Thomas J. Norton

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Unique adjustability
Outstanding overall performance
Tank-like construction
Minus
Complex adjustments
Won't play SACDs

THE VERDICT
If you're in the market for an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc player that can do everything you want, and plenty of things you didn't know you wanted, Panasonic's flagship model leaves little on the table.

When Panasonic introduced its flagship DP-UB9000 Ultra HD Blu-ray player in early 2018, serious videophiles in the U.S. were set to drooling. Although a less expensive player, the DP-UDP820, had been widely available for some time, this new model clearly offered more. In late 2018, the New York A/V dealer Value Electronics ended up becoming the exclusive U.S. source for the DP-UB9000. That launch proved so successful that Panasonic's flagship player is now widely available, replacing the discontinued Oppo UDP-205 and UDP-203 players as the premium disc spinner du jour.

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG support
Great post-calibration performance
Low price
Minus
Limited HDR brightness
Poor off-center picture uniformity
No useful motion-smoothing options

THE VERDICT
Vizio's $1,000 M-Series Quantum set offers impressive performance in a 65-inch screen size for those unwilling to spend hundreds or even thousands more to bring home a bigscreen Ultra HDTV experience.

Vizio has long been a value leader in the HDTV world. And despite recent challenges from Chinese companies at the low end, and even from established Korean and Japanese manufacturers with pricier but still affordable sets, Vizio appears determined to maintain, or even enhance, its position.

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Unsurpassed contrast
Superb color and resolution
Viewable from any angle
Minus
Complicated picture adjustments
Pricey

THE VERDICT
Sony's new XBR-65A9G OLED TV is undoubtedly pricey, but we'd be hard-pressed to name a flat-panel Ultra HD TV that provides better overall performance.

Sony's XBR-A9G, the latest OLED entry in the company's Master Series TV lineup, follows fast on the heels of its previous A9F. While the differences from that model are minor, the A9G's list of upgrades include a different (and arguably improved) stand, a better remote control, and a few performance tweaks. The A9G lineup also includes a 77-inch model, but the 65-inch XBR-65A9G is the featured attraction here.