After a busy season of testing many of the best OLED TVs, it's clear that LG remains the king of OLED technology. I mean, that has to be the case – it is the company that produces the actual panels, after all.
But while I've been hugely impressed by the top-tier LG OLED G5 – which introduced a new multi-layer OLED technology to TVs – I've also just finished testing out Panasonic's latest, the Z95B, which actually betters it in some ways.
There's more, too, with Philips' latest OLED+910 now also on sale – which I side-by-side tested against Samsung and Sony QD-OLED models – which brings the same panel technology as both the LG and Panasonic, but wrapped with its Ambilight system for an extra flash of appeal.
Top 3 OLED models
LG v Panasonic v Philips: Price
The LG OLED G5 is available in 55-, 65- and 77-inch panel sizes with the latest OLED panel tech on board. It's also available in 48-, 83- and 97-inch forms, but with different panels.
The Panasonic Z95B is available in 55-, 65- and 77-inch sizes – the trio of sizes that the multi-layered OLED panel technology is currently produced in.
The Philips OLED+910 is only available in 65- and 77-inch sizes in the UK (there's a 55-inch for Europe that doesn't exist over here).
In the above blocks I've compared the 65-inch models' prices and shown their respective discounts where I can find each cheapest.
If you're after smaller, however, then the LG and Panasonic in 55-inch sizes are priced below:
LG v Panasonic v Philips: What's Unique?
So why might you chose any one of these sets over the other? Here's a quick overview
LG OLED G5
For me, this is the best wall-mountable OLED TV, as it's the most slender, most premium in design, and will look the part.
That's not to take away from its image quality, mind, which is second to none. The cinematic quality to its images is impeccable.
Gamers will love that all four HDMI ports are the 2.1 type, though, ensuring future compatibility with everything.
You'll likely want to save the eARC port for the best soundbar to pair with this LG TV, though.
Panasonic Z95B
Panasonic might seem like an underdog, but it's been at this game for years – it's just been absent from the US market, until now.
The Z95B is a stellar introduction, too, with image quality that's opulent yet believable, leveraging everything the LG can offer.
It's only got two of four HDMI ports as the 2.1 type, though, meaning two are 2.0 – not so good for future-proofing and gamers.
That said, you'll never likely want to use the eARC socket for one of the best soundbars, as this set's Technics-tuned 5.1.2 system is genuinely impressive.
Philips OLED+910
The Philips high-level of spec and addition of the Ambilight feature make for a really appealing offering.
Not only that, as you'll have seen in the pricing section, Philips savvily undercuts its competition by being the more affordable of the lot – to the point that it's meaningful.
It's interesting that adding Ambilight doesn't further add to the amount you'll need to pay. I love the Ambilight effect (my last-gen 809 model is in my living room between testing new sets, so I'm used to it).
LG v Panasonic v Philips: Which wins?
So what's the best of the best in this OLED trio then? Picture quality is impeccable among all three, so it's the other differentiating factors that help separate them.
If sound is important, but you don't want to faff with an additional soundbar, and don't think wall-mounting is for you, then Panasonic's Z95B is the full package.
If you want full-on future-proofing, however, then the LG OLED G5 is the only model with all four HDMI ports at the 2.1 specification. That means up to 165Hz frame-rates for PC and (in the future, perhaps) console gamers. Its pictures are also sublimely cinematic, so not just good for gamers.
Lastly, if you want to save spending money, and love the idea of Ambilight, then Philips' unique technology really adds to immersion – and with an AO membership it's the cheapest by far. That, for many, will make it the one to pick.
