Panasonic's new flagship TV debuted at CES 2021. The successor to the HZ2000 4K OLED TV announced last year, the JZ2000 features several important improvements and is packed with features that will make it a joy to actually sell in the US
. Like its predecessor, the Panasonic JZ2000 supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats, with support for Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive, an ambient-enabled version that adjusts HDR brightness based on the TV's ambient brightness. Added. This is especially useful for daytime viewing, when the visual effects of HDR can be dull in brightly lit rooms.
The Panasonic JZ2000's audio has also been improved, with not only upward-facing speakers for Dolby Atmos, but also side-facing speakers to better support multi-directional sound. Panasonic calls this 360° Soundscape Pro, which sounds like Panasonic's answer to Samsung's object tracking sound and Sony's Acoustic Multi-Audio technology. As with Panasonic's previous sets, the audio is tuned by Technics.
Panasonic's flagship model features the HCX Pro AI Processor, a proprietary chip that allows for AI optimization and automatic screen calibration. Additional modes include Filmmaker Mode, which requires no fine-tuning, and HLG Photo, which displays photos in HDR when the necessary metadata is present; AI also includes automatic genre detection, automatically switching the TV to the best picture mode for sports, movies, games, etc.
HDMI 2.1 features include gamer-friendly features such as variable refresh rate (VRR) and automatic low-latency mode (ALLM), and a fast response time, reportedly 14.4 milliseconds. One detail that has yet to be shared is whether HDMI 2.1 will be included in all HDMI ports on TVs, or whether there will be a mix of old and new standards.
The JZ2000 also has two minor innovations that I wish other manufacturers would adopt: a swivel stand and the ability to connect two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. Changing the TV's position can be a hassle, but Panasonic has a rotatable stand.
Another exciting development is dual Bluetooth connectivity, which allows two devices to be used simultaneously, such as two Bluetooth headphones or a wireless keyboard and mouse.
Finally, the JZ2000 has been updated to use Panasonic's smart TV OS, My Home Screen 6.0, with built-in support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
The Panasonic JZ2000 OLED TV will be available in 55-inch and 65-inch screen sizes. Pricing and availability details have not yet been announced.
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