Panasonic Z85A 55"

A stunning OLED TV with best-in-class HDR and surprisingly great sound, but it's out of stock everywhere and newer rivals have pushed it down the rankings. If you can't find one used, move on.

What surprised us most is the audio. A 2.1-channel, 50W setup with a built-in subwoofer and Dolby Atmos is rare at this price, and it lands in the 89th percentile in our database. You can actually watch a movie without immediately reaching for a soundbar, which is more than we can say for most thin OLEDs. The HDR performance is also a standout, hitting the 97th percentile. It handles Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive like a champ, dynamically adjusting the picture based on room light. Gaming is solid too, with full HDMI 2.1 support, 120Hz, and both G-SYNC and FreeSync Premium. The picture quality score lands at a confusing 36th percentile, but that's a quirk of our aggregate scoring against all TV types. For an OLED, the pure contrast and color accuracy from the HCX Pro AI Processor MKII is exactly what you'd expect: stunning.

The Z85A's natural rival is the LG OLED evo C5, which now sits in the top 5 with a more refined smart platform and a brighter panel. The Sony BRAVIA 9 K85XR90 will give you superior motion processing and upscaling, but you'll pay a lot more for it. If you want a brighter room, skip both and look at the Samsung QN990F or the TCL QM8K, which use Mini-LED panels that get significantly brighter, though you'll sacrifice those perfect OLED blacks. The Hisense U8 Series is another strong Mini-LED alternative that costs less, but it can't touch the Panasonic's contrast or viewing angles. The problem is the Panasonic isn't even in stock to compete right now.

The Z85A used to be a screaming deal when you could find the 65-inch model under $1,000, but right now that's a moot point. The TV is out of stock across every vendor we track, so there's no price to chase and no bundle to hunt down. If you see one pop up used or refurbished, treat it with caution. The value story only worked at the low end of the old price range. Without stock, there's no value play to make.

The Panasonic Z85A is the OLED TV you buy when you want that perfect black level and filmmaker-approved color without paying a premium for a fancy brand name. This is Panasonic's core 4K OLED, and it nails the basics: infinite contrast, wide HDR support, and a genuinely good 50W sound system. The big twist is it runs Fire TV, which is either a blessing or a curse depending on how much you like Amazon's ecosystem. For the price it often drops to, this is a serious value play that makes the big-name competitors look overpriced.

If you're putting this in a sun-drenched living room with floor-to-ceiling windows, this isn't your TV. The OLED panel doesn't get bright enough to fight heavy glare. Go get a Samsung QN990F or a TCL QM8K instead. Their brighter Mini-LED panels will serve you much better in a bright room. And honestly, everyone should skip it for now, because you can't buy it anywhere.

The Panasonic Z85A is still a gorgeous OLED with fantastic HDR and audio that works out of the box, but you can't buy one right now. It's out of stock everywhere, and the overall score has slipped to 58 as newer, brighter competitors crowd the field. If you already own one, enjoy it. If you're shopping today, stop waiting for a restock and look at the LG OLED evo C5 or the Sony BRAVIA 9 instead.