Panasonic TX-55GZ1500: a television with a Dolby Atmos soundbar

Presentation

The Panasonic TX-55GZ1500 television uses the same 10-inch Oled and 100 Hz 55-inch (approximately 140 cm) panel displaying an Ultra HD resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 px as the Panasonic TX-55GZ1000. Like all Panasonic Oled models of 2019, it operates a new HCX Intelligent Pro processor more powerful than that of last year and optimized, especially in terms of the motion compensation engine. This model is differentiated by its audio system composed of a sound bar located under the slab and facing the viewer which must - on paper - improve the rendering and facilitate the operation of the virtual Dolby Atmos system which did not really delivered on the Panasonic TX- 55GZ1000. The power of the audio system is identical to that of the GZ1000 since it consists of two 10 W speakers and two 15 W subwoofers. The television still uses the MyHomeScreen 4.0 operating system which in 2019 nice update facilitating access to content.

The Panasonic GZ1500 is the mid-range Oled TV from the Japanese manufacturer. It is placed between the GZ1000 - without this soundbar - and the Panasonic GZ2000 with a new Oled panel and a real Dolby Atmos audio system with speakers oriented towards the ceiling.

The Panasonic TX-55GZ1500 TV is sold for around € 2,500, while the 65-inch model - the Panasonic TX-65GZ1500 - costs € 3,500, which is € 200 more than the equivalent diagonal GZ1000.

All the brightness and colorimetric measurements mentioned in this article were carried out with a SpectraCal C6-HDR probe and the CalMAN Ultimate software.

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Image quality

According to our measurements, the Panasonic TX-55GZ1500 television displays exactly the same image quality as the Panasonic TX-GZ1000 model that we tested. We therefore refer you to the latter's test. The picture quality is simply perfect, and this TV is clearly a benchmark in the market.

Panasonic TX-55GZ1000: an excellent Oled TV

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HDR

Same observation for the HDR part whose measurements are identical to those noted on the Panasonic TX-55GZ1000, so we refer you to the test of it. To summarize, the rendering is excellent, and we can simply criticize the brightness peak limited to 730 cd / m², a value more or less similar on all Oled TVs on the market.

Panasonic TX-55GZ1000: an excellent Oled TV

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Video games

Again, the Panasonic TX-55GZ1500 TV shows the same results as the GZ1000. It is excellent on all aspects tested for video games. The afterglow of Oled technology is unmatched, the delay in displaying 21 ms is among the best, and the possibility of choosing the game mode on any display setting allows you to benefit from faithful colors, even in games. A faultless.

Panasonic TX-55GZ1000: an excellent Oled TV

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Clouding

As with all Oled TVs on the market, each pixel is managed individually, so there is no clouding. Banding effects (horizontal or vertical bands) are also absent. We measured the average difference in white homogeneity over the entire 55-inch panel at only 6%. This very good result is explained by the use of Oled technology whose variations on white are very limited.

From now on, in all Oled TV tests, we are talking about labeling. Extensive tests have shown that the marking of modern Oled tiles is limited during everyday use. On the other hand, continuous news channels displaying banners with saturated colors (red, blue or green) can clearly be a problem, especially when the brightness is pushed to the maximum. This risk exists and cannot be totally overlooked. Remember that you must switch off the television using the remote control and that it is not recommended to disconnect it completely from the power. The television performs maintenance operations on the screen when it is in standby in order to preserve uniformity, and precisely to avoid marking problems.

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Ergonomics

Not surprisingly, the design of the Panasonic TX-55GZ1500 TV is identical to that of the Panasonic 55GZ1000. The whole is covered with a very sober black dress. As on the GZ1000, only the imposing stand contrasts a little with the sobriety of the television itself.

The solid base stabilizes the television. We can see here (photo above) the main difference with the GZ1000: the integrated sound bar which logically reduces the space between the bottom of the TV and the stand to 3.4 cm.

In profile (above, left), the Panasonic GZ1500 is simply a carbon copy of the GZ1000. The depth of the stand is always 31 cm, and it therefore occupies a good part of our reference TV stand (160 x 40 cm).

The Panasonic TX-55GZ1500 uses the same connection, the same cable management system, the same covers, the same interface, the same anti-reflective treatment and the same remote control as the GZ1000. We therefore refer you to the latter's test in order to learn more about these specific points.

Recommended article: Panasonic TX-55GZ1000: an excellent Oled TV

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Audio

On paper, the audio system of the Panasonic GZ1500 is very close to that of the Panasonic GZ1000. Both models carry two 10 W tweeters and two 15 W wideband speakers. However, these speakers are placed in a sound bar located under the panel on the GZ1500, while they are hidden behind the screen and oriented towards the TV stand on the GZ1000. This arrangement gives more freedom to the midrange and treble which are less muffled. The sound is generally clearer and more precise than on the GZ1000. This audio system is also stamped "Dolby Atmos", and it is supposed to be able to reproduce 360 ° sounds and even the spatialization of the objects above. In reality, these speakers behave like a 3.2 system with three front speakers (left, right, middle) fairly well reproduced and two upper channels that manage to be placed slightly above the slab. Dolby Atmos rendering is therefore not at the level of a soundbar, but we can salute the effort of Panasonic on this point.

The price difference of € 200 between a GZ1000 and a GZ1500 is probably justifiable for those who want to slightly improve the sound of the TV without going through an external system, but still know that a sound bar like the Samsung HW-MS650, sold for around € 300, offers much better sound, especially in terms of bass and spatialization (even if it is not Atmos compatible). To have a sound that approximates the real Dolby Atmos in a sound bar, you have to pay at least 800 € (Sony HT-ZF9) and not even close to 1000 € for the best in the category (Samsung HW-N850 recently replaced by the Samsung Q90R). We understand better why it is utopian to want to enjoy Dolby Atmos sound for only € 200 more.

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Consumption

With a white calibrated at 150 cd / m², the Panasonic 55GZ1500 consumes 87 W on our test pattern, one watt more than the GZ1000. The relative consumption of 104 W / m² exceeds the average of the relative consumption of the televisions tested, which is around 100 W / m². The consumption of Oled models is always higher than that of LCD Edge Led models, such as the Sony KD-65XE8505, record holder in the category with its 56 W / m², the Samsung QE65Q9FNAT and its 61 W / m², or even the Samsung UE75NU8005 which tops out at 72.2 W / m². Fortunately, when in standby, the TV consumes less than one watt.

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Conclusion

The Panasonic TX-55GZ1500 TV has an audio part slightly improved compared to that of the GZ1000. If the audio quality is close enough, it still stands out thanks to a clearer sound and a more convincing Dolby Atmos virtualization system. It remains to be decided whether the € 200 increase seems justified to you. In all cases, like the GZ1000, the Panasonic GZ1500 displays an image close to perfection, whether in SDR or HDR.

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