If you are looking for the maximum viewing fidelity allowed by a TV today, without the need for calibration, then Panasonic is the right choice to make. The Japanese company took particular care of the calibration of the 2019 models, already during the test of the GZ950 we had obtained detections very close to the reference parameters, now with GZ1500 we have had further confirmation.
Moreover these two televisions are very similar, if not completely identical, the main difference is given by the audio section of the GZ1500, more advanced than the entry-level. Currently the GZ950 is online for around 1350 euros in the 55-inch version, while the GZ1500 can be taken away for just under 1600 euros. Needless to say, if you already have a good sound system, the GZ950 is the preferred solution, otherwise the GZ1500 offers an all-inclusive package of high quality.
Virtually nothing has changed
Take the GZ950, add a small soundbar to the bottom of the panel and you will get the GZ950. Panasonic is certainly not famous for adopting particular designs in its televisions, it is from the times of the DX800 that there are no unique solutions of their kind. Not bad, however, the Japanese brand points to the substance and that is certainly not lacking in the GZ1500.
The frames around the display are thin and the shell that wraps it is made entirely of metal; on the back, on the other hand, the electronics are enclosed in the lower part, protected by a discrete quality plastic panel. The pedestal is made of metal and is centrally located. The design is the same seen in the GZ950, but also in the more recent HZ2000 just presented at CES, in this respect Panasonic should better differentiate its televisions, which risk becoming all the same in the eyes of the less experienced. Excellent placement of the soundbar, which is seen but offers a good visual continuum with the body.
All connections are on the left side of the TV, where we find 4 HDMI 2.0, network port, optical output, between USB, digital terrestrial and satellite inputs and cam slot. No HDMI 2.1, judging by the recent announcements made at CES, however, we begin to doubt that they will be integrated into all 4K TVs. Moreover, many of their functions can also be transmitted via HDMI 2.0, if the higher resolutions are excluded.
In this case there is only Auto Low Latency Mode, or the automatic gaming mode, which is activated once a console is connected and turned on. The remote control has not changed compared to the past, the metal finish gives a bit more quality, but the backlit keys are still missing, which on models in this price range (the list price of the GZ1500 is € 2,499.99) they should be present.
Technical characteristics, audio and operating system
The winning team does not change, the GZ1500 uses the same technologies, and the same panel, seen in the GZ950. This can only be good, because the performance was already excellent in the basic model. As with almost everyoneOLED TVs are available in two versions, 55 and 65 inches, 4K and with support for all HDR standards available today, from HDR10 to HDR10 +, via HLG and Dolby Vision. Whether you watch an Ultra HD Blu-Ray or a streaming movie, with a GZ1500 you will always have the best HDR available, without worries.
This technology is very important to make the most of the potential of modern televisions and it is good that Panasonic has decided to make life easier for users, giving the maximum choice. Again we find the excellent image processor the HCX Pro Intelligent, the basis of all OLED TVs in the 2019 range.
On the audio front Panasonic has installed a stereo soundbar with a total power of 50 W, which uses the Dolby Atmos standard to improve the final yield. The result is a decidedly more powerful sound than the GZ950, which already performed well in this respect, and more spatial.
The surround effect is discreetly simulated, it is far from being enveloping like that of a high-end soundbar or even better than a real 5.1 system, but still defends well and allows a much better use of video content compared to a traditional TV . The superior model, the GZ2000, can count on a soundbar developed and calibrated to perfection by Technics, which offers an even better performance, but already so less refined palates will not be disappointed.
In our opinion, the greatest advantage of the GZ1500 is to offer good audio performance (and as we will also see excellent video quality) without any intervention. A solution that is perfectly suited to most audiences, which can thus have an excellent viewing and listening experience without having to set up practically nothing.
The software is always the MyHomeScreen 4, graphically less cared than other OS but which hardly misses anything. The applications of the main streaming services are present, as well as Plex. The fluidity is discreet, there is some lag here and there but nothing serious. Only flaw we encountered is the lack of compatibility with the Apple ecosystem. No Apple TV and no AirPlay 2 unfortunately, a lack that may seem like a small thing but that forced us to migrate to an external set-top-box in order to use them.
As you can see the GZ1500
Each TV sets its own story. If we take ten identical TVs and measure the quality of their calibration we will get ten different results. This premise is a must before delving into the discussion on this GZ1500 which, like the GZ950 that we tried recently, offers excellent factory calibration, at least in the model we tried.
Panasonic offers many presets to customize the viewing experience, the best are Professional 1, Professional 2, THX Cinema and THX Cinema Bright. Professionale 1 and THX Cinema Bright are designed for bright environments, the other two for dark viewing.
Our favorite preset for viewing in a semi-dark room is Prefessional 1, where in SDR mode we detected an average dE lower than 2 for the gray scale, same for the color rendering, also close to the reference values without touching any setting. After a rapid calibration we have the dE below 1% in both tests, confirming the exceptional quality achieved with this line of televisions from Panasonic.
In practice, these values translate into an excellent rendering of the video content, the light peaks are not very high, for that you need an LCD TV, but together with the high contrast of the OLED technology they give images with natural colors, free of color banding and rich of details, difficult to ask more of current technologies.
Not even missing Netflix Calibrated Mode, even if a TV of this quality can easily do without it. During the game the input lag reaches about 24 ms from our measurements, with Game Mode active. Too bad for the absence of VRR, which can also be implemented on HDMI 2.0, which would have given even more value to the technological offer of the GZ1500.
