Panasonic TH-65GX850Z Any good for 4k viewing and gaming?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Panasonic TH-65GX850Z Any good for 4k viewing and gaming?

burtz

168 posts

Master Geek

#260021 7-Nov-2019 07:52

Hi fellow geeks

I am thinking of buying one of these this weekend for connection to my HTPC for gaming and Netflix 4k, UHD bluray etc.

Any reason why I shouldn't or is there a better unit for similar money please?

https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/shop/televisions/televisions/ultra-hd-televisions/60-69-uhd-tvs/panasonic-th-65gx850z-65-4k-led-television/prod181889.html

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168 posts

Master Geek

#2349256 7-Nov-2019 09:37

Is another option the Sony KF-65XG905?

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/sony-kd-65xg9505

ShinyChrome

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#2350254 8-Nov-2019 14:44

Those Panasonics look nice, supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, and Panasonic's processors are some of the best for processing HDR content. They also use a proprietary OS, so sometimes that can be a love-it-or-hate-it thing, but also means you are stuck with it. If you are using an HTPC (or any other external device), then not really a concern. Ignore the 200hz refresh rate, its probably either 60hz or 120hz native but I can't seem to find any specs that confirm that.

My only concern would be what sort of panel tech it uses, which looks like IPS with edge dimming. No problems if you watch a lot of brightly lit, colourful content, like TV shows, sports, news etc, but it will be a real sh*t-show as soon as you watch it in a dark room or with dark content, like movies. IPS means the blacks will look more greyish and contrast is terrible, and edge dimming means that dark scenes will have really bad blooming. See below for an example of how bad the blooming is watching a UHD Blu-ray copy Blade Runner 2049 on my LG TV's IPS w/ ED. It would be even worse watching it at night in absolute darkness.

If you are fine with those limitations, then JB Hi-Fi has it slightly cheaper at $2447. If that is the case, it might even be worth looking at the Sony X85g, RTINGS review here, which is going for $1999 at the moment. Same limitations (plus you lose HDR10+, of which there is virtually no content, and the fancy processor), but it is quite bit cheaper.

If that is your budget, and you aren't interested in going the whole hog on OLED, I would check out the Sony X95G, which has a FALD panel and low latency for gaming. As always, RTINGS does an excellent write-up on it. It's really about as good as LED-LCD TVs get at the moment for the price, which is to say still not perfect, but 80%/good enough. One downside is alot of people complain about Android TV OS, but again, not a concern if you don't use it. I'm hoping it will come down to around the $2500 mark around Black Friday, but whether it will or not is anyone's guess.

See if you can go down to JB-Hifi and compare a few of them side-by-side. It's not gonna be perfect way to do it with overblown shop modes and bright lighting, but bar knowing someone that owns them, but it may help.

burtz

168 posts

Master Geek

#2350270 8-Nov-2019 15:15

Wow thanks for the detailed response. I do quite a lot of movie watching in a dark room so thanks for warning me off the Panny's. I will check out the Sony you recommend.

ShinyChrome

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#2350288 8-Nov-2019 15:35

burtz:

Wow thanks for the detailed response. I do quite a lot of movie watching in a dark room so thanks for warning me off the Panny's. I will check out the Sony you recommend.

No problem, hope it helped. Unfortunately as I myself found out when I bought my TV a few years back, you have to do your own research since most places barely cover the buzz-words when selling TVs, let alone how you actually plan to use your TV.

Don't get me wrong, Panasonic makes some good quality stuff, but beyond sportsball, IPS panels and edge dimming have a time and place: never and in a bin. You will find most entry -> mid-range are in the same boat.

Oh and also in case you get cornered, Samsung's QLED is nothing but pretty marketing for a slightly fancier LED-LCD TV that is absolutely not worth a $1 more than the competitors. At the moment there is only OLED and LED-LCD TVs to us plebs, unless you plan to fork out six figures for THE WALL.

Edit: RTINGS is a great resource for reviews/specs, but since they are North American, they also don't get a few TVs we do in the Asian market and vice-versa.

burtz

168 posts

Master Geek

#2351610 11-Nov-2019 13:37

I checked out the Sony 95G, but it seems to have a real problem with it's dimming for HDR movie watching

See review here: https://www.avforums.com/review/sony-xg95-x950g-kd-55xg9505-4k-led-lcd-tv-review.16142

I may need to keep looking, any other suggestions?

ShinyChrome

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#2351651 11-Nov-2019 14:24

burtz:

I checked out the Sony 95G, but it seems to have a real problem with it's dimming for HDR movie watching

See review here: https://www.avforums.com/review/sony-xg95-x950g-kd-55xg9505-4k-led-lcd-tv-review.16142

I may need to keep looking, any other suggestions?

I have heard the same thing, but I have also heard other people say its actually not that noticeable outside of synthetic testing, unless you use subtitles or watch brightly in complete darkness. I don't own one, so I can't give you an accurate analysis, but from what I have seen, I am happy to accept those trade-offs. Things like bias lighting can help as well from what I have seen. Maybe some x950g or x900f owners here can... shed some light on the subject? *chuckles*

But really, it is probably the best you will at this price-point. This is the trade-off with LED-LCD TVs. If you want better, either you are paying OLED prices for OLED performance. Or you are paying OLED prices for a LED-LCD TV with more dimming zones, like the Samsung Q90R, which will help decrease the blooming effect, but not eliminate it. Which you shouldn't do, because all the OLED TVs in that price bracket are better in every way, except for watching direct sunlight. So really, get an OLED. LG C9, Panasonic GZ-1000, Sony A8g etc

If only we got some of the better TCL or Vizio lines here which compete on price and do slightly better with blooming... *lamenting noises*

Edit: caveat, until we get microLEDs, which are the best of both.

CokemonZ

1051 posts

Uber Geek

#2351659 11-Nov-2019 14:40

Couple of hundy more and you get a 55" OLED https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TVPHS880355/Philips-55OLED80375-55-Razor-Slim-4K-UHD-OLED-Andr

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jonathan18

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#2351670 11-Nov-2019 15:03

CokemonZ:

Couple of hundy more and you get a 55" OLED https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TVPHS880355/Philips-55OLED80375-55-Razor-Slim-4K-UHD-OLED-Andr

Big drop in screen size going from 65" to 55" (28% smaller screen area), which could be a deal-breaker for many.

65" version of that Philips is often $4k on special, but once at that price point it's not too much further to a Panasonic or Sony or LG OLED...

I have to say I sometimes baulk at the idea of spending $5k on an OLED (what I'm currently saving for), and so get the point of trying to find a high-quality 65" LCD that won't put such a huge hole in one's wallet...

CokemonZ

1051 posts

Uber Geek

#2351677 11-Nov-2019 15:18

And pbtech is going to have a 65" for a clean $900 on Friday:

https://www.cheapies.nz/node/21624

I know that 55 is smaller, and that oled is better. It's a trade off, just sharing something I'd consider a decent tradeoff for similar money, or at least something I'd like to be aware of.

The phillips tv also has ambilight (which I really like). Makes the tv feel twice the size IMO

burtz

168 posts

Master Geek

#2351683 11-Nov-2019 15:26

Appreciate the input, I don't mind dropping to a 55" as it's what I have now, but I have not considered OLED as I do a bit of gaming on HTPC. Not more than a couple of hours at a time usually though so I don't know if this will cause a burn in issue?

CokemonZ

1051 posts

Uber Geek

#2351686 11-Nov-2019 15:35

I have an xbox one, and the kids and i do a fair amount of gaming on our lg oled 2016 model (same panels as phillips)

Don't think burn in is really an issue these days except under extreme circumstances (CNN bright red bar, 24x 7 for a year sort of thing)

https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/real-life-oled-burn-in-test

https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/permanent-image-retention-burn-in-lcd-oled

burtz

168 posts

Master Geek

#2351687 11-Nov-2019 15:37

Ok great then on the gaming front, but I note that it doesn't support Dolby Vision, is that an issue if I have it plugged into an HTPC with Nvidia 960T graphics card?

CokemonZ

1051 posts

Uber Geek

#2351691 11-Nov-2019 15:42

That I can't help with sorry. I guess that depends on which HDR modes your games and and your graphics card support that the tv also supports.

I am a console convert for exactly this type of reason :)

ShinyChrome

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#2351716 11-Nov-2019 16:30

jonathan18:

CokemonZ:

Couple of hundy more and you get a 55" OLED https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TVPHS880355/Philips-55OLED80375-55-Razor-Slim-4K-UHD-OLED-Andr

Big drop in screen size going from 65" to 55" (28% smaller screen area), which could be a deal-breaker for many.

65" version of that Philips is often $4k on special, but once at that price point it's not too much further to a Panasonic or Sony or LG OLED...

I have to say I sometimes baulk at the idea of spending $5k on an OLED (what I'm currently saving for), and so get the point of trying to find a high-quality 65" LCD that won't put such a huge hole in one's wallet...

Yeah, thats kinda where I am at. 55" is just too small for my current viewing distance (2.5m). I have been flip-flopping on whether I just want to get a ~$2k LED TV and then put the rest towards a projector vs. spending all that money on an OLED. I think I will wait to see if next year brings big changes in the market with HDMI 2.1 mass adoption, increased OLED production etc. If not, then pick up something like a 950g on EOL clearance.

burtz:

Appreciate the input, I don't mind dropping to a 55" as it's what I have now, but I have not considered OLED as I do a bit of gaming on HTPC. Not more than a couple of hours at a time usually though so I don't know if this will cause a burn in issue?

From the above RTINGS article:

LG has told us that they expect it to be cumulative, so static content which is present for 30 minutes twice a day is equivalent to one hour of static content once per day.

I would think then that unless you are playing the same game (Overwatch, Battlefield etc) for a long cumulative period of time where HUD elements are in a static location, then it shouldn't be an issue.

burtz:

Ok great then on the gaming front, but I note that it doesn't support Dolby Vision, is that an issue if I have it plugged into an HTPC with Nvidia 960T graphics card?

Its early days yet for both DV and HDR10+. More likely is gonna be whether your hardware can support it or not, so depends on whether you will upgrade that first before your next TV.

If you are ok with a 55" OLED territory, I would take a look at something like this 55" Panasonic GZ1000 for $3k. Your best at this bracket is still gonna be a few hundred more for an LG C9 though.

CokemonZ

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Uber Geek

#2353667 15-Nov-2019 08:38

that 55" phillips oled is now $2k https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TVPHS880355/Philips-55OLED80375-55-Razor-Slim-4K-UHD-OLED-Andr

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