Vizio V Series 2019
TV REVIEW
The Vizio V Series 2019 is a budget entry-level 4k LED TV with decent picture quality. It has a high native contrast ratio that delivers deep blacks but lacks a local dimming feature to improve dark room performance. The TV can get decently bright in SDR, but not bright enough in HDR. It doesn't have a wide color gamut and can't deliver an HDR image with saturated colors and highlights that pop. Motion on the V Series looks smooth, but fast-moving content has a slightly long blur trail. Unfortunately, the TV lacks any advanced features to make motion look crisper. It has a low input lag, which is great for casual gaming.
Note that there are different variants of the V Series, some of which include local dimming. See our table of differences between sizes and variants.
| Design | 7.0 |
| Picture Quality | 7.4 |
| Motion | 6.9 |
| Inputs | 8.8 |
| Sound Quality | 5.8 |
| Smart Features | 6.8 |
- Deep uniform blacks.
- Low input lag.
- Can't get very bright.
- HDR doesn't add much.
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Market Context
The Vizio V Series 2019 is a budget VA panel TV. It sits below the Vizio M Series and it is the replacement of last year's D Series 4k and E Series. The V Series' main competitors are budget models from other manufacturers, like the Samsung RU7100, the LG UK6300, or the TCL 5 Series S517.
Design
The Vizio V Series has a decent design. It has a wide stand that supports the TV well and only allows moderate wobble. The back of the TV is very plain and there is no provision for cable management. When you look at the TV from the side, you can clearly distinguish the compartment that houses the electronics because it is thicker than the rest of the screen. The build quality is decent and the TV feels very solid, even though it's mostly made of plastic.
The stand is made of very good quality plastic. It supports the TV well and only allows a little wobble. It is almost as wide as the TV and you will need a large table to place it on. Unfortunately, there are some grooves that prevent you from reversing the legs to make the footprint smaller.
Footprint of the 50" stand: 40.75" x 10.1"
The back of the TV is very plain. It consists of two parts: the top is metal, whereas the bottom one is made of solid plastic with a slight texture. The back resembles the TCL 5 Series S517 a lot. There is no cable management.
The Vizio V Series 2019 is a thin TV overall. It is thinner than last year's Vizio E Series 2018 and Vizio D Series 4k 2018. The top part is much thinner, but the lower part, where most of the electronics are housed, is noticeably thicker. If you decide to wall mount it, however, it will not stick out a lot.
Picture Quality
- 11% Contrast
- 6% Local Dimming
- 6% SDR Peak Brightness
- 6% HDR Peak Brightness
- 6% Gray Uniformity
- 7% Viewing Angle
- 4% Black Uniformity
- 6% Reflections
- 4% Pre Calibration
- 1% Post Calibration
- 6% 480p Input
- 9% 720p Input
- 11% 1080p Input
- 5% 4k Input
- 4% Color Gamut
- 4% Color Volume
- 2% Gradient
- 1% Temporary Image Retention
- 1% Permanent Burn-In Risk
The Vizio V Series 2019 has a decent picture quality. It can display deep blacks thanks to the high native contrast ratio, but lacks a local dimming feature to further improve dark room performance. It can get decently bright in SDR and is more suitable for a dim room. Unfortunately, HDR content is not displayed as its creator intended, as the TV does not have a wide color gamut and can't get very bright in HDR. The V Series has mediocre viewing angles and decent gray uniformity that won't disappoint sports fans. It can handle reflections well, and you can place it in a room with a few lights without issue.
The native contrast ratio is excellent. It can deliver deep blacks in a dark room and this improves picture quality. It is an improvement over last year's Vizio D Series 4k 2018. Unfortunately, the TV lacks a local dimming feature to improve dark room performance.
The Vizio V Series 2019 is available in multiple sizes and two major variants. We tested the Vxx5 variant. There is no local dimming feature in this variant. There is an option called Backlight Control and in the tooltip, it says that it dims the backlight locally. However, this is not local dimming. The above video is for reference only.
Note: The other variant is the Vxx6 and supports local dimming, but we have not tested it so we cannot comment on its performance. You can find out more about the sizes and variants here.
- 64% SDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
- 5% SDR Peak 2% Window
- 5% SDR Peak 10% Window
- 5% SDR Peak 25% Window
- 5% SDR Peak 50% Window
- 5% SDR Peak 100% Window
- 2% SDR Sustained 2% Window
- 2% SDR Sustained 10% Window
- 2% SDR Sustained 25% Window
- 2% SDR Sustained 50% Window
- 2% SDR Sustained 100% Window
- 1% SDR ABL
The Vizio V Series 2019 has decent SDR peak brightness and it is suitable for an average lit room. It is not as bright as the D Series 4k 2018, but is very similar to the TCL S517.
We measured the peak brightness after calibration, using the 'Calibrated dark' Picture Mode, 'Normal' Color Temperature, and with the Backlight set to '100.' We use these settings because they give the most accurate image, and this is the maximum brightness that you can get with these settings.
If you do not care about image accuracy, you can obtain higher brightness levels. We were able to reach 309 nits on our 10% window in 'Vivid' Picture mode.
- 63% HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
- 5% HDR Peak 2% Window
- 5% HDR Peak 10% Window
- 5% HDR Peak 25% Window
- 5% HDR Peak 50% Window
- 5% HDR Peak 100% Window
- 2% HDR Sustained 2% Window
- 2% HDR Sustained 10% Window
- 2% HDR Sustained 25% Window
- 2% HDR Sustained 50% Window
- 2% HDR Sustained 100% Window
- 2% HDR ABL
The HDR peak brightness is disappointing. The TV has a weird behavior when it displays whites. In normal content when it is displaying dark scenes, the entire screen is dimmed, but as soon as something bright appears on the scene the entire scene brightens. This can be distracting at times, and it happens in HDR even when Backlight Control is set to 'Off.'
We measured the peak brightness after calibration, using the 'Calibrated Dark' Picture Mode, 'Normal' Color Temperature, and with the Backlight set to '50.' We use these settings because they give the most accurate image and this is the maximum brightness that you can get with these settings.
If you do not care about image accuracy, you can obtain higher brightness levels. In 'Vivid' Picture mode, we were able to reach 306 nits on all window sizes.
- 40% 50% Std. Dev.
- 40% 50% DSE
- 10% 5% Std. Dev.
- 10% 5% DSE
The V Series 2019 has decent gray uniformity. The edges and especially the corners are darker than the center of the screen. There is some dirty screen effect, but not too much to bother casual sports fans. In darker scenes, the uniformity issues at the edges remain, but the center of the screen is much more uniform.
- 20% Color Washout
- 16% Color Shift
- 24% Brightness Loss
- 16% Black Level Raise
- 24% Gamma Shift
The viewing angles are mediocre. The gray levels rise fast as you move off angle, and the gamma shifts dramatically at small angles as well. This makes the image look washed out at fairly small angles. This TV is not the best choice if you have a room with a wide seating arrangement, although it is a good performance for a VA panel. This performance is similar to the TCL 3 Series S305.
Note: During our testing, the black level reached 1.98x its zero degrees value, but never quite reached 2x. If it had reached 2x, the Black Level Raise would have scored worse and that would have affected the entire viewing angle scoring. This is potentially a problem with our scoring system that we'll revisit in a future test bench update.
- 75% Native Std. Dev.
- 25% Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
Excellent black uniformity. It's almost impossible to notice any backlight bleed on the Vizio V Series 2019, even when you watch in a pitch black room.
This TV has good reflection handling, very similar to last year's Vizio D Series 4k 2018. The TV has a semi-gloss screen finish that diffuses reflections across the screen, reducing their intensity. You should have no issues with reflections with this TV unless you place it across from a bright window.
- 46% White Balance dE
- 45% Color dE
- 9% Color Temperature
The accuracy of the Vizio V Series 2019 with our pre-calibration settings is good. Both the white balance dE and the color dE are slightly lower than 3, and thus mostly enthusiasts will notice the gray and the color inaccuracies. The gamma doesn't follow the curve all too well, and thus some scenes are slightly darker whereas others are slightly brighter than they should be. The color temperature is warm and the image has a reddish-yellow tint.
- 46% White Balance dE
- 45% Color dE
- 9% Color Temperature
After calibration, the V Series has excellent accuracy. Both the white balance dE and the color dE are lowered. Any remaining inaccuracies can only be spotted with the aid of a colorimeter. The gamma tracks the curve better, although some very bright scenes continue to look darker. The color temperature is very closer to the target of 6500K, but maintains a slightly warmer tint.
You can see our recommended settings here.
Upscaling of low-quality content like DVDs is slightly worse than average. The V Series 2019's upscaling of 480p content is slightly better than the D Series 4k 2018 and is more like the upscaling of the Vizio P Series Quantum.
Upscaling of 720p, like content from a cable box, is slightly worse than average. The upscaling of 720p content on the V Series is a little better than the D Series 4k 2018 and is more similar to the upscaling of the Vizio P Series Quantum.
Upscaling of 1080p, like most Blu-rays, is very similar to other TVs like the Samsung Q70R. There are no visible artifacts or jaggedness.
- 25% DCI P3 xy
- 25% DCI P3 uv
- 25% Rec 2020 xy
- 25% Rec 2020 uv
The Vizio V Series 2019 has a decent color gamut, but not wide enough to deliver good HDR performance. It is very similar to last year's D Series 4k 2018.
The EOTF follows the input stimulus well, until it starts to roll off very early to smooth the transition towards the TV's peak brightness. The 'Game' mode EOTF is very similar as we can see here.
If you find HDR too dim, check out our recommendations here. With these settings, the V Series 2019 is noticeably brighter in HDR, as shown in this EOTF.
We also measured the tone mapping at 50% stimulus to see if the TV is prioritizing brightness over color accuracy. The results for the Rec. 2020 color space are shown here, and the results for the DCI-P3 color space are shown here. The tone mapping is much better at the 50% stimulus. We usually perform these extra tests when the tone mapping is really bad, which is usually the case on budget, dim TVs.
The color volume on this Vizio V Series is mediocre. The TV cannot display a full range of colors across a range of brightnesses, and this is due to the limited color gamut. Just like the D Series 4k 2018, the V Series can't display rich colors, and darker color shades will be crushed.
- 25% Red (Std. Dev.)
- 25% Green (Std. Dev.)
- 25% Blue (Std. Dev.)
- 25% Gray (Std. Dev.)
Good overall gradient handling on the V Series. Some fine banding is noticeable in most dark shades and more severe banding is visible in dark blue. Unfortunately, the TV doesn't have any options that can help minimize it or eliminate it.
When watching TV show, playing video games or when using your TV as a PC monitor.
Note that this is different to permanent burn-in, learn more about permanent burn-in here.
There are no signs of temporary image retention, which is typical of VA panels.
We don't expect VA panels to experience permanent image retention, as the VA panel in our long-term test appears immune.
Motion
- 53% Response Time
- 11% Flicker-Free
- 3% Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
- 5% Motion Interpolation
- 12% Stutter
- 11% 24p Judder
- 5% Variable Refresh Rate
The Vizio V Series has decent motion handling. The TV's response time is fast, but a small blur trail is visible behind fast-moving content. This small blur smooths out transitions and makes movies and lower fps content display without much stutter. The TV uses PWM to dim its backlight, and the flicker frequency is 480Hz which is unlikely to bother most people. It does not support any advanced image processing features like motion interpolation or Black Frame Insertion that could help make the image crisper. The Vizio V Series can display judder-free movies over 24p signal and when playing from native apps.
- 50% 80% Response Time
- 50% 100% Response Time
The Vizio V Series has a good response time. There is a little more motion blur trail behind fast-moving content than what is found on most TVs, but not too much. Also, there is some overshoot in the 0-20% transition, which can cause some haloing in really dark scenes, but it otherwise shouldn't be very noticeable.
The TV uses PWM to dim its backlight. The flicker frequency is very fast at 480Hz and most people won't be bothered.
Unfortunately, the TV doesn't have any option to lower its flicker frequency to make the motion crisper.
The Vizio V Series does not have a motion interpolation feature.
The response time is fast, but not so fast that it creates an annoying stutter. Motion in movies or other lower fps content looks good.
The Vizio V Series can remove judder from most sources. Unfortunately, it can't deliver judder-free movies over a 60p or a 60i signal, like from a cable box.
See our recommended settings on how to remove judder here.
- 25% 4k VRR Maximum
- 25% 4k VRR Minimum
- 25% 1080p VRR Maximum
- 25% 1080p VRR Minimum
The TV has a native refresh rate of 60Hz. It doesn't support any advanced gaming features like FreeSync.
Inputs
- 86% Input Lag
- 14% Supported Resolutions
The Vizio V Series 2019 has an excellent low input lag and can support the most common resolutions. It does not support 120Hz at any resolution due to the 60Hz panel, but can display proper 4:4:4 in all of its supported resolutions.
- 36% 1080p @ 60 Hz
- 1% 1440p @ 60 Hz
- 38% 4k @ 60 Hz
- 19% 4k @ 60 Hz + HDR
- 3% 4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4
- 1% 1080p @ 120 Hz
- 1% 1080p with Variable Refresh Rate
- 1% 4k with VRR
The Vizio V Series 2018 has an excellent low input lag. Even though we measured the same input lag in all modes, we still recommend enabling Game Low Latency, as there may be some scenarios we didn't test for that require it to be enabled.
All ports have the same low input lag and the V Series can display proper chroma 4:4:4 in all pictures modes as long as you enable Full Chroma 4:4:4.
The TV does not support an Auto Low Latency Mode, so remember to set Game Low Latency to 'On' to ensure that you will have the lowest input lag every time you need it.
- 17% 1080p @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4
- 8% 1080p @ 120 Hz
- 8% 1440p @ 60 Hz
- 4% 1440p @ 120 Hz
- 34% 4k @ 60 Hz
- 25% 4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4
- 4% 8k @ 30 Hz or 24 Hz
The Vizio V Series supports the most common resolutions but can't display any 120 Hz signal due to the 60Hz panel. It supports proper chroma 4:4:4 in all resolutions as long as you enable Full Chroma 4:4:4 for the input in use. You can also use the 'Computer' picture mode, as it always has proper 4:4:4.
The TV can pass DTS over ARC but not over optical.
Sound Quality
- 75% Frequency Response
- 25% Distortion
The sound quality of the Vizio V Series is disappointing. It can't produce much bass and can only get moderately loud, which is not good for noisy environments. It can, however, produce clear and intelligible dialog. For a better sound, a soundbar or dedicated speakers are recommended.
- 30% Low-Frequency Extension
- 5% Std. Dev. @ 70
- 20% Std. Dev. @ 80
- 15% Std. Dev. @ Max
- 20% Max
- 10% Dynamic Range Compression
The frequency response of the Vizio V Series 2019 is disappointing. Low-frequency extension (LFE) is at about 143Hz. This means this TV doesn't produce any thump or rumble and won't have much body to its bass either. The response above the LFE point is okay, and the TV can produce intelligible dialog. This TV doesn't get very loud and seems to be producing some compression and pumping artifacts close to the maximum volume.
- 40% Weighted THD @ 80
- 25% Weighted THD @ Max
- 10% IMD @ 80
- 25% IMD @ Max
Mediocre distortion performance. The THD is rather elevated throughout the range. There is not a big change in THD at maximum volume, which is a good thing, but this TV doesn't get very loud anyway.
Smart Features
- 42% Interface
- 2% Ad-Free
- 37% Apps and Features
- 16% Remote
- 3% Remote App
The Vizio V Series has decent smart features. Just like all of the latest Vizio TVs, it has a Chromecast built-in software that allows you to cast to the TV from almost any app on your phone. Its palette of apps is very limited and there is no way to add more. However, the most popular apps are already there. The interface is not smooth and hangs often, but it is intuitive and easy to use. The remote is very basic and cannot voice control the TV. However, the Vizio V Series integrates well with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The remote app can control all TV settings and acts as a remote replacement.
The interface is basic and simple to navigate. It has some low frame rate animations and it's not smooth. However, the most distracting issue is the time it takes for the "SmartCast" home menu to appear and for the apps to launch. Sometimes when you change a significant setting like the 'Full Chroma 4:4:4', the TV won't respond to the action you do on the remote for a couple of seconds, although the menu is still displayed.
The Vizio V Series, just like all Vizios, does not have ads in its interface or its SmartCast app.
The V Series has a limited selection of apps and smart features. There are 15 apps present and there is no way to add more. Fortunately, Google Cast is built in and this allows you to cast from almost any app from your phone.
Note: In the picture above you see apps in the Canadian region. Other regions might have different apps installed.
The apps on the V Series are no longer choppy as they were in past years' models, but the lack of an app store can be limiting. Vizio's WatchFree free TV service is well integrated into the TV, as it is actually listed as an input like the HDMI inputs.
The remote control is very basic and lightweight. It is the same remote as Vizio D Series 4k 2018 and Vizio E Series 2018. It has small buttons, but the layout is very intuitive and easy to use. There are 6 quick launch buttons for various streaming services.
You can't control the TV with your voice using the remote. To use your voice with this TV, you need a separate Google Home or Amazon Alexa device that can interface with the TV and control it.
The remote app is great and can do almost everything that the remote control can do. You can change inputs or adjust any of the TV settings, but you can't open apps. Unfortunately, you can't use it to cast files from your device, but third-party software can be used to cast files to the Chromecast built-in. The remote app doesn't allow you to execute voice commands.
Differences between Sizes and Variants
We tested the 50" (V505-G9). For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 40" (V405-G9), 43" (V435-G0), 55" (V555-G1), 60" (V605-G3), 65" (V655-G9), 70" (V705-G3), and 75" (V765-G4) versions.
Vizio released three more variants of the V Series: the 43" (V436-G1), the 55" (V556-G1), and the 65" (V656-G4). These models support local dimming and are expected to have higher peak brightness. However, since we have not tested any of these we can not be sure.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Vizio V Series 2019 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.
| Size | Model | Local Dimming Zones |
Clear Action |
Effective Refresh Rate |
Real Refresh Rate |
HDMI Inputs |
| 43" | V436-G1 | 10 | 180 | 120Hz | 60Hz | 3 |
| 55" | V556-G1 | 10 | 180 | 120Hz | 60Hz | 3 |
| 65" | V656-G4 | 12 | 180 | 120Hz | 60Hz | 3 |
| 40" | V405-G9 | - | - | 120Hz | 60Hz | 3 |
| 43" | V435-G0 | - | - | 120Hz | 60Hz | 3 |
| 50" | V505-G9 | - | - | 120Hz | 60Hz | 3 |
| 55" | V555-G1 | - | - | 120Hz | 60Hz | 3 |
| 60" | V605-G3 | - | - | 120Hz | 60Hz | 3 |
| 65" | V655-G9 | - | - | 120Hz | 60Hz | 3 |
| 70" | V705-G3 | - | - | 120Hz | 60Hz | 3 |
| 75" | V755-G4 | - | - | 120Hz | 60Hz | 3 |
This is the label of 50" (V505-G9) Vizio V Series that we tested.
Compared to other TVs
The Vizio V Series 2019 is a decent TV that can deliver an okay picture quality. See our recommendations for the best budget TVs, the best 4k TVs, and the best smart TVs.
The Vizio E Series 2018 is better than the Vizio V Series 2019. The E Series 2018 has a local dimming feature that enhances dark room performance. It also has a faster response time that leaves less blur trail behind fast-moving content. The E Series also includes a Black Frame Insertion feature that helps make motion even crisper. The Vizio V Series 2019 has slightly wider viewing angles.
The TCL 5 Series/S517 2018 is a bit better than the Vizio V Series 2019. The TCL can remove judder from any source and has better upscaling capabilities for lower resolution content. The TCL also has a motion interpolation feature to please the soap opera effect fans. The Vizio has better black uniformity, better reflection handling, and the image remains accurate for wider angles.
The Vizio D Series 4k 2018 and the Vizio V Series 2019 both have very similar performance. The Vizio V Series 2019 has a marginally higher contrast ratio that delivers deeper and more uniform blacks, which is great for watching movies in a dark room. The Vizio D Series 4k 2018 is marginally brighter and has a slightly better response time that produces crisper motion.
The Vizio V Series 2019 and the LG UM7300 have different panel types, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The V Series has a VA panel, which looks better in a dark room, as it delivers deep, uniform blacks. The UM7300 has an IPS panel, which doesn't look as good in a dark room, but the image remains accurate when viewed at an angle.
The Vizio V Series 2019 and the LG UK6300 have different panels, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The LG has an IPS panel with wider viewing angles and is more suitable if you have a room with a wide seating arrangement. It also supports motion interpolation for the soap opera effect fans. The Vizio, on the other hand, has deeper and more uniform blacks and is a better choice for watching movies in a dark room.
The Vizio V Series 2019 is a much better TV than the TCL 3 Series S325. The Vizio supports 4k resolution and can display HDR content. It can get brighter and can be placed in a brighter room than the TCL S325. The Vizio has better dark room performance thanks to its higher native contrast ratio and better black uniformity. The TCL has a little lower input lag, which might be important to some gamers.
