ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Panasonic W70B is out there for $549 (65-inch) and 6 different display screen sizes.
- It is an entry-level LED TV that will get the job carried out.
- Sluggish loading occasions and subpar photographs are discouraging.
It is uncommon, however for this overview, I examined a 50-inch model of Panasonic’s 2025 W70B Fire TV. (Normally, I take a look at 65-inch fashions.) At $349 for this display screen measurement, I spent a while testing the W70B, and this is what I can inform you about it.
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As with all TV, I am grateful for a straightforward 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’d by no means advocate doing this, however I might actually grasp this 50-inch TV on the heart high of the body and decide it up with one hand. If portability is a necessary consider your determination to purchase a TV, it is a stable choice.
I’ve examined numerous TVs at ZDNET. To stay goal, I have to 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 type of brutal, however I am simply being trustworthy, right here.
Every time I powered on the W70B, it took a number of seconds to current a workable display screen. Sadly, a number of seconds is an excessive amount of on the planet we stay in right this moment. With a powerful Wi-Fi connection, there’s little excuse for a sluggish load and bootup, and the seemingly unending “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 perfect footing, I needed to provide the W70B a good shake. So I did, starting with first impressions and ending with colorimeter take a look at information. A fast sniff take a look at for any TV’s optics entails carefully watching the opening credit for a up to date movie as a result of they’re composed of movement graphics.
I opened the free Tubi app and turned on “Jurassic World” for an instantaneous evaluation. The intro graphics seemed OK, however you can simply spot the TV’s low (60Hz) refresh charge due to the slight judder trailing alongside shifting photographs. Furthermore, these cellular logos are sometimes introduced in entrance of both a black background or the starlit vacuum of house. Straight away, it was evident that deep blacks aren’t taking place 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 am unable to 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 digicam pans. Most individuals aren’t involved with what’s taking place within the background of a film, but when we’re scrutinizing efficiency, then I have to level this out.
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Switching to ABC Information, the graphics had been clear and vivid as you’d count on from a information broadcast. Sadly, the footage of the speaking heads and “stay motion” pictures remained grainy. Actually, I felt like I used to be watching a TV from 10 years in the past.
With out utilizing delicate lab gear, it is apparent that the W70B is darkish across the edges, and thereby the viewing angles will not be good. It’s good to be just about immediately 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 checks 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 will not be as excessive as extra premium fashions with applied sciences like Mini-LED or OLED. I get that.
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Additional, our Commonplace mode take a look at outcomes point out that the show has problem precisely reproducing colours, significantly throughout the BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 shade areas. Briefly, you get what you pay for.
The excellent news is that the W70B distant comes with batteries. It isn’t backlit, which is one other signal of its low-end high quality. Now, regardless of sluggish loading occasions, the UX is simple to navigate and behaves because it ought to. For instance, leaping from one app to a different and rapidly resuming your present while you bounce again over.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
In case you’ve learn this far, you certainly 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 worth 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 know-how for a similar worth.
Suffice it so say, in the event you’re in search of a price range 4K LED TV, there are higher choices in the marketplace, a lot of which we have personally gone hands-on with.
How we take a look at TVs
Whereas testing and researching the TVs featured on this listing, I and different ZDNET specialists stored these standards in thoughts:
- Value: Not all budgets are created equal. And in the event you’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 listing has been chosen throughout a wide range of worth factors to assist accommodate completely different wants.
- Display measurement: Crucial issue to contemplate, after worth, when searching for a brand new TV is whether or not or not it’s going to match into your house. Every greatest TV on this listing was chosen as a result of they’re accessible in all kinds of sizes to swimsuit completely different rooms.
- Image and audio high quality: A brand new TV doesn’t suggest a lot, even when it prices an arm and a leg, if it does not present an excellent image and clear audio. Every TV on this listing has been ensured to assist varied 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.
