Panasonic W70 Series 55W70BP 55"

If you can snag the 55W70BP for around $300, it's a perfectly acceptable cheap 4K TV. At any other price, it's just a mediocre panel with terrible sound.

The Panasonic W70 Series 55W70BP is a confusing TV, not because of what it does, but because of how wildly its price swings from one store to the next. At around $298, it's a perfectly reasonable 4K TV with built-in Fire TV and surprisingly competent HDR. At $939, it's one of the worst values we've ever seen. The one thing you need to know is that this set is only worth your money if you score the absolute lowest street price. Otherwise, there are much better options for the same cash.

We were genuinely surprised by the HDR support here. HDR10+ and HLG on a budget panel isn't something you see every day, and our database pegs it in the top 84th percentile for HDR features in this class. That said, the rest of the picture quality is a letdown. The Direct LED backlight without local dimming means blacks are more gray than deep, and peak brightness is mediocre. MEMC motion smoothing is fine for sports, but it introduces that soap opera effect if you're not careful. And that 20W audio system? It's exactly as bad as people say—thin, hollow, and borderline useless for movies. Plan on a soundbar.

The price spread on this model is insane, from $298 to $939 across vendors. If you find it under $350, it's a solid casual TV for a bedroom or kitchen. At $500 or more, you're entering territory where a Hisense U7 or TCL QM7K absolutely demolishes it in picture and build quality. The $298 deal makes this a maybe; everything else makes it a hard pass.

Stacked against the TCL QM7K or Hisense U7, the Panasonic gets outclassed in every picture metric that matters—brightness, contrast, local dimming, refresh rate. Those sets also cost more, but their price hikes are justified. The Sony BRAVIA 5 offers superior processing and color accuracy for a bit more money. This Panasonic only makes sense if you truly cannot spend a dime over $300. In that case, it's this or a used screen, and the Panasonic wins.

If you're looking for a bright, punchy HDR picture, smooth 120Hz gaming, or any kind of built-in audio that doesn't sound like a laptop speaker, skip this immediately. The TCL QM7K or Hisense U7 are the real budget champs. This Panasonic is only for the absolute tightest budgets where $300 is the hard ceiling, and even then you should know what you're giving up.

Only buy the 55W70BP if you see it for $350 or less from a reputable seller. At that price, it's an acceptable, no-frills 4K TV with a decent smart platform. Any higher, and you're paying a premium for a panel that's out of its depth. The TCL QM7K is our go-to budget hero for anyone with even a little more wiggle room.