Panasonic adds the affordable HZ980 to its 2020 OLED TV lineup
Panasonic adds the affordable HZ980 to its 2020 OLED TV lineup
By Mike Wheatley - 12 June 2020

Panasonic has just launched its fourth OLED television this year, and it’s far more affordable than the more premium models that debuted earlier. 

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The new Panasonic HZ980 series is available in a choice of 55-inches and 65-inches, and sits below the company’s flagship HZ2000 model, and its HZ1500 and HZ1000 ranges that were introduced in February

What’s great is that the HZ980 is priced at just £1,799 for the smaller version, which is around £200 cheaper than the 55-inch HZ1000 model. Panasonic hasn’t yet confirmed a price for the 65-inch HZ980, but we’re expecting that it will be much cheaper than the £2,899 asking price of its 65-inch HZ1000. 

Even with the modest price tag, the HZ980 series has many of the features of its more expensive siblings. It runs Panasonic’s latest HCX PRO picture processor, and supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision with Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, Netflix Calibrated Mode and the new Filmmaker Mode with Intelligent Sensing. 

It also comes fitted with HDMI 2.1 ports, which enable support for enhanced Audio Return Channel to send high quality sound such as Dolby Atmos to compatible AV receivers and soundbars. 

There are a few things missing though. For one thing, the Panasonic HZ980 comes equipped with just the standard 4K OLED panel that’s found in the HZ1000 and HZ1500 series, rather than the Professional Edition 4K OLED panel fitted in the HZ2000. It also lacks the Smooth Motion Drive Pro processing engine found in the HZ1000 and above, as well as the swivel-design stand. The built-in Dolby Atmos speaker system with upward-firing speakers that’s found in the HZ1500 and HZ2000 is also missing. 

Even so, the Panasonic HZ980 still looks like a very neat OLED TV that comes with many premium features, and it offers great value, providing one more interesting choice for those looking for an OLED TV at an affordable price. Other options at this price point include Sony’s comparable 55-inch KD-55A8 OLED, which costs £1,700, and LG Electronics’ entry level 55-inch OLED55BX, which retails even cheaper at just £1,299.