Panasonic TV Returns to US Market After 9-Year Hiatus: Top-Notch Displays and Features Arrive

It’s been 10 years since Panasonic put its plasma TVs out of commission, but the old timers are back in black – or rather, red – with two new OLED offerings and a mini-LED set. The Z95A OLED is the premium flagship, boasting a special sauce of side speakers, directional audio, and audiophile-grade sound quality.

This isn’t exactly breaking news, as Panasonic rolled out the Z95A earlier this year at CES, but it’s fun to see the company having a go at the higher end of the market where there’s stiff competition. From budget-friendly options by Vizio, Hisense, and TCL to big-boy brands like LG, Sony, and Samsung – consumers have had plenty to choose from in the nine years since Panasonic took an eight-year hiatus from making TVs for the North American market.

But hey, you can’t fault Panasonic for trying! Their new W95A mini-LED and the Z85A OLED – all three support HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision – are basically giving the finger to high-end OLEDs and QLEDs. If you’re looking for a more old-school TV experience, might want to give the other two models a shot with surround sound and subwoofers, even though the flagship Z95A might be the one breaking necks with its unique microlens array upping the brightness ante like nobody’s business.

Those brightness settings? Panasonic puffed out its chest touting them as competitive even against the likes of LG’s C3 and Sony’s mini-LED flagship the Bravia 9; for gaming, the same set of TVs support smooth motion up to 144Hz. All of that on the back of some sweet AI upscaling power? Yeah, sure; sounds like a recipe for picture-perfect viewing fun. The mini-LEDS range from 55 inches to 85; for the Z85 and Z95, you have to settle for 65-inch or 55- or 65-inch with options.

Now, once you get your hands on any of these TVs (depending on your budget); get ready for a whole experience because they all run the show with Amazon Fire TV installed. You can rest easy knowing that your AI-driven Alexa assistant is always just a shout away, keeping everything in check as our personal smart home hub at our beck and call…

At the end of it all, the Z95A OLED comes in as $3,200 to kick things off; but that’s a price not entirely out of the way if you’re in a shopping mood.