", 65", 55", 50", 43"). These are fitted with either the HCX Pro AI (LX940) or HCX (LX800) video processor.
LX800 features Android TV with built-in Chromecast and access to apps and games from the Google Play Store while the LX940 comes with Panasonic's My Home Screen platform.
Panasonic LX940 LCD TV
Unlike LG, Sony and Samsung's flagship LCD TVs that feature miniLED zone dimming, Panasonic's 2022 models are more conventional LED LCD TVs that are priced lower. The company believes that they are "ideal for day-time gaming and watching movies". LX940 supports HDMI 2.1 for 4K 120Hz and VRR.
The new TV models will be available later this year. Pricing and availability will be shared later. You can already find specifications and more details on Panasonic LZ2000 in the TV Database. The other 2022 models will be added soon.
Panasonic LZ2000 – specifications
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