- 29 October 2008
- 9,324
58"...[avforums.com]...Panasonic TX-58HX800B review...https://www.avforums.com/reviews/panasonic-hx800-tx-58hx800b-4k-led-lcd-tv-review.18013
Verdict
There is no major performance change with the new HX800 over last year’s GX800 and no added features either, but it is still a strong and able TV for normal living room TV duties. Despite Panasonic’s Hollywood branding for their OLED TV line-up, the HX800 is not as well suited to darkroom viewing and critical movie watching. The use of edge-lit VA LCD technology gets in the way of producing cinematic images in the dark and there are issues visible in such environments and use. However, the Panasonic HX800 is really rather good at the traditional job of a living room workhorse with SDR TV and film content.
Image accuracy out of the box in the True Cinema image preset is very good with strong Rec.709 colour performance for SD and HD TV and film content, with decent image sharpness and depth, and strong skin tones along with adequate black levels. There is a little black crush visible in some scenes, but nothing that will impact too much within a well-lit viewing environment. Gaming performance is also decent with a good low input lag of 15ms for SDR and HDR gaming which should be fine for all console gamers.
HDR is a little disappointing on the HX800, but this is due to a lack of peak brightness capabilities and the use of edge-lit technology. Most of the competition is identical with reduced brightness capabilities for peak brightness performance, but colours are wide-ish and the image performance is balanced. Just don’t expect specular highlights to pop as they do on an OLED or FALD LCD (at a much higher cost).
The Panasonic TX-58HX800B is a well made and competitive edge-lit LCD TV that is designed to be used in normal well-lit living room environments and used for TV shows, gaming and movies. It doesn’t have the brightest or most dynamic HDR performance and watching in the dark is a challenge due to the edge-lit technology, but for everything else, it manages to put in a well rounded and compelling performance that will suit the mainstream audience looking for a mid-level LCD TV at this price point. The Panasonic will also have to compete a little harder this year in a more competitive sector of the market and it does seem a little bit expensive compared to the direct rivals. Plus, rivals now offer the same multi-HDR support, image accuracy and slightly better Smart TV systems, such as Android TV on the TCL with more screen real estate for similar money. Overall, the Panasonic is a solid TV for everyday living room use and if that is what you are looking for, it is worthy of a demo.
Verdict
There is no major performance change with the new HX800 over last year’s GX800 and no added features either, but it is still a strong and able TV for normal living room TV duties. Despite Panasonic’s Hollywood branding for their OLED TV line-up, the HX800 is not as well suited to darkroom viewing and critical movie watching. The use of edge-lit VA LCD technology gets in the way of producing cinematic images in the dark and there are issues visible in such environments and use. However, the Panasonic HX800 is really rather good at the traditional job of a living room workhorse with SDR TV and film content.
Image accuracy out of the box in the True Cinema image preset is very good with strong Rec.709 colour performance for SD and HD TV and film content, with decent image sharpness and depth, and strong skin tones along with adequate black levels. There is a little black crush visible in some scenes, but nothing that will impact too much within a well-lit viewing environment. Gaming performance is also decent with a good low input lag of 15ms for SDR and HDR gaming which should be fine for all console gamers.
HDR is a little disappointing on the HX800, but this is due to a lack of peak brightness capabilities and the use of edge-lit technology. Most of the competition is identical with reduced brightness capabilities for peak brightness performance, but colours are wide-ish and the image performance is balanced. Just don’t expect specular highlights to pop as they do on an OLED or FALD LCD (at a much higher cost).
The Panasonic TX-58HX800B is a well made and competitive edge-lit LCD TV that is designed to be used in normal well-lit living room environments and used for TV shows, gaming and movies. It doesn’t have the brightest or most dynamic HDR performance and watching in the dark is a challenge due to the edge-lit technology, but for everything else, it manages to put in a well rounded and compelling performance that will suit the mainstream audience looking for a mid-level LCD TV at this price point. The Panasonic will also have to compete a little harder this year in a more competitive sector of the market and it does seem a little bit expensive compared to the direct rivals. Plus, rivals now offer the same multi-HDR support, image accuracy and slightly better Smart TV systems, such as Android TV on the TCL with more screen real estate for similar money. Overall, the Panasonic is a solid TV for everyday living room use and if that is what you are looking for, it is worthy of a demo.
