Back in the (good?) old days, TV companies used to announce their new models at CES in January, start shipping them in the Spring, drop the prices on Black Friday and that was it. Rinse and repeat. But now we seem to have more of a “phased” rollout where companies drop new TV models at random times without notice and leave it up to consumers (and tech journalists) to figure it out.
The Panasonic Z8BA 77-inch OLED 4K TV, announced this week, is the latest example of this trend. It promises high-end OLED performance for movies, shows, and games, but at a far lower cost than the current flagship Z95B OLED TV. The Z8BA is being introduced at a “promotional” price of $2,499. It is available to order now and expected to begin shipping next week:
> Panasonic 77-inch Z8BA OLED TV on Amazon.com
Panasonic tells us that the Z8BA is actually a 2024 model, which is being released in the U.S. now due to consumer demand. Apparently U.S. consumers can’t get enough of those big big screens, and currently the only Panasonic OLED model available in the U.S. in the 77-inch screen size is the flagship Z95B, which sells for around $4,699 (MSRP) though it is normally discounted. So this “new” Z8BA will sell for around $2,200 less than the current flagship model.
Looking at its specs, the Z8BA appears quite similar to the Z90A, release in Europe last year. It features the same 144 Hz “Master OLED Pro” panel, which the folks at Trusted Reviews measured at around 1,000 nits peak brightness, impressive for a non-flagship OLED TV. The Z8BA also features a top-notch sound system, tuned by the good folks at Technics, Panasonic’s high-end audio brand.
Panasonic’s return to the U.S. market follows a long hiatus, during which Samsung, LG, and Sony carved up much of the high-end TV landscape. Strong OLED performance overseas convinced Panasonic to come back, and in the recent 2025 Value Electronics OLED TV Shoot-out, Editor At-Large Chris Boylan weighed in on how the 65-inch Z95B OLED stacked up against its rivals. Boylan was impressed with the Panasonic set’s performance and, in fact, it earned the highest scores overall for HDR at the event. But that set does use LG’s latest quad stack Tandem RGB OLED panel, which the Z8BA does not. Still, is the Z8BA worth buying? Let’s take a closer look at the features and specs.
Panasonic Z8BA OLED Core Features:
The Panel and Processor: The Z8BA starts with a 77-inch LG Display-sourced OLED panel, branded by Panasonic as Master OLED Pro Cinema Size. It delivers high brightness and pairs with the Panasonic HCX Pro AI Processor MKII, which handles color, contrast, upscaling, and motion with precision—ensuring the large-screen experience stays sharp and natural.
HDR: The Z8BA supports a wide range of HDR formats, including Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive, optimizing highlights and shadow detail based on your room’s lighting. Netflix Calibrated Mode is included as well, so streamed content always hits the mark the way the creators intended.
Calibration: For enthusiasts who want absolute precision, the Z8BA supports CALMAN and ISFccc calibration. Professional calibrators can fine-tune the TV to your specific room and lighting conditions, extracting the best possible performance from the panel.
Fire TV: Streaming dominates how most people watch TV, and the Z8BA has Amazon’s Fire TV OS built in. That means thousands of apps are ready to go right out of the box (internet connection required). While some are not fans of the Fire TV interface (it is definitely more shopping-oriented than the competition), but all of the Smart TV platforms – Google TV, Tizen, WebOS and Roku – have their own built-in biases. So really it’s just a question of which platform you prefer. Fire TV is certainly as robust as any competitor.
Pro tip: the Z8BA also includes four HDMI inputs for connecting other devices, including DVD/Blu-ray/UHD Blu-ray players, cable/satellite boxes, and game consoles.
NEXTGen TV: Beyond streaming and HDMI connectivity, the Panasonic Z8BA includes both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 tuners. ATSC 3.0 lets you access local stations broadcasting NEXTGEN TV signals. If none are live in your area yet, they should be soon—just hook up an indoor or outdoor antenna and scan for available channels to stay current with this evolving over-the-air standard.
Gaming: Gaming is a major focus for the Z8BA, which includes Game Mode Xtreme. The TV supports up to a 144Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 features, including HFR (High Frame Rate), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), and is both G-Sync and FreeSync compatible. True Game Mode further refines the experience, improving color accuracy through white balance and grayscale adjustments so games look exactly as intended.
Audio: Most TV makers treat onboard audio as an afterthought, but Panasonic has put real effort into the Z8BA. The TV features a Dolby Atmos-capable system with a 5.1.2 channel setup, including dedicated front, side, and upward-firing speakers, plus a 20-watt built-in subwoofer supported by two passive radiators. Total power output is 170 watts, and the system has been tuned by Technics. Before you rush to buy a soundbar, give this one a listen—it’s designed to perform at a high level while still conforming to a relatively thin profile.
Control: Although the Z8BA does come with a standard remote control, it is also compatible with Alexa voice control, which provides a hands-free control option. In fact, you can use your TV as you would other Alexa-enabled devices to access information or control other compatible devices around the house.
Comparison – 77Z8BA vs 77Z95B OLED TVs
| Panasonic TV Model | TV-77Z8BA | TV-77Z95B |
| TV Type | 4K OLED | 4K OLED |
| Price | $2,499.99 | $4,699.99 |
| Screen Size | 77-inches | 77-inches |
| Panel Technology | Master OLED Pro Cinema Size panel | Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel with Panasonic ThermaFlow heat management |
| Resolution | 4K Ultra HD 3,840 x 2,160 | 4K Ultra HD 3,840 x 2,160 |
| Panel Refresh Rate | Up to 144Hz | Up to 144Hz |
| Multi HDR Support | HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ | HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ |
| Contrast | Ultimate Contrast | Ultimate Contrast |
| Filmmaker Mode | Yes (with intelligent sensing) | Yes (with intelligent sensing) |
| Auto AI for Picture | Yes | Yes |
| Picture Mode | Auto AI/Dynamic/Normal/Cinema/True Cinema FILMMAKER/Custom/Professional1/Professional2/Sport/Game/True Game Dolby Vision (Vivid/IQ/Dark/Game) Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode | Auto AI/Dynamic/Normal/Cinema/True Cinema FILMMAKER/Custom/Professional1/Professional2/Sport/Game/True Game Dolby Vision (Vivid/IQ/Dark/Game) Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode Prime Video Calibration Mode |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
| Surround Sound Support | 360° Soundscape Pro by Technics | 360° Soundscape Pro by Technics |
| Speaker Output | 170 W Front Line Array: 90 W Side: 15 W x 2 Upward: 15 W x 2 Woofer: 20 W Passive Radiator x 2 | 180 W Front Line Array: 90 W Side: 15 W x 2 Upward: 15 W x 2 Woofer: 30 W Passive Radiator x 2 |
| Auto AI for Sound | Yes | Yes |
| Sound Mode | AutoAI, Standard, Music, Speech, Stadium, FPS, RPG, User | AutoAI, Standard, Music, Speech, Stadium, FPS, RPG, User |
| TV Tuner | ATSC 1.0, ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) | ATSC 1.0, ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) |
| Smart TV OS | Fire TV | Fire TV |
| Alexa Built-in | Yes (Hands-free) | Yes (Hands-free) |
| Works with Alexa | Yes | Yes |
| Apple AirPlay | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Home | Yes | Yes |
| Game Mode | Yes (Game Mode Extreme with Upgraded Game Control Board) | Yes (Game Mode Extreme with Upgraded Game Control Board) |
| HDMI 2.1 VRR Support | Yes (Up to 144Hz) | Yes (Up to 144Hz) |
| HDMI 2.1 HFR Support | Yes | Yes |
| AMD FreeSync Premium | Yes | Yes |
| G-Sync Compatible | Yes | Yes |
| HDMI Inputs | 4 | 4 |
| HDCP | Ver 2.3 | Ver 2.3 |
| HDMI Feature Support | HDMI 2.1 eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) <Input 2 > ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode ) <All inputs> VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) <input 1 & 2> 4K HFR (High Frame Rate ) <input 1 & 2> AMD Freesync Premium <input 1 & 2> G-Sync Compatible <input 1 & 2> | HDMI 2.1 eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) <Input 2 > ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode ) <All inputs> VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) <input 1 & 2> 4K HFR (High Frame Rate ) <input 1 & 2> AMD Freesync Premium <input 1 & 2> G-Sync Compatible <input 1 & 2> |
| HDMI Signal Power Link | Yes | Yes |
| USB | 2 (2 side; USB 3.0 x 1, USB 2.0 x 1) | 2 (2 side; USB 3.0 x 1, USB 2.0 x 1) |
| Ethernet | Yes -1 | Yes – 1 |
| Digital Audio Output (Optical) | Yes – 1 | Yes – 1 |
| Headphone/Subwoofer Output (Switchable) | Yes – 1 | Yes – 1 |
The Bottom Line
The Panasonic Z8BA looks like a strong performer, for movie lovers, TV bingers, gamers and those who like their TVs to actually sound as good as they look. With its 144 Hz Master OLED Pro panel and Panasonic’s high quality video processing, we expect it to perform extremely well on all sorts of content. But… is it worth buying?
Even at the promotional price of $2,499, the Panasonic Z8BA faces some stiff competition. LG’s 77-inch C5 OLED TV likely offers similar video performance, and it is currently selling for under $2,000. The Z8BA does offer some advantages over the LG model: support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, an ATSC 3.0 tuner and superior on-board audio, but are these upgrades worth an additional $500? If the Z8BA drops below $2,000, we’d say jump on that deal, but at $2,499, we’re a little less excited.
Price & Availability
The Panasonic 77-inch Z8BA OLED TV is available for pre-order now for $2,499.99 only at Amazon, with wider availability rolling out in mid-November. Panasonic’s product page lists the regular price at $4,299.99 but that seems like a fairly meaningless number. Panasonic is very unlikely to raise the price to near flagship levels as Black Friday approaches. Here’s the Amazon link to purchase:
> Panasonic 77-inch Z8BA OLED TV on Amazon.com
Meanwhile Panasonic’s flagship Z95B 4K OLED TVs (2025 models) are also available in 55-inch to 77-inch screen sizes. Pricing is current as of publication of this article (October 23, 2025) but these may change:
- PanasonIc Z95B (55Z95BP) – 55-inches $2,599 at Amazon
- Panasonic Z95B (65Z95BP) – 65-inches $3,399 at Amazon
- Panasonic Z95B (77Z95BP) – 77-inches $4,699 at Amazon
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