- Matching (Score)
- Our verdict
- Competing TVs
- TV appearance
- Where to buy
- Contrast and black detail
- HDR effect quality
- Factory color reproduction
- Color reproduction after calibration
- Smoothness of tonal transitions
- Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
- Blur and motion smoothness
- Console compatibility and gaming features
- Input lag
- Compatibility with PC
- Viewing angles
- Daytime performance
- TV features
- Apps
- Playing files from USB
- Sound
- Panel details
Panasonic W95B Review
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Panel type: LCD VA Refresh rate: 144Hz Brand: PANASONIC Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Amazon FireTV Model year: 2025
The Panasonic W95B is the latest flagship LCD from the Japanese, aimed at responding to the increasing competition from OLED and Mini-LED TVs from other brands. The question is: will it break through the barrier that has weighed on Panasonic TVs for several years? We all remember that the company was renowned for its natural colours and cinematic image quality, but in recent seasons it has struggled to stand out in a world where not only picture quality matters, but also smart features and options for gamers. Will the W95B allow this Japanese legend to get back in the game and stand out in the crowd of all these TVs? We’ve prepared a test to answer that question.
PANASONIC W95B - Our verdict
7.5
Overall rating
Panasonic W95B is one of those televisions that not only impresses with its specifications on paper but also delights in practice. It features a fantastic Mini LED screen, offering excellent blacks, very high brightness, and smooth motion, which combined with refined local dimming creates an image close to perfection. Most content looks simply amazing on it, and the low latency game mode with support for key technologies makes it a good choice for gaming as well. However, it's important to remember that the W95B is aimed at a fairly specific group of users – those who are willing to accept weaker usability features in exchange for great picture quality. The Fire TV system in this version is not well refined: some apps are missing, certain functions operate clumsily, and the built-in file player does not even support subtitles. Despite these shortcomings, the Panasonic W95B is a solid, well-crafted piece of equipment that demonstrates that Mini LED can be a true alternative for those who, for some reason, do not want an OLED TV. It is one of the few televisions of this type that can be wholeheartedly recommended, provided that picture quality is the priority, rather than the system and apps.
Advantages
Great blacks and contrast thanks to 504 local dimming zones and a VA panel
Very high HDR brightness (up to 1400 nits)
Good motion smoothness. 144 Hz panel – perfect for gaming and dynamic content
Support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+
Many features for gamers including: HGiG, ALLM, FreeSync and G-Sync
Low input lag
Well-functioning upscaling and subtle digital image processing
High brightness during the day and effective glare reduction
Pleasant sound with Dolby Atmos support
Ability to record to USB, Bluetooth and jack connection
Disadvantages
Fire TV system poorly developed in Europe – lacks many applications
Clumsy interface operation and software bugs, e.g. lack of subtitles when playing movies from USB
Local dimming does not work in VRR mode
Narrow viewing angles – typical for VA panels
Only two HDMI 2.1 ports
Movies and series in UHD quality7.3
Classic TV, YouTube7.4
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)7.2
Gaming on console8.6
TV as a computer monitor8.4
Watching in bright light7.2
Utility functions6.8
Apps7.2
Sound quality7.9
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PANASONIC W95B - Competing TVs in this price range
PANASONIC W95B - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: BuildQuality-Good
Stand type: Central
Bezel color: Silver
Stand: Fixed
Flat design: No
Accessories: Stand
The Panasonic W95B is a solidly built television that makes a good impression from the very first glance. The design is neat, with narrow bezels and a single, stable base. It's hard to criticise anything here – just a decent piece of equipment. One might only note that the whole thing is quite hefty, and the casing is largely made of plastic, which might not be to everyone's taste.
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PANASONIC W95B - Contrast and black detail
7.5/10
Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 504 (18 x 28)
Result
175,300:1
Result
28,450:1
Result
19,450:1
Result
8,600:1
Result
5,400:1
Visibility of details in the lights:
We tested the 65-inch variant, equipped with as many as 504 local dimming zones. The Panasonic W95B is an LCD television with a VA panel, but the most important feature is the use of Mini LED backlighting with precise zone control. The results we achieved are truly impressive – in easier scenes, the contrast can reach six-digit values, making it at times easy to mistake this screen for an OLED. Of course, this model is not an OLED, and in more demanding sequences, certain limitations related to zone performance are visible; however, it must be said that Panasonic has refined its algorithms to near perfection. Local dimming is practically invisible in action – the image remains consistent, without noticeable defects or the effect of excessive "bleeding" of light. Details in dark areas are preserved, and transitions between brightness and black look exceptionally natural.
PANASONIC W95B - HDR effect quality
5.7/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 93.0%, Bt.2020: 71.0%
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
1145 nit
Result
229 nit
Result
636 nit
Result
198 nit
Result
740 nit
The Panasonic W95B is truly a bright screen, capable of achieving peak luminance levels of around 1400 nits. In brighter, well-lit movie scenes, this value translates into spectacular HDR effects that can leave a big impression. However, knowing our test setup, you probably see that in very demanding shots – such as the moon in the distance or the lights of a helicopter in a scene from Sicario 2 – the television doesn’t impress. In such situations, brightness drops to around 200 nits, making the HDR effect much less noticeable. This happens because Panasonic focuses on maintaining deep blacks, not illuminating the background – which shouldn’t be a concern for many users. However, it’s important to remember that in such moments, the picture starts to resemble SDR content. The coverage of the colour palette also deserves praise, as it reaches around 93% of the DCI-P3 space thanks to the use of the PFS filter (also known from QLED technology). This means that most films look very good in terms of saturation and colours, maintaining a cinematic quality to the image.
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
As you well know (or maybe you don't 😉), it's not just the numbers that create the picture, but how the TV can adapt to HDR signals on its own. And here we have to give Panasonic a huge credit – in the W95B model, you can see the engineering craftsmanship that translates into very mature performance with real film materials. Although the W95B doesn't impress with its specifications on paper, thanks to the dynamic tone mapping function, it can render most scenes with nearly perfect balance of brightness and contrast. Movies mastered even up to 4000 nits, like "Pan", or more popular streaming content, e.g., the scene from "Billy Lynn", look exemplary here. The visibility of details in bright parts of the image, especially where high levels of luminance occur, is at an excellent level. Hats off to Panasonic!
HDR luminance chart:
HDR luminance
Thanks to the dynamic tone mapping feature, even with a static HDR10 signal, the image on the Panasonic W95B looks truly convincing. However, this is just a teaser of what the TV can do when playing back content with dynamic metadata, such as Dolby Vision. The Panasonic W95B supports both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, which is a huge advantage – especially in a world where some manufacturers opt for selective support of these formats. As seen in the comparative image below, thanks to the dynamic metadata, the TV can showcase significantly more details, better controlling contrast and brightness in individual parts of the image, even though it already performs very well with HDR10.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
Factory color reproduction
5.1/10
In Filmmaker mode, the Panasonic W95B offers an image with quite accurate colour reproduction, although it is not without minor imperfections. The white balance slightly leans towards red, which can cause a subtle warm tint to the image, and the gamma curve is slightly elevated, making the screen appear a bit brighter. It's good that the manufacturer has included this mode – even in its factory configuration, it provides a fairly natural look for films. However, knowing how susceptible Panasonic televisions are to calibration, we decided to check how much the image could be improved after professional tuning.
Color reproduction after calibration
9.1/10
After professional calibration, the Panasonic W95B shows what it’s really capable of. Colour errors have mostly dropped below values of 2–3, making them practically invisible to the human eye. The excess red in the white balance has also been corrected, which means the image is no longer slightly tinted pink, and details in dark areas no longer get lost due to excessive dimming in the gamma. The improvement in HDR content is also noticeable – colour saturation is now more stable and doesn’t lean towards blue as distinctly as it did before. It’s truly a fantastic television for watching movies and series in the highest possible quality. While we know that Mini LED screens are not always perfectly suited for this, the W95B is a prime example that with proper tuning, a result close to OLEDs can be achieved.
PANASONIC W95B - Smoothness of tonal transitions
9.5/10
In terms of tonal transition fluidity, the Panasonic W95B performs exceptionally well. In the vast majority of scenes, the gradation is practically unnoticeable, which makes the image look exceptionally smooth and natural. Minimal issues only arise in extreme shades of grey, which occur extremely rarely and are difficult to catch with the naked eye. This is a level that will satisfy even the most demanding users.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
7.8/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
In terms of image processing, the Panasonic W95B performs exceptionally well. The proprietary processor responsible for digital image processing effectively upscales lower resolution content to 4K, maintaining a high level of detail and a natural look to contours. The end result is impressive – the upscaling is truly top-notch, and Full HD content can look surprisingly good. Also noteworthy is how the TV smooths tonal transitions in low-quality materials. The algorithm doesn’t operate as aggressively as in some competing models, which helps avoid the loss of detail or the blurring of film grain.
PANASONIC W95B - Blur and motion smoothness
7.8/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 144Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: No
BFI function 120Hz: No
The 144 Hz panel used in the Panasonic W95B offers excellent smoothness, although in practice, given how television content looks or how new-generation consoles are limited, it’s worth looking at its performance when refreshing at 120 Hz. In this mode, the television performs exceptionally well – despite being a VA panel, which is not known for the fastest pixel response times, motion blur is minimal and difficult to detect with the naked eye.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Smużenie (4K@144Hz):
A massive advantage is the proprietary Intelligent Frame Creation system, which is a motion smoother that allows you to adjust the fluidity to your own preferences – both in movies and in sports.
The Motion Blur Reduction slider is responsible for fluidity in sports broadcasts – we recommend setting it to the maximum value for the clearest and most readable image during fast movements.
On the other hand, Movie Fluidity adjusts the presentation of materials with a low frame rate, such as series and films – it can be set according to your preferences: lower values give a cinematic feel, while higher values create a super-smooth, theatrical effect.
PANASONIC W95B - Console compatibility and gaming features
9.8/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
48 - 144Hz
- Dolby Vision Game Mode:
Yes
- Correct implementation of HGIG:
Yes
- 1080p@120Hz:
Yes
- 1440p@120Hz:
Yes
- 4K@120Hz:
Yes
- Game bar:
Yes
Aside from the previously mentioned issue related to VRR mode, where local dimming does not work, the Panasonic W95B is a true gaming beast. The TV offers practically everything that gamers could expect – perhaps apart from four HDMI 2.1 ports, as there are only two available. On board, we find automatic low latency mode (ALLM), correctly implemented HDR modes for gamers, including HGiG, as well as support for Dolby Vision in games. The whole package is complemented by an interestingly designed Game Bar, presented in the form of circles. It may not be the most visually attractive, but it fulfills its purpose – allowing quick access to key game parameters and adjusting settings without diving into the system menu.
PANASONIC W95B - Input lag
9.8/10
Panasonic W95B offers very low input lag – around 11 ms at 120 Hz content and 20 ms at 60 Hz. While these aren't record-breaking results that would impress the most demanding esports players on paper, in practice the difference is virtually imperceptible. During testing, even in dynamic, fast-paced titles we didn’t notice any response delays. The TV responds instantly, and gameplay remains smooth and comfortable. This level is more than sufficient for both console gaming and more demanding online productions.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 20 ms | 2160p60: 1 ms | 2160p60 DV: 18 ms |
| 1080p120: 11 ms | 2160p120: 10 ms | 2160p120 DV: 9 ms |
| 2160p60: 20 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 11 ms |
PANASONIC W95B - Compatibility with PC
8.4/10
Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 10ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR
Max refresh rate: 144Hz
G-Sync: Yes
The Panasonic W95B performs very well when connected to a computer. With its gaming monitor featuring a 144 Hz refresh rate and support for G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, the screen delivers smooth visuals without frame tearing, which will be appreciated not only by gamers but also by those using the TV as a large monitor. It can also be comfortably used for daily work – fonts are legible, and the image is sharp. While they may not be as clear as those from IPS panels, the display quality for text will be fully satisfactory for most users.
PANASONIC W95B - Viewing angles
2.9/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 80%
Unfortunately, this is the Achilles heel of the Panasonic W95B model – as with most TVs equipped with a VA panel without additional coatings to widen viewing angles. Colours start to fade with even a slight deviation from the screen axis, and the contrast noticeably drops. For this reason, when watching, it’s best to sit directly in front of the television to fully utilise the image's potential.
PANASONIC W95B - Daytime performance
7.2/10
Panel finish: Satin
Reflection suppression: Good
Black levels during daytime: Good
The satin coating applied in the Panasonic W95B effectively reduces light reflections, ensuring that the screen remains readable even in brightly lit rooms. However, the greatest advantage of this model is its high brightness – when watching everyday content, it reaches around 700 nits, which is more than sufficient even in very demanding daylight conditions. The television performs excellently in living rooms with large windows or when watching on a sunny day, maintaining appropriate contrast and colour saturation without sacrificing visual comfort.
Panel brightness
Average luminance SDR
Panasonic W95B: 673 cd/m2
PANASONIC W95B - TV features
6.8/10
System: Amazon FireTV
System performance: Average
- HDMI inputs: 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
- Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI), Mini-Jack (Headphones)
- Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
- TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Classic features:
- Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): Yes
Recording programming: No - Picture in Picture (PiP): No
- RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): RF
- Backlit remote control: No
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Bluetooth headphones support: Yes
- Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio: Yes
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Voice search: Yes
- Voice search in native language: No
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
SmartTV Features W95B
Unfortunately, this is yet another Achilles' heel of the Panasonic W95B model. The Fire TV operating system used here in its European version is poorly refined – it lacks many key applications, and the interface operates sluggishly and clumsily in places. While it does have basic features like AirPlay and Screen Mirroring, it's a poor consolation compared to how smoothly platforms from other manufacturers operate. As a result, despite the excellent picture quality, the television falls short of expectations in terms of software.
User Features W95B
In terms of user features, the Panasonic W95B performs much better. The television offers Bluetooth, a classic well-equipped remote control, and the ability to record programs to USB from built-in terrestrial TV tuners – a rarity that many competing models lack. An additional advantage is the presence of a headphone jack, which will certainly please users of older home cinema systems or traditional wired headphones. In terms of hardware equipment, the W95B is therefore a solid and complete television.
Sound connection options
HDMI audio:
Other audio outputs:
- Toslink: Yes
- Stereo (Mini-Jack): Yes
Wireless audio:
- Bluetooth: Yes
Obsługiwane formaty audio:
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1: Yes
- Dolby True HD 7.1: No
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC): Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD: No
- DTS:X in DTS-HD MA: No
- DTS-HD Master Audio: No
Ułatwienia dla seniorów
- Numeric keyboard on TV: Yes
- Font size adjustment: No
- Audio description: Yes
PANASONIC W95B - Apps
7.2/10
PANASONIC W95B - Playing files from USB
3.1/10
| Maximum photo resolution: | Supported photo formats: |
|---|---|
| 4 Mpix | JPEG |
| 6 Mpix | HEIC |
| 8 Mpix | PNG |
| 10 Mpix | GIF |
| 12 Mpix | WebP |
| 16 Mpix | TIFF |
| 20 Mpix | BMP |
| 24 Mpix | SVG |
| 28 Mpix | |
| 32 Mpix |
This is another issue with the Fire TV system used in the Panasonic W95B. If someone has their own movie library and plans to play them directly from a USB drive or external hard drive, they may be disappointed. The TV handles displaying photos, like from holidays, reasonably well, but video playback is quite limited. The biggest problem is the lack of subtitle display when playing movies from USB. Therefore, if you care about watching files from your own collection, it's definitely better to use an external media player.
PANASONIC W95B - Sound
7.9/10
82dB
Maximum volume
Supported codecs
(TV speakers)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
The Panasonic W95B performs surprisingly well for a television. The sound is clear and spacious, and thanks to the subwoofer located at the back, you can even hear a slightly perceptible bass, which is not often found in TVs of this class. The overall sound quality is at a very high level, allowing for comfortable viewing of movies and series without the need to connect an external audio system. Of course, as is well known, if someone wants to watch truly high-quality, it’s worth connecting a soundbar – especially since the Panasonic W95B supports Dolby Atmos format, which allows it to transmit spatial sound without any issues. The only thing missing is support for the less popular DTS:X format, which simply isn’t available in this model.
Acoustic Measurements
82dBC (Max)
75dBC
PANASONIC W95B - Panel details
Software version during testing: RS8141/3009
Subpixel Structure:
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: PFS LED
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