31

Vizio Elevate Review

True Score

77
80
12

Experts

85
1,445

Consumers

Expert Rankings

The Vizio Elevate is an excellent sound system for those who want to get the most out of their money without investing in a big name Brand. Sound quality is great for most content, and the soundstage is wide enough for immersive listening.

Overview

The Vizio Elevate is a premium sound system that was first introduced in late 2020. The soundbar includes two satellite speakers and a subwoofer.

Its subwoofer contributes significantly to its bass-heavy sound profile, and similar to most top-tier speakers, it has a wide soundstage.

The Vizio Elevate also supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus, so owners will be able to enjoy an immersive listening experience when watching movies or TV shows.

Its wireless device connectivity is also pretty impressive, as owners can stream audio through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Chromecast, and Apple AirPlay.

This is also common with the most popular soundbars. In terms of physical inputs, the Vizio Elevate has an Optical Audio In port, four HDMI ports, and an AUX port for connecting older devices, but it is still not quite one of the best wireless soundbars in its category.

What Is Not on the Box

What the brand doesn’t always tell you…

our Verdict

The Vizio Elevate offers a bass-heavy sound output combined with an immersive soundstage plus accurate vocal reproduction. However, there is noticeable sound distortion at high volumes.

The setup does offer a good port selection, consisting of one Optical Audio port, two Full HDMI in ports, one 3.5mm AUX port, and one USB port.

Wireless connectivity options include reliable Bluetooth and WiFi streaming, and it’s 70ms and 60ms tested latencies over ARC and Optical ports keep both audio and visuals in sync.

The Vizio Elevate is a great pick for users who want to get the best value for their money, as the sound system offers well-balanced sound and good bass output for a fraction of what other premium manufacturers offer.

True Score

77

Reasons to Buy

  • Good sound quality
    • The bass-heavy sound output of the Vizio Elevate will be quite satisfying to bass heads when listening to bass-heavy music, but unfortunately, its sound output distorts at high volume.

  • Gets loud
    • The Vizio Elevate gets loud, with a tested max volume rating of 96.4db that places it in the top 25% in its category.

  • Low latency
    • Audiovisuals on the Vizio Elevate are pretty well synchronized, thanks to a low 60-70ms latency over ARC and Optical connections. However, this is pretty average compared to other alternatives in its category.

Reasons to Avoid

  • Sound distorts at max volume
      • Users who prefer their music loud will be disappointed with the Vizio Elevate, as its sound distorts when set to max volume.
  • Sound output cannot be customized
    • The lack of an Eq on the Vizio Elevate means that sound cannot be adjusted and fine-tuned down to the level of the listener.

Specifications

Bluetooth EnabledYes
Depth6.5"
Energy Star CertifiedNo
HDMI ARCYes
Height2.6"
SubwooferIncluded
Surround Sound SupportedDolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS TruVolume, DTS Virtual:X
Voice AssistantAmazon Alexa
Wall MountableYes
Weight12.39 lbs
Width48"
Wireless ConnectivityBluetooth
Wireless Subwoofer ConnectivityYes
Works WithAmazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri

All Specs

Test Results

Minimum Freq Response (Hz)28.3
Maximum Freq Response (Hz)18,500
Max Volume Test (db)101.1
Latency (ms)46

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Product Comparison

True Score

77
83
91
86

Ranking

#

31

/

153

#

14

/

153

#

1

/

153

#

8

/

153

Market Context

The Vizio Elevate is a premium sound system that was first introduced in late 2020. The soundbar includes two satellite speakers and a subwoofer. Its subwoofer…

The Vizio Elevate is a premium sound system that was first introduced in late 2020. The soundbar includes two satellite speakers and a subwoofer.

Its subwoofer contributes significantly to its bass-heavy sound profile, and similar to most top-tier speakers, it has a wide soundstage.

The Vizio Elevate also supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus, so owners will be able to enjoy an immersive listening experience when watching movies or TV shows.

Its wireless device connectivity is also pretty impressive, as owners can stream audio through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Chromecast, and Apple AirPlay.

This is also common with the most popular soundbars. In terms of physical inputs, the Vizio Elevate has an Optical Audio In port, four HDMI ports, and an AUX port for connecting older devices, but it is still not quite one of the best wireless soundbars in its category.

Thanks to the Vizio Elevate’s 5.1.4 channel setup, its surround sound performance is slightly better than that of the Vizio M Series M512a-H6 since it…

Thanks to the Vizio Elevate’s 5.1.4 channel setup, its surround sound performance is slightly better than that of the Vizio M Series M512a-H6 since it consists of a 5.1.2 channel setup. The Vizio Elevate also has a slightly better port selection since it boasts four HDMI ports compared to the M Series’ three.

The 11.1.4-channel Samsung HW-Q950A outmatches the Vizio Elevate’s 5.1.4-channel setup, resulting in a much better surround sound performance. The Samsung sound system also has built-in…

The 11.1.4-channel Samsung HW-Q950A outmatches the Vizio Elevate’s 5.1.4-channel setup, resulting in a much better surround sound performance. The Samsung sound system also has built-in support for Amazon Alexa, which the Elevate lacks.

The Vizio Elevate ships with a subwoofer and two satellite speakers, while the Sonos Arc only ships as just a soundbar. The Elevate also has…

The Vizio Elevate ships with a subwoofer and two satellite speakers, while the Sonos Arc only ships as just a soundbar. The Elevate also has Equalizer presets for sound customization, while the Sonos Arc does not, and its connectivity options allow for streaming via Bluetooth and Chromecast. These are streaming options that the Sonos Arc is incapable of.

Bluetooth Enabled

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Depth

6.5"

3.54"

5.4"

4.56"

Energy Star Certified

No

No

No

No

HDMI ARC

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Height

2.6"

2.24"

2.7"

3.43"

Subwoofer

Included

Included

Included

Optional (sold separately)

Dig Deeper

Read review →: Vizio M512A-H6 Review Read review →: Samsung HW-Q950A Review Read review →: Sonos Arc Review

All Stores

  • $799.99

    Availability

    In Stock

    Free Shipping

    Yes
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    Free Shipping

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

80

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

85

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

77

Any product with a True Score above 80 is a Absolutely Fresh

Expert Score Breakdown

  • Rtings
    A

    Trust Score

    79
    The Vizio Elevate 5.1.4 is very good for mixed usage. This versatile soundbar has a… read more

    By:

    John Panoryios
  • PC Mag
    D

    Trust Score

    70
    The Vizio M-Series Elevate 5.1.2-channel soundbar offers a complete surround sound experience with deep bass… read more

    By:

    Will Greenwald
  • Digital Trends
    D

    Trust Score

    80
    “No bottom line found for this product” read more

    By:

    Caleb Denison
  • CNET
    D

    Trust Score

    83
    LIKE: Motorized speakers work well., Excellent sound for movies and music., Plenty of connections, Includes… read more

    By:

    Ty Pendlebury
  • CNET
    D

    Trust Score

    76
    “No bottom line found for this product” read more

    By:

    Ty Pendlebury
  • Techradar
    D

    Trust Score

    80
    It doesn’t have crystal clear accuracy or the perfect tonal balance, but the Vizio Elevate… read more

    By:

    Nick Pino

Customer Score Breakdown

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