Panasonic Z95A vs Panasonic Z95B: Which OLED TV wins?

The Panasonic Z95A OLED TV was one of my favorite models to launch in 2024. It helped rocket Panasonic back into the limelight after an eight-year hiatus.

In 2025, following the success of its Z95A, Panasonic refreshed the flagship with several awesome enhancements in the form of the Panasonic Z95B OLED. No longer is it locked to just 65-inch, and it's now equipped with a new panel and airflow system that improve its performance.

In the face of these changes, can the Z95A continue to hold the top spot against the brand's new flagship screen, or is the Panasonic Z95B the new must-buy pick among the best OLED TVs? Read on to find out which OLED is the better buy in 2025.

Panasonic Z95A vs Panasonic Z95B: Specs compared

Panasonic Z95A vs Panasonic Z95B: Design

Panasonic's two flagship OLED TVs are practically identical on the outside. They are built a bit thicker than most OLED TVs, with the Z95B measuring 2.2 inches and the Z95A measuring 2.7 inches, both without the stand.

On the inside, however, things are a little different.

While the Panasonic Z95A is equipped with a WOLED panel like some of the best LG TVs, its newest model boasts the fancy Primary RGB Tandem technology designed by LG Display. This is how the Z95B outperforms its predecessor in HDR color volume and color accuracy.

The panel differs from the older WOLED design as it stacks four OLED-emitting layers for more efficient color volume and brightness. It's not just the panel that's different, as Panasonic has also equipped the Z95B with improved airflow, ripping a page right out of Formula 1.

You're also getting some of the most bombastic audio available in a TV with the Z95A and Z95B. Last year's OLED differs only slightly, offering 160W power output versus the 170W on the Z95B. They're both built on a 5.1.2-channel system, offering front-firing array, upward-firing, and side-firing speakers as well as an integrated woofer and passive radiators but the Z95B gets a little louder.

Both TVs are also equipped with a sturdy base. It's a pedestal stand made of metal, but unlike similar models, it can swivel up to 90 degrees. This is an ingenious feature for folks who might be forced into watching their TV off-axis, as it allows you to turn the screen left or right to fit your home entertainment setup.

Another particular highlight for the Z95B is that it's now available in a wider range of sizes. Its predecessor was available only in a 65-inch model, but now you can get the Z95B in 55-inch, 65-inch, and even 77-inch models.

The Panasonic Z95B is the clear winner here, even if they look generally the same. The design improvements inside the Z95B give it a major leg up, and it shows that Panasonic isn't resting on its laurels. I think the one major improvement Panasonic should consider for the Z95C is adding two additional 2.1 HDMI inputs, and maybe even an HDMI 2.2 port in 2026.

Winner: Panasonic Z95B

Panasonic Z95A vs Panasonic Z95B: Performance

The Panasonic Z95B certainly has a leg up on its predecessor when it comes to performance. You can see this most especially in the Rec2020 gamut, which is notoriously one of the toughest color tests in our labs. Most TVs tend to reach about 70% to 75% of this gamut, but the Panasonic Z95B hit just over 81%. With a Delta-E of 1.3, these improvements in color coverage are amplified with better color accuracy.

Movies like "Deadpool and Wolverine" and "Barbie" are excellent for testing the color performance on these OLEDs, and it shows not just in vibrancy but also in depth.

HDR brightness was also slightly improved on the Z95B, which manages to spit out 1,859 nits in standard mode with HDR enabled. It's even better in Filmmaker mode, managing to eke out 2,262 nits with its luminance set to 100.

Gaming performance hasn't changed much. In fact, it's actually a bit worse on the Z95B, as the Z95A managed to hit 12.6ms in input latency versus 12.7ms on the newest model. It's not a terrible number by any means, but it could be better. We like to see input latency under 10ms on most TVs, but anything under 16ms is difficult to notice.

The major kicker on both TVs is the lack of two additional HDMI 2.1 ports. Because there are only two full-spec ports, gamers with multiple consoles will need to decide which console gets full 4K/120Hz support. Gamers that have a soundbar that needs the HDMI eARC port will only one high-speed input to work with.

Fortunately, the sound on both the Z95A and Z95B is absurdly good. You don't get TVs with this kind of sound quality. The Z95B bumps the speaker output from 160W on the to 170W, giving the newer model a wider soundstage. No matter which Panasonic OLED you get, they'll both offer some of the absolute best audio you'll get in a TV.

Although the Z95B only punches up ever-so-slightly against its predecessor, the improvements are noticeable. It suffers in terms of SDR brightness and gaming performance, but still offers incredible picture quality and color volume against the Z95A.

Winner: Panasonic Z95B

Panasonic Z95A vs Panasonic Z95B: Smart platform and features

Both TVs run on Fire TV, which isn't the most streamlined interface, but it does offer tons of free content in addition to all the best streaming services. The Z95A and Z95B are also two of the only OLEDs on the market that use the interface, so if Fire TV is your favorite OS, these are the TVs to buy.

The downside is that Fire TV skews its content recommendations for Prime Video, and has an egregious amount of ads.

At least you do have access to a variety of game streaming platforms, including Xbox Game Pass, Luna, and Nvidia GeForce Now. However, I recommend hard-wiring the TV to get the best performance if you plan on using any of these services.

In terms of HDR support, both TVs support the latest-and-greatest forms of HDR, Dolby Vision and HDR10+. This is one of the biggest selling points for either TV, offering you the most robust coverage in the market.

The Z95A and Z95B also come equipped with an ATSC 3.0 tuner, which is great if you're a fan of OTA channels and want to experience 4K broadcasts via Nextgen TV when they're more readily available.

Given that both TVs have the same TV interface and features, it's an obvious tie. I'm hoping Amazon eventually brings Alexa Plus to its Fire TV platform soon. This should give Panasonic OLEDs a boost against their AI-equipped competitors.

Winner: Tie

Panasonic Z95A vs Panasonic Z95B: Verdict

I still think the Panasonic Z95A is one of the best TVs you can buy. It's built with some serious specs and loads of features that make it stand out for those looking to get a premium OLED that pulls out all the stops.

But, it's clear Panasonic has rectified many of the downsides of the Z95A, the most prominent among them being its limited sizes. It's a win for everyone in the market looking for a new TV now that you can buy a cheaper 55-inch model, one that's slightly better than the original.

However, price is everything. If you'd rather save money and just want a 65-inch TV that boasts excellent audio, you can't go wrong with the 2024 model. The Panasonic Z95A is available for $1,999 on Amazon right now, which is great for a premium OLED of this caliber.

The 55-inch Panasonic Z95B is $2,397 on Amazon so you'll get a lot more screen real estate by going with the older model.

Both OLED TVs are powerhouses, and although the newer Z95B is the winner in technical performance, I personally think you can't go wrong with either model.

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