Panasonic TVs Are Back With OLEDs and Mini LED Sets

Panasonic is offering two 4K OLED series. The flagship set is the Z95A, which right now is available only in a 65-inch screen size, with a suggested retail price of $3,200.

Befitting its flagship status, it’s loaded with features, including micro lens array (MLA) technology, which so far we’ve seen only in LG’s flagship OLED TVs. Without getting too technical, it involves using billions of tiny convex lenses that let the TV direct more light out toward the viewer, enabling a brighter picture while also improving energy efficiency. When I asked, the company declined to say which OLED panel technology it’s using, WOLED (like LG, for instance) or QD OLED (like Samsung). But a similarly named model sold in Europe uses an LG WOLED panel.

The Z95A set also features a more advanced “360 Soundscape Pro” sound system that’s not found in other models. It uses a multiple speaker arrays—with front, side, and upfiring drivers placed around the set’s cabinet—to create an immersive audio experience. A feature called “sound focus” allows sound to be directed to specific parts of the room, the company claims.