Panasonic TX-48JZ980B Review

Introduction

The JZ980 has to be the best-specified ‘entry-level’ OLED that Panasonic has ever offered. This good-looking screen boasts inclusive HDR, with Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive, and utilises Panasonic’s latest HCX Pro AI Processor. It also runs a sixth-generation version of the My Home Screen smart platform.

There’s good news, too, for those with next-gen games consoles. Advanced HDMI functionality covers 4K 120fps, with VRR and ALLM game modes.

The JZ980’s on-board sound system is a tad more routine, although with Dolby Atmos pass though, you can always partner with a soundbar or AV system. Compromises are difficult to spot…

The JZ980 comes in 48-, 55- and 65-inch screen sizes (TX-48JZ980B, TX-55JZ980B and TX-65JZ980B), priced at £1399, £1599 and £1999 respectively. On our test bench is the smallest of the trio. 

There’s no North American equivalent to the JZ980, since Panasonic doesn’t sell screens in that particular territory.

Design

• Compact but chunky
• Dolby Atmos pass through
• Slim remote control

The TX-48JZ980 presents a clean, no-nonsense face to the world, with a gun-metal grey micro bezel and a pair of mid-placed slot-in feet that should make it easy to find suitable AV furniture. A swivel pedestal would have been nice at this screen size, but it looks tidy all the same.

This 48-incher is a little chunky, though. There isn’t much panel protruding above the chassis, which is 67mm deep.

Connectivity is in line with its more expensive stablemates. Two of the four HDMI inputs support v2.1 features, such as High Frame Rate 4K 120HZ video playback, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and eARC. There’s also ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) game mode support. The set is AMD FreeSync Premium certified.

In addition, there are three USB ports, a digital optical audio output and Ethernet to back-up Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The lightweight remote handset offers dedicated buttons for Netflix, Rakuten TV and Prime Video, and is easy to wield.

Features

• My Home Screen v6.0 smart platform
• Freeview Play for catch-up TV and boxsets
• Decent but not class-leading input lag

The TX-48JZ980 is well served when it comes to streaming options. Freeview Play offers a full fist of mainstream catch-up services, including BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My5 and UKTVPlay, while the My Home Screen smart platform adds Netflix, Amazon Prime, Rakuten TV and BritBox, although Disney+ is conspicuous by its absence.

Overall usability is excellent. Screen layout, with curated content up-front, is intuitive and general navigation snappy. There’s also My Scenery Gallery, the brand’s answer to Samsung’s Ambient mode. This offers the ability to play your own JPEG images, as well as enjoy relaxing mood-enhancing animations.

Voice control is available for Google Assistant and Alexa, and there’s Easy Mirroring for smartphones via Chromecast. All things considered, it’s a well-rounded and connected package.

Input lag in Game mode was measured at 14.6ms (1080/60). This should be responsive enough for most joystick jockeys, but it isn’t quite as good as LG’s 48-inch C1, which delivers 12.6ms (1080/60) when optimised for gaming, or Samsung’s Q70T QLED, which comes in at 9.1ms (1080/60).

Performance

• Powerful HCX Pro AI processor
• Bright specular HDR highlights
• Lush colour fidelity

The TX-48JZ980 knows how to impress. Its colour performance is rich without over-saturated exaggeration, detail depiction is uniformly superb, and its HDR highlight performance is a knockout. There’s a unique velvet sheen to Panasonic’s picture handling that’s super-easy on the eye.

Overall image sparkle is high. Street lights at night, bright reflections and small glinting details literally shine. We measured peak HDR performance, using a telling 5% window, at around 800 nits with 60% luminance.

On this smaller screen size, HDR highlights look really intense – the opening mini-movie in Army of the Dead (Netflix, Dolby Vision) – with vivid explosions illuminating the brightly lit Vegas mayhem – is sensational. The UFOs that lurk in the opening scene have such dramatic HDR intensity, you’ll wonder how you missed them during your first viewing.

When measured using a standard 10% measurement window, HDR efficacy drops to (a still impressive) 650 nits. 

The set offers a wide variety of viewing presets, of which the newest is Auto AI. As implied, this manages picture parameters dynamically based on content, and it’s quite effective. Normal remains a solid choice for most content as well.

HDR compliance is generous. Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive both take advantage of the set’s on-board sensor to adjust picture parameters based on ambient lighting conditions. Filmmaker mode also comes with Intelligent Sensing, and does much the same. There’s also a regular Netflix Calibrated mode.

We’re big fans of Dolby Vision IQ. It prevents Netflix HDR shows such as The Witcher from looking too dark during an afternoon binge. Once tried, you really won’t want to go back.

The set has a standard speaker complement, with 2 x 15W amplification, and plays with authority; however, out-boarding Dolby Atmos to a soundbar or AV receiver is the way to go.

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