Photograph: Ryan Vaniata
Thanks to excellent picture processing, details pop, from crystalline 4K Blu-ray to 1080p and even 720p upscaling. Only the vaguest SD images fail to impress, with the occasional slight stutter coming through, but that's true of almost any 4K TV.
The only minor niggles in armor I noticed over several days were some minor stuttering or jerkiness with challenging motion scenes and some color banding with compressed video. Otherwise, I was able to just sit back and enjoy the glow.
The highlight for me is the Z95A's phenomenal colors, which are so rich and evocative that they surprised me even compared to all the other great flavors of Panasonic's special sauce. Starting out with a casual viewing of the holiday classic, I was hooked from day one Scrooge. From Bill Murray's dark navy suit to Robert Mitchum's red-gold pajamas, I found myself mesmerized — and it wasn't just me.
Imagination This is one of my wife's most watched films, yet we were both amazed by its artistry. Sapphire blue, glittering silver, pastel purple, and deep yellow gold all burn beautifully. Even something as simple as target fish assassin's creed valhalla Simmering like magma, commands attention. I'm stressing, but a TV this good will do that for you. There are only a few TVs on the market that keep pace.
Photograph: Ryan Vaniata
LG's G4 There's one, which offers similar enjoyment (and four HDMI 2.1 inputs), but I've had bad luck with review samples so far. Sony's A95L QD-OLED (9/10, WIRED recommends) is my favorite opponent. It's not as bright, but it's just as impressive and its image detail is slightly better. Samsung's S95D (8/10, Wired recommends) isn't as flashy—and omits Dolby Vision—but its matte screen offers interesting anti-glare skills. Finally, Sony's UltraBright Bravia 9 Mini LED TV (9/10, Wired recommends) is a wild card for those looking for next-generation brightness, although its backlit display isn't as bright or balanced as OLED.
All of these competitors offer more model sizes than the Z95A's sole 65-inch size, which could make a difference. Still, there's something about the Z95A that surprised me. Aside from its Fire TV system, it's a top performer in every category and is easily one of the best TVs you can buy. Welcome back, Panasonic. it's been too long.