Skip to main content
DEAL WATCH: Keurig K-Express | 22% off $69.99

Keurig has changed the face of coffee, and snagging one of these for less than $70 is a solid deal. Read Review

BUY NOW
  • Related content

  • How We Tested

  • Video Review

  • Series Info

  • What We Like

  • What We Don't Like

  • The Verdict

  • Calibration

  • Contrast Ratio

  • Viewing Angle

  • Color Gamut

  • Grayscale & RGB Balance

  • Gamma

  • Related content
  • How We Tested
  • Video Review
  • Series Info
  • What We Like
  • What We Don't Like
  • The Verdict
  • Calibration
  • Contrast Ratio
  • Viewing Angle
  • Color Gamut
  • Grayscale & RGB Balance
  • Gamma

Yet unlike some of the bottom-of-the-barrel 4Ks we saw last year, the CX420U is actually a really good TV on top of being affordable and 4K-ready. It lacks some of the more impressive color stats and contrast abilities of its pricier peers, but for what you're paying it handles all kinds of content well and looks good in variable lighting conditions.

A few issues may turn away strict videophiles, but the majority of viewers won't have a problem. If you've been looking to get your hands on fancy new 4K resolution but have been waiting for a budget option that doesn't sacrifice its picture quality, the CX420U is a smart choice.

But is it the smartest choice? Unfortunately, no: a more robust feature set, slightly better PQ, and a recent massive price cut elect Vizio's 55-inch M Series ($800 right now) as the 4K value to beat.

Related content

  • An ISF calibration in process

    feature

    What Is TV Calibration and Why Do I Need It?
  • The TCL S4 LED TV on an entertainment center with a brick background.

    review

    TCL S4 LED TV review

How We Tested

We received the 55-inch CX420U on loan from Panasonic. Before testing we gave the TV ~20 hours to warm up by playing content that ranged from streaming movies to color bar patterns.

I watched a variety of content including 720p/1080p cable broadcasts, 1080p and 4K content on various streaming providers, and Blu-ray discs. We spent about five days total with the CX420U.

Video Review

{{brightcove '4727962191001'}}

The CX420U's performance is basically identical to the CX400U—the only real difference is the CX420U's silver bezel.

Series Info

Panasonic's CX420U series is available in two screen sizes:

• 55-inch model (TC-55CX420U), $1,059 MSRP • 65-inch model (TC-65CX420U), $1,649 MSRP

{{amazon name="Panasonic TC55CX800U 55" 4K UHD 3D 240Hz Smart LED TV", asin="B017CGZWHU", align="right"}}This series lives below Panasonic's CX600U, CX800U, and flagship CX850U and above the CX400U in the company's 2015 lineup.

The 55- and 65-inch CX420U TVs are roughly identical: both are direct-lit LED TVs with 4K resolution, identical AV ports, and simple smart TV features that focus on apps. The main difference between this series and the CX400U series below it is this one's silver design aesthetic.

While our review sample is a 55-inch CX420U, we expect performance parameters such as color, contrast, motion, and viewing angle to be identical between the 55- and 65-inch CX420U 4K TVs—one is just bigger than the other. Because both use static direct LED backlights, we also expect very similar screen uniformity.

What We Like

A good-looking 4K TV for the price, and the design ain't too shabby either.

There's a lot to like about the CX420U: simple menus, a clean design, and a friendly price tag. I started my time with this TV watching some 4K content on Netflix, specifically the new "Waterfall" entry into the Moving Art series of 4K videos. It took the TV a little longer than normal to get up to speed for 4K playback, but everything looked good once it did.

Panasonic CX420U performance
Credit: Reviewed.com / Lee Neikirk

Native 4K content off of Netflix naturally looked excellent, taking advantage of the CX420U's rich contrast and numerous pixels.

As with most of 2015's affordable 4K sets, colors were accurate but didn't exactly "pop" like today's 4K TVs with quantum dot. The color isn't bad, but it doesn't have the intense, next-generation look of pricier 4K sets. Even still, the super-blue "day for night" scenes in Mad Max look great and, as it stands, are plenty blue enough.

The TV's contrasting areas—inky shadows and bright sunlit spots—also looked very good. Like the CX400U, the CX420U has great screen contrast, owing in part to Panasonic's VA (Vertical Alignment) panel design. Like its sister model, it uses a "locked" backlight, so while it won't get severely bright or dark, it maintains consistent contrast during all content types.

Panasonic CX420U skin tone representation
Credit: Reviewed.com / Lee Neikirk

Modern 1080p Blu-rays like Mad Max: Fury Road look great here. Even in Vivid mode, the CX420U boasts fairly accurate skin tones.

Finally, if you're into the hardware and design of your TV, you should note that despite its silvery matte finish, the CX420U is not a traditional heavy metal/industrial Panny TV. It's mostly a high-quality plastic, and the 55-inch version we tested wasn't very heavy. This isn't really a bad thing, since Panasonic's usual metallic design would up the price, but it's worth keeping in mind if you're a long-standing "fanasonic."

{{ photo_gallery "design" }}

What We Don't Like

Some assembly required

If there's one thing I don't like about this TV, it's that it isn't really set up properly in Cinema mode. Traditionally, Panasonic TVs have a "movie" or "cinema" mode that represents the most accurate picture out of the box, but the CX420U doesn't quite hit the mark.

Since it's a 4K TV and has to upscale most content, you'll find on cable and Netflix it needs to be especially careful about sharpening. Unfortunately, the Cinema mode over-sharpens, which is especially noticeable when there's film grain on Blu-rays or compression artifacts during streaming.

{{ photo_gallery "sharpness" }}

I noticed this some in Mad Max: Fury Road. I watched the opening scene where Imperator Furiosa first embarks on the eastward detour away from the Bullet Farm, and noticed distant shots of the desert just looked grainy and bad, especially during horizontal/diagonal panning. Turning the "Sharpness" setting down to zero improved things, however, so we recommend notching down the sharpness stat.

The Cinema mode also has the "MEMC" motion smoothing setting toggled to Medium by default. The CX420U is a 120 Hz TV, so it (like most TVs) doesn't really need motion smoothing to look good. We recommend just turning this off unless you're noticing blurring/judder on cable/satellite sports or action movies. It especially shouldn't be on if you're watching filmic content on DVD or Blu-ray.

Credit: Reviewed.com / Lee Neikirk

Head on viewing (left) looks great, offering up good contrast. But if you watch too far from center (right) colors shift and black levels lose some efficacy.

However, the CX420U's biggest issues are the same as its sister model, the CX400U. Notably, while the TV delivers great head-on contrast, it's picture degrades quickly during off-angle viewing. This means it isn't the best choice for big rooms or large groups of spread out viewers.

Lastly, it may go without saying, but don't count on great audio here. In fact, the CX420U sounds especially bad to me, and turning it up during Mad Max revealed compressed, tinny-sounding speakers that struggle with clarity at higher volumes. If you want good sound to complement the overall good picture, at least get a soundbar.

The Verdict

Another solid 4K value from Panasonic, this time with a silvery flourish

Panasonic already earned our seal of approval with the CX400U series, which is more or less identical to the CX420U. Both sets deliver excellent contrast, accurate color, 4K resolution, and at least a few useful smart features. The CX420U actually wins a few more accolades with its silvery finish, which gives it a sleeker, more stylish appearance.{{amazon name="VIZIO M55-C2 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2015 Model)", asin="B00T63YW38", align="right"}}

The problem, however, is that the CX420U just don't stand up against our favorite affordable 4K TV, Vizio's M series. It boasts similar design and slightly better picture quality, and you can find the 55-inch M series for just $800 online as of this review. It's hard not to outright recommend it.

That Vizio may be also simply be the better choice if you can't find the CX420U. Like with the similar CX400U 4K LED TV series, this one's availability appears to be quite limited, with online options limited and retail locations up to chance.

However, if you are dead set on tracking down the CX420U, you can currently find it direct from Panasonic for $899, or on Newegg for the MSRP of $1,299.

Panasonic CX420U series
Credit: Reviewed.com / Lee Neikirk

Calibration

Like the CX400U, the CX420U doesn't feature advanced 20-point white balance controls, nor backlight or gamma controls. Fortunately, I was able to make small improvements using the 2-point control.

Contrast Ratio

The CX420U boasts good contrast for the price. Using a standard ANSI pattern, I measured a black level of 0.047 and a reference white of 209.80, giving the CX420U a contrast ratio of 4010:1.

Viewing Angle

CX420U viewing angle

The CX420U doesn't offer up the best viewing angle, though it's on-par with similarly sized 4K LED TVs. I measured a total viewing angle of 36°, or ±18° from the either side.

Color Gamut

While not perfect, the CX420U's out-of-the-box Cinema mode color is quite accurate for a 4K set in this price range.

Grayscale & RGB Balance

The CX420U's grayscale and RGB emphasis suffered from under-emphasis of blue in the Warm color temperature setting, resulting in the grayscale dE above. Small tweaks to the "gain" side in 2-point white balance corrected the upper half.

Gamma

The CX420U posits a mostly flat 3.5 gamma curve across the grayscale input, which is fairly well suited for a dimmer "movie night" environment.

Meet the tester

Lee Neikirk

Lee Neikirk

Former Editor, Home Theater

@Koanshark

Lee was Reviewed's point person for most television and home theater products from 2012 until early 2022. Lee received Level II certification in TV calibration from the Imaging Science Foundation in 2013. As Editor of the Home Theater vertical, Lee oversaw reviews of TVs, monitors, soundbars, and Bluetooth speakers. He also reviewed headphones, and has a background in music performance.

See all of Lee Neikirk's reviews

Checking our work.

Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.

Shoot us an email

Up next