The Panasonic JZ2000 in a nutshell

The Panasonic JZ2000 OLED is a force to be reckoned with. With its Master HDR OLED Professional Edition panel, a revamped audio system that delivers Dolby Atmos sound to every corner, and improved gaming specs and HDMI 2.1 connectivity, this 2021 flagship display is unquestionably one of the best televisions that we have had the pleasure of reviewing.

It's these small changes that set the JZ2000 apart from its predecessor, the HZ2000 (also five stars). You will now find HDMI 2.1 inputs, as well as VRR (variable refresh rate), ALLM (automatic low latency mode) functions and input lag reduced to just 14.4 ms. Either a much better choice for connecting a PS5 or Xbox Series X console.

While the overall audio output update may seem regressive to some, the 125W featured here is certainly enough to blow your eardrums (if that's what you're looking for). We were barely able to exceed half the volume made available, while redistributing the speakers to fire the sound to the sides only optimizes the soundscape in your living room or home cinema set.

The new automatic picture and sound modes should also allow you to carry out most of the necessary manipulations in the menus, thus eliminating some of the waste of time dedicated to Panasonic settings, while leaving everyone the possibility to adjust and to calibrate his screen as he sees fit.

You will need to perform some of these manipulations, or at least disable the Intelligent Frame Creation feature, as we will see later. However, this combination of a custom OLED panel, huge built-in speakers and a powerful HCX Pro AI processor makes the JZ2000 a truly exceptional display today.

Panasonic JZ2000 price and availability

The Panasonic JZ2000 is available now, starting at €2,990 for the 55-inch model, and up to €3,990 for the 65-inch one. You won't find it in smaller or larger sizes (no 48-inch OLED TV here), but either size should make a serious impact in your home.

Design of the Panasonic JZ2000

Screen sizes: 55in, 65in | 4K: yes | HDR: yes | Technology: OLED | Smart TV: My Home Screen 6.0 | Curved: no | Dimensions: 1227 x 786 x 360mm | Weight: 23.5kg | 3D: no | Inputs: 2xHDMI, 2xUSB, ethernet, optical, terrestrial, satellite, CI slot

The JZ2000 OLED is an aesthetically pleasing display, even when turned off. It features a very thin bezel, with a thick speaker grille located below the screen. And that's the big advantage of the JZ2000 - in fact, the main difference between it and the cheaper OLED TVs in Panasonic's range - to integrate such massive speakers into the TV itself.

There is no need to buy a separate soundbar, since front, vertical and even side speakers are added to the screen body here. You'll be able to see them fairly easily from all sides, although Panasonic has managed to avoid an overly massive option, with well-optimized sections placed in the front, top side and left and right flanks of the case.

The JZ2000 is impressive, that's for sure, and quite heavy (23.5 kg) for a 55-inch screen. Even if it has been lightened by a few kilos compared to the 26.5 kg of its predecessor. Still, it doesn't look bloated or invasive, and the upward-facing audio tower gives clear structure to the rear of the device.

The swivel foot is also a pleasure to use. It doesn't rotate 360 ​​degrees (it stops at around 20-30 degrees) but it does adjust the position of such a heavy screen with relative ease.

The included (and rather large) remote control feels like a Panasonic classic, and a handy bonus for those who like to fiddle with every button imaginable at their fingertips. It has a number pad, play buttons, volume buttons, shortcuts for streaming apps (six, including a customizable option), plus inputs for switching between TV and AV sources and even adjust images on the fly. There's also a voice assistant button, which on first use will direct you to either Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa - depending on your preferences or paired home automation devices.

You'll find four HDMI ports here, with two inputs supporting both 4K/120Hz video and VRR (variable refresh rate), while all support ALLM (automatic low latency mode) for gaming. with minimal lag. One input specifically takes care of the Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) for lossless audio transfer to a soundbar. As already said, the built-in speakers will make this option somewhat superfluous.

Last year's HZ2000 did not come with the HDMI 2.1 specification. So it's good to see Panasonic getting it right now that the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles are on the market.

Smart TV (My Home Screen 6.0)

Panasonic is content with its own proprietary My Home Screen platform, which has been significantly improved in 2021. This once-basic content overlay now defaults to various apps and menus - with highly visible circular icons - that take up the bottom of the screen. the screen when called by the remote control. The translucent background keeps them from being overbearing. Hovering over apps brings up a preview of popular content within the app, similar to LG's webOS and Samsung's Tizen platforms.

You will find most of the most popular applications: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Rakuten TV… but still not Disney Plus. This particular app has been missing from Panasonic TVs since its inception, which means big Disney/Marvel fans may need an extra streaming box to get the app on their TV. That's a problem, of course, given the high cost of this high-end OLED display, but not everyone will miss this absence.

Image quality

The Panasonic JZ2000 uses the same custom panel, with minimal changes, as last year's HZ2000, which is now carried over to the lower JZ1500 and JZ1000 models. That means the JZ2000's picture isn't as outstanding as it once was, but it's still the upper limit of what you can expect from Panasonic TVs today.

This custom panel - the Master HDR OLED Professional Edition, to use its full name - is capable of increasing the average and maximum brightness usually possible on an OLED screen, in a similar vein to the OLED evo technology used to improve the light output of the LG G1 of this year.

Watching Netflix's Crazy Ex Girlfriend in HD shows just how well Panasonic's HCX Pro Intelligent Processor is able to upscale lower resolution content to fit the many pixels of this 4K TV. Detail is incredible, and while it tends to focus more on the foreground elements of the image, the major information is meant to be presented with precision.

The first thing to do is to disable the Intelligent Frame Creation feature, which is in the video settings (press the Menu button on the remote, then ok in Main Menu). This is an upgradeable feature that inserts additional frames to make "images smooth and clear", with the option to turn it on to Min, Medium, Max or Off. However, in our testing, we found that it brought up an irritating amount of video noise around fast-moving objects.

Noise is most prominent in lower resolution content - when watching the young Milo Ventimiglia pacing down the street, the sudden movement of the palisades in the background results in graininess, while even a rapid movement of his head in The Greatest Showman (on 4K Blu-ray, no less) may run into this problem.

Fortunately, this feature turns out to be fairly easy to disable, and the strengths of the JZ2000 far outweigh this minor issue. The OLED panel delivers intensely deep blacks and crisp contrast. Watching The Greatest Showman, Zendaya swaying on the horizon gives a startling burst of color, emerging from the darkness of the marquee crevices, and it's that contrast of bright colors and highlights against dark backgrounds and well-defined images that make the JZ2000 images so captivating to watch.

There are a number of picture presets, and maybe more than you're used to. Panasonic primarily offers televisions for those who like to fiddle with their remote control and regularly adjust the picture to get the best possible result.

Normal is the default picture mode, and will suit you just fine for everyday use, although Cinema mode slightly reduces saturation for a more multiplex-like appearance. True Cinema is an even better choice for movies, with deliciously dark edges that boost contrast and give objects firm definition, with brightness reduction to achieve this.

Director Mode seems to fall somewhere between these two settings, and is ostensibly aimed at those who want to watch content "as it was intended" by their creator - which works admirably well on a high-end OLED TV, but may not be as successful on other models. Dynamic mode, as usual, delivers increased brightness and vibrancy as well as oversaturated images, rest assured it's not as bad as what we've seen on some TVs. You can also opt for the AI ​​Auto picture setting which automatically calibrates the preset based on the type of content you're watching.

The built-in light sensors in the JZ2000 are also amazing at changing brightness and contrast on the fly, adjusting in real time when you open or close the curtains, or turn off a floor lamp.

This usually only applies to Dolby Vision HDR movies and series, like The Crown on Netflix, where the difference between Dolby Vision IQ (with the light sensor) and Dolby Vision Dark (without) sometimes forces you to wait until evening to watch a good drama in the best conditions.

For gamers, this Panasonic TV also delivers a respectable 14.4ms input lag (with game mode on), down from the 20ms of last year's HZ2000. OLED screens enjoy near-instantaneous response time, given how quickly their pixels can switch between states, and PS5 or Xbox Series X games will look breathtaking on such a screen. that this one. With intense audio output for immersive shooters, racing or walking simulators.

Audio performance

The major novelty of this year's flagship model is the introduction of side speakers. These work in tandem with the unit's up-firing and forward-firing speakers to create full, full-bodied room-filling sound.

The JZ2000's speakers are truly amazing, proving capable of recreating anything from delicate footsteps on stairs to the roaring explosion of a car crash. You get crisp audio detail along with strong bass response. While some subwoofers and surround sound systems may outperform, you simply won't get better built-in sound on a smart TV today.

Listening to the set, it's hard to point out a huge difference from last year's HZ2000. This is more of an evolution than a revolution in TV audio capabilities, with the majority of the volume still coming out of the screen speakers up or forward. The side-firing element is therefore limited, but it only helps to get the soundtracks and dialogue heard throughout the room.

Although every TV has a "sweet spot" for picture and sound (usually right in the centre), the OLED panel's wide viewing angles and sideways sound from the JZ2000's speakers mean that if you sit at almost any place in your living room, you can have an awesome movie night. And it's this combination of video and audio capabilities that makes the JZ2000 an all-in-one home cinema that the LG C1 lacks.

The JZ2000 features an overall volume drop from its predecessor, from 140W to 125W, but a move towards better audio/directivity distribution seems preferable, and we doubt the extra power will be lacking (we never exceeded 50 on the device's 100-point volume scale - it's so loud).

Should you buy the Panasonic JZ2000 4K OLED TV?

Buy it if...

You are looking for an all-in-one home cinema systemHere, no need for a soundbar. With a custom 4K OLED panel and 125W Dolby Atmos speakers, you get stunning picture and sound performance in a single package.

You're always changing the position of your TV The swivel mount is a godsend, as it allows you to constantly adjust the exact position of the JZ2000 on the fly.

You're a hardcore gamer Input lag is better than ever on a Panasonic OLED, while the addition of VRR, ALLM, and other HDMI 2.1 specs means this TV pairs effortlessly with your next-gen games console .

Don't buy it if...

You already have a good sound system The main advantage of the JZ2000 is its beefed up sound system, so if you have a good selection of soundbars and speakers hooked up to your TV, you're probably not going to benefit.

You bought a new high-end TV in 2020 The progress made here is mainly in connectivity and some automatic picture and sound correction settings, as well as optimizing input lag. There are not enough transformations to throw the HZ2000 in the trash, even if the configuration has improved.

You are dealing with a tight budget This is a resolutely top-of-the-range screen, with a substantial price that will surely require you to triple the investment you had planned.