PICTURE QUALITY This model had excellent high-definition picture quality. It did an excellent job displaying the finest detail. Color accuracy was excellent, so colors looked very natural and lifelike. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images had depth and dimension, typical of most models we test. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. The TV had deep black levels, just shy of the best sets, helped by this model's "Adaptive Backlight Control", a local dimming feature. Even with the feature turned off, depth of black was still decent. There was slight banding (unnatural contours) on scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, rather than a smooth transition in the shaded areas. Film mode operation for HD film-based content was excellent, with no visible jaggies along the edges of objects during motion scenes. Deinterlacing on the other hand was only good, with some jaggies visible when converting 1080i video content, such as from cable, to the display's native resolution.
VIEWING ANGLE This Panasonic has a moderate viewing angle overall, decent, but not quite as good as the better-performing LCD sets we've tested. The optimal seating position for best picture quality is directly in front of the TV. If your family is seated in chairs off to the side of the TV, they'll see decent but compromised image quality.
When we moved off to the sides the horizontal viewing angle was good; the picture showed a slight loss of color so flesh tones looked a bit washed out, along with a strong color shift. Black levels brightened significantly, making dark scenes look hazy. When viewing the image from above or below eye level to the screen, the vertical viewing angle was very good. The picture showed minimal change in color, contrast, and black level.
ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE This Panasonic UHD TV delivers full 4K picture detail, with good HD-to-UHD upconversion. All native 4K content we played on this Panasonic, including movies and videos, were presented in full detail with excellent image fidelity when played back via the TV's HDMI-4 input (the only input that supports 4K). Although this TV does include HEVC decoding, we were not able to stream the 4K content from Netflix, something most late model UHD TVs can do. The TV is able to play back 4K videos and photos from a flash drive input via its USB port. We played our test HEVC video file, an "MP4" file from the Sony 4K camcorder, and 4K resolution test patterns and photos which were reproduced accurately, with detail extending to the limits of UHD's resolution. When playing 1080p movie content from a Blu-ray disc, we found the TV's HD-to-UHD upconversion processing is good, but falls short of the best we've seen. Edges of fine detail were generally smooth but jaggies were often visible, particularly along diagonals of image content. This model provides a full complement of picture settings with any of these viewing modes so you can tweak the image to your preference. For more on how we test UHD see "ABOUT ULTRA HD TESTING" below.
MOTION BLUR This Panasonic TV has good motion performance, with some blurring on our motion tests, thanks to Panasonic's Motion Picture Setting. This feature is designed to reduce motion blur, a shortcoming of most LCD TVs. With the feature turned off, motion performance was only fair, with significant blurring on our motion tests.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY Though not as mirror-like as on some LCDs, this screen surface is glossy and therefore susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
3D PERFORMANCE The overall 3D effect was only good, a notch below the better 3D displays. 3D images showed effective depth, with minimal levels of ghosting (left eye/right eye crosstalk) on our 3D test patterns and on a wide variety of 3D program content. In 3D, there was a slight increase in ghosting when we viewed images from the sides. In 3D mode, the display presented full 1080p resolution to each eye, showing all the detail from the best 3D content from Blu-ray disc.
SOUND QUALITY This TV has very good sound, better than most models we've tested. It has a good volume range so the TV can play sufficiently loud in most room environments. At more typical listening levels the TV has a generally smooth sound along with good bass and impact. All told, the overall sound quality is above average, which should more than please the pickier TV listeners out there.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was straightforward, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was very good. Also, the remote is very good, and the on-screen menu is easy to navigate.
Remote has a dedicated button to access Internet features, and to access 3D, and to access Internet features. All buttons on the remote are backlit so they're easy to see in the dark. The remote's major function buttons were sufficiently large and have high-contrast labeling, making them easier to see and navigate. Labeling uses non-standard icons making button selection less intuitive to use.
STAND ASSEMBLY Mounting the TV to the included support stand is easy, though the stand requires the assembly of two parts before mounting.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV provides advanced Internet capability. Features include a full Web browser and access to a library of applications via "Apps Market." Movie streaming services include: Amazon Instant Video, CinemaNow, Hulu Plus, Movies by Flixster, Netflix, Target Ticket, Vudu. It also has a built-in Web cam for access to video conferencing applications such as Skype.
CONNECTIONS This TV includes four HDMI inputs, one shared connection between the component and composite inputs (which means you can only use one type or the other at a time), optical digital audio out, three USB ports, an Ethernet port, Wi-Fi, and a Secure Digital memory card slot. Wireless connectivity includes: DLNA network file sharing. The cable connections on the rear panel are recessed with side or bottom-facing ports, so wires don't protrude beyond the display's depth.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX The TV comes with: a printed user manual, an electronic manual in the TV's menu, a quick start guide, two remotes with batteries, and two pairs of 3D glasses. ABOUT FIRMWARE VERSION: Our test results and picture settings are valid for the version of firmware indicated. If your TV's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the TV's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your TV via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable), USB port, or memory card, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer's website if further guidance is needed.
