Five-star flagships go head to head. They are both great sets, but which one should you buy?
Sony and Panasonic both released genuinely envelope-pushing TVs in 2023: Sony’s A95L boasts a second-generation QD-OLED screen, while Panasonic’s MZ2000 is only the second TV to feature Micro Lens Array (MLA) technology, boosting its brightness no end. Both TVs earned five stars from us. But which is right for you?
Neither is cheap, so you want to make the right decision. We have compared the two, category by category, so you can make an informed choice.
Sony A95L vs Panasonic MZ2000: price
At launch, there wasn’t much difference between the two TVs’ prices. The Sony A95L cost £3699, and the Panasonic MZ2000 £3599. These prices are for the 65in models.
Both TVs launched in 2023, and while their prices have dropped, it’s not by much. You can currently pick up the Sony for £3500, and the Panasonic for £3000. The Panasonic has by the far the bigger discount, but it’s still not a patch on LG’s 2023 TVs, some of which now have more than £1000 slashed off their launch price.
WINNER: Panasonic MZ2000
Sony A95L vs Panasonic MZ2000: design
Sony’s previous flagship, the A95K, won plaudits for its innovative stand which could be placed in front of the TV so the set sits flush against a wall, or behind it so it’s hidden from view. But it weighed a ton, so Sony has binned it for the A95L in favour of feet. These feet are extremely wide – to accommodate the 65in model, you will need a TV stand that is at least 145cm wide.
You can position the feet more centrally on the 77in model, but not the smaller ones. All sizes can be raised a little to fit a soundbar without obscuring any of the screen.
The bezel is nice and slim and sits flush, but because the screen is slightly grey (thanks to the panel’s anti-reflective properties) the black bezel is more noticeable. The TV itself isn’t super slim, but that’s hardly surprising considering how much technology it packs.
Panasonic’s TVs are always more utilitarian than Sony’s, and that holds true here. It is significantly thicker than the A95L (blame the built-in sound system), but much easier to find room for thanks to its swivel stand. The fact it swivels makes it easier to get to the rear connections, too.
One complaint: the stand’s bottom plate protrudes too far forward to fit a soundbar. It’s a rare fail for Panasonic’s function-over-form
