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Vizio E Series 2014 TV Review

Tested using Methodology v0.9
Reviewed Sep 11, 2014 at 12:00 am
Vizio E Series 2014 Picture
7.9
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the Vizio E Series 2015

The picture quality of the Vizio E Series LED TV is really impressive, considering its low price. It isn't perfect, though. The gray uniformity is below average and the colors change when viewed from the side.

Our Verdict

7.9 Mixed Usage

There is no doubt that the Vizio E Series is a great TV for its price. It is an incredible value if you don't need the latest gadgets like 3D, hundreds of apps, or motion interpolation. Demanding users will still want to spend a little bit more, though, to get better screen uniformity.

Pros
  • Great gaming TV. It has low input lag and an effective blur reduction feature.
  • Great overall picture quality, both in dark and bright rooms.
Cons
  • Poor gray uniformity. You can actually see every single LED behind the screen.
  • The full array local dimming feature makes the picture worse. See the Q&A section for more details.
  • Limited viewing angle. As with most TVs, the colors change when you view it at an angle.
  • 7.9 Mixed Usage
  1. Updated Sep 11, 2014: Review published.
  2. Updated Sep 09, 2014: Our testers have started testing this product.

Video

Test Results

Design
Design
Design

The design of the Vizio E Series is really simple. Only a small black border around the screen. The TV is quite thick due to its full array backlight.

Design
Stand

The stand is flat. Only three screws hold the TV to the base at the center. It doesn't feel very strong, but at least the TV is light.

Design
Borders

0.63" (1.6 cm)

Design
Thickness

2.32" (5.9 cm)

Picture Quality
9.2
Picture Quality
Contrast
Black 0.022 cd/m²
White 100.8 cd/m²
Contrast 4,581 : 1

In a dark room, the blacks are deep. We didn't turn on the local dimming feature because the zones are very large and it messes with the picture (see the Q&A section for details) too much.

7.5
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity

Our unit had a few brighter spots. Nothing too extreme, and it wasn't noticeable with normal footage.

5.0
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity

At first glance, the gray uniformity seems really good. But if you look more attentively, you can see every single LED behind the LCD layer. In the picture above, you can see a 14x8 grid. This creates a significant dirty screen effect when an object moves over a solid background (like when watching sports).

6.2
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Viewing Angle 22°

As with every TV with a contrast ratio higher than 1,000:1, the Vizio E Series loses saturation at an angle. It's not a deal breaker, though.

9.0
Picture Quality
Average Room
Reflection 1.8%
Surface Type Semi-gloss

The amount of reflection is average-good. Nothing to worry about here.

8.1
Picture Quality
Bright Room
Max white 282.9 cd/m²

It can also be bright enough for every room type.

0
Picture Quality
3D
3D No
Picture Quality
Pixels
4k No
Motion
8.5
Motion
Motion Blur

The motion blur is average when all features are turned off. However, it does have a very effective feature to reduce the amount of blur without increasing input lag (more details in the Q&A section).

Motion
Motion Interpolation
Motion Interpolation N/A
Inputs
9.0
Inputs
Input Lag
Input Lag 29.7 ms

The Vizio E Series LED TV has very low input lag. You won't notice it in video games - even fast ones. You don't need to put the TV in game mode to have lag that is this low.

Inputs
Side Inputs

1 HDMI
1 USB
1 Audio Out
1 Digital Optical Audio Out

Inputs
Rear Inputs

2 HDMI
1 Ethernet
1 Component In
1 Composite In
1 RF In

Smart Features
5.0
Smart Features
Smart TV

The smart TV features are limited. There is no web browser. The third party app store is powered by Yahoo.

Smart Features
Remote

It comes with only a basic remote.