Panasonic’s top 2022 TV is as cinematic as they come
65in OLED television | £2499 | whf.cm/LZ2000B
The 2000-series has represented the pinnacle of Panasonic’s television range for a few years, with a focus on combining the best picture quality with an advanced sound system that features dedicated upward-firing drivers for serious Dolby Atmos audio.
But while the 2019 model was a stunner that delivered on all counts, 2020’s successor sounded significantly worse, despite Panasonic’s claims that it featured the same audio system. In 2021, Panasonic decided not to supply a 2000-series sample, possibly because changes to the sound system were apparently minimal.
Now we have the TX-65LZ2000B before us. It’s got an overhauled speaker system to go with its new, brighter OLED panel; and, to cut a long story short, it’s a return to form for Panasonic’s flagship TVs.
Its most obvious rivals are the 65in versions of the Sony A95K QD-OLED (£2899) and Philips OLED937 (£2899) which, like the LZ2000, feature advanced sound systems to go with their advanced imagery. Buyers will also likely want to consider LG’s top 4K OLED, the G2 (£2199), which features the company’s best and brightest picture tech but prioritises styling over sophisticated sound.
If you want Panasonic’s best picture quality without the chunky sound system (perhaps because you have, or plan to get, a soundbar or speaker system), you may want to consider the TX-65LZ1500B, which is £2099 and apparently features essentially the same picture performance as the LZ2000. That means you are paying £700 for the LZ2000’s integrated sound system.
Utilitarian design
Function over form has long been Panasonic’s TV design mantra, and so it proves here. In terms of the screen sections, modern OLED TVs all look more or less the same, with thin, flush, pitch-black frames around pitch-black displays. Most then opt for invisible speaker systems and, in the case of the Sony A95K, a stand that can be completely hidden or, in the case of the LG G2, no stand at all. Not so the LZ2000, which has a utilitarian-looking pedestal stand with a narrow footprint and potentially useful swivel function, and a very visible speaker bar mounted beneath the screen.
That’s only the start for the sound system, too, which also features dedicated side- and up-firing speakers encased into very chunky casework that is mounted to the rear of the main panel section. Only the top-left and top-right sections of the rear are typically OLED-thin – most of the set is abou
