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To try to better understand how long a TV should last, we're running 100 TVs through an accelerated longevity test for the next two years. We've just posted our 1-year video update with our latest findings on temporary image retention, burn-in, and more!

Vizio P Series XLED 2017 TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.2
Reviewed Jul 27, 2017 at 04:20 pm
Latest change: Test bench update Mar 12, 2018 at 02:53 pm
Vizio P Series XLED 2017 Picture
8.0
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.5
Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.5
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.5
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.6
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.4
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.9
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.1
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the Vizio P Series 2018

The Vizio P Series 2017 is a mid-range LED TV with excellent picture quality in a dark room. It's exactly the same as the P Series 2016, but it comes with a standard remote instead of an android tablet. Mostly thanks to its great local dimming, the P Series can produce very deep blacks. It's a great gaming TV too thanks to its low input lag and motion blur. Unfortunately, though, its picture quality degrades when viewed from an angle, and its input lag is a bit high with HDR content.

Our Verdict

8.0 Mixed Usage

Great TV for most usages. The Vizio P's picture quality in a dark room is some of the best available for an LED TV, and it handles sports and SDR video games very well. Unfortunately, though, its narrow viewing angle causes its picture quality to degrade when viewed at an angle.

Pros
  • Great picture quality in a dark room
  • Low input lag in SDR
  • Brighter than average
Cons
  • Color gamut could be better for HDR
  • Picture quality degrades at an angle
  • No TV tuner
8.5 Movies

The Vizio P Series 2017 is a great choice for movies in a dark room. It can produce very deep blacks thanks to its local dimming feature which gives a lot of depth to the image.

7.5 TV Shows

The Vizio P's capabilities for TV shows are about average. Its picture quality is great but isn't the best at handling reflections and it doesn't upscale low-resolution content as well as some other competitors.

7.5 Sports

Good TV for watching sports. The screen's uniformity is decent, and it gets quite bright. It has very low motion blur too, so fast moving objects remain clear and visible.

8.6 Video Games

Great TV for playing video games. The Vizio P Series offers a "gaming" HDMI port that reduces the input lag providing a very responsive experience. The P series 2017 also has a flickering feature available which greatly enhances the clarity of motion which is great.

8.4 HDR Movies

Very good TV for watching HDR movies. It can get fairly bright, which is important, but it also has a large color volume and can display 10 bits of color depth for smoother gradients. It's not the most saturated TV though, since it cannot reproduce a very wide color gamut.

7.9 HDR Gaming

Good TV for HDR gaming. The Vizio P offers a great HDR picture quality overall, but its input lag with HDR content could be a bit lower.

8.1 PC Monitor

Very good PC monitor. The low input lag and motion blur keep mouse movements responsive. It also supports a wide variety of resolution including 4:4:4 chroma and 120hz refresh rate at 1080p.

  • 8.0 Mixed Usage
  • 8.5 Movies
  • 7.5 TV Shows
  • 7.5 Sports
  • 8.6 Video Games
  • 8.4 HDR Movies
  • 7.9 HDR Gaming
  • 8.1 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Mar 12, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
  2. Updated Jan 23, 2018: Retested input lag with the latest firmware (3.4.8.15). HDMI port 5 is unaffected, but the input lag of HDMI port 1 is ~9 ms higher across the board when 'Game Low Latency' is enabled.
  3. Updated Oct 31, 2017: Retested 24p over 60Hz with the 3.4.8.5 update and judder is still present.
  4. Updated Sep 20, 2017: Tested 1080p @ 120 Hz input lag using our new input lag tool.
  5. Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
  6. Updated Jul 27, 2017: Review published.
  7. Updated Jul 25, 2017: Our testers have started testing this product.
  8. Updated Jul 21, 2017: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 65" (P65-E1). For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 75" (P75-E1) variant of the Vizio P Series 2017, but the 55" (P55-E1) has a few differences:

  • 55" (Vizio P55-E1): This size has an IPS panel instead of VA. It will have better color accuracy at an angle, but worse contrast and blacks from in front (in the 1000:1 ballpark).
Size Model LCD Type Effective Refresh Rate Real Refresh Rate Local Dimming Zones
55" P55-E1 IPS 240 Hz 120 Hz 126
65" P65-E1 VA 240 Hz 120 Hz 128
75" P75-E1 VA 240 Hz 120 Hz 128

Compared To Other TVs

Comparison picture

Top left: TCL P607 (55P607). Bottom left: Sony X900E (XBR55X900E). Middle: Vizio P Series 2017 (P65-E1). Top right: Vizio M Series 2017 (M65-E0). Bottom right: Samsung MU9000 (UN55MU9000).  Unlike our other photographs, this picture wasn't taken under a controlled environment, so do not draw conclusions from it.

The P Series offers great picture quality at a competitive price, but it faces tough competition in its price. For a larger size though, it is a pretty good choice.

Sony X900E
49" 55" 65" 75"

The Sony X900E is somewhat better than the Vizio P Series 2017. The Sony X900E has better upscaling which is important if you watch a lot of cable, and better gray uniformity. The Vizio P Series 2017, on the other hand, has a better input lag and a faster response time, which are important to those who play a lot of games. Finally, the Vizio P Series 2017 has better black frame insertion (BFI) which can result in a clearer image for gamers.

Vizio M Series XLED 2017
50" 55" 65" 70" 75"

The Vizio P Series 2017 is significantly better than the Vizio M Series 2017. The P Series has lower input lag and lower response time, which is great if you play video games. The P Series has better local dimming and is equipped with motion interpolation for those who like the soap opera effect. Finally, the P Series is better suited for watching TV shows in brighter rooms, as it has higher brightness to fight glare and slightly better reflection handling.

TCL 6 Series 2018
55" 65" 75"

The Vizio P Series 2017 is slightly better than the TCL 6 Series R617. The Vizio P Series 2017 is much better for watching movies as it has better local dimming and better black uniformity and also has better motion interpolation. The TCL R617 has better input lag which is great if you play video games or use the TV as a PC monitor. If you watch a lot of TV shows, the TCL has better upscaling and can handle reflections slightly better.

Vizio P Series 2018
55" 65" 75"

The Vizio P Series 2018 is better than the Vizio P Series 2017 in almost every use. The P Series 2018 has lower input lag, which is great if you play video games or HDR games. It also has better reflection handling so you can place it in a room with many light sources without any issue. Finally, the Vizio P Series 2018 has a faster response time, thus you will notice only a small blur trail in the image when you watch fast action sports.

Test Results

Design
8.0
Design
Style
Curved No

The design of the P Series 2017 is simple, and the same as the previous year's P Series 2016. It has a wide metal stand, which supports the TV well but requires a large table. It is stable, and most of the inputs can be easily accessed if wall mounted. It looks quite good, but won't stand out as much as some other high-end TVs such as the MU9000 or SJ8500.

Design
Stand

The stand of the TV is quite wide, but is strong and provides very good support. It feels high quality too, due to the heavy metal.

Footprint of the 65" TV stand: 11.1" x 50.0"

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 400x400

The rear of the TV is simple and made of plastic. Most of the inputs are easy to access even if placed next to a wall as they run parallel to the back of the TV.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.59" (1.5 cm)

The borders have an average thickness, but still look quite good with a textured metal finish.

Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 2.52" (6.4 cm)

The TV appears quite thick when viewed from the side due to the full-array backlight. It will stick out a bit if wall mounted, but the metal borders look good.

Design
Temperature
Maximum Temperature
97 °F (36 °C)
Average Temperature
90 °F (32 °C)

The TV gets a little warm to the touch along the top edge and in a few places on the back, but this isn't a problem. There are air vents along the top and bottom of the TV that keep it cool.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The build quality of the P Series 2017 is good. Metal is used along the frame and for the stand, so the TV feels quite rugged. The rear plastic has a bit of flex, but this isn't an issue for normal use.

Picture Quality
8.8
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
4,675 : 1
Contrast with local dimming
9,271 : 1

Great native contrast ratio for the 2017 Vizio P TV. This high native contrast ratio means that dark scenes will be displayed really well and with really deep blacks, especially when the TV is set in a dark room.

When the local dimming is turned on, the contrast ratio nearly doubles, which is even better. This is a clear sign that the local dimming is very effective. The black level is literally cut in half, which is great for HDR content, especially HDR movies.

8.0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array

The Vizio P 2017 has a great local dimming. In fact, it is the same as the 2016 Vizio P, since the TV is essentially the same. Overall, the local dimming does a good job limiting the blooming around our moving highlight, but similarly, as the 2016 version, it still dims the moving highlight too much, especially when transiting from one dimming zone to another. Fortunately, this is less obvious when watching movies and we recommend to turn on the local dimming feature, named 'Active LED Zones' on this Vizio TV.

8.4
Picture Quality
SDR Peak Brightness
SDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
489 cd/m²
SDR Peak 2% Window
305 cd/m²
SDR Peak 10% Window
424 cd/m²
SDR Peak 25% Window
471 cd/m²
SDR Peak 50% Window
502 cd/m²
SDR Peak 100% Window
517 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 2% Window
302 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 10% Window
421 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 25% Window
467 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 50% Window
497 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 100% Window
513 cd/m²
SDR ABL
0.031

Plot over time

Great SDR peak brightness. The TV's great ~500 cd/m² brightness is only marred by how its local dimming dims the smaller white windows. This means darker scenes will be more dim than intended.

Because of this local dimming behavior the overall brightness is less than the Sony X900E, which has similar real scene brightness. The P Series 2016 has similar brightness and behavior to the 2017; even though the 2017 is a little dimmer in every test, this is within panel variation between units of the same TV, and isn't noticeable in person.

7.0
Picture Quality
HDR Peak Brightness
HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
442 cd/m²
HDR Peak 2% Window
313 cd/m²
HDR Peak 10% Window
435 cd/m²
HDR Peak 25% Window
482 cd/m²
HDR Peak 50% Window
511 cd/m²
HDR Peak 100% Window
531 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 2% Window
310 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 10% Window
431 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 25% Window
478 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 50% Window
507 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 100% Window
522 cd/m²
HDR ABL
0.031

Plot over time

Decent HDR peak brightness, but not as good as it could be because of the TV's local dimming behavior. Most TVs with local dimming make highlights brighter than their full screen white brightness, however the Vizio P dims highlights in even normal scenes, so its full screen white is its highest brightness. Because of this highlights in dim scenes will be much less bright than intended.

Because of this behavior the overall brightness is less than the X900E, which has a similar full screen white brightness. The P Series 2016 has similar brightness and behavior to the 2017 model; though the 2017 is a little less bright in every test, this is within unit variation for the same TV, and isn't noticeable in person.

Update 08/01/2017: In HDR the 'Backlight' setting doesn't change the peak brightness, but changes the brightness of everything else, as explained in the Color Gamut section of the review. Backlight 50 is recommended for a dark room and Backlight 100 is recommended for a bright room.

6.7
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
4.582%
50% DSE
0.184%
5% Std. Dev.
2.661%
5% DSE
0.124%

The Vizio P 2017 gray uniformity could be better. The corners and sides are all a bit darker than the center, with some faint darker vertical band also visible in the center. Luckily, the vertical bands in the center are not very visible while watching normal content since they are just a bit darker than the average of the screen. Dirty screen effect is visible very slightly and not very annoying.

Looking at our 5% gray uniformity test picture, you can see that both sides are slightly brighter, but this is only a result of the narrow viewing angle.

4.3
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Shift
18°
Brightness
33°
Black Level
21°

Poor viewing angle, though average for a TV with a VA panel. Blacks turn grey and colors shift when the TV is viewed from a small angle, while brightness decreases at a more moderate angle. This TV isn't well suited for a room where people often view the TV from the side.

The 55" Vizio P uses an IPS panel with a much better viewing angle, but worse picture quality when viewed from straight in front.

8.8
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
0.674%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
0.748%

Outstanding black uniformity for the Vizio P Series 2017. The native black uniformity (when the local dimming is turned off) is very good and the overall screen blacks are very uniform. There is not any visible clouding or flashlighting near the corners or sides, which is very good.

When the local dimming is turned on, there is some blooming around the center white cross, but once again, it is very limited and we can clearly see that the local dimming implementation is very good on the 2017 Vizio P.

7.3
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Semi-gloss
Total Reflections
5.9%
Indirect Reflections
0.9%

The reflection handling of the P Series 2017 is good. It has a semi-gloss finish which reduces the intensity of reflection by diffusing them across the screen, but also causes ambient glare to raise the perceived black level. This should be fine for most rooms but may be an issue in an especially bright living room.

7.3
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
Picture Mode
Calibrated Dark
White Balance dE
3.45
Color dE
2.69
Gamma
2.24
Color Temperature
5,793 K

The Vizio P 2017 has a great accuracy out of the box when the TV is set to the 'Calibrated Dark' picture mode and with the 'Normal' color temperature. It is still a bit warm on the 'Normal' color temperature, but it is far more accurate than the 2 other color temperature available ('Computer' and 'Cool'). As is, this TV could be used by almost anyone without the need to do a calibration

Overall, the white balance dE is not bad as it is just a bit over the 3.0 mark, which is where enthusiasts would begin to notice the inaccuracy. As for the gamma, it is tracking very closely our 2.2 target, which is great. Finally, the color dE is very reasonable and should not really be a problem as is, unless you are a professional who has already worked with other calibrated monitors or TVs.

9.5
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
Picture Mode
Calibrated Dark
White Balance dE
0.29
Color dE
0.97
Gamma
2.21
Color Temperature
6,454 K

After calibration, the Vizio P Series 2017 is very accurate and if not almost perfect. The white balance control works well and is accurate and precise, as each IRE control points does not affect the adjacent points. which can happen on some TV and make the whole calibration process a pain to do. The color space management ('Color Tuner') is also very effective and the whole color dE was brought down to 0.97, which at this level, any inaccuracies are almost unnoticeable. Finally, the gamma curve was flattened to track our 2.2 target almost right on.

You can find our calibration settings here.

7.0
Picture Quality
480p Input

Upscaling of low-quality content such as DVDs is a bit more blocky than other TVs, similar to the Vizio P Series 2016.

7.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

720p content such as cable looks decent when upscaled. Some minor haloing artifacts are visible and the image is slightly more soft than most other TVs.

9.0
Picture Quality
1080p Input

1080p content such as Blu-rays look good. The image remains clear and sharp.

10
Picture Quality
4k Input

Content at the native 4k resolution of the TV looks good. No issues can be seen.

7.6
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
83.90%
DCI P3 uv
91.33%
Rec 2020 xy
61.16%
Rec 2020 uv
69.17%

Wide HDR color gamut, though not as wide as the Sony X900E and many high end TVs. Our color gamut tests are done at a 75% stimulus brightness; at this high brightness the Vizio P sacrifices color saturation in order to make colors brighter. This is visible as terrible color accuracy in both color gamut images. The same P3 and 2020 tests done at a 50% stimulus brightness show much better color accuracy, because the TV can easily reach this brightness.

Update 08/01/2017: It was found that changing the 'Backlight' setting in HDR changes the EOTF and doesn't actually change the peak brightness. At Backlight 100 (shown here with local dimming on and off) the EOTF is much brighter than the PQ curve, which is good for bright rooms. At Backlight 50 (local dimming on, off) the EOTF follows the PQ curve very well, which is good for dark rooms. At Backlight 50 the 'Game' and 'Computer' picture mode EOTFs (local dimming on) follow the PQ curve very well.

7.2
Picture Quality
Color Volume
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage ITP
81.1%
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
35.1%
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
61.9%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
26.7%

Okay color volume, but mostly limited by the color gamut and black level. The TV's great local dimming lets it extend its wide color gamut to a large range of brightnesses. One problem though is how the DCI P3 color gamut narrows drastically at very high brightness values, as the TV sacrifices color saturation to make them brighter. This is most visible in the P3 image in our Color Gamut section. This will mean that the colors of very bright highlights will look a little washed out.

7.5
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit
Red (Std. Dev.)
0.120
Green (Std. Dev.)
0.133
Blue (Std. Dev.)
0.110
Gray (Std. Dev.)
0.138

The gradient is very smooth with only some small imperfection in the darker shades of colors, but this is nothing really problematic overall. 8-bit banding is not visible since this is a 10-bit panel. The performance is almost the same as the Vizio P Series 2016.

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%

Perfect result four our image retention test for the 2017 Vizio P. This result is in line with most LED TVs that use a VA panel.

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.

Picture Quality
Pixels
Type LED
Sub-Type
VA (except 55")

The pixel structure looks identical to the P Series 2016.

Motion
9.3
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
3.9 ms
100% Response Time
10.9 ms

The response time of the P Series 2017 is very good, resulting in a short trail following moving objects. This is great when watching fast-moving content. This result is very similar to the P Series 2016.

4.0
Motion
Flicker-Free
Flicker-Free
No
PWM Dimming Frequency
120 Hz

The TV uses PWM at 120Hz to dim the backlight, starting at 99/100 backlight setting. Lowering the setting shortens the duty cycle, while amplitude remains constant. Backlight that uses PWM results in duplications following moving objects, but it does help to clear up motion slightly.

9.3
Motion
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
Optional BFI
Yes
Min Flicker for 60 fps
60 Hz
60 Hz for 60 fps
Yes
120 Hz for 120 fps
Yes
Min Flicker for 60 fps in Game Mode
60 Hz

It is possible to reduce the flicker frequency to 60 Hz by enabling the 'Clear Action' setting. If you don't mind the visible flicker produced by this option, it helps to clear up fast moving content. The Vizio P 2017 increases backlight amplitude when Clear Action is enabled, which helps keep screen brightness constant even while using Black Frame Insertion.

10
Motion
Motion Interpolation
Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
Yes
Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
Yes

The P Series 2017 can interpolate lower frame rate content using its 120 Hz panel. To add the soap opera effect to 60 fps content, increase the 'Reduce Motion Blur' slider. The 'Reduce Judder' slider is used to interpolate 30 fps content. Note that any motion interpolation will introduce artifacts, so use a small value unless you really like the soap opera effect.

7.0
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
30.8 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
5.8 ms

The Vizio P Series 2017 can display 60fps content without stutter, but stutter may be visible with 24p movies - especially if they have wide panning shots. This is a result of the fast response time, which results in very little blur to smooth between frames.

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 P Series 2017 can display 24p movies without judder when movies are played from 24p sources, like DVD and Blu-ray players, or from the native apps, and this without the need to turn on any related option. When 24p movies are played either from a 60p or 60i sources (like cable or satellite boxes), The TV can't remove completely judder as seen in this picture even when 'Pure Cinema' is turned on. This is a bit odd, as the 2016 Vizio P Series was able to remove judder without issues with the previous firmware. This may be a firmware issue and we will keep track of it and update the results of the test if it is fixed in the future.

Update 10/31/2017: With the latest firmware (3.4.8.5) judder is still present from 60Hz signals, even with 'Pure Cinema' enabled.

Update 01/17/2018: Judder has been retested with the latest firmware (3.4.8.15), and remains unchanged.

0
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No
4k VRR Maximum
N/A
4k VRR Minimum
N/A
1080p VRR Maximum
N/A
1080p VRR Minimum
N/A
VRR Supported Connectors
N/A

The Vizio P Series 2017 has a 120Hz panel without support for more advanced features such as FreeSync.

Inputs
8.7
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
15.9 ms
1080p @ 60Hz + HDR
54.4 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
82.5 ms
1080p @ 120Hz
10.9 ms
4k @ 60Hz
15.9 ms
4k @ 60Hz + HDR
52.5 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
52.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4 + 8 bit HDR
52.5 ms
4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
82.5 ms
4k With Interpolation
77.6 ms
4k @ 120 Hz
N/A
4k with Variable Refresh Rate
N/A
1080p with Variable Refresh Rate
N/A

Excellent low input lag for SDR content, but only okay input lag for HDR content. HDMI port 5 is a low bandwidth port that doesn't support HDR, but has much lower input lag than the other ports, making it excellent for SDR gaming. We conducted all tests on HDMI ports 1, 2 and 5: ports 1 and 2 have identical input lag within variance, but port 5 has much lower lag for all resolutions that it can support, including 4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:2:0. These results are almost identical to last year's P Series 2016.

Test HDMI 1 2 5
1080p @ 60 Hz 46.0 45.3 16.0
+ 4:4:4 50.9 50.6 15.9
out of game mode 129.3 128.6 82.6
with interpolation 125.9 124.3 77.7
4k @ 60 Hz 44.0 43.3 15.9
+ HDR 43.5 43.5 N/A
+ 4:4:4 43.7 43.2 N/A
+ 4:4:4 + 8 bit HDR 43.7 43.2 N/A
out of game mode 127.3 126.5 82.6
with interpolation 123.9 122.0 77.7

Update 09/20/2017: Tested 1080p @ 120 Hz input lag using our new input lag tool on HDMI port 5. It is ~4 ms faster than the 1080p @ 60 Hz input lag, which is due to the faster scan time of a 120 Hz signal.

Update 01/23/2018: Retested input lag with the latest firmware (3.4.8.15). HDMI port 5 is unaffected, but the input lag of HDMI port 1 is ~9 ms higher across the board when 'Game Low Latency' is enabled. This was also the case with the M Series 2017 and the E Series 2017 on the same firmware.

8.3
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 4k
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
No
4k @ 30Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
No

All common resolutions are supported on HDMI ports 1-4, and most on port 5.

Port 5: 4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4 or 4:2:2 color is not supported (not enough bandwidth). HDR is also not supported. 4:4:4 color is shown properly in any picture mode.

Ports 1-4: 4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4 or 4:2:2 is only supported when 'Full UHD Color' is enabled for the port being used. 4:4:4 color is only shown properly in the 'Computer' picture mode.

Inputs
Side Inputs
Inputs
Rear Inputs
Inputs
Total Inputs
HDMI 5
USB 2
Digital Optical Audio Out 1
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 0
Analog Audio Out RCA 1
Component In 1
Composite In 0
Tuner (Cable/Ant) 0
Ethernet 1
DisplayPort 0
IR In 0
SD/SDHC 0

Like the 2016 model, the Vizio P Series 2017 doesn't have a TV tuner.

Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
Dolby Vision
Yes
HLG
Yes
3D
No
5.1 Passthrough ARC Dolby Digital
Yes
5.1 Passthrough ARC DTS
Yes
5.1 Passthrough Optical Dolby Digital
Yes
5.1 Passthrough Optical DTS
Yes
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
HDMI 2.1 Full Bandwidth
No
ARC
Yes (HDMI 1)
USB 3.0
Yes (1)
HDCP 2.2 Yes
CEC Yes
MHL No
Variable Analog Audio Out Yes
Wi-Fi Support Yes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)

HDMI port 5 does not support HDR or HDMI 2.0 full bandwidth. To passthrough DTS or Dolby Digital depending on the content, set 'Digital Audio Out' to 'Bitstream' in the sound options.

Sound Quality
6.3
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
119.87 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
4.03 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
3.97 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
6.47 dB
Max
89.1 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
3.79 dB

Average frequency response. Bass extension is quite poor, and the response is a bit uneven overall. At Barely 89dB SPL, it isn't a very loud TV either.

5.9
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.522
Weighted THD @ Max
5.424
IMD @ 80
9.58%
IMD @ Max
17.24%

Subpar distortion levels. Across all volumes, the Vizio P Series shows more distortion than average. They skyrocket at maximum volume with a noticeable peak at 1.5KHz.

Smart Features
7.0
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS SmartCast
Ease of Use
Easy
Smoothness
Not Smooth
Time Taken to Select YouTube
15 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
4 s
Advanced Options
Many

There is a side menu that can be accessed in any input, that contains all the TV's settings. It's fairly responsive and easy to use. There is also the app screen, accessed through the 'SmartCast' input, that only contains a few apps and has very choppy animations. Because the app screen is treated as another input and has no dedicated remote button, clicking through all the other input to get to it takes a bit of time.

10
Smart Features
Ad-Free
Ads
No
Opt-out
N/A
Suggested Content in Home
Yes
Opt-out of Suggested Content
No

Neither the TV's interface or the phone and tablet app have ads. The TV's main app page does have a scrolling banner for suggested content, which can be a little annoying.

6.5
Smart Features
Apps and Features
App Selection
Many
App Smoothness
Not Smooth
Cast Capable
Yes
USB Drive Playback
Yes
USB Drive HDR Playback
No
HDR in Netflix
Yes
HDR in Amazon Video
No
HDR in YouTube
No

The TV can play content cast from most popular apps on a smartphone or tablet. In addition SmartCast was recently updated to support built-in apps, but currently on our unit only Netflix, Amazon Video, Hulu, Crackle, iHeartRadio, Xumo, Vudu and PlutoTV are available (not YouTube). More apps are expected to be added soon. Animations in apps and when browsing the interface are very choppy or have low frame rate, but the actions themselves don't have much lag.

6.0
Smart Features
Remote
Size
Medium
Voice Control
No
CEC Menu Control
Yes
Other Smart Features
No

Instead of the tablet remote of the Vizio P 2016, the 2017 P series has a full basic remote that can navigate the TV's new on screen interface. However the remote is very basic, offering only buttons and has no smart features at all.

8.0
Smart Features
Remote App
Acts as the Remote
Yes
Directly Launches Apps and Inputs
Inputs Only
Inputs Text in YouTube
N/A
Inputs Text in Netflix
Yes
Streams Device Files
No
Controls TV Settings
All
Voice Control
No

The highlight of the SmartCast platform is the amazing phone and tablet app, which can do everything the physical remote can do and more. All the TV's settings can be changed in the app itself, inputs can be switched, the phone or tablet's keyboard can be used for text entry on the TV, and the app can serve as either a touchpad remote or button remote for the TV.

Smart Features
TV Controls

The TV has four physical buttons: power, volume up/down, and input.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Manual
  • Batteries
  • Remote
  • HDMI Cable
Unlike the P Series 2016, the 2017 model doesn't come with a tablet. The remote is improved though, and can control more TV functions.

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 105 W
Power Consumption (Max) 187 W
Firmware 3.3.18.1