ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Panasonic W70B is on the market for $549 (65-inch) and 6 different display sizes.
- It is an entry-level LED TV that will get the job accomplished.
- Sluggish loading occasions and subpar pictures are discouraging.
It is uncommon, however for this evaluate, I examined a 50-inch model of Panasonic’s 2025 W70B Fire TV. (Normally, I check 65-inch fashions.) At $349 for this display dimension, I spent a while testing the W70B, and here is what I can let you know about it.
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As with every TV, I am grateful for a simple setup — unboxing the W70B took lower than quarter-hour. I used to be astonished by the tremendous light-weight really feel of this TV. I might by no means suggest doing this, however I may actually grasp this 50-inch TV on the middle high of the body and choose it up with one hand. If portability is a necessary consider your choice to purchase a TV, it is a stable possibility.
I’ve examined numerous TVs at ZDNET. To stay goal, I must mood my expectations after reviewing high-end fashions. I acknowledge that the W70B is taken into account a price range TV, however sadly, I discovered that the W70B’s waiflike weight and lack of density portended a few of its shortcomings.
By its feathery heft alone, the TV feels a bit like a toy, or a purposeful prop on a film set. That sounds form of brutal, however I am simply being sincere, right here.
Every time I powered on the W70B, it took a number of seconds to current a workable display. Sadly, a number of seconds is an excessive amount of on the planet we reside in at the moment. With a powerful Wi-Fi connection, there’s little excuse for a gradual load and bootup, and the seemingly endless “loading” circle.
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I simply need to activate my TV and watch stuff. As well as, the TV wanted to obtain updates, which I used to be notified “can take 1-2 minutes.” After 5 minutes of no response, it was evident that the W70B had frozen. No method of pushing distant buttons made a distinction, so I needed to unplug the unit to revive it to consciousness.
Regardless of not beginning off on the very best footing, I wished to provide the W70B a good shake. So I did, starting with first impressions and ending with colorimeter check information. A fast sniff check for any TV’s optics entails carefully watching the opening credit for a recent movie as a result of they’re composed of movement graphics.
I opened the free Tubi app and turned on “Jurassic World” for a direct evaluation. The intro graphics appeared OK, however you might simply spot the TV’s low (60Hz) refresh fee due to the slight judder trailing alongside transferring pictures. Furthermore, these cellular logos are sometimes introduced in entrance of both a black background or the starlit vacuum of area. Instantly, it was evident that deep blacks aren’t occurring on the W70B.
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As a reminder, this isn’t Panasonic’s top-tier mannequin. It lacks the HCX Professional AI Processor MK II discovered of their flagship OLED merchandise. Whereas “Jurassic World” was mastered in 2K, I hoped the W70B would upscale the film to 4K as marketed. I can not say it did.
Watching the film, the darkish, distant mountains suffered from what I name blotching. That is when you’ll be able to see giant clusters of pixilation scattering and shifting because the digital camera pans. Most individuals aren’t involved with what’s occurring within the background of a film, but when we’re scrutinizing efficiency, then I must level this out.
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Switching to ABC Information, the graphics have been clear and brilliant as you’ll anticipate from a information broadcast. Sadly, the footage of the speaking heads and “reside motion” pictures remained grainy. Truthfully, I felt like I used to be watching a TV from 10 years in the past.
With out utilizing delicate lab tools, it is apparent that the W70B is darkish across the edges, and thereby the viewing angles are usually not good. You must be just about straight in entrance of the tube for optimum brightness as a result of brightness is one other space the place the W70B struggles. Panasonic claims a peak brightness of 333 nits when displaying an HDR sign. Our exams confirmed a peak brightness of round 274 nits for SDR content material in Film mode.
Once more, it is a price range TV with a full-panel LED backlight and no native dimming, so its brightness and distinction are usually not as excessive as extra premium fashions with applied sciences like Mini-LED or OLED. I get that.
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Additional, our Customary mode check outcomes point out that the show has problem precisely reproducing colours, significantly inside the BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 coloration areas. Briefly, you get what you pay for.
The excellent news is that the W70B distant comes with batteries. It’s not backlit, which is one other signal of its low-end high quality. Now, regardless of gradual loading occasions, the UX is straightforward to navigate and behaves because it ought to. For instance, leaping from one app to a different and rapidly resuming your present whenever you bounce again over.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
In case you’ve learn this far, you absolutely gathered from my observations that I wasn’t impressed with the W70B. Panasonic makes some nice high-end TVs, however there are different choices in the identical value vary, just like the TCL QM6K, which is cheaper however a greater TV. And even the Vizio Quantum 4K QLED, the place you’ll be able to make the most of QLED expertise for a similar value.
Suffice it so say, for those who’re on the lookout for a price range 4K LED TV, there are higher choices available on the market, a lot of which we have personally gone hands-on with.
How we check TVs
Whereas testing and researching the TVs featured on this record, I and different ZDNET consultants saved these standards in thoughts:
- Value: Not all budgets are created equal. And for those who’re working with a restricted price range, that should not imply it’s important to accept a sub-par TV. Every TV mannequin on this record has been chosen throughout a wide range of value factors to assist accommodate completely different wants.
- Display screen dimension: A very powerful issue to think about, after value, when purchasing for a brand new TV is whether or not or not it’s going to match into your area. Every finest TV on this record was chosen as a result of they’re obtainable in all kinds of sizes to swimsuit completely different rooms.
- Image and audio high quality: A brand new TV does not imply a lot, even when it prices an arm and a leg, if it would not present a fantastic image and clear audio. Every TV on this record has been ensured to assist numerous HDR codecs, together with HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient, in addition to enhanced audio software program like Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, and object-tracking sound.
For a extra detailed look, try our extensive TV testing methodology.
