Panasonic JZ2000 4K OLED TV review

A flagship OLED TV worth every penny

Panasonic JZ2000 OLED TV in white living room, with chair, sofa and coffee table
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Panasonic)

TechRadar Verdict

The overall package of a custom OLED panel, huge built-in speakers, and a powerful HCX Pro AI processor makes the JZ2000 a truly knockout screen for 2021. The redistribution of sound into side-firing speakers only enhances the spread of sound out of this premium screen, while pictures are always engaging, detailed and smooth – as long as you used the right settings.

Pros

  • +

    Side-firing speakers

  • +

    Four HDMI 2.1 inputs

  • +

    Exceptional OLED pictures

Cons

  • -

    Needs some settings savvy

  • -

    Bulky remote

  • -

    More volume than necessary

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One-minute review

The Panasonic JZ2000 OLED is a force to be reckoned with. With its Master HDR OLED Professional Edition panel, an overhauled sound system that belts Dolby Atmos sound out of every corner, and a boost to gaming specs and HDMI 2.1 connectivity, this flagship 2021 screen is easily one of the best TVs we’ve ever had the pleasure of reviewing.

It’s the small changes that mark out the JZ2000 over its predecessor, the (also five-star) HZ2000. You’ll now find HDMI 2.1 inputs, along with VRR (variable refresh rate), ALLM (auto low latency mode) and a reduced input lag of just 14.4ms – making this a much better bet for hooking up to a PS5 or Xbox Series X console.

While the small drop in overall audio output may sound like a loss to some, the 125W on show here is certainly enough to blast your eardrums into next week (if that’s what you’re after). We could barely get above the halfway point on this screen’s volume, while the redistribution of drivers to emit sound out of the sides only improves the spread of sound around your living room or home cinema cave.

New auto picture and sound modes should do most of the menu-fiddling for you, too, removing some admin from those who get lost in Panasonic’s extensive settings, while leaving the option for anyone to tweak and calibrate their screen as they see fit too.

And you’ll need to do some of that – or at least turn off Intelligent Frame Creation, as we go into below. But the overall package of a custom OLED panel, huge built-in speakers, and a powerful HCX Pro AI processor makes the JZ2000 a truly knockout screen for 2021.

Price and availability

The Panasonic JZ2000 is available now, and starts at £2,699 for a 55-inch size, going up to £3,499 for a 65-inch model. You won't find it in any smaller or larger sizes (no 48-inch OLED TV here), but either size should make a big impact in your home.

You won't get this set in the US or Australia, as Panasonic doesn't sell TVs in either region – despite its cosy relationship with Hollywood colorists.

Panasonic JZ2000 OLED TV in reviewer's living room

(Image credit: Future)

Design

  • Swivel stand makes on-the-fly adjustment easy
  • Speaker array makes for a chunky television
  • Extensive, if large remote
Panasonic JZ2000 specs

Screen Sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch |external/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9RH2FwrszoaA9fcrSRKCT8-320-80.jpg.webp 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9RH2FwrszoaA9fcrSRKCT8-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9RH2FwrszoaA9fcrSRKCT8-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9RH2FwrszoaA9fcrSRKCT8-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9RH2FwrszoaA9fcrSRKCT8-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9RH2FwrszoaA9fcrSRKCT8-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w" sizes="(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)">Panasonic JZ2000 OLED TV in reviewer's living room

(Image credit: Future)

Design

  • Swivel stand makes on-the-fly adjustment easy
  • Speaker array makes for a chunky television
  • Extensive, if large remote
Panasonic JZ2000 specs

Screen Sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch | Tuner: Freeview Play | 4K: Yes | HDR: Yes | Panel technology: OLED | Smart TV: My Home Screen 6.0| Curved: No | Dimensions: 1227(w) x 786(h) x 360(d) mm (inclding swivel stand) | Weight: 23.5kg | 3D: No | Inputs: 2xHDMI, 2xUSB, ethernet, optical, terrestrial, cable input, satellite input, CI slot 

The JZ2000 OLED is a good-looking screen, even when it’s turned off. It features a very thin bezel, with a thick speaker grille sitting underneath the screen. And it’s the great benefit of the JZ2000 – in fact, the major difference between it and cheaper OLED TVs in the Panasonic range – that such hefty speakers are built into the set itself. 

There’s no need to buy a separate soundbar here, with front-firing, upward-firing and even side-firing speakers bulking out the screen’s body. You’ll be able to see them pretty easily from every side, though Panasonic has somehow prevented a horror-show of jutting drivers, with tidy sections of speaker grilles placed on the front, upper side, and left/right corners of the casing.

The JZ2000 is chunky, for sure, and pretty heavy (23.5kg) for a 55-inch screen, even if it shaves a few pounds on the 26.5kg of its predecessor. But it doesn’t look bulbous or out of place, with the tower of upward-firing audio giving a clear structure to the rear of the set.

The swivel stand is a returning joy, too, having been standardized in the Panasonic OLED TV range in 2020. It won’t turn 360 degrees (it stops turning at around 20-30 degrees) but it’s a great help to be able to adjust such a heavy screen’s position with relative ease.

Panasonic JZ2000's remote, resting on white carpet

(Image credit: Future)

The included (and rather large) remote is classic Panasonic, and a dream for those who like having every conceivable button at their fingertips. It comes with a numerical pad, playback buttons, volume buttons, key streaming app shortcuts (six of them, including a customizable option), as well as inputs for switching between TV and AV sources and even picture settings on the fly. There’s also a voice assistant button, which at first use will direct you to choose either Panasonic JZ2000 OLED TV in reviewer's living room

(Image credit: Future)

Design

The JZ2000 OLED is a good-looking screen, even when it’s turned off. It features a very thin bezel, with a thick speaker grille sitting underneath the screen. And it’s the great benefit of the JZ2000 – in fact, the major difference between it and cheaper OLED TVs in the Panasonic range – that such hefty speakers are built into the set itself. 

There’s no need to buy a separate soundbar here, with front-firing, upward-firing and even side-firing speakers bulking out the screen’s body. You’ll be able to see them pretty easily from every side, though Panasonic has somehow prevented a horror-show of jutting drivers, with tidy sections of speaker grilles placed on the front, upper side, and left/right corners of the casing.

The JZ2000 is chunky, for sure, and pretty heavy (23.5kg) for a 55-inch screen, even if it shaves a few pounds on the 26.5kg of its predecessor. But it doesn’t look bulbous or out of place, with the tower of upward-firing audio giving a clear structure to the rear of the set.

The swivel stand is a returning joy, too, having been standardized in the Panasonic OLED TV range in 2020. It won’t turn 360 degrees (it stops turning at around 20-30 degrees) but it’s a great help to be able to adjust such a heavy screen’s position with relative ease.

Panasonic JZ2000's remote, resting on white carpet

(Image credit: Future)

The included (and rather large) remote is classic Panasonic, and a dream for those who like having every conceivable button at their fingertips. It comes with a numerical pad, playback buttons, volume buttons, key streaming app shortcuts (six of them, including a customizable option), as well as inputs for switching between TV and AV sources and even picture settings on the fly. There’s also a voice assistant button, which at first use will direct you to choose either Panasonic JZ2000 OLED TV in reviewer's living room

(Image credit: Future)

Design

The JZ2000 OLED is a good-looking screen, even when it’s turned off. It features a very thin bezel, with a thick speaker grille sitting underneath the screen. And it’s the great benefit of the JZ2000 – in fact, the major difference between it and cheaper OLED TVs in the Panasonic range – that such hefty speakers are built into the set itself. 

There’s no need to buy a separate soundbar here, with front-firing, upward-firing and even side-firing speakers bulking out the screen’s body. You’ll be able to see them pretty easily from every side, though Panasonic has somehow prevented a horror-show of jutting drivers, with tidy sections of speaker grilles placed on the front, upper side, and left/right corners of the casing.

The JZ2000 is chunky, for sure, and pretty heavy (23.5kg) for a 55-inch screen, even if it shaves a few pounds on the 26.5kg of its predecessor. But it doesn’t look bulbous or out of place, with the tower of upward-firing audio giving a clear structure to the rear of the set.

The swivel stand is a returning joy, too, having been standardized in the Panasonic OLED TV range in 2020. It won’t turn 360 degrees (it stops turning at around 20-30 degrees) but it’s a great help to be able to adjust such a heavy screen’s position with relative ease.

Panasonic JZ2000's remote, resting on white carpet

(Image credit: Future)

The included (and rather large) remote is classic Panasonic, and a dream for those who like having every conceivable button at their fingertips. It comes with a numerical pad, playback buttons, volume buttons, key streaming app shortcuts (six of them, including a customizable option), as well as inputs for switching between TV and AV sources and even picture settings on the fly. There’s also a voice assistant button, which at first use will direct you to choose either Panasonic JZ2000 OLED TV in reviewer's living room