# Panasonic Introduces the Budget-Minded CX Series of 4K TVs



## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

The days of Panasonic reigning supreme over the HDTV landscape are quickly becoming a distant memory. The company’s overnight rise to the top, coinciding with Pioneer’s industry exit, seemingly cemented them in the industry’s driver’s seat (at least from an enthusiast perspective); plasma was still the king of swing. Of course 4K tech’s swift entry into the fray delivered a knockout punch to plasma and has sent Panasonic staggering to the mat. The company has since been attempting to re-establish its market presence, but its efforts have been falling far short of the competition. The company’s entry into this year’s Value Electronics’ Flat Panel Shootout was sub-par as compared to Sony, LG, and Samsung offerings, and a recent market research report by Parks Associates says that Samsung, Vizio, LG, and Sony are the four top selling 4K television manufacturers in the United States (Samsung leads the pack at 28-percent).










So, where does this leave Panasonic?

For one, we know that the company is preparing to re-enter the OLED market, having announced its 4K Pro CZ950 curved OLED television at IFA 2015. A flat version of the CZ950 is in the pipeline. While this particular model is expected to hit streets with a price tag north of $10,000, it’s still a positive sign for consumers because LG officially has competition in the OLED realm. Panasonic says its OLED prices are expected to level out over the next two to three years. Whether or not Panasonic can remain competitive with LG during that long of a period remains to be seen.

Secondarily, we (now) know that Panasonic is not planning on abandoning LCD TV technology for at least another year. Recently, the company announced five new entry-level 4K UHD televisions as part of the new CX Series. These televisions are aggressively priced, with the cheapest being $799 and the most expensive a mere $1,499, and offer screen sizes ranging from 50 to 65-inches. These models have officially bumped Panasonic’s lower-price 1080p offerings from their website.

All five CX televisions feature direct-lit LED backlighting, built-in Wi-Fi, and a host of Smart TV apps. Buyers can expect to have access to Netflix, YouTube, Toon Goggles, Pandora, and AccuWeather. They also offer both black and silver “super slim” bezels. What’s noticeably absent – and unfortunately so – is the presence of High Dynamic Range (HDR) across any of the models. As we’ve discussed over the past year, HDR will likely end-up being an incredibly impactful picture enhancing technology and more important than 4K’s native pixel count.

The CX400 black bezel models are available in three screen sizes:
TC-50CX400U (50" Class - 49.5" diagonal) - SRP $799.99
TC-55CX400U (55" Class - 54.6" diagonal) - SRP $999.99
TC-65CX400U (65" Class - 64.5" diagonal) - SRP $1,499.99

The CX420 matte silver bezel modes feature two screen sizes:
TC-55CX420U (55" Class - 54.6" diagonal) - SRP $999.99
TC-65CX420U (65" Class - 64.5" diagonal) - SRP $1,499.99


For more information about Panasonic’s new TVs, visit www.panasonic.com.



_Image Credit: Panasonic_


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## EricZimmerman (Oct 9, 2015)

Thanks for the info. Panasonic no longer exists in retail anywhere in this market area. I just upgraded to 4K and was expecting to find at least one Panasonic model, no luck anywhere in Northeast Wisconsin. I was very impressed with LG 4K flat screens.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

LG's current offerings are quite good --- the future is bright!


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