Review: Panasonic Viera XD902B Series Smart 4K LED TV

With TVs as good as the TX55CX802B on the market for 2015, we thought that Panasonic would struggle to make a range of sets that could top them. We were happy to be proved wrong with our recent review of the Panasonic TX58DX902B; it is something special. With its phenomenal professional cinema panel this set handlers absolutely everything you can throw at it. It can cope with the blackest of night and the most radiant sky. This TV does not struggle at all.

The TV has a 3000HZ processor which means it will give you effortlessly smooth images from sports to movies and will give you the look and feel that you are immersed in the show you are watching.TX58DX902B-1TX58DX902B-2We often demonstrate our TVs in store on movies and sports because this way we can see how they cope with motion and clarity and once again we were not disappointed. We watched Avatar because it is a film which gives us light and dark and in some parts is very fast moving. The film starts very dark and soon begins to get lighter and more colourful as it gets really into it. This looked amazing on the DX902B as I felt like I was part of the film, even checking that my skin hadn’t changed blue. After a couple of hours of playing with the TVs menus and smart functions we could see that it was definitely more fluid and quicker than last year’s CX802B.

The Freeview Play runs a treat and is nice and simple to use meaning when we miss our favourite shows we can easily find and catch up with no hassle. This isn’t limited to BBC iPlayer as it comes with ITV player, Channel 5 and All4 all accessible through the home pages. By using clear, superimposed icons, it’s easy to find the function you want. It gets better too, as just a few clicks will get your favourite apps, web pages or even TV channels to appear on your very own customised Homepage. With clarity and easy customisation, this is Smart TV as it should be! The Voice Assistant function means you simply need to speak into the controller to bring up content and search results. The DX902 is also compatible with the Control4 smart control.

TX58DX902B-3There are some slightly more niche features and functions, too. Hold down the “Home” button when watching terrestrial TV and you can access four colour-coded panels. Green will activate a weather forecast panel at the top of the screen, blue will open notifications on the right-side and the red panel reveals a list of TV channels for quick access. Finally, the yellow panel opens up ‘Recommended’. Within Recommended, the OS will give you you with a list of programmes that are currently airing that you might want to watch.

TX58DX902B-4Inputs are a major benefit for current TVs, normally the more the better and pleasingly this TV is full of them. Sporting 4 HDMI’s, 3 USB’s 1 optical, 1 headphone socket, 1 RCA and 1 SD card slot there’s plenty of choice. The DX902B has Freeview HD and Freesat HD built in meaning you can get all your favourite shows for free (once you’ve paid for your TV licence of course!)

4K is a big thing for the DX902B boasting a HDR (High Dynamic Range) premium display with local dimming ultra and 4K THX certification. (THX 4K Certified Displays show content in Ultra HD resolution with image clarity and resolution unlike anything we’ve previously seen in the display market, truly bringing the entertainment experience to life.) These all give you an amazing range of colours, detail and a brilliant range of black to white.

TX58DX902B-youtubeIn our opinion this TV will be a hard set to beat this year and is bound to be a top seller in both the 58” and 65” models. While it’s fair to say (and unsurprising) that it’s still not a match for a separate home cinema system, the sound quality on the DX902B is outstanding compared to today’s TV standards. With a 2.1 sound system, it uses four separate speakers plus quad passive radiators to provide fuller, richer sounds. Added to this, VR-Audio Master Surround 2.1 creates a spacious and ‘open’ sound quality. Much more than ‘just’ a TV, the Panasonic DX902B makes a statement in design. Sleek and clean in both design and appearance, the DX902B is also packed with some neat design details, such as the texturized metal bezel and the elegant metal-fronted feet.

See it for yourself in the ‘flesh’ at your local Hughes store and you’ll see just what we mean or click here to buy (finance options available) or rent this great TV.