Best bet 55" OLED option?

[faidtoblack]

After originally being firmly set on a Sony XH9505 it seems that the 55” OLEDS really offer the best value this year and therefore that is where my money will go. I will probably wait and see what deals the Spring brings but I want to have my mind made up now so that I can pull the trigger when the right deal comes along (or if I lose patience waiting).

I have previously owned a 55GZ950 and have been a longtime Panasonic fan. Movies and shows are my main usage (I do not game at all). I really loved the Panasonic (I only sold it due to COVID financial issues) but there were a couple of quirks that I noticed. Firstly the OS was far from perfect and there were a number of apps missing that I use (apple, Disney). I know there are ways around this and I would not count Panasonic out for this reason, although it is worth thinking about, as having a tv with all the apps I use integrated would be a bonus. Another thing that I noticed was a stutter/motion issue during long panning shots in movies. I am wondering if this is an issue that is inherent with OLED or whether it is a Panasonic thing? Again, this is not a deal breaker but is worth thinking about.

I am aware that for movies the Panasonic sets are probably going to have a slight edge. The HZ2000 is more than I am prepared to spend so that leaves the HZ980 and the HZ1000. Am I right in thinking the Panasonic 55HZ980 is going to be pretty much a GZ950 in a new design?

If I went for the 55HZ1000 is it going to give me much of an upgrade over the 980? For instance, would the 'stutter' I noticed on the GZ950 be on the HZ1000? I am going to speculate that I will be able to get the 980 for 1k at some point around Spring/Summer if I am lucky and the HZ1000 for possibly £1250-£1300 so is that extra £250-£300 going to really be noticeable for me? (bearing in mind my usage is going to be mainly shows and movies in HDR through apps and physical discs). I can afford the HZ1000 but I am no means keen to spend the extra just for the sake of it. Also, I see that the Panasonic OLEDs now have Dolby Vision IQ. Is that just Dolby Vision with a fancy name?

If I don’t go for Panasonic then that leaves the LG 55CX and the Sony 55A8 as the main contenders. I realize that the A8 has been a favorite this year and has got some good reviews although I know a lot of people have gone for the LG also and rate that highly. Is there going to be one of these that stands out for me (movies and shows) considering I am not a gamer? I am fairly sure they both have all the apps I use so that is a plus. However, is the Panasonic (especially the HZ1000) going to be much better for movies than the Sony or LG? I am guessing that the answer is going to be no and I am probably best just going for whichever is the best deal at the time?

Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated

 

[Dodgexander]

HZ1000 and HZ980 are practically the same TV, and both very similar to the GZ950, so if you are happy with the GZ950 you'll be happy with them.

Stutter-wise, its a product of OLED technology, you can help it a bit by using motion settings on the TV, but in turn that can create soap opera effect. Probably the best way to mitigate it would be to go for a Sony or Philips OLED instead, which are known to have the best motion.

The HZ1000 does have the ability to improve motion better than the HZ980 (or GZ950) because the panel is driven differently, but it will only make a difference if you use motion enhancements, and not if you don't.

Dolby Vision IQ can auto adjust the picture for your viewing conditions, if you found the picture too dark sometimes with lights on, or during the day, it should help with that.

Each OLED has their own set of pros and cons, LGs have the best app choice, the best smart TV, more robust features, software and the latest connectivity, whilst Sony has more app choice than Panasonic, but the OS is not fantastic like LGs. So its really a case of where to put your beans. There is unfortunately not one TV that does everything well.

 

[Farleyfeatures]

I have the LG 65C9 and I love it. I don't game, but watch movies and HD/4k TV. I looked at all the reviews before I went with my choice and decided that, although the Sony and the Panasonic had their individual advantages in certain areas, the LG was the better all-rounder with the best smart platform, regular firmware updates( I have had several in the 9 months I have owned it) and seemingly the best reliability. I also really like the 'Magic' remote which I think is important as it's the main way you interact with the TV(unless you use an app or a universal remote like a Harmony). I have no regrets over my decision(yet!)

 

[faidtoblack]

I have the LG 65C9 and I love it. I don't game, but watch movies and HD/4k TV. I looked at all the reviews before I went with my choice and decided that, although the Sony and the Panasonic had their individual advantages in certain areas, the LG was the better all-rounder with the best smart platform, regular firmware updates( I have had several in the 9 months I have owned it) and seemingly the best reliability. I also really like the 'Magic' remote which I think is important as it's the main way you interact with the TV(unless you use an app or a universal remote like a Harmony). I have no regrets over my decision(yet!)

Thanks for that. Yeah, they all seem to have their own slight advantages. I think I will just wait and see which one comes up as the best deal.

 

[faidtoblack]

HZ1000 and HZ980 are practically the same TV, and both very similar to the GZ950, so if you are happy with the GZ950 you'll be happy with them.

Stutter-wise, its a product of OLED technology, you can help it a bit by using motion settings on the TV, but in turn that can create soap opera effect. Probably the best way to mitigate it would be to go for a Sony or Philips OLED instead, which are known to have the best motion.

The HZ1000 does have the ability to improve motion better than the HZ980 (or GZ950) because the panel is driven differently, but it will only make a difference if you use motion enhancements, and not if you don't.

Dolby Vision IQ can auto adjust the picture for your viewing conditions, if you found the picture too dark sometimes with lights on, or during the day, it should help with that.

Each OLED has their own set of pros and cons, LGs have the best app choice, the best smart TV, more robust features, software and the latest connectivity, whilst Sony has more app choice than Panasonic, but the OS is not fantastic like LGs. So its really a case of where to put your beans. There is unfortunately not one TV that does everything well.

If I did go for the Panasonic HZ980 or HZ1000 what would be my best bet for accessing the apps I need that are not on the Panasonic platform? (Apple TV +, Disney +, Now TV). I appreciate that it will be best to watch Netflix and Amazon through the native app on the TV but would it make much of a difference if I used an Apple TV 4k box or ROKU 4K for the others? Would they both give the same performance do you think or is one superior? (obviously the Apple box is more expensive).

 

[Farleyfeatures]

I have read/seen some great reviews of the Roku box, the only minor caveat being the interface isn't very pretty. I have a Fire stick 4k myself that I bought mainly because it was faster than the previous Smart TV we had (a 6 year old Samsung) and that is very good if it supports the apps you want on it. I have Disney+ on it (which the LG TV also has), I've just looked online and it DOES now support Apple TV and Now TV.

 

[Dodgexander]

You can use whichever external smart device you want. The Amazon devices support HDR10+ and Dolby Vision and will pass it to a Panasonic OLED.

Roku devices are HDR10 only, the new ultra does support Dolby Vision though. Apple TV is like Roku, no HDR10+ so HDR10+ content will play as HDR10 only.

 

[faidtoblack]

Thanks guys. This is really helpful. I think I may stick with Panasonic now, especially as I have had them in the past and really liked them. Just need to decide whether to get the HZ980 or HZ1000.

 

[jdevil]

Don't place too much importance on the TV features, most Smart TV's barely get updated after 2 years.

You can either invest on a cheap 4k Firestick or the more costly Apple TV/Nvidia Shield and concentrate on getting the TV you want.

 

[Farleyfeatures]

Just had a thought - a brand that a lot of people overlook is Philips. Have you investigated the OLED805? It has all the flavours of HDR, including HDR10+ and Ambilight of course. Have a look at the review on this very site. Check it out here:-https://www.avforums.com/reviews/philips-oled805-review.17861 (this is the 65" version but they will be VERY similar in performance)
Also:- Philips OLED805 (65OLED805) review: One of the prettiest and most affordable OLED TVs in town
And:- Philips 55OLED805 4K TV review | Trusted Reviews
Then:- Philips OLED 805 (55OLED805, 65OLED805) TV review

There's loads of other reviews but they all basically say the same thing - as long as you're not a gamer, it is possibly the best OLED around. I would have got one instead of the LG but it was a lot more money at the time and I couldn't justify the extra expense.

 

[faidtoblack]

Just had a thought - a brand that a lot of people overlook is Philips. Have you investigated the OLED805? It has all the flavours of HDR, including HDR10+ and Ambilight of course. Have a look at the review on this very site. Check it out here:-https://www.avforums.com/reviews/philips-oled805-review.17861 (this is the 65" version but they will be VERY similar in performance)
Also:- Philips OLED805 (65OLED805) review: One of the prettiest and most affordable OLED TVs in town
And:- Philips 55OLED805 4K TV review | Trusted Reviews
Then:- Philips OLED 805 (55OLED805, 65OLED805) TV review

There's loads of other reviews but they all basically say the same thing - as long as you're not a gamer, it is possibly the best OLED around. I would have got one instead of the LG but it was a lot more money at the time and I couldn't justify the extra expense.

To be honest I hadn't even considered the Phillips so thanks. I am likely to go for a Panasonic, either the 55hz980 or 55hz1000 (I really can't decide whether the higher spec set would be any benefit to me) as I had a GZ950 before and really liked it. I will absolutely go and take a look at the Phillips sets though. Thanks again