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We published new results of an investigative study on the long-term durability of TVs, revealing significant durability issues with popular edge-lit models. Read the full details here.

Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.6
Reviewed Oct 26, 2020 at 10:21 am
Latest change: Retest Jul 27, 2021 at 04:20 pm
Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 Picture
7.6
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.8
Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.4
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.4
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.9
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.6
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.8
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.0
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 is a good overall budget TV. It's very similar to the Vizio M8 Series Quantum 2020, but it doesn't get as bright and has fewer local dimming zones. It sports a VA panel that can produce deep blacks, great for viewing movies or gaming in the dark. Its fast response time results in only a short blur trail behind fast-moving objects, and it has an optional Black Frame Insertion feature to improve clarity further. Its input lag is low enough to satisfy most gamers, and it supports variable refresh rate technology to reduce screen tearing. However, it has narrow viewing angles, and it might not be able to fight intense glare in brightly-lit rooms. Also, while it has an outstanding color gamut with full coverage of the commonly-used DCI P3 color space, it doesn't get bright enough to make highlights pop in HDR content. Finally, its local dimming is mediocre and can be a bit distracting, as it raises the overall black level and is slow to transition between zones.

Our Verdict

7.6 Mixed Usage

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 is a good TV for most uses. It has low input lag, a fast response time, and it supports variable refresh rate technology, making it a great option for gaming. It's decent for watching TV shows and sports, as it has good reflection handling but might not be able to overcome intense glare. Its excellent contrast ratio makes it a good choice for watching movies; however, its local dimming is mediocre, and it doesn't get bright enough to deliver a convincing HDR experience.

Pros
  • Excellent contrast ratio.
  • Good reflection handling.
  • Decent SDR peak brightness.
Cons
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Dirty screen effect.
7.8 Movies

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 is good for watching movies. It has an excellent contrast ratio and decent black uniformity to deliver a great dark room viewing experience. It can remove judder from 24p sources and native apps, and it doesn't stutter much in lower frame rate content. Unfortunately, its local dimming is mediocre, and there's a fair amount of dirty screen effect, although the latter can vary between units.

Pros
  • Excellent contrast ratio.
  • Can remove 24p judder.
  • Decent black uniformity.
Cons
  • Mediocre local dimming.
  • Dirty screen effect.
7.4 TV Shows

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 is decent for watching TV shows. It handles reflections well but doesn't get very bright, so it might struggle to overcome intense glare. It has a VA panel with narrow viewing angles, which isn't ideal if you like to walk around while watching TV. On the upside, it's immune to permanent burn-in, so you don't have to worry about watching the same content or channel all day.

Pros
  • Good reflection handling.
  • Decent SDR peak brightness.
Cons
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Dirty screen effect.
7.4 Sports

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 is decent for watching sports. It has a fast response time and a Black Frame Insertion feature to deliver fast-moving scenes with minimal blur. It handles reflections well, but it might not be able to overcome intense glare. Also, its VA panel's narrow viewing angles make images look inaccurate when viewed from the side, which isn't ideal for wide seating areas.

Pros
  • Good reflection handling.
  • Fast response time.
  • Decent SDR peak brightness.
Cons
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Dirty screen effect.
7.9 Video Games

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 is great for gaming. It has remarkably low input lag to provide a responsive gaming experience and a fast response time to minimize motion blur in fast-moving scenes. Also, it supports variable refresh rate technology to reduce screen tearing. It's well-suited for dark room viewing due to its high contrast ratio, but the local dimming can be a bit distracting as it raises the overall black level.

Pros
  • Excellent contrast ratio.
  • Fast response time.
  • VRR support.
  • Low input lag.
Cons
  • Mediocre local dimming.
  • Dirty screen effect.
7.6 HDR Movies

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 is good for watching movies in HDR. It has a high contrast ratio and an outstanding HDR color gamut to produce a wide range of colors. However, it doesn't really get bright enough to make highlights pop, and the local dimming is mediocre.

Pros
  • Excellent contrast ratio.
  • Outstanding HDR color gamut.
  • Can remove 24p judder.
  • Decent black uniformity.
Cons
  • Doesn't get bright enough for HDR.
  • Mediocre local dimming.
  • Dirty screen effect.
7.8 HDR Gaming

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 is great for gaming in HDR. It has a fast response time and low input lag, and it supports variable refresh rate technology to help reduce screen tearing. It has an outstanding color gamut to produce a wide range of colors, but its HDR peak brightness is disappointing, so highlights don't stand out the way they should.

Pros
  • Excellent contrast ratio.
  • Fast response time.
  • VRR support.
  • Low input lag.
Cons
  • Doesn't get bright enough for HDR.
  • Mediocre local dimming.
8.0 PC Monitor

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 is a good TV for use as a PC monitor. It supports most common resolutions and can display proper chroma 4:4:4. It has a fast response time and low input lag, and its VA panel is immune to permanent burn-in. The downside is that it has narrow viewing angles, so images can look inaccurate at the sides if you sit too close.

Pros
  • Good reflection handling.
  • Fast response time.
  • Low input lag.
Cons
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • 7.6 Mixed Usage
  • 7.8 Movies
  • 7.4 TV Shows
  • 7.4 Sports
  • 7.9 Video Games
  • 7.6 HDR Movies
  • 7.8 HDR Gaming
  • 8.0 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Jul 27, 2021: Remeasured the contrast and uploaded the real content local dimming videos.
  2. Updated Mar 01, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.6.
  3. Updated Dec 22, 2020: We've retested the supported resolutions and inputs with the latest firmware (version 1.10.15.1-2).
  4. Updated Oct 26, 2020: Review published.
  5. Updated Oct 20, 2020: Early access published.
  6. Updated Oct 05, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
  7. Updated Oct 02, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  8. Updated Aug 22, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 65" Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 (M65Q7-H1), and we expect our results to be valid for the 50" (M50Q7-H1) and the 55" (M55Q7-H1) models. It's a variant of the Vizio M8 Series Quantum 2020, which we've also tested. They're very similar overall, but there are some differences, such as the number of local dimming zones and their overall peak brightness. There's a Black Friday variant that's only available at a 70" size, which has slightly reduced features, such as three HDMI ports instead of four. It likely has a different local dimming zone count, though we haven't been able to confirm it. If you come across this model, please let us know in the discussions.

Size Model Black Friday Model Local Dimming Zones
50" M50Q7-H1   30
55" M55Q7-H1   30
65" M65Q7-H1   30
70"   M706x-H3 Unknown

If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Vizio M7 Quantum doesn't correspond to our review, let us know, and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, such as gray uniformity, may vary between individual units.

You can see our unit's label here.

Compared To Other TVs

The Vizio M7 Series is a good TV overall, one of the best in its price range. It performs very similarly to its sibling, the Vizio M8 Series Quantum 2020, but it doesn't get as bright in SDR or HDR, and it has a lower number of local dimming zones. For more options, check out our recommendations for the best TVs under $500, the best TVs, and the best 4k TVs.

Hisense U6G
50" 55" 65" 75"

The Hisense U6G is much better than the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020. The Hisense has much better black uniformity, a better local dimming feature, and better gray uniformity. The Hisense is a lot brighter, making it a better choice for a bright room. The Hisense upscales lower resolution content, like DVDs, better than the Vizio.

Vizio M8 Series Quantum 2020
55" 65"

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 and the Vizio M8 Series Quantum 2020 are very similar TVs, as they're variants of the same model. The M7 has a faster response time and better reflection handling. However, the M8 gets brighter in both SDR and HDR, has more local dimming zones, and it doesn't stutter as much in lower frame rate content due to its slower response time.

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

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 and the TCL 5 Series/S535 2020 QLED score similarly overall, but there are a few notable differences between them. The Vizio has higher peak brightness, better reflection handling, and supports variable refresh rate technology. The TCL has a higher contrast ratio, better local dimming, and can remove judder from all sources.

Hisense H8G
50" 55" 65" 75"

The Hisense H8G is marginally better than the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020. The Hisense has a better local dimming feature, it gets brighter, and its Android TV platform runs smoother and has more apps. On the other hand, the Vizio has a much better HDR color gamut, and it supports variable refresh rate technology to reduce screen tearing when gaming.

Samsung TU8000
43" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85"

Overall, the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 is significantly better than the Samsung TU8000. The Vizio has a much better color gamut, better gradient handling, a faster response time, and a full-array local dimming feature. It also has better reflection handling and gets brighter. However, the Samsung has a higher contrast ratio, and it doesn't stutter as much in lower frame rate content.

LG CX OLED
48" 55" 65" 77"

The LG CX OLED is significantly better than the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020; however, they're very different TVs. The LG is a high-end OLED that can produce perfect blacks, while the Vizio is a mid-range LCD TV with a VA panel. The LG has wider viewing angles, better reflection handling, and gets brighter. It also has a faster response time and better color accuracy out-of-the-box. However, the Vizio has lower input lag and doesn't stutter as much in lower frame rate content.

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

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021 replaces the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020, and both TVs are very similar. Local dimming is a bit improved on the 2021 model as there's less blooming, but the local dimming is unremarkable on each. The 2021 model also comes with a remote with voice control, which the 2020 version doesn't have. The 2020 has a slightly quicker response time, and there's less noticeable black smearing with dark objects. Overall, there aren't any major differences, and it's not worth upgrading to the 2021 model if you already have the 2020 one.

+ Show more

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved No

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 is a variant of the Vizio M8 Series Quantum 2020, and they look exactly alike. It has a simple design with thin borders on all sides and wide-set feet.

Design
Stand

The feet are the same as the Vizio M8 Series Quantum 2020's. They're wide-set, so you need a large surface to put it on if you don't plan on wall-mounting it. They support the TV well and don't wobble much.

Footprint of the 65" stand: 50.4" x 11.8"

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 400x200

The back is simple and plain. The top portion is metal, while the bottom is plastic. All the inputs are easy to access when wall-mounted. Unfortunately, there's no cable management.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.47" (1.2 cm)

The borders are thin and aren't distracting.

Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 2.95" (7.5 cm)

The TV is relatively thin and shouldn't stick out much when wall-mounted.

7.0
Design
Build Quality

The build quality is decent. It's made out of a mix of metal and plastic, and it feels sturdy overall. The only issue is that the plastic near the airflow vents on the back flexes a bit, but otherwise, there aren't any apparent gaps. The stand supports the TV well, and it doesn't wobble much. There are a couple of stuck pixels on our unit; however, your experience may vary.

Picture Quality
8.8
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
5,053 : 1
Contrast with local dimming
5,262 : 1

Update 07/27/2021: We updated the TV's firmware to 1.20.18.1-7 and remeasured the contrast. The update slightly improved the contrast with local dimming, but at the same time it slightly decreased the contrast with local dimming disabled. However, neither change is significant, and you likely won't notice any difference.

The Vizio M65Q7-H1 has an excellent native contrast ratio, and the full-array local dimming feature slightly improves the contrast. However, it only improves the contrast after updating the TV to the latest firmware because it actually lowered the contrast with our test pattern on past firmware versions. Note that the contrast ratio can vary between individual units.

7.2
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene Peak Brightness
314 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
363 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
469 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
440 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
355 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
303 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
360 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
465 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
438 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
355 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
303 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.026

The Vizio M65Q7-H1 has decent SDR peak brightness, a bit lower than the Vizio M8 Series Quantum 2020. It's better suited for a dark to moderately-lit room, as it can struggle a bit in bright ones, especially if there's sunlight. Also, the brightness varies a lot depending on the scene.

We measured the SDR peak brightness after calibration in the 'Calibrated Dark' Picture Mode, with Gamma set to '2.2', Active Full-Array set to 'Medium', and Color Temperature set to 'Warm'.

If you don't mind losing image accuracy, you can get a brighter image in the 'Vivid' Picture Mode, with Active Full-Array set to 'High'. We measured a peak of 554 cd/m² in the 10% window using these settings.

6.0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array

Update 07/27/2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.

The Vizio M65Q7-H1 has a mediocre local dimming feature. We recommend using the 'Medium' setting, which is what we used for testing. There's noticeably less blooming than the Vizio M8 Series Quantum 2020, but it's mainly due to how big the lighting zones are. This means that a larger area of the screen is lit, making the overall black level rise and blooming less noticeable. There's still some, although it's more visible when displaying our test pattern than in regular content. Subtitles are dimmed, and the large lighting zones and raised black level make the subtitles less distracting. It crushes blacks, so small highlights like distant stars disappear almost completely. Transitions are slow and visible, as the zones tend to light up too early and are slow to turn off.

6.0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming In Game Mode
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array

Update 07/27/2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.

The local dimming looks the same in Game Mode as outside of it.

5.6
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
Real Scene Highlight
323 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
179 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
436 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
499 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
449 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
319 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
177 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
432 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
495 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
448 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
319 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.062

The Vizio M65Q7-H1 has sub-par HDR peak brightness. Just like in SDR, the brightness varies a lot across different content and gets dimmer as more areas of the screen are lit. It isn't bright enough to deliver a satisfying HDR experience.

We measured the HDR peak brightness before calibration in the 'Calibrated Dark' Picture Mode, with Gamma set to 2.2, Active Full-Array set to 'Medium', and Color Temperature set to 'Warm'.

If you don't mind losing accuracy, you can get a brighter image by setting the Picture Mode to 'Vivid', Gamma to 2.2, Active Full-Array to 'High', Local Contrast to 'High', and Color Temperature to 'Cool'. We measured a peak brightness of 558.2 cd/m² in the 10% window using these settings.

5.6
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness In Game Mode
Real Scene Highlight
329 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
179 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
436 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
498 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
449 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
319 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
177 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
432 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
494 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
447 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
319 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.062
6.7
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
2.232%
50% DSE
0.229%
5% Std. Dev.
1.952%
5% DSE
0.137%

Gray uniformity on our unit of the Vizio M65Q7-H1 is okay. There's a fair amount of dirty screen effect (DSE), which can be distracting when watching sports, wide panning shots, or any scenes that have a large area of uniform color. Uniformity is only slightly better in dark scenes, as the DSE is still visible, and the right side of the screen is brighter than the rest. Note that gray uniformity can vary between individual units.

7.0
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
1.181%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
1.824%

Our unit of the Vizio M65Q7-H1 has decent black uniformity. Without local dimming, there's visible clouding and some backlight bleed. With local dimming enabled, uniformity is better, but the blooming is more visible, and it extends all the way to the edges of the screen. Note that black uniformity can vary between individual units.

5.9
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
21°
Color Shift
21°
Brightness Loss
28°
Black Level Raise
70°
Gamma Shift
16°

Like most VA panel TVs, the viewing angles are sub-par. Image accuracy degrades as you move off-center, which isn't ideal for large rooms or wide seating areas. If you want a TV with wide viewing angles, check out the Sony X80J.

7.6
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Semi-gloss
Total Reflections
4.7%
Indirect Reflections
0.7%
Calculated Direct Reflections
4.1%

The Vizio M65Q7-H1's reflection handling is good. It handles bright ambient light well but has more difficulty with direct reflections. It's best to avoid placing the TV opposite a window or bright lights.

7.3
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
3.74
Color dE
2.72
Gamma
2.19
Color Temperature
6,176 K
Picture Mode
Calibrated Dark
Color Temp Setting
Warm
Gamma Setting
2.2

Out-of-the-box, the Vizio M65Q7-H1 has decent color accuracy. Most colors are inaccurate to varying degrees, and white balance is visibly off. The color temperature is warmer than our 6500K target, giving the image a reddish tint. Gamma is close to the 2.2 mark for the most part, but both dark and bright scenes are a little brighter than they should be. Note that color accuracy can vary between individual units.

9.5
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.35
Color dE
1.17
Gamma
2.21
Color Temperature
6,478 K
White Balance Calibration
20 point
Color Calibration
Yes

After calibration, the color accuracy is exceptional. The remaining inaccuracies shouldn't be visible to the naked eye. White balance is nearly perfect, and the color temperature is much closer to our target. Gamma is better, but bright scenes are now over-darkened.

You can see our recommended settings here.

7.0
Picture Quality
480p Input

The Vizio M65Q7-H1's upscaling of 480p content is decent, but it isn't as good as most recent 4k TVs.

7.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

720p content, such as from cable TV, looks decent; there are no visible artifacts.

9.0
Picture Quality
1080p Input

1080p content, such as from Blu-rays, looks almost as good as 4k.

10
Picture Quality
4k Input

Other than the stuck pixels on our unit, 4k content is displayed perfectly.

0
Picture Quality
8k Input

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 can't display an 8k signal.

Picture Quality
Pixels
Type LED
Sub-Type
VA

As mentioned, our unit of the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 has a few stuck pixels near the top of the screen, but we couldn't get a picture of them. This TV uses a BGR sub-pixel structure, which doesn't affect image quality, but it can affect text clarity when using the TV as a PC monitor. You can read more about it here.

9.1
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
99.18%
DCI P3 uv
99.32%
Rec 2020 xy
81.03%
Rec 2020 uv
86.18%

The Vizio M65Q7-H1 has an outstanding HDR color gamut. It has full coverage of the commonly-used DCI P3 color space and great coverage of the wider Rec. 2020. The EOTF follows the PQ curve almost perfectly, but the roll-off is sharp and flat, resulting in some clipping in very bright scenes. The 'Game' mode EOTF is nearly identical, which you can see here.

If you find HDR content too dim, you can make it brighter by setting Gamma to '1.8', Black Detail to 'High', Local Contrast to 'High', Active Full-Array to 'High', and Color Temperature to 'Warm'. These settings result in a brighter image, as you can see in this EOTF.

8.5
Picture Quality
Color Volume
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage ITP
90.6%
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
39.6%
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
78.8%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
34.0%

Excellent color volume. It only has difficulty displaying bright blues, which is typical for LCDs.

8.3
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit
Red (Std. Dev.)
0.092
Green (Std. Dev.)
0.096
Blue (Std. Dev.)
0.077
Gray (Std. Dev.)
0.142

The gradient handling is great. There's only a little bit of banding in the greens and grays. Turning on Contour Smoothing removes most if not all of it; however, it can cause a loss of fine details in some scenes.

10
Picture Quality
Temporary Image Retention
IR after 0 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 2 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 4 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 6 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 8 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 10 min recovery
0.00%

There are no signs of temporary image retention; however, this can vary between individual units.

10
Picture Quality
Permanent Burn-In Risk
Permanent Burn-In Risk
No

We don't expect VA panels to experience permanent image retention, as the VA panel in our long-term test appears immune.

Motion
7.8
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
6.0 ms
100% Response Time
12.0 ms

The Vizio M65Q7-H1's response time is good, but it's a bit slow in the 0-20% transition, resulting in some motion smearing in dark scenes. There's a tiny amount of overshoot in the 0-20% and 0-80% transitions; however, it's much better than the Vizio M8 Series Quantum 2020 and shouldn't be noticeable for most people.

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

The Vizio M65Q7-H1's backlight is flicker-free when the TV's brightness is set to max. However, if it's set to anything below maximum, the backlight flickers at 480Hz.

10
Motion
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
Optional BFI
Yes
Min Flicker For 60 fps
60 Hz
60Hz For 60 fps
Yes
120Hz For 120 fps
N/A
Min Flicker for 60 fps in Game Mode
60 Hz

The Vizio M65Q7-H1 has an optional Black Frame Insertion feature to help reduce motion blur. When enabled, the backlight's flickering frequency is 60Hz, but it can cause slight image duplication due to crosstalk. To use BFI, enable Clear Action.

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

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 doesn't have a motion interpolation feature.

7.2
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
29.8 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
4.8 ms

Due to the Vizio M65Q7-H1's fast response time, there's some stutter in lower frame rate content.

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 M65Q7-H1 can remove judder from 24p sources or native apps, but not from 60p/60i sources. To remove judder, enable Film Mode.

7.3
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
HDMI Forum VRR
Unknown
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 Supported Connectors
HDMI

The Vizio M65Q7-H1 supports variable refresh rate technology to reduce screen tearing when gaming. It's compatible with FreeSync but not NVIDIA's G-SYNC. We aren't sure whether HDMI Forum VRR is working, as the Xbox One we use for testing also supports FreeSync, and there's no way to tell which one is active. The VRR range is advertised as 48-60, but we measured 40fps as the minimum.

Inputs
9.7
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
10.3 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
68.4 ms
1440p @ 60Hz
27.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz
10.7 ms
4k @ 60Hz + 10-Bit HDR
9.7 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
9.9 ms
4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
67.7 ms
4k @ 60Hz With Interpolation
N/A
8k @ 60Hz
N/A
1080p @ 120Hz
N/A
1440p @ 120Hz
N/A
4k @ 120Hz
N/A
1080p with Variable Refresh Rate
10.5 ms
1440p with VRR
N/A
4k with VRR
10.9 ms
8k with VRR
N/A

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 has remarkably low input lag. It's higher at 1440p, but it should be fine for games that aren't reaction-based. To get the lowest input lag, set Game Low Latency to 'On'. There's an 'Auto Low Latency Mode' that turns on 'Game' mode when it detects a game launching from a compatible device. To use it, set Game Low Latency to 'Auto'. We can't measure the input lag at 1440p with VRR, as VRR didn't work properly during the input lag test, even though it worked during our VRR test. VRR doesn't work at 1440p on the Xbox One because it's a forced resolution.

8.3
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 4k
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
No
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes (forced resolution required)
1440p @ 120Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
No
8k @ 30Hz or 24Hz
No
8k @ 60Hz
No

Update 12/22/2020: We've updated the firmware to version 1.10.15.1-2 and retested the TV's ability to display a 10-bit 4k @60Hz signal with chroma 4:4:4. The maximum signal that it can display at 10-bit is with chroma 4:2:0.

The Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 supports most common resolutions at 60Hz. It accepts a 1080p @ 120Hz signal, but it skips frames. It can display proper chroma 4:4:4 at all supported resolutions; however, we find that it looks a bit fuzzy at 1440p, and it can only display chroma 4:2:0 at 4k @ 60Hz with 10-bit color coding. To use chroma 4:4:4, set your PC to chroma 4:4:4, then set the HDMI Mode to '2.1' and enable Full Color 444 on the TV. These TV settings also unlock the full bandwidth of HDMI 2.0.

Inputs
Advanced Console Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes
PS5, 4k @ 120Hz + HDR
No
PS5, 4k @ 120Hz
No
PS5, 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
Yes
PS5, 1440p @ 120Hz
No
PS5, 1080p @ 120Hz
No
PS5, Variable Refresh Rate
PS5 can't do VRR yet
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 120Hz + HDR
No
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 120Hz
No
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
Yes
Xbox Series X, 1440p @ 120Hz
No
Xbox Series X, 1080p @ 120Hz
No
Xbox Series X, Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
HDR10+
Yes
Dolby Vision
Yes
HLG
Yes
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
HDMI 2.1 Class Bandwidth
No
CEC Yes
HDCP 2.2 Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
USB 3.0
No
Variable Analog Audio Out Yes
Wi-Fi Support Yes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)

Update 12/22/2020: We've retested the HDMI ports with the latest firmware version 1.10.15.1-2 and an HDMI 2.1 source. All ports are functioning as HDMI 2.0 even though they're advertised as HDMI 2.1.

The Vizio M7 is advertised to have HDMI 2.1 ports; however, there aren't any labels indicating which ports support it, and they're all limited to HDMI 2.0's bandwidth at this time.

Inputs
Input Photos
Inputs
Total Inputs
HDMI 4
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
SD/SDHC 0
Inputs
Audio Passthrough
ARC
Yes (HDMI 1)
eARC support
Yes
Dolby Atmos via TrueHD via eARC
Yes
DTS:X via DTS-HD MA via eARC
Yes
5.1 Dolby Digital via ARC
Yes
5.1 DTS via ARC
Yes
5.1 Dolby Digital via Optical
Yes
5.1 DTS via Optical
Yes

The Vizio M Series Quantum 2020 supports eARC, allowing the TV to pass high-quality audio like Dolby Atmos via TrueHD over an HDMI connection. To use it, set eARC to 'On' and Digital Audio Out to 'Digital'. If you're using an optical connection to pass a Dolby Digital or DTS signal, set Digital Audio Out to 'Auto'.

Sound Quality
6.1
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
134.54 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
3.61 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
3.95 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
4.63 dB
Max
84.9 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
2.50 dB

The Vizio M65Q7-H1 has a mediocre frequency response, very similar to the Vizio M8 Series Quantum 2020. It's noticeably lacking in bass, so it can't produce a deep, rumbling sound. Dialogues come across clearly, but it doesn't get very loud.

Note: We received reports of audio issues with the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2020 and the Vizio M8 Series Quantum 2020. Audio seems to cut out during quiet scenes or when there's a pause in sound, such as when scrolling through menus. It also can also make a popping or crackling sound in these situations, as you can see in this video posted on Reddit. It seems to be a problem with the internal speakers, but we've read reports of it continuing with a soundbar as well. We didn't notice this during testing, but if you've experienced the same issue, let us know.

6.8
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.336
Weighted THD @ Max
0.715
IMD @ 80
3.03%
IMD @ Max
6.40%

The distortion performance is okay. There isn't much distortion when playing at moderate volume levels, but it increases when nearing max volume. It shouldn't be audible to most people, though, as it largely depends on the content.

Smart Features
7.0
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS SmartCast
Version 1.40
Ease of Use
Easy
Smoothness
Average
Time Taken to Select YouTube
9 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
3 s
Advanced Options
Many

Vizio's SmartCast interface is decent. It's easy to use and runs smoothly for the most part. There are little bugs here and there, but you can resolve them by rebooting the TV.

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

There are ads and suggested content on the home screen. Unfortunately, there's no way to disable or opt-out of 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

Like all Vizio TVs, the M7 Series Quantum 2020 comes with a good number of apps already installed; however, you can't add more since Vizio doesn't have an app store.

6.0
Smart Features
Remote
Size
Medium
Voice Control
No
CEC Menu Control
Yes
Other Smart Features
No
Remote App Vizio SmartCast Mobile

The remote is similar to the Vizio M Series Quantum 2019's, except that it now has a circular navigation pad, and there's a dedicated button for Vizio's 'Watch Free' feature. There's no mic for voice control, but the replacement to this TV, the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021, comes with a remote that does.

Smart Features
TV Controls

There are four buttons on the right backside of the TV. They allow you to turn the TV On/Off, change the input source, and adjust the volume.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • User guide
  • Remote control
  • 2x AAA batteries

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 61 W
Power Consumption (Max) 130 W
Firmware 1.10.15.1-2