TECHWEEK
TVs from the Panasonic MX700 series provide exceptional 4K picture quality and easy access to all movies, shows and programs from streaming providers. All models in the MX700E series feature Panasonic’s innovative 4K color system for true-to-life reproduction of footage.
In addition, they offer impressive picture and sound quality, as well as a host of gaming features that also support the latest generation of gaming consoles and PCs. In our review of the Panasonic TX-55MX700 4K HDR, using the 55-inch model as an example, we will try to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the MX700 series.
Panasonic MX700 review
Design
The appearance of the Panasonic TX-55MX700 TV looks very impressive. The screen with fairly thin frames is attached to a stand extending from the center. This type of stand allows you to place the TV on a not very wide stand. The build quality is very good.
Despite the Edge LED backlighting used, the depth of the TV cannot be classified as AirSlim. At its widest point the depth is 66 mm. If you need to hang this TV on the wall, there are four holes on the back panel for this. For wall mounting, you will have to purchase a VESA 200 x 200 mm bracket (for a 55-inch TV).
In addition to the TV itself, the package includes a power cable, user manual and remote control, which also looks good. In addition to control buttons, the remote control has shortcuts that can directly enable popular services. There is also a microphone activation button for issuing voice commands. The remote control is powered by two AAA batteries.
Smart TV
The Panasonic 55MX700 TV is equipped with the Google TV operating system based on Android TV 11 . Such popular applications as YouTube, Disney Plus, Prime Video are already installed and ready to use. The missing applications can be installed from the Google Play Store, which is considered the most extensive among the stores of other operating systems.
Screen sharing is possible, although you will have to download the Google Home app on your smartphone to do so. If you want to give a voice command to this TV, then you need to press the voice assistant button on the remote control.
The operating system works well despite this being an entry-level TV. The Panasonic MX700 series TVs are powered by a 1300 MHz quad-core ARM Cortex A55 processor coupled with a Mali G31 GPU.
The amount of RAM is 2 GB. Additionally, the built-in media player ensures that personal multimedia content such as videos, music, photos, games and more can be easily played from USB drives.
Sound quality
The sound system of the TX-55MX700 TV consists of two speakers. The power of each of them is 10 W. This power is usually sufficient for viewing documentary programs in small rooms. Considering that this is an entry-level TV, the performance is quite acceptable.
When the volume is increased to maximum, the distortion is small. Performance may vary slightly depending on the use of different sound modes. Dialogue sounds clear, but bass is almost inaudible. Their deficiency is especially noticeable when watching movies with surround sound and when listening to music programs.
Lovers of high-quality sound are usually recommended to purchase an external sound solution, such as a sound bar or a multi-channel home theater system, since the TV has support for Dolby Atmos .
Image quality
Panasonic MX700 LCD TVs offer stunning picture quality and true-to-life colors, as well as high contrast and remarkable brightness. Additionally, its Panasonic Color Engine 4K is designed to further enhance the viewing experience by optimizing dark and bright areas for lifelike reproduction, and upscaling Full HD content with stunning detail.
To ensure movies look exactly the way the director intended, Film Director mode ensures images are consistently and accurately reproduced, while other presets such as Standard, Vivid, Sports, Cinema, Games ensure that all the content will be displayed in the best quality.
The Cinema picture mode is one of the best picture modes and is very well calibrated at the factory. To get the most out of picture quality, HDR (High Dynamic Range) formats such as Dolby Vision and HDR10 are supported. Additionally, HLG Photo ensures that photos are displayed in HDR with the highest possible contrast.
However, the TV does not have enough peak brightness to get the full HDR effect. In other picture modes (except Cinema), it is recommended to turn off dynamic contrast for a better viewing experience. And since the brightness level in HDR10 and Dolby Vision is not the highest, it does not do much to combat glare from light sources.
By turning off HDR, it becomes possible to achieve good image detail. The Panasonic 55MX700 TV, although it is an entry-level model, does its job very well. The TV demonstrates fairly high-quality results even when viewing low-resolution content. If the resolution is too low, you will see artifacts and blurriness around the edges of the object.
However, even flagship TVs will not be able to handle such content perfectly. The viewing angles of this model are not very good. This is also due to the fact that the TV is equipped with a VA panel . When looking at the screen from a very wide angle, the colors begin to appear cloudy.
Therefore, this TV is not recommended for watching football games, movies or video games with family or friends who will have to sit not perpendicular to the screen. But the uniformity of gray colors (dirty screen effect) of this model is more than acceptable.
Game Mode
Switching from TV to gaming couldn’t be easier than on the MX700. Game Mode reduces input lag with a single press of a button from the remote control. This means that everything displayed on the screen will follow your key input accurately and without delay. Gamers can benefit from a smoother gaming experience.
In addition to the automatic low latency mode, Panasonic MX700 models have 4K resolution, which allows you to play games at normal speed and realistic performance. However, it is worth noting that the panel refresh rate is up to 60 frames per second. That is, the TV cannot handle 4K@120Hz signals. Despite this, most regular games can be played without screen tearing or stuttering.
Connections
The 55MX700 TV has a pair of USB 2.0 ports, a LAN port for connecting to the Internet, antenna inputs
, an optical digital cable connector, a 3.5 mm audio output for connecting headphones, and a CI+ 1.4 slot for premium channels. There are also three HDMI 2.0 ports, one of which is compatible with eARC Enhanced Audio Return Channel . Wireless connections include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Conclusion
Although this is an entry-level model, overall image quality can be considered above average. The TV has very good viewing performance in dark rooms thanks to the VA panel.
The model also shows a good level of detail. On the other hand, this is far from the brightest TV. The Google TV operating system has good flexibility and, of course, a wide selection of applications thanks to the Play Store. This TV also has good image upscaling and more than acceptable gaming performance even without advanced technology.
The Panasonic 55MX700 also has a couple of small drawbacks. One of which is not the best viewing angles. This is due to the fact that the TV is equipped with a VA panel. The second drawback is the sound system, which leaves much to be desired. However, it should be noted that most TVs in this price category do not have better sound quality.
