Review: Panasonic FX700 (TX-65FX700E)

The new Panasonic FX700 series is among Panasonic’s cheaper models, but the appearance is slightly deceiving: The TV seems more expensive than the price would suggest. It actually looks a bit exclusive with its tight and sleek workmanship. The frame is in brushed metal and the back is smooth with connections hidden behind the covers. There is nothing sticking out.

Usability and features

Panasonic has a very simple menu system, for better or worse. The Japanese have decided to use their self-developed smart platform this year as well. There are no tiresome Google menus that can distract us from the TV experience. However, Panasonic has made sure to have the most important apps like YouTube and Netflix in place but beyond that the selection is limited. There are more well-equipped “smart TVs” out there. On the other hand, Panasonic has provided a tremendously fast game mode: We measured it to between 5 and 20 milliseconds.

Picture quality

65FX700 uses a VA LCD panel with an extra wide colour range, or Wide Colour Spectrum as Panasonic calls it. And the TV has really beautiful and natural colour rendition: You’ll get all the coloured nuances without an exaggerated or artificial look. Panasonic has also made a superb sports mode with vibrant colours. It has good motion smoothing that works well when things speed up on the track. The movements are smooth with no troublesome noise. It is not as sharp as the more expensive models of Sony and LG (XE9005/SK8500), but it performs well for its price. The viewing angle is quite okay.
However, Panasonic falters a little in contrast. As usual for an ordinary LCD display, the black level is nothing to brag about, and the brightness is average. This makes the HDR series such as Stranger Things a little faded. Dark scenes lack depth, and the bright parts could be more intense.

Sound quality

The Panasonic 65FX700 does not have any expensive sound system, just regular submounted speakers. The rendition of speech is clear, but there is not much bass to speak of. We recommend a separate soundbar for this one.

Conclusion

The Panasonic 65FX700 is a well made TV with great design, quality and compelling performance on the image front. The sound is also approved – but on the whole it is slightly “raspy”. The competition is tough in this segment, and Panasonic lacks a little to rival the top competitors. It’s still a great choice for those who want a simple, easy-to-use TV with a great picture.