Best Vizio TVs

Introduction to Vizio TVs

In 2002 in the state of California, three entrepreneurs came together to create a company called V Inc. Then, in 2004, the company changed its name to Vizio Inc. Today, Vizio’s headquarters remain in California.

Vizio started its business selling televisions with an aggressive pricing model. They started with plasma televisions but shifted their focus to LED and LCD options in 2009. While televisions remain Vizio’s main product offering, they also own a sizeable market share with their affordable soundbar lineup. In the past, Vizio has also produced cell phones, tablets, and computers.

As of 2020, Vizio is the second-largest TV manufacturer in North America. This popularity and success come from Vizio’s ability to sell high-quality televisions at a much more affordable price point than competitors.

For a quick look at their competitors, check out our roundup of high-end LG TVs and top-tier Insignia TVs, offering strong 75-inch TVs and high-quality HDR TVs.

Vizio’s key selling point is its approach to competitive pricing, sometimes offering prices as low as several hundred dollars less than comparable options. These televisions also offer good darkroom picture quality and fast gaming performance. If you’re looking to buy a 4K TV that’s affordable and high-quality, you can’t go wrong with a Vizio. A great example of this is the Vizio D-Series, which is remarkably great for its low price point.

How Vizio TVs Compare to Other Brands

(Pro 1) Competitive Pricing Paired with Solid Performance: Depending on the specific model of Vizio TV you purchase, you’ll likely be paying much less than you would if you bought a comparable model from a competing brand. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll be getting a lower overall performance.

Vizio TVs offer high-end picture quality with accurate colors in a wide color gamut, a solid contrast ratio with deep blacks, and solid audio quality with Dolby Atmos support. You’ll also get advanced features like superb high dynamic range performance through Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10, and HDR10+.

If you’re looking to replace your streaming devices, you can always use Vizio’s built-in smart features. With Vizio SmartCast OS, you’ll get a user-friendly and comprehensive smart platform that functions similarly to Google TV.

If you opt for a premium Vizio TV, you’ll also get things like full-array local dimming for a wide viewing angle, better color accuracy, and the deepest blacks in dark scenes.

(Con 1) Design and User Interface Don’t Feel High-End: Vizio’s TVs’ biggest downfall is that they don’t feel like high-end TVs, especially when compared to both budget models and high-end models from other competitors. The overall design aesthetic is uninspiring and disappointing, especially when you use the basic remote control. Check out our guide on the best TCL TV for options with great user interfaces as they use either Roku or Google TV as their OS.

This unpolished feeling also extends to Vizio’s smart features. While SmartCast OS functions perfectly fine, it lacks the refinement of other proprietary smart platforms like Samsung’s Tizen OS or LG’s WebOS. Speaking of LG, get a look at a model we recommend by reading our LG UN7370 review.

(Pro 2) Excellent Gaming Features and Performance: Whether you’re into console gaming or online gaming, you can’t go wrong with a Vizio TV. These screens offer plenty of features to make the latest titles on your favorite gaming consoles shine.

Most Vizio TVs offer either a 60Hz or 120Hz refresh rate, which is good for most console gamers. However, the TVs outperform the competitor in terms of low input lag. In fact, Vizio sets consistently score the highest in this category compared to competing televisions, making it the best TV for Xbox One X and other gaming consoles.

When you combine these gaming features with Vizio’s accurate colors, wide color gamut, and HDR performance, you’ll get a gaming experience that’s next to impossible to beat when you consider the reasonable price point most sets offer.

(Con 2) Poor Upscaling Capabilities: If you’re hoping to take your standard definition DVDs and upscale them to 1080p or 4K UHD quality, then you might be disappointed with a Vizio TV. The upscaling capabilities of these televisions leave a lot to be desired, especially when compared to competing brands.

That said, if you just want to stop reading about Vizio and check out other brands, read our Samsung Q8DT review and our Insignia NS 50DF710NA19 review.

(Pro 3) Straightforward Lineup and Naming Conventions: Some TV brands feature complicated model numbers and extensive availability. Fortunately, Vizio offers a direct approach to naming conventions, so you know exactly what you’re getting just by looking at the category, despite the wide range of sizes available.

Let’s take a closer look at the different naming conventions Vizio uses:

• Vizio M-Series: This is Vizio’s most popular line of televisions. The Vizio M-Series offers the best combination of picture quality and affordability. These TVs provide high-end features like 4K resolution and HDR formats. You can also opt for a Vizio M-Series Quantum in this category to get quantum dot color performance for a brighter picture. Check out our Vizio M Series review to learn more about this series of TVs.
• Vizio V-Series: This is Vizio’s value lineup and offers the best combination of affordability and value. As you might expect, these TVs don’t offer nearly as many advanced features as other Vizio lineups. Most notably, the V-Series televisions offer much lower brightness and color volume.
• Vizio D-Series: This is Vizio’s lineup of Full HD televisions. You won’t see any 4K UHD labeling here. As such, these are considered Vizio’s budget offerings. Typically, you’ll only get two choices of screen size here, 24 inches and 32 inches.
• Vizio P-Series and P-Series Quantum: This is Vizio’s high-end offering. The Visio P-Series televisions offer 120Hz refresh rates, high levels of brightness, and fast overall performance. If you opt for the Vizio P-Series Quantum, you’ll get quantum color technology for brighter and more vivid image quality.
• Vizio OLED: Vizio has just dipped its toes into the world of OLED televisions. As with competing brands, Vizio’s OLED TVs offer incredible picture quality, wide viewing angles, and true blacks. Plus, they are excellent options for gamers, thanks to their low input lag and variable refresh rates.

(Con 3) High-End Models Aren’t as Advanced as Competitors: While mid-range Vizio TVs usually offer a leg up on similar sets from competitors, their high-end models fall short. The lower price means Vizio needs to make cuts somewhere, which generally results in fewer advanced features.

Why You Should Buy a Vizio TV

With a wide range of screen sizes, affordable price tags, and excellent picture quality, Vizio TVs are the perfect choice for anyone wanting 4K resolution without breaking the bank. These televisions give you a more cinematic experience than budget options like TCL or Hisense TVs without costing you thousands of dollars. There are a few Vizio options in that price range, though, if you want the best of the best.

While you may not get the most advanced features or the highest-end design considerations on Vizio TVs, they still offer stellar picture quality and gaming performance to fit the needs of most consumers. So if you’re looking to get more bang for your buck, upgrade to a 4K resolution, or simply get a bigger screen size without needing to shell out buckets of cash, then a Vizio is an excellent option. If you want one of their higher-end models but don’t want to pay full price, you may be able to use our guide on the best time of year to buy a new TV to save some money.

How Long Will a Vizio TV Last?

Even though Vizio TVs offer a little bit of a cheaper design than more high-end brands, they still provide long lifespans and solid reliability overall. Like most TVs, expect your Vizio television to last between 30,000 and 60,000 hours for LCD options and between 60,000 to 100,000 hours for LED options, according to industry experts like Visual LED.

The way you use your television also has a direct effect on its lifespan and reliability. For example, if you constantly watch the TV on its peak brightness setting for many hours at a time, you will lessen its lifespan. You may also cause problems with your TV if you don’t dust it off regularly.

Vizio Television Warranties

If you purchase your television directly from Vizio, you can expect to receive a standard one-year limited warranty. This warranty covers the cost of repair or replacement if your TV fails because of a manufacturer defect. In addition, some Vizio TVs also carry a zero-bright pixel defect guarantee, which covers the cost of repair or replacement if there is a defect in one of the screen’s pixels.

If you purchase your television directly from an authorized retailer like Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale Club, you’ll get a three-year limited warranty. This warranty offers the same coverage as the standard one-year warranty, including the zero bright pixel guarantee.