The Vizio V Series 2019 is an entry level 4k LED TV that delivers a decent picture quality. It is available in two variants: the Vxx5 and the Vxx6, which supports a local dimming feature. We have only tested the Vxx5 variant, and the following text reflects our review for this variant.
The V Series displays deep, uniform blacks but lacks a local dimming feature to further improve the dark room performance. It gets decently bright in SDR, which is good enough for an average lit room. Unfortunately, it can’t get very bright in HDR and does not have a wide color gamut, so HDR doesn’t add much. The Vizio V Series cannot display HDR content the way its creator intended it to. It has a fast response time, but not as fast as most modern TVs, so there is some blur trail behind fast-moving objects. The TVs input lag is low and will please most casual gamers.
Pros
+ Deep, uniform blacks
+ Low input lag
Cons
- Can’t get very bright
- HDR doesn’t add much
Design
Type: LED
Sub-Type: VA
Resolution: 4k
The Vizio V Series has a decent design. It has the typical wide Vizio stand, which is almost as wide as the TV, and you’ll need a large table to place it on. Unfortunately, the legs can’t be reversed, which would make the footprint a little smaller. On the upside, the stand supports the TV well and does not allow much wobble. The back of the TV is plain and consists of two parts: the bottom one, which is plastic and houses most of the electronics, and the top part, which is metal and has a very thin profile. Unfortunately, there is no provision for any cable management. The borders of the TV are plain and have a nice texture. Finally, the overall build quality is decent and feels quite solid. We didn’t have any issues with the TV, and we don’t expect you to have issues either.
Picture Quality
The Vizio V Series 2019 has decent picture quality. Blacks are deep, thanks to the excellent contrast ratio (about 7400:1). The remarkable black uniformity contributes to a very good dark room performance. The V Series we tested, unlike last year’s E Series and similar to the D Series 4k 2018, does not have a local dimming feature to further improve dark room performance. We measured the real scene peak brightness in SDR at about 262 cd/m2. This is an okay brightness for a dim room, but it’s not enough to overcome glare in a bright room. In HDR, the real scene peak brightness was measured lower at 236 cd/m2, which was surprising. This level doesn’t allow the TV to display bright highlights in HDR.
The Vizio V Series does not have a wide color gamut and cannot deliver a full range of saturated colors to please the eye. The gray uniformity is decent, although a little dirty screen effect is visible in sports. Reflection handling is very good, but the upscaling of 480p or 720p content looks blocky when compared to other brands. Finally, the V Series has decent viewing angles, but there are better choices for a room with a wide seating arrangement.
Motion
but
Inputs
The V Series has a low input lag which is great for casual gaming. We measured the input lag at 4k @ 60Hz at 24.7ms, and our measurements were almost the same for almost all supported modes including 1080p @ 60Hz, 1440p @ 60Hz, and even outside of ‘Game’ mode! The V Series has a 60Hz panel and can only display 60Hz resolutions. Surprisingly, the TV can pass DTS over ARC but not over optical.
Sound Quality
The sound quality of the Vizio V Series is disappointing. The TV can’t get very loud and is not suitable for noisy places. Its bass lacks body and does not have any thump or rumble to deliver nice sound effects. On the upside, dialog is clear and well-balanced.
Features
Who Should Buy It?
The Vizio V Series is an entry level, budget TV that will perform decently in most uses. If picture quality is not your primary concern but you want a TV that won’t break the bank and will perform decently in a dark or a dim room, then this TV is for you. The V Series is decent for watching movies in a dark room and can deliver a decent performance for those who enjoy watching TV shows. It can handle reflections of an average lit room well, but upscaling content from 480p or 720p sources like DVDs or cable might be blocky and could disappoint some people. The gray uniformity is okay for most uses, and the amount of dirty screen effect shouldn’t bother most casual sports fans. Unfortunately, this TV is not great when it comes to HDR. It does not have a wide color gamut and can’t get very bright, either. On the upside, this is great TV for use as a PC monitor and will keep you happy if you are a casual gamer.
To see all our measurements and our test results of the Vizio V Series 2019, please go here.
