Sony emerges victorious in its seventh consecutive "TVs Showdown" title
In the 21st annual Value Electronics TV Shootout for 2025, the competition was fierce among the top-tier OLED TVs, with Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung leading the pack. The event, which focuses on comparing and evaluating the best TVs, saw the debut of Panasonic's OLEDs in the U.S. market[2][3].
The Sony Bravia 8 II OLED emerged as the "King of TVs," garnering an overall score of approximately 4.02, just edging out Samsung’s S95F OLED (3.99) and Panasonic’s Z95B OLED (3.95)[1][5]. LG's G5 OLED, on the other hand, underperformed, scoring significantly lower at about 3.49, placing it behind the other three OLEDs[1][5].
In the detailed category scores, Sony excelled in critical areas such as contrast/grayscale, processing, and bright living room performance. Panasonic shone in colour and HDR, winning the Best HDR TV category[1][2]. Samsung performed strongly but slightly below Sony overall. LG's scores in contrast/grayscale (3.69), processing (3.31), and overall were less competitive compared to the others[1][2].
Alex Fried, Panasonic's Interactive Content & Services Group director of business development, attended the shootout and expressed satisfaction with the win[4]. Panasonic is now releasing three models of its OLEDs in the U.S.: 55-inch (55Z95B), 65-inch (65Z95B), and 75-inch (77Z95B)[6].
The judges, mostly display and film production professionals, ranked each panel based on commercially available films on Blu-ray and colour and monochrome test patterns from display test/calibration discs[7]. The OLED models from LG, Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony were compared to a Sony BVM studio reference monitor in varying categories[7].
The difference between the four models was thin and detectable only by the most discerning eyes in side-by-side comparisons. The Sony OLED had few flaws and performed exceptionally well in the competition. The Samsung QD-OLED scored highest in bright room testing due to its high brightness and matte screen[7]. Off-angle viewing was not evaluated in the competition, but OLEDs were noted to have less of an issue with off-angle viewing than LCD technology[7].
Robert Zohn, founder of Value Electronics, started the TV shootout to compare and evaluate the best TVs and to see the differences between each of them[8]. The event has become a highly anticipated annual event in the TV industry, showcasing the latest and greatest in TV technology.
[1] https://www.valueelectronics.com/tv-shootout-2025 [2] https://www.panasonic.com/us/news/press/2025/Mar2501.html [3] https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/panasonics-new-oled-tvs-are-coming-to-the-us-in-2025/ [4] https://www.panasonic.com/us/news/press/2025/Mar2502.html [5] https://www.valueelectronics.com/tv-shootout-2025-results [6] https://www.panasonic.com/us/support/av/tv/oled/65z95b.html [7] https://www.valueelectronics.com/tv-shootout-2025-judges [8] https://www.valueelectronics.com/about-us/history
- The Value Electronics TV Shootout for 2025 featured not only top-tier OLED TVs from Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung, but also showcased the latest technology, including smart-home devices, gadgets, and retail video offerings, as part of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
- Dealers of technology and home appliances saw an increase in interest for Panasonic's OLEDs following their successful debut at the Value Electronics TV Shootout in 2025, due to the technology's impressive performance in contrast/grayscale, processing, and bright living room performance.
- The accumulation of high-end TV technology is expanding beyond the living room, with retailers now offering video streaming devices and smart-home devices compatible with various OLED TV brands, such as those from Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung.
- The development of OLED technology for TVs has been a significant focus at CES events, with companies like Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung continually releasing new and improved models to cater to the growing demand for advanced visual and auditory experiences in both home and professional settings.
