Advice - Panasonic 65 GZ1000 or a 65 HZ1500?

[XB70]

Hi

I am looking at either a Panasonic 65 GZ1000 or a 65 HZ1500. The price differential is about 40% but would prefer to buy once so to speak.

From what I can see, the GZ had very good reviews but is from 2019,

In practical terms (I won’t be getting it calibrated but just installing out of the box) is there much to warrant the difference?

I have a 65VT60 plasma which I love and have had 8 years of stellar service from but want to get a Panny OLED in case they become ‘no longer sold’ where I am.

Thanks in advance

[Radec]

If you can afford it go with the newer HZ model.

Although they are on the JZ series now, if it's out of the 2 options given I would always go with the newer model due to the incremental changes Panasonic make on these models in terms of picture quality.

[XB70]

Thanks Radec.

I am not sure if we will get the JZ here and, if we do, price is likely to be much higher.

The HZ would be a stretch while the GZ would be more bearable (an OLED is a want rather than a need) but I would hate to find that they decide not to sell in the market anymore as happened with Australia for example.

Cheers

[Radec]

XB70 said:

Thanks Radec.

I am not sure if we will get the JZ here and, if we do, price is likely to be much higher.

The HZ would be a stretch while the GZ would be more bearable (an OLED is a want rather than a need) but I would hate to find that they decide not to sell in the market anymore as happened with Australia for example.

Cheers

No worries.
Go to AVforums website and there will be user threads for both models in the Panasonic forum section.
Hopefully should give you a better insight into the pros and cons of both models and might make it easier to come to a decision on them.

[XB70]

So, I managed to see a HZ1500 last night.

Despite being told that they had blu-rays to demo for me (since that is the vast majority of my collection), there was none there when I went to the store.

All that I could look at was YouTube "4K" demos.

My impression: hugely disappointing.

There is no issue with the staggering around of detail but the overall visuals looked unnatural. The color, the movement etc - looked like the actors were high res-cutouts in front of a green screen. It was as if there was no depth of field.

They put on the demo of the Will Smith sniper movie and while you can see the pores on his skin and the texture of his rifle stock, almost to the extent you could pick it up, it just looked wierd. Almost like a computer rendering rather than a movie.

I'm not sure what to do but when I went home, I had a look at my 65VT60.....8 years old now. Based on what I saw last night, I'd buy another 65VT in a heartbeat over a HZ1500.

Am I missing something here and that the HZ1500 needed to be set up differently or is this 4K all 'hyper-lifelike'?

Thanks

[Radec]

Coming from plasma you will be used to its natural look.

Btw my main TV is the same as yours VT65/60 which I had calibrated and it does look great on hd content, I will be changing over once Panasonic implement full hdmi 2.1 and if they bring out a K series.

What I will say in my experience of seeing TV's in shops is that they normally put it in some daft overblown vivid mode, once you set it up correctly it will make a big difference according to your room and lighting.

I'd go back and try my own 4k Blu-ray's if you have one and play around with the different picture modes and see if you can make it more natural looking like the plasma.
Even better if the shop let you trial it at home.

A lot of people who make the switch from plasma to oled say the same thing about the unnatural look and pop, but once set up properly and your eyes get used to it, most of them then love the TV and picture quality.

[XB70]

Thanks for all the comments.

Took a chance and ordered a GZ1000.

I've played around with the settings but while the image is very clear, there is just 'something' about the image that falls short of the plasma.

I'll be keeping an eye out for another VT plasma and then sell the GZ