PICTURE QUALITY This model had excellent high-definition picture quality. It did an excellent job displaying the finest detail. Color accuracy was excellent, so colors looked very natural and lifelike. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images had depth and dimension, typical of most models we test. Black level was excellent, yielding very deep blacks enhanced by Vizio's very effective "Active LED Zones," a local dimming feature which lends great depth to darker scenes with minimal illumination side effects (assumes the image is viewed directly from front and center; see viewing angle comments). With the feature off, the black level was still decent. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did an excellent job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. Film mode operation for HD film-based content was very good, with no visible jaggies along the edges of objects during motion scenes. Deinterlacing on the other hand was "fair" with some jaggies visible from input 1080i video-based content which the TV converted to the display's native resolution.
VIEWING ANGLE This Vizio has a moderate viewing angle overall, decent, but not quite as good as the better-performing LCD sets we've tested. The optimal seating position for best picture quality is directly in front of the TV. If your family is seated in chairs off to the side of the TV, they'll see decent but compromised image quality.
When we moved off to the sides the horizontal viewing angle was good; the picture showed a slight loss of color so flesh tones looked a bit washed out, along with a slight color shift. Black levels brightened slightly, reducing contrast especially on dark scenes.
ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE This Vizio UHD TV delivers full 4K picture detail, with very good HD-to-UHD upconversion. All native 4K content we played on this Vizio, including movies and videos, were presented in full detail with generally excellent image fidelity when played back via the TV's HDMI input (four inputs accept 4k/30Hz, only one can accept 4K/60Hz). We detected some subtle edge enhancement applied to the image which accentuates the outlines around objects, but it was mild and not always apparent. We were able to stream 4K content from Netflix, confirming the set does include an HEVC decoder. Streaming 4K from Netflix showed better detail and texture over the 1080p version of the same program, and again we did detect a bit of edge enhancement which we could not eliminate with the picture controls. Using a flash drive plugged into the TV's USB input we tested the TV's ability to play back our 4K test videos and photos in full 4K quality. Vizio could not play our test HEVC video file, or a video in the "MP4" file format from the Sony 4K camcorder. Our 4K resolution test patterns and photos were, disappointingly, downscaled to HD resolution. When playing 1080p movie content from a Blu-ray disc, we found the TV's HD-to-UHD upconversion processing is good, but falls short of the best we've seen. Edges of fine detail were generally smooth but jaggies were often visible, particularly along diagonals of image content. For more on how we test UHD see "ABOUT ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE" below.
MOTION BLUR This Vizio TV has good motion performance, with some blurring on our motion tests, thanks to Vizio's Clear Action. This feature is designed to reduce motion blur, a shortcoming of most LCD TVs. With the feature turned off, motion performance was only fair, with significant blurring on our motion tests.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY Though not as mirror-like as on some LCDs, this screen surface is glossy and therefore susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
SOUND QUALITY This TV's sound is good, fine for typical TV programming, but won't reproduce the full range of movie soundtracks and music. It has a good volume range so the TV can play sufficiently loud in most room environments. At more typical listening volume levels the TV's sound has only decent bass and impact, with an overall bright tonal quality. All told, none of these issues were overly distracting and most will find this sound quality acceptable.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set was easy to use for the most part. Setting up the TV for the first time was straightforward, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was good. Also, the remote is satisfactory, and the on-screen menu is moderately easy to navigate.
It lacks a dedicated menu button on the television display, so you can't access the menu if you lose the remote. Remote has a dedicated button to access Internet features. The full QWERTY keyboard on the remote makes it easier to enter text data. Labeling uses nonstandard icons making button selection less intuitive to use.
STAND ASSEMBLY Mounting the TV to the included support stand is easy, though the stand requires the assembly of two parts before mounting.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV provides enhanced Internet capability. Features include access to a library of applications via "Yahoo Smart TV App Store." Movie streaming services include: Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, Netflix, Vudu.
CONNECTIONS This TV includes five HDMI inputs, one shared connection between the component and composite inputs (which means you can only use one type or the other at a time), optical digital audio out, one USB port, an Ethernet port, and Wi-Fi. Wireless connectivity includes: DLNA network file sharing. The cable connections on the rear panel are recessed with side or bottom-facing ports, so wires don't protrude beyond the display's depth.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX The TV comes with: an electronic user manual accessible via the TV's menu (no printed manual is included), a quick start guide, and a remote with batteries. ABOUT FIRMWARE VERSION: Our test results and picture settings are valid for the version of firmware indicated. If your TV's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the TV's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your TV via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable), USB port, or memory card, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer's website if further guidance is needed.
