With Z95B, Panasonic is introducing an upgraded and redesigned flagship OLED TV to both the US and Europe. Here are FlatpanelsHD's first impressions.
After returning to the US last year with the Z95A, Panasonic will this year move away from OLED with microlenses (MLA) in favor of the new 4-layer WOLED panel, as announced at CES 2025.
Still manufactured by LG Display, this is a significantly upgraded OLED panel in several areas and will also be available from Panasonic in 77 inches, unlike last year's Z95A. Like last year's MLA OLED panel, there is only one version of the new 4-layer panel, which has also been confirmed for the LG G5 as well as Philips OLED910 and OLED950 (Europe only).
So, what can we expect from Panasonic's Z95B?
The Panasonic Z95B features the new 4-layer WOLED panel. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
The new 4-layer panel
When LG Display officially announced the new 4-layer panel – up from 3 layers previously – it provided some details, saying that it now has two layers of blue in addition to independent layers of red and green OLED.
The new structure in the 4th-generation WOLED panel is also referred to as 'Primary RGB Tandem' by both LG Display and Panasonic. It is said to deliver 4000 nits peak brightness (3%, flash), 2100 nits color brightness, 20% improved energy efficiency and an improved anti-reflection filter.
Also read: First look at 2025 QD-OLED
However, these brightness figures relate to the panel itself, and the TV maker will have to adjustments based on priorities such as accuracy, longevity etc. Panasonic itself has not provided any specific numbers for brightness, but based on what we saw it is clear that we are getting a significant jump in picture quality.
The 4-layer panel has a whole new OLED architecture for improved color, brightness and efficiency. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
First look at Z95B
For its demonstration, Panasonic compared last year's Z95A side-by-side with Z95B. The first thing we noticed is that not only brightness but also color saturation is significantly improved on Z95B.
While the panel maker, LG Display, mentions an improvement from 98.5% to 99.5% DCI-P3, it was clear that the improvement in color saturation goes beyond that – more like 82-83% Rec.2020, which is closer to the colors of QD-OLED. This was evident on Z95B, as red and green, and to some extent blue, were reproduced with higher saturation – more lifelike. However, you will need HDR content mastered in wide color gamut to enjoy this.
There is still an additional white subpixel that kicks in for the brightest peaks. The jump in white peak brightness was also evident from the demonstrations, giving specular highlights even more sparkle and power, at the expense of a little color purity at very highest brightness. Still, it is notable that the panel's color brightness is now 2100 nits, up from just 500 nits in the OLED EX panel, which was considered the cream of the crop just a few years ago.
Left: Panasonic Z95A (MLA OLED). Right: Panasonic Z95B (4-layer OLED). Photo: FlatpanelsHD
Left: Panasonic Z95A (MLA OLED). Right: Panasonic Z95B (4-layer OLED). Photo: FlatpanelsHD
Since the panel no longer uses microlenses (MLA), we noticed that Z95B's viewing angles were slightly reduced, more in line with WOLED before MLA. Still, the viewing angles are extremely wide and this is likely a non-issue for most viewers.
With the last two years' MLA OLED panels, you may have noticed that the panel had a tendency to look slightly more greyish, rather than full black, in a bright environment. It was nothing like QD-OLED, which suffers from visible raised blacks in bright environments, but nevertheless this greyish effect on the surface is gone with the new 4-layer WOLED panel.
Lastly, we noticed that the new panel still has a very effective anti-reflection filter. It is still glossy, and our understanding is that it is the improved 'Vanta Black' filter first used in the MLA OLED panels but tweaked for the new 4-layer panel.
All in all, Z95B demonstrated a significant upgrade in raw picture quality over last year's Z95A, with the improvement in color appearing to be the biggest jump.
As for the other hardware, Panasonic told FlatpanelsHD that Z95B uses the same chipset as Z95A, which is why it is still limited to two HDMI 2.1 ports (plus two HDMI 2.0 ports). The panel goes up to 144Hz and Z95B has been pre-calibrated from the factory, including the True Game Mode for console gaming. It is driven by Panasonic's HCX Pro AI mk2 video processor. As announced, Z95B is also once again Calman Ready if you want to calibrate it to perfection.
A new design
After using the same design for its flagship TV for several years, Panasonic is introducing a new look for Z95B, with the speaker fabric extending all the way around.
You will notice that the OLED panel now slightly protrudes, and the back has been fully streamlined to resemble LG's G-series, as opposed to Panasonic's previous somewhat chaotic design, as seen below. There are detachable covers to let you access ports etc.
Left: Panasonic Z95A (2024). Right: Panasonic Z95B (2025). Photo: FlatpanelsHD
Panasonic Z95B. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
Panasonic Z95B. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
The new design is more efficient, according to Panasonic, with an improved cooling solution called ThermalFlow. The company explained that it has moved the woofer from the bottom of the back, where it previously obstructed heat dissipation, to the top to create more free space and improve airflow, supporting sustained brightness and enhanced longevity.
The improved speaker layout is said to deliver up to twice as wide a soundstage and better bass, but we did not get a good chance to verify this claim. There are still up-firing and side-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos.
The 55- and 65-inch versions have a swivel stand. The 77-inch has a more rectangular-shaped stand that does not swivel.
Overall, the design change is a positive one, in our opinion, especially the more streamlined back. We look forward to receiving Z95B for an in-depth review.
Panasonic Z95B – specifications
FlatpanelsHD
