TechRadar Verdict
The 55-inch version of Panasonic's DX600 is a decent TV let down by slightly disappointing contrast and viewing angles. The price is attractive particularly if you can get it for less than the sticker price.
Pros
- +
Low price
- +
Clean, colourful 4K
- +
Firefox OS
- +
Freeview Play app
- +
4K digital file support
Cons
- -
Tight viewing angle
- -
Average audio
- -
No 3D
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As an entry level series of 4K TVs, the Panasonic DX600 range is an option worth considering. Offering solid picture quality, superb looks and the brilliant FirefoxOS smart TV platform at a lower than expected price, it hits all the sweet spots.
The TV we have here is the 55-inch Panasonic TX-55DX600 which sits alongside the 40-inch Panasonic TX-40DX600 and 49-inch Panasonic TX-49DX600. This here is a mini review so if you want more detail, do check out Jamie Carter's full write-up of the 40-inch model which contains more info about the series in general.
As already mentioned, Panasonic has loaded the FirefoxOS smart TV platform onto this TV as it has done with all of its TVs in the last few years. There's a reason - it's brilliant.
Firefox is a really easy user interface to understand and to use even for novices. The design is minimalistic in the extreme – three colourful, circular icons for live TV, apps and devices are presented against a photographic background that also includes a search option, and the current time. It's reminiscent of the super simple Google search homepage.
It's all simple, clean and vividly colourful, and looks like a phone interface, which sadly the Firefox OS will no longer become. Firefox OS on smart TVs is all about customisation, with constant opportunities to 'pin' anything to that main home screen.
Picture quality
Apart from the lack of HDR features, the DX600 is a highly capable TV that comfortably justifies its low price. By supporting 4K from YouTube, Amazon and Netflix – as well as every downloaded 4K file using apps like Plex – the DX600 shows itself as truly 4K in every sense.
The TV also handles HD perfectly well and even SD pictures look pretty good. SD, contrary to what you might think, is often the Achilles heel of 4K TV's but not so with this TV. The key here is the 55DX600's excellent motion resolution which keeps 4K looking sharp, equally as impressive with sport as with movies.
Black levels are perhaps the TV's weak point. While the 40-inch model packs a VA panel, the IPS one in the 49 and 55-inch versions aren't nearly as impressive.
Verdict
The 55-inch version of Panasonic's DX600 is a good TV with solid 4K and HD playback. The kicker is that it does all this at a very affordable price point. We reviewed this TV at £849 which is pretty good value - if you can find it for less then even better.
This article is based on the Panasonic TX-40DX600 review that techradar published in May 2016
