Early Verdict
The Panasonic MZ2000 next-gen OLED stood out to us when we got to see it in person, not least because of the increased brightness over almost every other OLED TV so far. The set’s built-in spatial audio helps lift it even further above the rest of the field.
Pros
- +
Stunning brightness
- +
Immersive built-in audio
Cons
- -
Likely to be expensive
- -
Limited sizes
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Since Panasonic unveiled the MZ2000 at the start of the year, there haven’t been that many opportunities to check out the company’s new flagship OLED TV, especially with it not due to be released until later in 2023.
While we wait to get our hands on one to fully test and review, we had the opportunity to get a sneak peak of the model at AWE Europe – a specialist trade distributor of home technology – and it did not disappoint. This will sure rank among the best OLED TVs – though not in the US, because Panasonic still has no plans to sell its OLED TVs there, nor Australia.
The MZ2000 is among the first OLED TVs to have a newly enhanced Micro Lens Array (MLA) panel, which gives it next level brightness and energy efficiency. This panel essentially includes billions of minuscule convex lenses that are placed above the OLED pixels to reduce light wastage, targeting the light towards your eyes more efficiently.
Panasonic’s MZ2000 is part of this year’s lineup of new brightness-boosting TV technologies that companies are rolling out, which is marking the end for regular OLED TVs as we know it. Both the LG G3 OLED and the Philips OLED+908 have the same MLA tech, and Panasonic claims it delivers 50% higher peak brightness compared to its predecessor, the Panasonic LZ2000.
Panasonic MZ2000 price and release date
Panasonic has not yet said how much the MZ2000 will cost or when it will be available to buy, but we're likely to learn more later in the year. The company is yet to reveal its full 2023 lineup, so it makes sense that we won’t likely see the MZ2000 on the shelves till the second half of 2023.
Notably, Panasonic – like Philips – still doesn't sell to the US since exiting the market in 2016 – it also exited the Australian market in 2020 – so the MZ2000 will only be available to consumers in Europe.
Judging from the 55-inch LZ2000’s £2,299 price tag at launch, the MZ2000 will likely be one of the pricier OLEDs available – the 55-inch LG C3 OLED, which is a strong contender to be this year’s best TV – is priced at $1,899 / £2,099 for comparison.
Panasonic MZ2000 OLED TV performance
On paper, the Panasonic MZ2000 promises to outshine most. With a new ‘Master OLED Ultimate’ panel that has MLA technology, a multi-layer heat management system and a HCX Pro AI processor, this set really is a significant improvement from last year’s model.
The Panasonic screen is essentially an LG panel, but Stuart Tickle, managing director at AWE, tells us: “What Panasonic has done is applied their own additional filters to it so they can drive it harder.
“Quite often, just pumping up the brightness doesn't actually do much, it's like turning up the bass and treble. It doesn't actually make it more accurate. It just makes it louder. So speaking in picture terms, the MZ2000 is not typical for our industry. We show it because it's different from every other screen.”
The Panasonic MZ2000 will be available in 55-, 65- and 75-inch sizes, which are the only screen sizes that 4K OLED panels with MLA technology in them are being made. The set also supports a wide range of HDR formats, including Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive and HLG Photo.
Panasonic MZ2000 features
One of the new features of the MZ2000 is an improved Filmmaker mode with improved ambient color temperature sensing technology that adjusts the TV’s picture reproduction to any lighting conditions.
As for sound, Panasonic has built in its own version of immersive audio, which the company calls 360° Soundscape, lessening the need for one of the best soundbars or additional speakers.
There's an array of speaker on the front and edges to deliver great Dolby Atmos sound – it has clever tricks, such as directing the sound to be louder for one person in the room compared to elsewhere, using clever directional tech.
The MZ2000 also has new gaming features that have been added. These include NVIDIA G-Sync compatibility and source-oriented tone mapping, as well as two new viewings modes: True Game and Game Sound.
First impressions of the Panasonic MZ2000
From what I could see, the set showed a perfectly clear and crisp illuminated picture on the screen even while under bright white halogen bulbs in a similar light toned room. No doubt, the MLA panel in the MZ2000 is probably the most significant new feature about this model, as it is in most TVs that include it.
I've used the LG G3 that also includes the panel, and there's no doubt Panasonic is giving LG a run for its money even from just a short demo. It looks rich, natural and exciting, and the improved brightness is obvious as soon as you see it. We can't wait to see how it stacks up against the world's best 4K TVs.
