Remember when a 40-inch TV was a colossal achievement? Times have certainly changed! Today, 40-inch TVs like Panasonic's TX-40JX850B are more compact options, perfect for bedrooms or studies, instead of the main living room.

Interestingly, this shift has led to a certain sameness in the 40-inch market, with many manufacturers honing in on cost over premium features. However, the Panasonic TX-40JX850B breaks this mold. Its advanced panel specifications and impressive features position it as a top-tier option in the realm of 40-inch TVs.

Price

The TX-40JX850B is currently available in the UK for £599. However, Panasonic TVs are not sold in the US or Australia, so the JX850 is exclusive to the UK market.

The TX-40JX850B might seem a bit pricey by modern 40-inch TV standards. In fact, you can find 50- and even 55-inch TVs that are similarly priced or cheaper. However, the JX850 series is a higher-end option in Panasonic's current UK lineup, just below the flagship JX940 series. This positioning means it boasts superior features, especially in picture quality and customization, compared to many other 40-inch TVs.

The series also includes 50-inch, 58-inch, and 65-inch models, priced at £530, £600, and £1000, respectively. Interestingly, the 58-inch version is available at the same price as the 40-inch model, and the 50-inch version is even cheaper by £70. Nonetheless, we haven't tested the larger models yet and cannot confirm if they maintain the same quality, as larger panels can bring their own set of challenges.

Design

Our latest model features a sleek and modern design, perfect for any contemporary living space. The attention to detail is remarkable, with premium materials used throughout to ensure it not only looks good but feels good too.

Innovative Features

We've incorporated cutting-edge technology to bring you a device that is both functional and stylish. From the intuitive interface to the seamless connectivity options, every aspect has been designed with the user in mind.

Elegance Meets Functionality

While the design is undoubtedly elegant, it doesn't compromise on functionality. Every component has been thoughtfully placed to provide the best possible user experience.

• Intuitive interface

• Seamless connectivity options

• Premium materials

Experience the perfect blend of form and function with our latest model, designed to elevate your everyday living.

The TX-40JX850 boasts a premium design that is sure to impress. Its screen frame is incredibly slim, exuding a high-quality feel. Complementing this is the brushed metallic black finish of the sleek, rectangular plate-style desktop stand, with the screen standing just a tad above the elegant bezel.

Attaching the stand involves a bit of effort (10 screws!), but once it's in place, it feels stable and robust, adding to the overall premium look.

The JX850’s rear design is trendy and trim at its upper edge. Expectedly, the depth increases at the bottom two-thirds to accommodate essential components like panel drivers, tuners, connections, and speakers.

The TV is paired with a large, button-heavy remote control. Though it feels somewhat plasticky for a high-end TV, its layout is mostly user-friendly. Particularly useful are the direct shortcuts at the top for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Rakuten, YouTube, Freeview Play, and a customizable option for your favorite app.

Features

Our latest product comes packed with features that are sure to impress. Designed with high-quality materials and the latest technology, it offers unparalleled performance and durability. From its sleek design to its powerful capabilities, every detail has been carefully considered to provide an exceptional user experience.

Some of the standout features include:

• Innovative Design: A modern, minimalist look that complements any setting.

• Advanced Technology: The latest in performance and efficiency, ensuring you get the best results possible.

• User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive controls that make it easy for anyone to use.

• Durability: Built to last with premium materials and craftsmanship.

These features, combined with our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, make our product the best choice for anyone looking for top-notch performance and style.

The TX-40JX850B shines brightly from the get-go, utilizing a VA LCD panel over an IPS one. Although this choice results in limited viewing angles, it offers better black levels and contrast, which experience confirms.

Notably, all JX850 screen sizes feature VA (vertical alignment) panels, avoiding the mix of panel types prevalent in today’s LCD TV market.

Less promising for a TV high in Panasonic’s lineup is the TX-40JX850’s edge-based LED lighting instead of direct LED lighting. Edge-based lighting often diminishes contrast and black levels, raising the chances of backlight clouding issues.

Offsetting potential edge LED drawbacks is the JX850’s Local Dimming Pro technology. However, this isn’t the conventional local dimming we know. Instead, it combines full-frame dimming and advanced control over light shutters crucial to LCD technology.

Panasonic highlights the JX850’s ‘HDR Bright Panel Plus’ screen, designed to deliver the brightness and color pivotal for outstanding high dynamic range performance. This feature could be a major draw for the TX-40JX850, provided the edge LED system doesn’t significantly undermine the brightness advantage.

More good news on the HDR front is the TX-40JX850B’s continued support for major HDR formats: HLG, HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. This ensures the best HDR source performance without limiting to specific formats like some competitors.

Another indicator of the JX850’s premium status is its HCX AI Processor. While not as powerful as the Pro version in the JX940s, it includes AI tools for optimizing image content and adapting to room conditions.

The HCX name signifies processing expertise developed through Panasonic’s Hollywood industry connections, promising accurate images, especially with certain presets. The TX-40JX850B embodies Panasonic’s commitment to delivering images ‘as the director intended’ with the UHD Alliance’s calibrated Filmmaker Mode.

If you prefer personalizing settings, the TX-40JX850B offers extensive picture adjustment options, including adaptive Backlight Control, noise reduction, color remastering, resolution enhancement, and Intelligent Frame Creation (IFC) for smoother motion. IFC interpolates frames to reduce judder, while Clear Motion adds black frames for a cinematic motion feel.

An advanced feature menu includes comprehensive color, gamma, and white balance management, alongside another Contrast Control feature with Off, Custom, and Auto settings. The Custom mode provides fine-tuning for Adaptive Gamma Control, black expansion, and Clear White elements.

You can also enable dynamic tone mapping for HDR10 sources and a Game mode reducing input lag to an impressive 10.5ms. Notably, despite its high-end LCD status, the TX-40JX850B’s three HDMIs lack 4K at 120Hz or VRR gaming support, offering only Automatic Low Latency Mode (ALLM).

This HDMI 2.1 feature is complemented by support for eARC, allowing lossless Dolby Atmos sound transmission to compatible soundbars and AVRs. While the TV itself can decode Dolby Atmos, its 2 x 10W speaker system limits the experience of rich soundtracks.

Finally, the TX-40JX850B’s smart features are powered by Panasonic’s My Home Screen 6.0 platform. It remains attractively designed, customizable, efficient, and recently enhanced with the addition of Disney+ and Apple TV+ apps.

Picture

Experience a stunning visual feast with our latest collection of high-definition displays. Whether you're streaming your favorite movie or engaging in fast-paced gaming action, our screens deliver unparalleled clarity and vibrant colors that bring every scene to life.

Designed with cutting-edge technology, our displays offer deep blacks, bright whites, and a full spectrum of colors in between, ensuring you never miss a detail. Plus, with seamless integration and intuitive controls, it's easier than ever to adjust settings to your liking and enjoy the perfect picture every time.

Our range of products caters to every need and budget, making high-quality visuals accessible to all. From sleek, modern designs that complement any space to robust, durable models made for demanding environments, we've got you covered.

Don't just watch—immerse yourself in the action and see the difference top-tier technology can make. Upgrade your viewing experience today and discover the new standard in picture quality.

The TX-40JX850 stands out impressively above its peers in picture quality, especially in contrast and black levels, where budget LCD TVs usually struggle. While there's a slight greyness in areas that should appear black, particularly during dark HDR scenes with bright highlights, this issue is mild compared to rivals. Some rare backlight shifting and faint clouding on the screen's left side are notably less significant than in other affordable LCD TVs. Introducing even minimal ambient light can almost eliminate these backlight shortcomings, leaving much deeper black levels than many similarly priced models.

It's almost unbelievable that this screen uses edge-based lighting, though larger screens in the JX850 range might see more issues. The black level performance is even more impressive considering the TV's brightness, making HDR images look much brighter and fuller in light range than typical small LCD screens, thanks to Panasonic's unique Local Dimming technology.

Dark scene shadow detailing is generally good, with minimal noise usually seen on lesser TVs. The dynamic tone mapping option ensures that details aren't lost in the brightest HDR highlights. The TX-40JX850's color performance is excellent, with strong brightness and contrast contributing to a wide color gamut in HDR content. The HCX processor's ability to handle subtle shading and tone adds a natural and three-dimensional look to images.

Unlike mid-range and lower-end models, there's none of the typical compressed look in dark colors. As a result, low-lit skin tones and dark, detailed objects appear convincing and refined. While colors aren't as heavily saturated as in some premium TVs, they remain well above average for the price, especially among 40-inch screens.

The JX850’s combination of brightness and well-saturated colors allows it to adapt easily between dark and bright room conditions, enhancing its ambient modes' effectiveness. The premium processor also shines in upscaling HD and SD sources to native 4K, reducing source noise for polished and three-dimensional results.

However, the upscaled images don't have the sharpness of some rivals, and this softer finish extends to native 4K playback. This softness isn't due to the screen's size; other small 4K screens often look sharper. The main issue stems from the motion performance, with horizontal motion losing resolution and showing some smearing as the LCDs struggle to keep up.

Panasonic's IFC motion processing doesn't fully resolve this, with higher settings introducing unwanted effects. The Clear Motion option helps with 24p movie sources but dims the image more than desired. Another minor issue is the screen’s contrast reduces significantly if viewed from an angle greater than 20 degrees, a common issue with LCD TVs but worth noting for larger viewing areas.

Sound

Experiencing high-quality sound can completely transform the way you enjoy your favorite media. Whether it's music, movies, or podcasts, crystal clear audio can make a world of difference.

Today's technology offers a plethora of options to enhance your auditory experience, from advanced speakers to state-of-the-art headphones. These tools ensure that you catch every detail, every note, and every beat, bringing your entertainment to life.

How to Choose the Right Equipment:

• Look for clear, rich sound quality that remains consistent at both high and low volumes.

• Consider the design and comfort, especially if you plan to use headphones for extended periods.

• Don't forget to check for compatibility with your existing devices.

Investing in good sound technology is not just about spending more; it's about making the smart choice for your specific needs. Whether you're a casual listener or an audiophile, the right equipment can elevate your enjoyment.

The 40JX850 delivers impressive value from its 2x10W speaker setup. The sound extends far beyond the TV’s physical boundaries, creating an immersive audio experience that draws you into the action. The audio is more direct than expected, projecting into the room instead of sounding confined to the TV’s location.

The mid-range is notably open and expansive, ensuring even the most intense soundtracks do not feel compressed. The speakers have ample headroom to accommodate both sudden and gradual changes in volume and audio density effectively, all without crackling or unwanted cabinet buzzes.

Audio detailing is remarkably strong, from ambient effects to sharp object sounds. There's a credible layering of sounds with Dolby Atmos soundtracks, even if true three-dimensional audio space is not fully achievable. The solid staging ensures that dialogue remains centered and clear.

While the bass of the 40JX850 is limited, it handles lower frequency sounds, like those in Blade Runner 2049, without distortion. It's preferable for a TV sound system to work within its limits rather than overextend and suffer in audio quality.

The 40JX850’s open and dynamic midrange helps to balance out the lighter bass performance.

Verdict

While some motion issues keep the TX-40JX850 from earning a perfect score, its overall performance is impressive, showing that the smaller LCD TV market is still very much alive. This TV also comes with a host of features, though it predictably lacks support for 4K/120Hz gaming.

Although the TX-40JX850 is priced higher than its 50-inch sibling and matches the price of its 58-inch counterpart, its value becomes clear for those specifically seeking a 40-inch TV. For this size category, it’s hard to find a better, more well-rounded option.