I saw the first OLED TV with LG’s new-gen cheaper panel, and it looks like a nice upgrade — but here's the fine print

The Panasonic Z86C looks like it could stand up against mid-range OLED models

25 Feb 2026, 23:00 · TechRadar

Features By Matt Bolton published 25 February 2026

(Image credit: Future)

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Panasonic recently unveiled its new 2026 TV line-up (for UK and Europe — US news will come later), and it included a new OLED model that's a world-first. The Panasonic Z86C will be a new entry-level OLED in Panasonic's range, and it's the only TV revealed at the time of writing to include LG Display's new OLED SE panel, which is set to be cheaper and potentially brighter than previous budget OLED screens.

The Z86C (known in Europe as the Z85C) is the only new OLED from Panasonic this year, because the company is keeping the Panasonic Z95B flagship TV and Z90B mid-range OLED from last year — the new one will slot in right below them.

I got to see the new TV at Panasonic's launch event, though while it was only a brief first impression, it looked initially positive in the area people will be most curious about: the brightness.

Some brief background on this new panel: LG Display says it should be cheaper to make and brighter (up to 1,000 nits) than the previous budget OLED panel, but one way it achieves this is by removing the polarizer, which is a layer designed to reduce reflections. Manufacturers can add their own polarizer, or another solution to reduce reflections, when they make the actual set, but this adds cost back in and reduces brightness.

(Image credit: Future)

But the good news with the Z86C is that when looking at it in a strongly lit conference room, with the Z90B mid-range just behind it for reference, it looks like it's delivering on the brightness front — and without any more obvious reflectivity than the Z90B.

Panasonic's demo was a very OLED friendly set of space images, with nebulae and galaxies and space stations moving against a black (and starry) backdrop. The individual tiny stars had a good amount of pop to them, more than I might've expected, while obviously benefitting from being against the deep inky black that OLED can achieve right next to the light.

In images that can take advantage of brightness, on the face of it the new panel really seemed to stand up to the mid-range one. The bright corona of a sun shimmers off the screen, and a swirling galaxy is full of vibrancy and rich hues. At a glance, there's very little to set the screens apart.

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