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Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2021 TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.11
Review updated Feb 09, 2023 at 03:49 pm
Latest change: Retest Feb 13, 2024 at 11:44 am
Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2021 Picture
7.1
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Hisense U7K [U7, U75K]
6.5
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Hisense U7K [U7, U75K]
6.4
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Vizio Quantum Pro QLED
7.5
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Hisense U7K [U7, U75K]
7.5
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Hisense U7K [U7, U75K]
7.7
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Hisense U7K [U7, U75K]
7.3
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Vizio Quantum Pro QLED
This TV was replaced by the Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2022

The Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2021 is a lower mid-range, budget-friendly TV. It's available in a wide range of sizes, from 43 to 75 inches, so you can easily get the right size for your setup. It's part of Vizio's 2021 M Series lineup, sitting below the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021, which has a couple of more features like local dimming and a backlight strobing feature. This TV runs Vizio's SmartCast system, which is user-friendly and has a bunch of pre-installed apps, but you can't download any extra apps. Luckily, you can easily cast anything you want from your phone using Google Chromecast or Apple AirPlay 2. It has a few more gaming-oriented features than other budget models like FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) support, but it's limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth, so you can't use the PS5 or Xbox Series X to their full capabilities.

Our Verdict

7.1 Mixed Usage

The Vizio MQ6 is decent for most uses. It's decent for watching movies in dark rooms because it has an outstanding native contrast and fantastic black uniformity, but there's no local dimming. It has a few gaming features like FreeSync support and low input lag, but motion looks blurry due to the slow response time. It's okay for watching sports as it has good reflection handling, but it has a narrow viewing angle, so it's not ideal for a wide seating arrangement as the image degrades from the side. Although it displays a wide color gamut, it's just okay for watching HDR content because it doesn't get bright enough to make highlights pop.

Pros
  • High native contrast and fantastic black uniformity.
  • Good reflection handling.
  • You can cast anything using Google Chromecast or Apple AirPlay 2.
Cons
  • No local dimming feature.
  • Visible issues with gray uniformity.
  • Doesn't get bright in SDR or HDR.
6.5 TV Shows

The Vizio M65Q6-J09 is decent for watching TV shows in bright rooms. It has good reflection handling if you want to use it in a room with a few lights around, but it doesn't get bright enough to fight a lot of glare. The interface is user-friendly, and you can cast content from your phone, but there's no app store to download any extra apps besides the pre-installed ones. It also has narrow viewing angles, so the image looks washed out from the sides.

Pros
  • Good reflection handling.
  • You can cast anything using Google Chromecast or Apple AirPlay 2.
Cons
  • Visible issues with gray uniformity.
  • Doesn't get bright in SDR or HDR.
  • Narrow viewing angles make the image inaccurate from the side.
6.4 Sports

The Vizio M65Q6 is okay for sports. It's not a bad choice for use in well-lit rooms because it has good reflection handling, but it doesn't get very bright. Unfortunately, it has a slow response time that makes motion look blurry. It has narrow viewing angles, so it's not a good choice for watching the game with a large group of friends. Also, it has noticeable gray uniformity issues that could get distracting during sports.

Pros
  • Good reflection handling.
  • You can cast anything using Google Chromecast or Apple AirPlay 2.
Cons
  • Visible issues with gray uniformity.
  • Narrow viewing angles make the image inaccurate from the side.
  • Motion looks blurry.
7.5 Video Games

The Vizio M6 is decent for gaming. It has a few gaming-oriented features like variable refresh rate support and an Auto Low Latency Mode. It's good for dark room gaming thanks to the high contrast and fantastic black uniformity, but it lacks a local dimming feature. Input lag is low for a responsive gaming experience, but it has a slow response time that makes motion look blurry.

Pros
  • High native contrast and fantastic black uniformity.
  • FreeSync VRR support.
  • Low input lag.
Cons
  • No local dimming feature.
  • Visible issues with gray uniformity.
  • Motion looks blurry.
7.5 HDR Movies

The Vizio M6 is okay for watching HDR movies. It displays a wide color gamut, and it supports both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision formats. Its VA panel has a high native contrast with fantastic black uniformity, but it, unfortunately, lacks a local dimming feature. Sadly, it doesn't get bright enough in HDR to make highlights stand out.

Pros
  • High native contrast and fantastic black uniformity.
  • Removes judder from 24p sources and native apps.
  • Displays a wide color gamut.
Cons
  • No local dimming feature.
  • Visible issues with gray uniformity.
  • Doesn't get bright in SDR or HDR.
7.7 HDR Gaming

The Vizio M65Q6 is decent for HDR gaming. It has a VA panel with an outstanding contrast ratio and fantastic black uniformity. However, it doesn't have a local dimming feature to further deepen any blacks or make highlights stand out in HDR. It has VRR support and low input lag for a responsive gaming experience, but it's limited to a 60Hz panel and has a slow response time.

Pros
  • High native contrast and fantastic black uniformity.
  • FreeSync VRR support.
  • Low input lag.
  • Displays a wide color gamut.
Cons
  • No local dimming feature.
  • Visible issues with gray uniformity.
  • Doesn't get bright in SDR or HDR.
  • Motion looks blurry.
7.3 PC Monitor

The Vizio M65Q6-J09 is decent to use as a PC monitor. It has low input lag for a responsive desktop experience, and it displays chroma 4:4:4 with 1080p, 1440p, and 4k resolutions. It has good reflection handling if you want to use it in a well-lit room, but it doesn't get extremely bright. Sadly, it has gray uniformity problems with dark bands that are visible with large areas of bright colors, like on a webpage.

Pros
  • Good reflection handling.
  • Low input lag.
  • Display chroma 4:4:4 properly with 1080p, 1440p, and 4k signals.
Cons
  • Visible issues with gray uniformity.
  • Narrow viewing angles make the image inaccurate from the side.
  • 7.1 Mixed Usage
  • 6.5 TV Shows
  • 6.4 Sports
  • 7.5 Video Games
  • 7.5 HDR Movies
  • 7.7 HDR Gaming
  • 7.3 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Feb 13, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  2. Updated Dec 05, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  3. Updated Oct 12, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  4. Updated Aug 09, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  5. Updated Jul 24, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.11. With this update, we've added a new Upscaling: Sharpness Processing test and revamped our Blooming test so the scores and picture better match the real world experience. With this change, it was necessary to remove the Black Crush test. Finally, we've updated our usage scores to better align our scores with user expectations.
  6. Updated Jun 22, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.10. With this update we've revamped our Gradient testing, added a new test for Low Quality Content Smoothing, and expanded our Audio Passthrough testing.
  7. Updated Jun 07, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  8. Updated Apr 03, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for four months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  9. Updated Feb 28, 2023: We corrected a mistake in the PS5 Compatibility results from a previous test bench update.
  10. Updated Feb 15, 2023: Updated to Test Bench 1.9, modifying our Contrast testing and splitting our local dimming testing into multiple sections covering Blooming, Black Crush, and Lighting Zone Transitions. You can see our full changelog here.
  11. Updated Feb 09, 2023: We've updated the text in the review to reflect our latest test methodology updates.
  12. Updated Feb 06, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for two months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  13. Updated Dec 16, 2022: Updated to Test Bench 1.8, adding a new box for PQ EOTF tracking and updating our Color Volume and Color Gamut tests to better reflect real world usage. You can see our full changelog here.
  14. Updated Dec 14, 2022: Updated to Test Bench 1.7 with an updated HDR Brightness test that better reflects real world usage. We've also split the console compatibility boxes into separate PS5 Compatibility and Xbox Series X|S Compatibility tests. You can see our full changelog here.
  15. Updated Nov 21, 2022: Added a note to say that the LG QNED80 has a higher refresh rate in the Variable Refresh Rate section.
  16. Updated Nov 17, 2022: We uploaded the initial brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  17. Updated Oct 06, 2022: Compared this TV's response time to the recently-reviewed Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2022.
  18. Updated Sep 29, 2022: Corrected a mistake in the model code of the 75-inch table in the Variants section.
  19. Updated Apr 04, 2022: There was an issue with the DCI-P3 and Rec. 2020 graphs generated for the review. We've generated new graphs showing the correct coverage of both color spaces.
  20. Updated Oct 01, 2021: Review published.
  21. Updated Sep 28, 2021: Early access published.
  22. Updated Sep 08, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
  23. Updated Sep 03, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  24. Updated Aug 29, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 65 Inch Vizio MQ6 Series, and our review is also valid for the 43-inch (M43Q6-J04), 50-inch (M50Q6-J01), 55-inch (M55Q6-J01), 70-inch (M70Q6-J03), and 75-inch (M75Q6-J03) variants. The MQ6 is part of the M Series lineup which features the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021, but the two TVs are different.

Size Model Code VESA Mount Size
43" M43Q6-J04 200x100
50" M50Q6-J01 200x200
55" M55Q6-J01 300x200
65" M65Q6-J09 400x200
70" M70Q6-J03  400x200
75" M75Q6-J03 400x200

You can see the label for our unit here.

Compared To Other TVs

The Vizio MQ6 is a decent lower-mid-range TV that has more gaming features than other budget-friendly options. However, there isn't anything special about its picture quality as it lacks a local dimming feature and doesn't get bright. There are better options that offer more value, like the Hisense U6G, especially if you don't need the VRR support.

Also see our recommendations for the best budget TVs, the best gaming TVs, and the best 4k TVs.

Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2022
43" 55" 65" 70" 75"

The Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2022 is the newer version of the Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2021, and it's a downgrade in a few areas. The 2022 doesn't remove 24p judder from native 24p sources like the 2021 model, which is disappointing for watching movies. However, motion looks better on the 2022 version because it has a quicker response time and it has a backlight strobing feature, which the 2021 model doesn't have.

Vizio V5 Series 2021
43" 50" 55" 58" 65" 70" 75" 85"

The Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2021 and the Vizio V5 Series 2021 are both okay TVs. The M6 is higher up in the Vizio lineup than the V5, so it has a few more features like a wide color gamut and VRR support. Picture quality is similar as they both have high contrast, lack local dimming, don't get bright, and have good reflection handling. Choosing one over the other comes down to whether or not you need the extra gaming features on the M6.

Samsung AU8000
43" 50" 55" 60" 65" 70" 75" 85"

The Samsung AU8000 and the Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2021 are both decent TVs. The Vizio uses quantum dot technology, so it displays a much wider color gamut, and it also has VRR support, which the Samsung doesn't have. The Vizio also has much better contrast, but this can vary between units. The Samsung does a better job at upscaling lower-resolution content, like from cable boxes, and the built-in Tizen OS is a better smart platform than the Vizio SmartCast system.

Hisense U6G
50" 55" 65" 75"

The Hisense U6G is much better overall than the Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2021. The Hisense delivers better picture quality because it has a local dimming feature, which the Vizio doesn't have, and it gets significantly brighter in HDR and SDR. The Hisense doesn't show any upscaling artifacts with low-resolution content like the Vizio. The Android TV app store has a massive selection of apps available, and you can't download any extra apps on the Vizio. On the other hand, the Vizio has FreeSync VRR support, which the Hisense doesn't.

TCL 5 Series/S535 2020 QLED
50" 55" 65" 75"

The TCL 5 Series/S535 2020 QLED is better overall than the Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2021. The TCL has a local dimming feature to improve the picture quality in dark scenes, which the Vizio doesn't have. The TCL also does a better job at upscaling lower-resolution content, and the built-in Roku has an app store, unlike the Vizio SmartCast system. Motion also looks a lot smoother on the TCL thanks to the quicker response time. One of the few advantages the Vizio has over the TCL is that it supports FreeSync, which the TCL doesn't.

Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021
50" 55" 58" 65" 70" 75"

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021 and the Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2021 are both part of the same M Series lineup, but the M7 has a few more features that make it better. The M7 has a local dimming feature, which the M6 doesn't, so it displays deeper blacks. The M7 also gets brighter in SDR, but not by much. The M7 has a backlight strobing feature, which the M6 doesn't have, but this is only beneficial to gamers. Other than these differences, both TVs are very similar.

LG C1 OLED
48" 55" 65" 77" 83"

The LG C1 OLED and the Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2021 are very different TVs. The LG is a high-end TV with an OLED panel with a near-infinite contrast ratio, perfect black uniformity, and wide viewing angles. It has HDMI 2.1 inputs, allowing you to play 4k games up to 120 fps, while the Vizio has HDMI 2.0 inputs, meaning you can play 4k games up to 60 fps, and it's also limited to a 60Hz panel. The Vizio is an entry-level LED model, so the only advantage over the LG is that it doesn't suffer from the risk of permanent like an OLED.

+ Show more

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved No

The Vizio MQ6 looks nearly identical to the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021, except it has a different stand. It features the same thin borders with a thicker bottom bezel. It has a pretty simple design and should look good in any setup.

Design
Accelerated Longevity Test
Uniformity Pictures
Design
Stand

The feet are basic and are set wide apart. They raise the screen about three inches off the table, so you can place a soundbar in front without blocking the screen. Unlike the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021, the height of the stand can't be adjusted.

Footprint of the 65 inch TV: 44.9" x 11.8".

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 400x200

The back of the Vizio MQ6 has a pretty basic design besides the Vizio logo in the center. The back panel is metal, while the bottom part where the inputs are is made of plastic. Unfortunately, there's no cable management.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.35" (0.9 cm)
Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 2.48" (6.3 cm)
7.0
Design
Build Quality

The Vizio M65Q6 has decent build quality. It's very similar to the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021 in terms of style and materials used. It's well-put-together, and the stand supports the monitor well with minimal wobble. The metal on the back feels nice, and even though there's some flex on the plastic near the VESA holes, it feels solid.

Picture Quality
7.1
Picture Quality
Contrast
Contrast
8,884 : 1
Native Contrast
8,884 : 1

The Vizio MQ6 has outstanding contrast, so blacks are truly black when you're looking at it in a dark room. Unfortunately, there's no local dimming feature to improve it.

10
Picture Quality
Blooming
10
Picture Quality
Lighting Zone Transitions
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Direct
Dimming Zones Count Of Tested TV
N/A
8.0
Picture Quality
Contrast And Dark Details In Game Mode

Once again, there's no local dimming feature. The videos are for reference only, so you can see how backlight on this display performs and compare it to a similar product with local dimming.

5.4
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
Hallway Lights (~1950 cd/m²)
262 cd/m²
Yellow Skyscraper (~700 cd/m²)
139 cd/m²
Landscape Pool (~300 cd/m²)
169 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
323 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
323 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
323 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
323 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
323 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
322 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
323 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
323 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
323 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
323 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.000

The Vizio M6 has disappointing HDR brightness. It's bright enough for most HDR content, but bright highlights in some scenes don't pop out the way they should, and very bright scenes are dull and muted.

These measurements are with the calibrated white point in the 'Calibrated Dark' HDR Picture Mode with Tone Mapping set to '100', Gamma to '2.2', and Color Temperature to 'Warm'.

5.4
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness In Game Mode
Hallway Lights (~1950 cd/m²)
271 cd/m²
Yellow Skyscraper (~700 cd/m²)
132 cd/m²
Landscape Pool (~300 cd/m²)
163 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
322 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
323 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
323 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
323 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
323 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
322 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
323 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
323 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
323 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
323 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.000

The HDR brightness in Game Mode is the same as outside of it because you don't need to change the Picture Mode. You only need to enable Game Low Latency to be in Game Mode.

8.0
Picture Quality
PQ EOTF Tracking
600 Nit Tracking Delta
0.0129
1000 Nit Tracking Delta
0.0129
4000 Nit Tracking Delta
0.0129

Overall, the brightness of the TV respects the content creator's intent in HDR, but there are a few issues. Near blacks are raised a bit, and midtones are too bright. The TV also doesn't appear to be doing any tone mapping, as there's an extremely sharp cut off at the TV's peak brightness.

6.6
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene Peak Brightness
280 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
315 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
316 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
316 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
316 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
316 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
315 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
316 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
316 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
316 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
316 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.000

The SDR brightness is okay. It's bright enough to overcome glare in a moderately-lit room, but not if you have a lot of windows or overhead lights. On the other hand, there's no fluctuation in brightness with different content.

These measurements are after calibration in the 'Calibrated Dark' Picture Mode with the Backlight at its max, Gamma set to '2.2', and the Color Temperature set to 'Warm'.

8.5
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
91.50%
DCI P3 uv
95.77%
Rec 2020 xy
71.61%
Rec 2020 uv
79.56%

Thanks to the quantum dot layer, the Vizio MQ6 displays an excellent color gamut. It has fantastic coverage of the commonly-used DCI P3 color space and decent coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 color space, so HDR content looks vivid and lifelike. Tone mapping is a bit worse than the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021, making colors look less accurate.

7.1
Picture Quality
Color Volume
1,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
54.5%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
26.4%
White Luminance
323 cd/m²
Red Luminance
72 cd/m²
Green Luminance
230 cd/m²
Blue Luminance
23 cd/m²
Cyan Luminance
250 cd/m²
Magenta Luminance
93 cd/m²
Yellow Luminance
300 cd/m²

The Vizio MQ6 has decent color volume. It's helped by the wide color gamut, but it struggles to display really bright and really dark colors.

8.1
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
3.16
Color dE
1.73
Gamma
2.22
Color Temperature
6,307 K
Picture Mode
Calibrated Dark
Color Temp Setting
Warm
Gamma Setting
2.2

The TV's accuracy before calibration is great. Except for saturated reds and blues, most colors are displayed properly and there are no significant issues. The white balance is a bit off, but it's not too bad, and the color temperature is close to the 6500K target. Gamma doesn't follow the 2.2 target all that well because dark scenes are too dark and bright scenes are over-brightened.

9.5
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.23
Color dE
1.09
Gamma
2.21
Color Temperature
6,514 K
White Balance Calibration
20 point
Color Calibration
Yes

The accuracy after calibration is nearly-perfect. Any remaining inaccuracies to the color, white balance, and gamma are almost impossible to spot with the human eye. It's easy to calibrate the white balance, but the colors are more difficult to adjust without an aggressive calibration.

You can see our full calibration settings here.

6.3
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
3.970%
50% DSE
0.248%
5% Std. Dev.
1.307%
5% DSE
0.120%

The Vizio M6 Series has mediocre gray uniformity. There are a few dark vertical bands across the screen, and they're noticeable when watching sports or any content with large areas of bright colors. It looks a bit better in near-black scenes, but the vertical bars are still noticeable.

9.3
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Std. Dev.
N/A
Native Std. Dev.
0.571%

This TV has fantastic black uniformity. However, because it lacks a local dimming feature, it can't produce those deep black levels needed for a proper dark room viewing experience.

4.6
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
20°
Color Shift
15°
Brightness Loss
27°
Black Level Raise
11°
Gamma Shift
12°

The Vizio MQ6 has a bad viewing angle, so it's not ideal for a wide seating arrangement as anyone sitting off-center will see a degraded image. There's an Enhanced Viewing Angle feature that's advertised to improve the viewing angle, but it doesn't make a noticeable difference:

7.5
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Semi-gloss
Total Reflections
5.0%
Indirect Reflections
0.8%
Calculated Direct Reflections
4.1%

The reflection handling is good. It looks more like the Vizio V Series 2020 than the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021 because it absorbs more light. This should help if you want to place the TV in a room with a couple of lights around, like small lamps.

8.0
Picture Quality
HDR Native Gradient
100% Black to 50% Gray
4.0
50% Gray to 100% White
8.0
100% Black to 50% Red
6.0
50% Red to 100% Red
10
100% Black to 50% Green
8.0
50% Green to 100% Green
10
100% Black to 50% Blue
8.0
50% Blue to 100% Blue
10
6.7
Picture Quality
Low-Quality Content Smoothing
Smoothing
7.0
Detail Preservation
6.0
5.0
Picture Quality
Upscaling: Sharpness Processing

Like other Vizio TVs, the Vizio MQ6 doesn't properly upscale 480p content. On this model, you can even see the individual pixels with real content, creating a moire-like effect. You can see them in all the upscaling photos, but they're harder to spot in person.

Picture Quality
Pixels
Subpixel Layout
BGR
Type LED
Sub-Type
VA

This TV uses a BGR sub-pixel structure. For video content, it doesn't cause any issues, but if you're planning on using this TV as a PC monitor, it impacts text clarity, and some text will look blurry. You can read more about it here.

Motion
6.5
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
6.9 ms
100% Response Time
18.5 ms

The Vizio M65Q6 has a slow response time, creating a long blur trail behind fast-moving objects. The response time is even slower in the 0-100% transition, which is typical of VA panels, but this is because there's more overshoot. This results in more distracting black smear behind darker areas of the screen. If you care about response time, check out this TV's successor, the Vizio M6 Series Quantum 2022.

7.9
Motion
Flicker-Free
Flicker-Free
No
PWM Dimming Frequency
480 Hz

This TV uses pulse-width modulation (PWM) to dim its backlight at any setting below its max. It's a high enough frequency that it doesn't cause any image duplication, but it can cause headaches and eye strain if you're sensitive to flicker.

Motion
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
Optional BFI
No
Min Flicker For 60 fps
480 Hz
60Hz For 60 fps
No
120Hz For 120 fps
N/A
Min Flicker for 60 fps in Game Mode
480 Hz

The Vizio MQ6 doesn't have an optional backlight strobing feature, commonly known as black frame insertion. The backlight always flickers at 480Hz unless it's at its max.

Motion
Motion Interpolation
Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
No
Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
No

There's no motion interpolation feature.

8.2
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
23.2 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
0.0 ms

Due to the slow response time, there's very little stutter with lower-frame rate content like movies and most TV shows.

7.8
Motion
24p Judder
Judder-Free 24p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60p
No
Judder-Free 24p via 60i
No
Judder-Free 24p via Native Apps
Yes

The Vizio M65Q6 can remove judder from native 24p sources like Blu-rays or native apps. This helps with the appearance of motion in movies.

7.3
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
HDMI Forum VRR
Yes
FreeSync
Yes
G-SYNC Compatible
No
4k VRR Maximum
60 Hz
4k VRR Minimum
40 Hz
1080p VRR Maximum
60 Hz
1080p VRR Minimum
40 Hz
1440p VRR Maximum
60 Hz
1440p VRR Minimum
40 Hz
VRR + Local Dimming No Local Dimming

Like the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021, the Vizio MQ6 features support for FreeSync and HDMI Forum variable refresh rate technologies.

Inputs
9.6
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
12.3 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
69.5 ms
1080p @ 120Hz
N/A
1080p @ 144Hz
N/A
1440p @ 60Hz
11.7 ms
1440p @ 120Hz
N/A
1440p @ 144Hz
N/A
4k @ 60Hz
12.2 ms
4k @ 60Hz + 10-Bit HDR
12.2 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
12.2 ms
4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
69.2 ms
4k @ 60Hz With Interpolation
N/A
4k @ 120Hz
N/A
4k @ 144Hz
N/A
8k @ 60Hz
N/A

The Vizio M65Q6-J09 has incredible low input lag as long as you enable Game Low Latency. The input lag doesn't change with VRR enabled or when gaming with 4k or 1080p content, which is great.

7.1
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 4k
480p @ 59.94Hz (Widescreen)
Yes
720p @ 59.94Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
No
1080p @ 144Hz
No
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes (forced resolution required)
1440p @ 120Hz
No
1440p @ 144Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
No
4k @ 120Hz @ 4:4:4
No
4k @ 144Hz
No
8k @ 30Hz or 24Hz
No
8k @ 60Hz
No

This TV supports all common resolutions at 60Hz, like 1080p, 1440p, and 4k. It also displays chroma 4:4:4 properly with all of its supported resolutions, which helps with text clarity when using it as a PC monitor. You need to create a custom resolution from your PC for 1440p signals, but that doesn't affect the picture quality. It also accepts 1080p and 1440p signals at 120Hz, but it skips frames, as the panel can only refresh at 60Hz.

Inputs
PS5 Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
No
1440p @ 120Hz
No
1080p @ 120Hz
No
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

As it's limited to a 60Hz panel, it doesn't support any 120Hz signals from the PS5. There's an Auto Low Latency Mode that switches the TV into Game Mode when you launch a game from a compatible device.

Inputs
Xbox Series X|S Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
No
1440p @ 120Hz
No
1080p @ 120Hz
No
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

As it's limited to a 60Hz panel, it doesn't support any 120Hz signals from the Xbox Series S|X. There's an Auto Low Latency Mode that switches the TV into Game Mode when you launch a game from a compatible device.

Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
HDR10+
Yes
Dolby Vision
Yes
HLG
Yes
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 1,2,3)
HDMI 2.1 Class Bandwidth
No
CEC Yes
HDCP 2.2 Yes (HDMI 1,2,3)
ATSC Tuner
1.0
USB 3.0
No
Variable Analog Audio Out Yes
Wi-Fi Support Yes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)

Vizio advertises the TV as having three HDMI 2.1 inputs, but it's actually limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth. It doesn't support any signal above the limits of HDMI 2.0 bandwidth, like 4k @ 60Hz with chroma 4:4:4 and 10-bit color depth, confirming that the ports don't support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.

Inputs
Input Photos
Inputs
Total Inputs
HDMI 3
USB 1
Digital Optical Audio Out 1
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 0
Analog Audio Out RCA 1
Component In 0
Composite In 1
Tuner (Cable/Ant) 1
Ethernet 1
DisplayPort 0
IR In 0

The Vizio MQ6 doesn't have an audio analog output like the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021, but it has composite inputs which is great if you have a DVD player or old gaming consoles.

Inputs
Audio Passthrough
ARC/eARC Port
eARC
eARC: Dolby Atmos Over Dolby Digital Plus
Yes
eARC: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Yes
eARC: LPCM 7.1 Over Dolby MAT
Yes
eARC: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Yes
eARC: DTS:X Over DTS-HD MA
Yes
eARC: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Yes
eARC: LPCM Channels (Bitstream)
2.0
ARC: Dolby Digital 5.1
Yes
ARC: DTS 5.1
Yes
Optical: Dolby Digital 5.1
Yes
Optical: DTS 5.1
Yes

The Vizio M6 Series Quantum has eARC support, allowing you to send high-quality audio to a compatible receiver using a single HDMI connection.

Sound Quality
6.3
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
119.87 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
3.55 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
3.47 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
5.25 dB
Max
86.2 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
4.34 dB

The Vizio M65Q6-J09 has a mediocre frequency response. It has a fairly well-balanced sound profile for dialogue, but it doesn't get very loud. It also doesn't produce much bass, if at all.

6.5
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.240
Weighted THD @ Max
0.628
IMD @ 80
3.67%
IMD @ Max
20.80%

The distortion performance is okay. There isn't much distortion at moderate listening levels, but it increases a lot at its max volume. However, not everyone may hear it and it depends on the content.

Smart Features
7.0
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS SmartCast
Version 1.50
Ease of Use
Easy
Smoothness
Average
Time Taken to Select YouTube
3 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
3 s
Advanced Options
Many

The Vizio SmartCast is user-friendly, but it's not as advanced as some other smart systems. Menu navigation also feels a bit choppy, and even though we didn't experience any bugs during testing, Vizio TVs are known to be buggy.

0
Smart Features
Ad-Free
Ads
Yes
Opt-out
No
Suggested Content in Home
Yes
Opt-out of Suggested Content
No

There are ads in the home screen, which isn't something we noticed with the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021. Sadly, there's no way to disable them.

6.5
Smart Features
Apps and Features
App Selection
Great
App Smoothness
Average
Cast Capable
Yes
USB Drive Playback
Yes
USB Drive HDR Playback
Yes
HDR in Netflix
Yes
HDR in YouTube
Yes

The SmartCast system comes with a great selection of pre-installed, web-based apps, but there's no app store so you can't download any extra apps. You can cast almost anything you want from your phone using the Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay 2 support.

6.5
Smart Features
Remote
Size
Medium
Voice Control
Search, Some Other Features
CEC Menu Control
Yes
Other Smart Features
No
Remote App Vizio SmartCast Mobile

The Vizio M65Q6-J09 comes with the new Vizio remote that features a basic design with shortcut buttons to popular streaming devices. It also has a mic for voice control, and you can ask it to change inputs and open apps, but it can't search for specific content in apps or change certain settings.

Smart Features
TV Controls

There's a single button on the bottom left side to turn the TV On/Off and change inputs.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Remote control (with 2x AAA batteries)
  • User guides

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 60 W
Power Consumption (Max) 132 W
Firmware 1.20.18.1-7