Panasonic has revealed more of its 2021 OLED and LED TV line up, following the unveiling of its flagship TV at CES.
Guided by its ‘See it all. Feel it all’ motto, Panasonic has focused on improving the immersive experience with the new range of TVs.
2021 OLED range
The JZ2000 OLED TV, first announced at the virtual CES at the beginning of the year, has been joined by the new JZ1500, JZ1000, and JZ980 series, with the latter three series available in 65”, 55”, and, new this year, 48” sizes.
JZ1500 Series
All four new models benefit from the colour tuning of Stefan Sonnenfeld, founder and CEO of Company 3, and a trusted collaborator of some of the world’s best filmmakers.
Panasonic’s Master HDR OLED Professional Edition panels, formerly only included in its flagship TVs, have been included in both the JZ2000 and the JZ1500 models to create a much brighter OLED experience.
JZ1000 Series
The entire 2021 line will feature the new HCX Pro AI processor which was announced with the JZ2000, enabling the new Auto AI picture mode. The mode delivers an optimum experience to the viewer by detecting what kind of content is being watched and automatically adjusting the picture quality accordingly. As a standalone picture mode, viewers can still manually select their preferred picture settings if they wish to do so.
As they feature the new HCX AI Pro processor, the new OLED line will also support Game Mode Extreme, reducing latency down to amongst the lowest figures in the industry for an OLED TV thanks to significant engineering enhancements made by Panasonic. All OLED models will also support AMD FreeSync Premium.
JZ980 Series
2021 LED line
Ideal for sports and gaming, Panasonic has also revealed three new LED TV series for this year: the JX940 series (75”, 65”, 55”, and 49”), the JX850 series (65”,58”, 50”, and 40”), and JX800 series (65”, 58”, 50”, and 40”).
The JX940 will be particularly appealing to sports and gaming enthusiasts, featuring the new HCX Pro AI processor, meaning it will automatically detect sports programmes and optimise the picture quality accordingly. Intelligent Clear Motion also smooths out dynamic actions for flicker-free viewing.
JX940 Series
The TV also features a 120Hz, bright HDR Cinema Display Pro panel with wide viewing angles.
With Dolby Atmos support, the JX940 fills the room with sound. It also features an innovative iteration of Panasonic’s flexible pedestal design; when the pedestals are placed in the outer position, it raises the TV up slightly to allow for a soundbar below the TV, further enhancing the audio.
JX850 Series
For gamers, the JX940 supports HDMI 2.1 features such as High Frame Rate and Variable Refresh Rate, as well as AMD FreeSync Premium.
Introducing the new HCX Pro AI processor to Panasonic’s higher-end models means that the previous generation HCX processor can be brought down to core models, including the new JX800 series.
JX800 Series
Ideal for streaming, this means that the JX800 now has a level of picture quality which, when combined with the HDR Bright Panel Plus and a very wide range of streaming services, makes it an ideal budget-friendly family TV.
For the first time, it also combines Android OS with some of the user-friendliness of Panasonic’s my Home Screen OS.
Format support
Announced in its 2020 OLED models, Panasonic’s Film Maker Mode with Intelligent Sensing will be supported in 2021 down to the JX800 series.
All 2021 OLED models and the JX940 series LED TV will support Dolby Vision IQ. Dolby vision and the HDR10+ Adaptive format will be supported down to the JX800, as well as the HDR10 and Hybrid Log Gamma.
Game Mode Extreme will be supported down to the JX940, with the advantages of 4K High Frame Rate and Variable Refresh Rates.
Dolby Atmos audio will be supported down to the JX850 series.
All four new OLED models benefit from the colour tuning of Stefan Sonnenfeld (pictured), founder and CEO of Company 3, and a trusted collaborator of some of the world’s best filmmakers
Operating system
The entire 2021 line up, except for the JX800 series, will feature Panasonic’s TV OS, ‘my Home Screen 6.0’, featuring all the new improvements in the new version.
Users can choose from a range of images and videos or set their own using my Scenery, to reflect the mood or time of day. My Scenery can also be used for mindfulness session or preparing for bed.
A new On Timer allows users to schedule a time when the TV will switch itself on and pre-select a favourite channel or HDMI input they want to display. Alternatively, the TV can also show the new my Scenery feature.
The TV can transmit audio to two separate Bluetooth devices thanks to Dual Bluetooth Connection. This allows two members of the household to listen to a film through Bluetooth headphones late at night so not to disturb the children sleeping, for example.
All models down to and including the JX850 have built-in support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, giving users the option of voice controlling their TVs. The JX800 supports Google Assistant but not Amazon Alexa.
Other new features include HDMI Signal Power Link which enables automatic power on from standby and input switching, even for devices such as PCs, which are not CEC compatible.
Other features
Echoing Panasonic’s mission to create immersive and true-to-life experiences through its TVs, the new line up has kept its simple and minimalist design so not to distract the viewer from the content.
A new remote control will also be introduced this year, modelled on the rounded shape of decorative bowls. The round edge also make it ergonomic and comfortable to hold.