The Panasonic JZ1000 is the highest-end 4K OLED TV available from the Japanese manufacturer in Singapore. Panasonic's 2021 flagship model, though, is the JZ2000 and there's also the JZ1500, but both these higher-end models are unavailable here. You're probably not missing much, though, as Panasonic says the main difference between them is in the speakers. The JZ1000 has only stereo front speakers, but lacks the subwoofer found in the other two. It's not a big deal, especially if you have your own sound system.

My 65-inch review set comes with the usual super-slim OLED panel that grows into a chunky bottom half containing the TV electronics. The stand takes up quite a bit of space. At the back of the JZ1000 are its four HDMI 2.1 ports and three USB ports. All four HDMI support Auto Low Latency Mode for low-lag gaming, but only two support variable refresh rate (AMD FreeSync Premium). One of the HDMI ports supports eARC for your soundbar or home theatre system. Panasonic's remote control is unusually large by modern standards. But it also means there's plenty of buttons that are large and easy to press, unlike some other remotes I have tried.

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Panasonic is sticking with its proprietary My Home Screen smart TV interface. Now into its sixth iteration, its minimalist design takes some adjustment, especially if you're coming from more bloated TV interfaces. But at least you won't have to worry about seeing ads on the Panasonic. There are very few third-party apps, unlike Android TV. Panasonic does have most of the major TV streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+. I was even lucky enough during my testing to see the debut of the Apple TV app on the Panasonic. But there's no HBO Go or Crunchyroll or Viu, so you may still want a media streamer like the Google Chromecast. In addition, the native TV apps also feels a bit slow to launch.

With practically all the HDR formats supported, the JZ1000 is truly one for TV and movie aficionados. They will also appreciate the Panasonic's plethora of TV modes, including Netflix Calibrated Mode and comprehensive TV settings. Picture quality is top-notch even for an OLED. Colours, like skin tones, look natural, while details are well preserved in dark scenes like the ones in The Witcher. The TV works great in both well-lit and dark environs but is at its best with the lights off and playing HDR content. That's when you can fully appreciate the visual impact offered by the OLED screen's bright highlights and inky blacks.

The Panasonic JZ1000 4K OLED TV is priced at S$3,259 for the 55-inch and S$4,399 for the 65-inch. These prices (on Shopee and Lazada) are somewhat on par with Sony A80J, which is my pick for watching movies. However, both the Sony and the Panasonic are more expensive than the LG C1, which is also better for gamers with its four, full-featured HDMI 2.1 ports. With the 65-inch C1 going for $3,000 or less during recent sales, you have to ask yourself if it's worth paying that much more for the Panasonic. The JZ1000 maintains Panasonic's high standards for picture quality, but I feel it may have limited traction outside current Panasonic users.

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Note: Review unit provided by Panasonic.