Panasonic has announced the MZ2000 flagship OLED TV at CES 2023, with Hollywood tuning and bolstered audio.
The new line comes in 55, 65, and 77-inch variants. Panasonic has fitted each of its 2023 4K flagship TV line with a state-of-the-art new panel and a noteworthy heat management system, alongside a bunch of picture processing, gaming, and audio improvements.
There’s a focus on improved brightness this year, with a new ‘Master OLED Ultimate’ panel utilising a Micro Lens Array to produce a staggering 150% increase in peak brightness. Average brightness is also said to have improved over last year’s models.
In terms of HDR formats, you get support for Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive, and HLG Photo.
Panasonic claims that its new line features “Hollywood tuning and superb colour accuracy”, and for once that’s not just PR guff. The Panasonic MZ2000 panel has been tuned by Stefan Sonnenfeld, an expert colourist and co-founder of post-production specialist Company 3.
Sonnenfeld has supplied his tuning expertise to the likes of Top Gun: Maverick, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Jurassic World, so “Hollywood tuning” is an accurate description alright. Panasonic also points out that its OLED TVs are widely used in studios and postproduction houses.
The company’s Filmmaker Mode has been further enhanced this year with upgraded ambient colour temperature sensing, which adjusts the image to your surroundings to produce the most accurate picture possible.
In terms of streaming, the Panasonic MZ2000 features a Streaming 4K Remaster algorithm that cleans up a streamed image by analysing its quality, resulting in “crisper and more natural-looking streamed content”.
Gamers haven’t been left out either. There’s a peak 120Hz refresh rate and VRR support, as well as ultra-low latency and input lag. AMD Freesync Premium is supported, and the MZ2000 is also Nvidia G-SYNC compatible. Hook it up to a PC with an Nvidia RTX graphics card and you’ll experience no tears and zero stutter.
True Game Mode supplies the same colour accuracy features over to gaming applications, and can be calibrated, and there’s improved HDR Tone Mapping.
Panasonic has also improved sound output for the MZ2000, with improvements to its proprietary 360° Soundscape audio offering. This includes an upgraded Bass Booster algorithm delivering “deep, fast responding bass”.
You also get meaty Technics-tuned upward-firing, side-firing, and front-firing speaker units running the width of the rear section for a full sound stage, enhanced by Dolby Atmos support. Pinpoint Mode and Area Mode, meanwhile, let you direct the sound, which sounds ideal for parents with sleeping kids and the hard of hearing.
The OS has been upgraded to Home Screen 8.0, with support for all the expected streaming platforms and improved accessibility features, among other things. On the latter front, there are specialised setup procedures for both hearing and visually impaired users.
We don’t yet have any information on pricing and availability of the Panasonic MZ2000, but that should arrive in Q2 2023. Based on last year’s Panasonic TV line-up, the wait will be worth it.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
