Vizio has announced a new soundbar that doubles as a karaoke machine, offering singalong fanatics a sound system, two microphones, and access to 80,000 songs in a sleek and affordable package.

The Vizio MicMe will ship with two wireless dynamic microphones that automatically activate the soundbar’s custom karaoke mode when removed from the included charging dock. Users will also be able to connect to other karaoke apps, such as Stingray.

Users will also have the option of just singing over whatever’s playing on their smart TV, or streaming audio to sing along to over Bluetooth.

And you can, of course, just use the MicMe as a typical soundbar for music, TV, and movies – the soundbar itself is a 30-inch 2.1 system that connects to an included wireless subwoofer, which we expect will offer more than enough fidelity and volume for a late-night ABBA sesh or two.

And the MicMe system even supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, so it's actually pretty well-specced alongside the rest of the best soundbars.

For further sound tuning, the MicMe system will integrate with the Vizio app – this app can also enable six vocal effects and nine ambient light colors for each of the microphones, adding a touch of personal flair to your living room performances.

In terms of setup, the MicMe is compatible with Vizio’s own QuickFit system which allows for easy and tool-free attachment to Vizio TVs when wall-mounted. HDMI eARC handles the duties of connecting to your TV.

The Vizio MicMe will be available from Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart among other retailers at a price of $349.99 (about £269 / AU$530), and the first units will ship from the end of November – at the time of writing, no specific release date has been confirmed, and we expect it to be a US and Canada launch only for now.

We’re not quite sure if the Vizio MicMe will make it to our list of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, but it certainly looks like a lot of fun, and the whole mic setup is a new one on us. And the price is impressive for something with this many features. We look forward to giving it a test. Well, some of us are looking forward to it more than others, admittedly.

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Vizio has announced that it is rolling out a complete overhaul of its smart TV interface, and from what we've seen it both looks and works very much like one of the best streaming services, including Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV Plus and the like.

The new Vizio home screen is called the Vizio Home Screen (imagine being a fly on the wall at the meeting where they came up with that) and it's being gradually released as part of a software update from today. 

It plans to update all its TVs that run on the SmartCast operating system, which means it'll be available to some quite old models – some as old as 2016 (like the Vizio SmartCast M-Series), which is an eternity in TV tech. But the new menu will also be available on sets like the Vizio D32h-D1, which we consider to be on the best 32-inch TVs. 

What's new in the Vizio Home Screen?

I really like the new sleek home screen because it sticks with the conventions we expect from streaming apps. You've got the vertical column of icons at the left hand edge so you can navigate between search, your to-view list and other key features, and then there's the trending shows and movies in the main section. Below that you have your various apps and inputs, so you can quickly switch to the likes of Hulu, Netflix or YouTube TV.

As much as I'm all for innovation, sometimes you just want to flop down on the couch and stream something. There's a reason why TV remotes, music apps and toaster ovens all tend to have similar controls. And I think the same applies to smart TV interfaces. My kids have learnt some pretty bad words from me accidentally getting into my smart TV's horrible interface instead of the Apple TV it's connected to. 

And there are still more features here if you want them. The various broadcasting tools currently in Vizio's SmartCast, such as AirPlay streaming, are still here. And existing features have been made better. For instance, the on-screen keyboard is much easier to use, the app catalog is much simpler to navigate and the overall process is a whole lot more streamlined to discover the best TV shows and best movies. 

I think this is a wise, and maybe a little overdue, move. Vizio operates in an incredibly crowded and competitive sector, and that means your software needs to be as good as your hardware. This new interface will make new Vizio TVs a lot more attractive, and it's a nice improvement for existing owners too. If you have one of the compatible Vizio TVs, you should get the new interface in the next few weeks.

The best 40-to 43-inch TVs are not to be underestimated. They might not have the gargantuan screen heft of larger TVs, but there are plenty of great-looking sets available that won't take over your room. Plus, at this size, these TVs are exceptionally affordable.

Opting for a smaller screen size doesn't mean you'll need to sacrifice functionality and quality, either. Even when compared to the best 65-inch TVs or the best 75-inch TVs, these 40, 42, and 43-inch picks provide 4K resolution and HDR (high dynamic range), meaning crisp visuals, bright colors, and all of the smart TV perks (like built-in streaming services) you'd expect from their larger cousins.

We've also included some of the best gaming TVs in our shortlist. If you want to plug in a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, LG's 42-inch C5 comes with HDMI 2.1 functionality for variable refresh rate and gaming in 4K at 120fps on all of its ports – it's basically a flagship TV in a smaller frame.

There aren't many of the best OLED TVs featured below, however, because it's difficult for manufacturers to produce smaller OLED panels without also creating a lot of (expensive) waste. LG appears to have solved the conundrum with its awesome 42-inch C5, but it's one of only a handful of OLED options available at this size.

Finally, it's well worth noting that the TechRadar team tests all of the TVs we feature. We dig into their brightness, color accuracy, and overall picture performance, all while keeping their price in mind. So, regardless of the budget you're working with, you'll find the best 40-to-43-inch TV upgrade in no time.

The best 40-43-inch TVs

Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best 40-43-inch TVs in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

The best 40 - 43-inch TV for most people

The LG C5 continues LG’s C-series streak of top performance and strong value. It's only a modest step up from the C4, but a new chipset and smart refinements make it a solid all-rounder. The 42-inch model is our pick for its balance of size, picture quality, and price, which we think will suit most people hunting for a TV that’s good for gamers and smaller rooms.

Picture performance is superb. You get rich color, deep blacks, and impressive shadow details with life-like textures, as well as solid motion handling. It’s brighter than the C4, though bigger models do get a more significant brightness boost. The only downside is that reflections can be noticeable in well-lit rooms, so it’ll perform better in dimmer environments.

The Alpha 9 Gen 8 chip adds an updated webOS smart TV platform with AI Picture and Sound Wizard modes to tailor your viewing experience. You’ll also get AI-enabled Search, Concierge, and a voice mode, which serves up personalized recommendations. HDR support covers Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG, but no HDR10+. Gamers get an excellent setup: 4K 144Hz, FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming, all across four HDMI ports, plus a low 92ms input lag. Combined with its rich visuals, the 42-inch C5 is a standout small-screen gaming option.

Sound quality is fine, but limited. The 2.0-channel 20W Atmos system is clear and balanced, but bass and height effects are minimal. We recommend you still budget for a soundbar. The design is slim and premium, with two feet on the 42-inch model and LG's refreshed Magic Remote – though whether you get this newer version will depend on your region.

Overall, the LG C5 is an excellent, feature-packed TV with great picture quality and top-tier gaming support. The LG C4 is still worth considering as an alternative, especially as it’s now discounted, but the C5 earns its place as our top pick overall.

Read our full LG C5 review

Find the best deals on LG products with our LG coupon codes.

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The best budget 40 - 43-inch TV

The Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED combines great picture quality and solid gaming performance, making it a TV that offers a lot of bang for the buck. Plus, the Omni QLED often finds itself heavily discounted, particularly during Black Friday (with prices as low as $299/£299 for the 43-inch).

We were pleasantly surprised by the image quality of the Omni QLED when we put it to the test. It captured plenty of detail in movies, particularly when viewing in 4K HDR, colors are vibrant and punchy, and there's a natural quality to the display that sometimes gets lost in budget picks. However, we did also notice that the Omni QLED's black levels weren't particularly strong, and the 43-inch version lacks the local dimming of the larger models in the range.

Gaming performance was another plus point for the Omni QLED. It did a great job of handling graphically intense moments, with smooth motion processing and minimal delay thanks to its low 10ms input lag time. The picture quality delivered was crisp as well, thanks to Dolby Vision gaming support. However, it doesn't have 4K 120Hz support, but few TVs at this price point do.

There are plenty of TVs that beat the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED in every area, especially when it comes to sound and design, but combining what it does have into one set at this price, the Omni QLED is unbeatable value.

Read our full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review

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The best 40 - 43-inch mini-LED TV

The Samsung QN90F is the perfect TV if you're looking for a bright, small screen for sports, gaming, and daytime viewing.

There aren't many 43-inch TVs that can match the QN90F's features and performance, which use a mini-LED display panel to deliver high brightness levels. It has a Glare-Free screen for distraction-free viewing, bold, vibrant colors, and powerful contrast. The QN90F's effective backlight control also limits the backlight blooming effects that you may find in cheaper mini-LED TVs, and its responsive motion handling makes it great for sports.

Gamers looking for a 43-inch screen won't be let down by the QN90F. Its gaming features include four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 165Hz, VRR, ALLM, HGiG, and HDR10+, and its 9.5ms input lag time means ultra-responsive gameplay. Samsung's Gaming Hub, a portal for all things gaming, including cloud-based apps, is another welcome feature.

There's no getting around the fact that the QN90F is a premium TV, with a premium price. There are plenty of cheaper 43-inch sets out there, but not many deliver what the QN90F does. If you're looking for a top-tier 43-inch TV, the QN90F is an excellent option.

Read our full Samsung QN90F review

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The best 40-inch TV under $250

Unlike the other entries on this list, the Amazon Fire TV 40-inch 2-series uses a Full HD panel rather than a 4K panel, which means it won't be compatible with 4K Blu-rays or 4K streaming. However, it does provide a strikingly cheap 40-inch TV option, as we've seen it priced as low as $178 / £239.

While we haven't tested the 40-inch 2-series, we have tested the 32-inch 2-series and have formulated our opinions. The 2-series we tested doesn't have the most consistent picture, with sub-par contrast and black levels, but its colors are still vibrant and dynamic enough. Another area where it succeeds is in its built-in audio, which made dialogue sound clear and had a good enough balance. With larger speakers provided in the 40-inch version, this is likely to carry across.

The 2-series also comes with Fire TV as its smart TV platform, and it's unlikely you'll get a different 40-inch TV at this price with smart TV features such as Alexa voice control. Navigation can be sluggish and clunky at times, but Fire TV is still one of the more comprehensive smart TV platforms available.

Where the 2-series is unmatched is its value. It may only have a Full HD panel, but the price is hard to argue against for a 40-inch TV. No, it doesn't have the same quality level as the sets above, and the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED remains the best overall budget option. But if you're looking for a super-cheap TV and are happy to compromise, the Amazon 2-series fulfills that purpose.

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Also consider

Here are some other TVs we've tested that didn't make the list, but are still good 40-43-inch options.

Bush 43UT24SB: For UK readers looking for a cheap TV, the Bush 43UT24SB is a surprisingly strong option. It has a bright display and accurate, deep black levels. Plus, it has decent gaming features for a very cheap TV. While it doesn't best the Amazon Omni QLED, it's a good option for those on a tight budget. Read our full Bush 43UT24SB review.

LG C4: The LG C5 has replaced the C4 in our guide above as the best 40-43-inch TV overall, but we're still including it here as it's well worth considering. Especially if you don't mind an older model and you're looking for discounts, now that the C5 is here, you'll see some tempting reductions on the C4. It's a bright OLED with excellent picture quality and great gaming features, including 144Hz support. Read our full LG C4 review for more.

Philips OLED809: Another one for our UK readers, the Philips OLED809 delivers detailed, colorful pictures and immersive sound from its built-in speakers, and it has a near-full suite of gaming features. It also comes with Ambilight for an added layer of immersion. It's a superb alternative to the LG C4, but it does come at a higher price. Read our full Philips OLED809 review.

Best 40-, 42- and 43-inch TV FAQ

How to choose

How we test the best 40, 42 and 43-inch TVs

We test the best 40, 42, and 43-inch TVs using a combination of subjective and objective testing. For subjective tests, we focus on picture and audio quality, gaming performance, and features. For our objective tests, we measure brightness, color gamut coverage, color and grayscale accuracy, and input lag for gaming. For a complete guide, read how we test TVs at TechRadar, or a summary version below.

Starting with subjective testing, we will evaluate picture quality using broadcast TV, 4K Blu-ray, and streaming sources. We also use this time to check the picture presets, such as Movie, Filmmaker, and Standard, to determine the most accurate picture mode.

When testing the best 40, 42, and 43-inch TVs, we're looking at how the TV handles HD and 4K images, but also lower-resolution sources such as broadcast TV, even though upscaling isn't as important on smaller screens as on larger screens such as 65 and 75-inch. We also look at the TV's contrast, black levels, color accuracy, motion handling, and detail.

Gaming is another important area, and we look at features that will benefit gaming with a PS5 and Xbox Series X, such as the number of HDMI 2.1 ports, 120Hz refresh rate, VRR, ALLM, and more. 40-43-inch TVs may not provide all these features, but some sets will support them.

Once subjective testing is completed, we'll use specialized equipment, including a colorimeter and test pattern generator, to conduct a series of objective tests, with the results recorded by Portrait Displays' Calman calibration software. We'll also use a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI input lag tester to record input latency with the TV in Game mode.

To test brightness, we'll set the TV to its most accurate picture mode (typically Movie or Filmmaker) and use various standard dynamic range (SDR) white window test patterns to measure brightness in nits. The two most important patterns are 10%, which tells us the peak brightness we can realistically expect, and 100%, which indicates how well a TV will handle reflections and sustain a bright image over the full screen - useful for watching sports. We will then repeat those measurements with the TV in Standard mode, and do the same in both modes using high dynamic range (HDR) test patterns.

We also test color and grayscale accuracy by measuring color, black, white, and gray test patterns. Overall accuracy in these tests is cited as an average Delta-E value, which tells us the margin of error between the test pattern and what the TV displays. The TV's color gamut coverage with HDR sources is also measured, and the closer the number to 100%, the better.

Finally, we use a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI input lag tester to measure input latency, which is important for gaming. The lower the input lag time, the better, but realistically, under 20ms is fine for most people. (Today's best gaming TVs all score under 15ms on this test.)

Latest updates to this guide

21 May 2026
Recategorized the Amazon Fire TV 2-series as 'The best 40-inch TV under $250' to provide clearer differentiation between it and our budget pick, the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED.

18 November 2025
Replaced the LG C4 as our top pick for most people with the newer C5 model, based on our recent testing. We moved the older C4 model into our 'also consider' section, as it's still worth your time if you're looking for a good discount and don't mind an older model.

14 July 2025
Replaced the Samsung QN90D with the Samsung QN90F as best mini-LED TV for the latter's higher brightness and anti-reflection screen.

27 March 2025
Added a section called 'Other TVs we've tested' with summaries and links to other 40-43-inch sets we've reviewed that didn't quite make the list.

30 January 2025
Added in an Also consider section with other TVs we've reviewed that didn't quite make the list. Added in a section exploring the TVs due in 2025 that could join the list later in the year.

3 December 2024
Added in Buy it if boxes for each entry with pros and cons for each TV.

10 October 2024
Replaced the Samsung QN90C with the Samsung QN90D for 'best mini-LED'.

9 August 2024
Added quick links at top of guide for improved navigation.

2 April 2024
Added the Amazon 2-series as the 'best super-cheap 40-inch TV'. Added this latest updates section. Added a 'How we test' section to explain our testing methods and practices.

TikTok’s global domination continues as the app has made its way over to Vizio smart TVs. 

The update is currently rolling out with a new app sitting right on the Home Page. Vizio is a little slow in supporting TikTok as competitors Samsung and LG had the app when it first launched in North America back in November 2021. TikTok TV is essentially the same as the mobile app but on a bigger screen and without the ability to record video.

What’s noteworthy about this particular rollout is that Vizio TVs are known for being cheap. You can purchase, for instance, Vizio’s V-Series 43-inch 4K HDR TV for a little under $300. Compare that to Samsung 4K TVs. You'll likely pay over $400 for one, and that's assuming it's on sale. 

TikTok coming to Vizio TVs means you have a popular app being made more widely available to the TV consumer.

There is a catch, however. A Vizio representative confirmed that the app will be available on all Vizio TVs that have SmartCast, which is the company’s own app platform. If you don’t know if your TV has SmartCast, you can check by going to Vizio’s website and looking up your model; it'll be listed on the product page.

According to the website, all Vizio TVs from 2021 and newer come with SmartCast. This implies that if you have an older model, you may not have the app platform and thus no way to get TikTok TV.

Other than its availability on low-cost TVs, TikTok TV is pretty much the same. You can connect your TikTok account to the Vizio display in order to watch videos from your personalized feed. The app also has AutoPlay enabled for a continuous content stream.

Analysis: Trying out new things

As TikTok steps away from its mobile roots and out to new platforms, you can’t help but wonder what parent company ByteDance has in store for its app. Rolling out to low-cost 4K TVs will probably gain them an even bigger audience, but you can only do so much with the same content.

As a result, TikTok has been trying out new things. Back in February, the app extended the maximum video length to 10 minutes, seemingly taking on YouTube. And reports from May reveal ByteDance is looking at implementing video games on its service. But they’re pretty simple mobile games like running down a lane and avoiding obstacles. It's interesting to see what TikTok is doing to spur growth, even if it is pretty random.

Also, you may not know this, but it’s entirely possible to download TikTok videos. TechRadar has a guide on how to save your favorites from getting lost in the giant content library.

Vizio is getting a lot more aggressive with advertising, having announced a new feature called Jump Ads for its smart TV platform that will display banner ads over live TV shows. 

Launching as a beta program, the first Vizio TV partner to test Jump Ads is Fox. The broadcaster will place Jump Ads at the end of the premier episode for its new docu-comedy Welcome to Flatch. 

The Jump Ads will appear as banner that overlays the show, and it will prompt viewers to continue watching additional episodes of the program, or catch up on past episodes on the Fox Now app. 

According to Vizio, this will allow viewersto "seamlessly extend their viewing experience with a single click of a button". 

A step too far?

Vizio isn't the first TV manufacturer to redesign its smart TV platform to show ads more prominently. 

Last year, LG was criticized for delivering autoplaying ads to users trying to update their streaming apps. More recently, Roku TV owners complained of banner ads being displayed over live TV broadcasts. 

In the case of Roku TVs, users are able to disable these adds by tweaking their TV's settings and turning off their display's ability to 'Use info from TV inputs'. As PCMag pointed out at the time however, it's unclear whether disabling this setting will mean you lose out on other, more useful smart TV features.

It's not unusual for smart TV platforms to display ads on your home screen or main menu, but there certainly seems to be a growing trend for more aggressive advertising encroaching onto live broadcasts. 

For some, the Jump Ads feature may be genuinely useful; in a study of 6,000 TV viewers, information technology consultant Accenture found that 60% considered the process of navigating between live TV, streaming apps, and different providers to be "very frustrating", with 44% saying they spent more than six minutes trying to find something they want to watch.

Streamlining the whole process could be a real help to anyone who finds it difficult to navigate the huge wealth of smart TV content available today. However, intrusive ads might be a step too far for some consumers, especially if they're being displayed over live broadcasts, which many would consider separate from the smart TV platform itself. 

Furthermore, if these ads were targeted based on viewing habits or other personal data, questions about privacy would be rightly raised. We've come to expect our smartphones and Internet search engines to serve us up personalized ads, but our TVs? That may be a step too far.

Correction: April 7, 2022

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Vizio would have no control over the ads placed over content. VIZIO controls the advertising on its platform, and says that it "has no intentions of using this capability beyond its usefulness as a program extension".

Via FlatPanelsHD

30-second review

The Vizio M512a-H6 is the company’s follow up to the excellent M51a-H6 with the main difference being the addition of two up-firing Dolby Atmos speakers. 

For the uninitiated, Dolby Atmos offers spatial audio that is more immersive by adding up-firing speakers to help aid soundstage height. More and more streaming services are adding movies mixed for Dolby Atmos to take advantage of this new audio format. 

The M512a-H6’s name hints at how the system is setup. There are five channels with one subwoofer, and an additional two up-firing Atmos speakers. The sound bar itself contains a center, left, right channels as well as the aforementioned two up-firing Atmos speakers. The subwoofer connects wireless with the sound bar but the two satellite speakers are wired and need to be plugged into the subwoofer.  

All that said, sound quality is good, and the addition of the two Atmos speakers help create a more immersive movie watching experience. While not the most detailed nor the most full featured soundbar system, at just $450 (about £325 / AU$582), the Vizio M512a-H6 is an excellent value for an entry-level surround soundbar system. 

Price and availability

The Vizio M512a-H6 retails for $450 (about £325 / AU$582) and will begin shipping in May 2021 at least here in the US, though no UK/AU availability has been announced yet. That being said, if you need something before that – especially something that's more powerful – the $999 Vizio Elevate offers more immersion and bass impact, but for double the price of the M512a-H6. 

Design

The Vizio M512a-H6 is an understated sound bar that disappears visually. The sound bar itself is covered in a black mesh, hiding the drivers that live behind it. On top, the Dolby Atmos speakers are shrouded by black plastic covers and there are physical controls for playback, source selection, Bluetooth, and volume. 

Around the back, there’s an HDMI eARC, HDMI in, optical, USB, and a 3.5mm jack that can be used to hook up to a smart speaker. Out of the box, however, the M512a-H6 doesn't have any built-in smart assistant support. 

The subwoofer has a 6” woofer and connects wirelessly to the sound bar, however, the two satellite speakers are wired, and must be connected to the subwoofer. 

The good news? There’s plenty of cable length for the satellite speakers for flexible placement but unfortunately you’ll need to provide your own speaker stands for the satellites as they are not provided. Alternatively, you can place the satellite speakers on the left and right of the sound bar to use in a simulated surround set up.  

Features

In terms of features, the Vizio M512a-H6 is pretty basic: there’s no Wi-Fi for direct streaming nor is there any smart assistant built in. However, there is Bluetooth for when you want to use the sound bar system for streaming music. There’s no airplay or Google Cast support either, so don’t expect it to integrate into your multi-room music setup unless you hook up a smart speaker to its 3.5mm connection. 

While basic in features, the core experience of using the M512a-H6 is very good. The sound bar supports HDMI eARC so it’ll turn on/off with your television. The remote control is also surprisingly robust – it features a small LED screen that lets you know what settings you’re changing. Everything from EQ, balance, inputs, and other settings can be controlled with the physical remote. 

While the remote is great, we would have liked an app to control settings more easily as the LED screen is so small, text is often truncated. 

Performance

In terms of sound quality, the Vizio M512a-H6 is well balanced out of the box and the subwoofer aurally disappears. There’s a great sense of space with the satellite speakers placed behind the listener. Soundstage is surprisingly wide but lacks the pinpoint accuracy of more expensive soundbar and speakers, meaning you won’t be able to pick out exactly where different instruments are coming from. 

In our testing, it’s clear that the M512a-H6 is first and foremost designed for home theater, providing tons of volume, impact, and a wide soundstage. Music sounds good, but lacks detail and instrument separation. 

For the most part, however, movies are definitely more immersive and the Dolby Atmos speakers do a good job of adding a sense of height... well, they can depending on your room’s setup. You see, Dolby Atmos works best with ceilings that are flat and around 10 to 12 feet tall. Those with vaulted ceilings will not benefit as much from the up-firing Atmos speakers. Still, if you've got the right set up, it's a surprisingly good performance for a soundbar at this price point.

In terms of bass, the tiny 6-inch subwoofer does a good job digging deep but won’t provide the same visceral impact of a larger subwoofer. Those who want to feel bass will have to set up to a system with a larger sub like the Vizio Elevate. 

Should you buy the Vizio M-Series M512a-H6 Sound Bar?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

• Don't miss our guide to the best soundbars in 2021

The key feature of the SB362An-F6 – also referred to more helpfully as the “36-inch 2.1 Sound Bar” on most retailer's websites – is really its sheer value for money, costing just £149 in the UK and an even more competitive $139 in the US, where it was launched at the end of last year.

Readers in the UK may not be very familiar with Vizio, although it currently claims to be the no.1 brand for soundbars and the no.2 brand for televisions in the US. The company recently launched into the UK for the first time, and if its SB362An-F6 soundbar is anything to go by then Vizio should make a bit of a splash on this side of the pond as well.

Design

Despite the bargain-basement price, the SB362An-F6 is neatly designed, measuring 36 inches wide, and a streamlined 2 inches high, and 5.2 inches deep (914xx52x133mm). It will sit comfortably underneath the screen of most TVs, and Vizio also includes a pair of wall-mount brackets as well. 

There are some money-saving compromises here in the design, though, such as the lack of an LCD display to indicate different sources and audio modes, and the reliance on a confusing series of blinking lights to indicate input. 

The included remote control has buttons for treble, bass, Bluetooth input, and the DTS Virtual:X technology, along with the usual playback and volume controls, however there’s a set of control buttons on the right-hand end of the soundbar.

Inside the main unit, the soundbar houses four main drivers, with a pair of 2.6-inch (67.8mm) full-range woofers and two 3.0-inch (76.2mm) sub-woofers, although the sub-woofers get extra backup from two passive radiators that help to add even more bass rumble. Some people might prefer separate tweeters to handle voices and higher frequencies – especially if you want to use the soundbar for listening to music as well – but the low cost of the SB362An-F6 means there has to be a trade-off here. 

Any soundbar is, of course, primarily intended for use with a television set, and the dedicated sub-woofer is probably the better choice for enhancing sound effects from the latest Hollywood blockbusters

Connectivity

Looking at the base of the soundbar reveals another conspicuous omission too: The SB362An-F6 includes both optical and 3.5mm analogue audio inputs – with the relevant cables all helpfully included in the box – as well as a USB port for playing music stored on a memory stick or hard drive (but only WAV and MP3 formats), however, there’s no HDMI interface on the SB362An-F6 at all, let alone the more versatile HDMI ARC. This meant we had to connect our Apple TV 4K to our Samsung TV via HDMI, and then use the TV’s optical output to connect it to the SB362An-F6.

But that’s a minor complaint at this price, and perhaps Vizio preferred to spend its limited budget on providing support for Dolby Audio and DTS Virtual:X for film soundtracks. The Virtual:X technology is particularly welcome, as it attempts to provide virtual surroundsound effects without the additional – and more expensive – hardware required to support Dolby Atmos as we saw with Vizio’s Atmos-on-a-budget SB36512 soundbar.

Performance

Saddened by the recent death of Rutger Hauer, we turned to the 2007 ‘Final Cut’ of Blade Runner. The built-in sub-woofer and Virtual:X support make an impact right from the start, with the deep, dramatic opening notes of that famous Vangelis score striking like the bells of doom. Without the Virtual:X effect the sound quality is good, but the sound feels quite static, focused on a relatively limited sweet-spot in front of the soundbar. However, turning Virtual: X on allows the sound to expand and reach out across the room, as the light electronic chimes hang gently in the air.

As the credits fade and the camera pans across the neon-lit skyline of Los Angeles – and we're surprised to be reminded that Blade Runner is set in 2019 – the flares and explosions that fill the sky have a real sense of weight and depth behind them. 

There’s an impressive sense of movement too, revealed by the flying jet-car that zooms towards the viewer in that opening scene. Initially, with Virtual:X turned off, the sound of the jet-car’s engine moves towards me and then quickly fades away, but rewinding a few seconds and selecting Virtual:X adds depth and timbre to the sound of the engine, and creates a more realistic sense of movement as the sound approaches and seems to pass by on your left-hand side.

And, of course, there’s that heart-rending scene as Rutger Hauer’s replicant faces his death, intoning – “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe”. The SB362An-F6 really draws you into the moment as it captures the atmospheric sound of the rain drops falling from the skies, and the rumbling drums that once more evoke a sense of doom (“time to die…”).

After a performance like that it seems churlish to find fault with the SB362An-F6, but the soundbar does have a few little rough edges: Those passive radiators sometimes get a little carried away, exaggerating the bass rumble rather than keeping it taut and precise. And, switching to Bluetooth to stream some music from a Tidal account, the lack of tweeters reveals a weakness on some of those high-pitched Queen harmonies on Somebody To Love. It’s handy to have that Bluetooth option, though, and the SB362An-F6 will be fine for just listening to a few tunes when you’re collapsed on the sofa during the summer heatwave.

Verdict

The SB362An-F6 isn’t perfect, but its dramatic and imposing sound provides a real audio upgrade for your television’s built-in speakers. The Virtual:X technology works well too, helping to create a more immersive atmosphere while you’re watching. And while it might be missing a few bells and whistles, there’s no doubt that the SB362An-F6 provides excellent value for money.

• Don't miss our round-up of this year's best soundbars

New for 2019, Vizio is introducing two new entry-level series of TVs - the V6 and V5 V-Series - to replace its longtime value D- and E-Series at the bottom of its lineup. But being low on the totem pole doesn’t mean they’ll be missing out on features - in fact, all of Vizio's 2019 models are 4K and have HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision support for better content viewing, even the new V-Series.  

Pricing for the V-Series starts at just $259, with the V6-Series coming in sizes ranging from 43- to 65-inches and the V5-Series sizes ranging from 40- to 75-inches. At a preview event for the new screens held in New York City, we were able to go eyes-on with the new models, checking out the $630 65-inch V6-Series V656-G4. 

Here’s what we thought of it.  

Design

The V-Series design is traditional, simple and similar to the 2018 D- and E-Series models, though its black bezel is wider than almost all of Vizio's other models.  

Speaking of things being a bit wider, the feet on either side of the TV will require a long piece of furniture - which is something you need to consider if your entertainment center is a bit narrower or shorter than the length of the TV.    

Turn the TV on and you’ll be met with Vizio’s SmartCast 3.0 smart TV platform which is now controllable via voice commands using Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. According to Vizio, Apple AirPlay 2 and Home Kit will be added this summer, along with Siri controls. Out of the box Chromecast comes built-in.

The TV's home page will also include popular apps such as Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Vudu and others, and SmartCast now includes “WatchFree,” a free streaming service that offers Pluto TV, CNN, Comedy Central Stand Up and more. 

One downside to SmartCast 3.0, however, is that it appears that YouTube has been removed. You can still access it from your mobile device and cast content to your TV but you won’t see an app for it on the screen. 

All Vizio Smart TVs will be backward-compatible through 2016 models. 

Performance

The V-Series has full array backlighting and up to 12 zones of local dimming with up to 400 nits of peak brightness on the 65” model we viewed. That’s a far-cry from the P-Series Quantum X that’s boasting 384 dimming zones and a peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits, but that’s why the V-Series is priced the way it is.

What doesn’t change between the higher-tier and lower-tier models is support for HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision HDR content. It’s available on every model this year, and will make HDR content look even better on this year’s screens. 

Also there to help is Clear Action 180 that aids in fast-moving scenes, and powerful image processing to help upscale 1080p content for a 4K screen.

We’ll have to spend more time with the screen to make any final judgment, but  there were a few issues with the performance that we noticed during our hands on time - including lackluster black levels, limited viewing angles and poor audio performance. But again, this is something we’ll have to test for ourselves when we get a review unit later this year. 

Early verdict

Overall, the features included in these models are uncommon in an entry-level display. It’s great to see Dolby Vision on a TV at this price point, and it promises to raise the bar for all value TVs. There were a few issues that could hold the V-Series back (see: black levels, limited viewing angles and poor audio performance) but we’ll reserve judgment for when we get a review unit.

All that said, our only actionable piece of advice at this point is that if you’re thinking about an affordable $600 65-inch V5-series model, it is worth the extra $30 to upgrade to a V6-series model to get a better picture with Clear Action 180, Ultrabright 400 and local dimming zones inside.

The V-Series V6 come in 43-, 55- and 65-inch models with prices ranging from $300 to $630 and the V5 models come in 40-, 43-, 50-, 55-, 60-, 65-, 70-, 75-inch models and the prices range from $260 to $1,200. 

• Don't miss our round-up of the best 4K TVs

Despite not being at the show, and never having made a TV during its existence, Apple stole headlines among AV fans at CES 2019 when manufacturers announced they would finally be getting AirPlay 2, HomeKit and (in some cases) built-in iTunes support for their TVs.

If you're an owner of one of the soon-to-be-compatible Vizio TVs that were mentioned, you can make the first steps towards getting your TV ready for the purpose. It's announced that owners can now sign up for the SmartCast 3.0 beta – the software that will allow its owners to take advantage of AirPlay 2 and HomeKit features on its TV sets.

Vizio's beta sign up will eventually bloom into fully-fledged support come the spring time.

Apple attack

Apple's stealthy content take-over of the living room will be further bolstered by LG, Samsung and Sony, each of which will also be adding AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support to their screens.

In addition, Samsung will be getting its own dedicated iTunes store app, letting viewers purchase shows, movies and music direct from their TV sets, rather than needing to beam it from a nearby compatible Apple device.

Previously, the Apple TV has been the Cupertino company's primary way of getting its digital store's wares into living rooms, but with only modest success. Opening the platform in this way is a sure-fire tactic for upping its digital content revenues at a time when the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video goes from strength to strength.

• Best TV: the screen to beam iTunes content to in 2019

If LED-LCD sets are dying, no one gave the biggest TV manufacturers in the world the memo - in fact, if this keeps up, 2018 might just be the year LED-LCD manages to outshine OLED. 

These quips aren't based on mere conjecture, however; We can say them knowing the final specs and release date for VIZIO’s sought-after P-Series Quantum - a quantum dot set with some fairly high specs at half the price of the competition. 

To that end, the P-Series Quantum will be available at retailers starting today (surprise!) - but only come in a single size (65-inches) packing an inordinate number of contrast control zones (192!). 

It will feature UltraBright 2000 that allows the TV to output up to 2000 nits at peak brightness and VIZIO’s proprietary Quantum Color Spectrum technology that will help the TV display over 1,000,000,000 colors. It will have a 240Hz effective refresh rate (what VIZIO calls Clear Action 960) as well as its SmartCast OS that layers a traditional UI on top of Google’s Chromecast Built-in platform.

For divided smart home owners, the P-Series Quantum will also support both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa commands - giving it a slight edge against Sony and Samsung’s single-assistant ecosystems.

The best feature perhaps of all, however, is the P-Series Quantum’s price - a mere $2,099.99. To put that number in perspective, that’s $800 less than the Samsung Q9FN QLED TV - Samsung’s flagship QLED TV for 2018 - and just $100 more than the Sony BRAVIA XBR-X900F, its flagship LED-LCD TV that retails for $2,099.

2018 is the year LED-LCD came back to life 

While there’s very good reason to be excited about the VIZIO P-Series Quantum, it’s just the latest in the series of outstanding LED-LCD TVs on display in 2018. 

Since the clock struck midnight on January 1, Samsung has shown us the next generation of LED-LCD displays with its QLED TVs during CES, VIZIO followed suit back in April and now rumors are circulating about Sony unveiling a sequel to the coveted Z9D flagship LED-LCD TV it released in 2016. 

If LED-LCD is dying, someone should probably let TV manufacturers know about it.

The VIZIO P-Series Quantum goes on sale today at Best Buy, Costco and Sam’s Club.

• Will the P-Series Quantum make our list of the best 4K TVs? Only time will tell...

Very recently, we awarded the Samsung Q9FN QLED TV a perfect score and our Best-in-Class award. We did this because the TV features a full array panel with local dimming that spouts out incredible levels of brightness while still being able to sink down to near-black levels. 

The price was a bit much at $3,800, but that was the price of a high-end TV with all those specs … or, so we thought. 

That was until Vizio announced its flagship TV for 2018, the 65-inch Vizio P-Series Quantum PQ65-F1, which boasts nearly all of the same features listed above for around $1,600 less than the equivalently sized Q9FN.

Said simply, if there’s ever been a discount challenger to Samsung’s quantum dot dominance, this is it.

Vizio P-Series Quantum specs 

"The P-Series Quantum combines the best Vizio picture quality technologies and wraps them in a beautifully modern aesthetic," said Bill Baxter, Chief Technology Officer at Vizio in a statement sent to TechRadar. 

Vizio’s flagship packs up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness, 192 zones of local dimming and advanced quantum dot technology inside every P-Series Quantum screen.

On top of that, Vizio’s SmartCast OS will offer several streaming apps (Netflix, Prime Video, Vudu, iHeartRadio, Crackle and Xumo to name a few) and integration with both Amazon and Google’s smart home ecosystems thanks to voice-control support.

According to Vizio, its flagship screen will support both HDR10 and Dolby Vision, both of which will be powered by the screen's Quantum Color Spectrum color engine.

So, just how much is all this going to cost you? The 2018 P-Series Quantum 65" Class 4K HDR Smart TV (PQ65-F1) is now available on VIZIO.com for $2,199. 

• Craving an Ultra-HD TV? These are the best 4K TVs in 2018

Everyone’s got their own acronym these days. Chinese TV manufacturer Hisense started this whole mess when it unveiled ULED, a proprietary take on LED technology, before Samsung really drove it home with QLED at this year’s CES. 

If you haven’t had enough acronyms thrown at you already, here’s another: XLED, a new marketing term created by Vizio that it’s slapping on this year’s 2017 M- and P-Series TVs. (Well, technically Vizio calls them displays because they don’t have built-in tuners that allow them to capture local broadcast channels over the air, but you get the idea.)

Their full names are, and take a breath before you say them, the Vizio SmartCast P-Series Ultra HD HDR XLED Pro Display collection and the VIZIO SmartCast M-Series Ultra HD HDR XLED Plus Display collection. 

It’s worth pointing out here that despite the fact that both series include the word “SmartCast” in their titles, neither series will include a tablet in the box this year – the company has decided to return to standard remote controls and smart interfaces for the time being. Bummer. 

So, what does the X signify? While it doesn’t seem to have an exact translation to the acronym, XLED Pro is the term Vizio cooked up to describe the displays’ full-array local dimming panel (FALD). If that wasn’t enough of an x-factor, the new displays have XHDR, too, which describes the sets’ ability to interpret and display HDR content.

X Gon’ Give It To Ya, X Gon’ Deliver It

It might sound like we’re being a bit facetious here. (OK, we are being a bit facetious here.) But while the acronym might not sit well with us, the displays themselves have some real potential in terms of providing quality performance for their price.

The M-Series is the less-premium of the two series and will start at $799 for a 50-inch model. On top of that you’ve got a 55-inch for $999, a 65-inch for $1,499, a 70-inch for $1,999 and a massive 75-inch model for $2,999. 

Stepping up to a P-Series TV brings a better refresh rate (120Hz on the M-Series vs 240Hz on the M-Series) and substantially more local dimming zones (32 on the M-Series vs 128 on the P-Series). 

That said, the premium label is going to cost you a bit more. There’s a 55-inch for $1,299, a 65-inch for $1,999 and a 75-inch for $3,499. 

All displays in both the M- and P-Series support 4K and two types of HDR, HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and will be available to purchase later in the summer. 

• These are the best 4K TVs in the world

It's hard to innovate if you’re a TV manufacturer. There’s only so much you can improve upon year after year, especially if you’re looking to keep prices low. 

While most manufacturers settle for an increase in brightness and tack on a few percentage points more of coverage on the DCI-P3 color chart, Vizio set out to do something drastically different with this its 2016 TV line-up – it scrapped traditional operating systems for something a bit more ubiquitous: Google Cast.

Vizio built this functionality straight into the TV and the result is one that makes finding content easier than ever with over 1,000 apps avalaible to download as soon as you open the box. 

Vizio doesn’t require you to bring your own device to this peripheral party, either. Every model in the M-Series packs in an Android tablet that’s ready and raring to replace your remote. It’s a smart solution, and one that certainly impresses in both form and function. 

Problematically, however, it’s all built into a less-than-stellar screen.

Design

Vizio’s M-Series has a few screen variations. There’s the 50-inch, 55-inch, 60-inch, 65-inch and, if 65 inches still isn’t enough, a ludicrously big 75-inch screen. This review covers the 65-inch version of the screen, the M65-D0, and therefore it’s worth noting that there might be some discrepancies if you buy a size lower or higher in the series. 

The bezel around the outskirts of the 65-inch TV is slim and trim, but wide enough to have its presence felt. It’s not the picture-on-wall design that LG and Sony have opted for this year but, in Vizio’s defense, this screen costs half as much as the competition.

The M65 stands on a set of metal legs that are relatively easy to setup. Lay the TV flat on its side after unboxing it, and it should only take a minute to fit the legs into place and screw them in – since they only fit in one way, there’s no confusion as to which legs go where. 

While it's easy to setup, the legs themselves are a bit wobbly, even when tightened. It’s not enough to make the TV tip over at any point, but they’re unstable enough to make you question the TV’s safety for living rooms that often have pets or young ones running around. 

Spin the TV around to the back and you’ll find a bevy of ports: five HDMI that support HDCP 2.2, component, two USB and an ethernet port. That should be plenty of ports to connect every streaming and gaming device in the house, though you’ll just need to check which devices are plugged into which ports as the ports have different specs – i.e. some support 2160p@60fps, 4:4:4, 8-bit while others support 2160p@60fps, 4:2:0, 10-bit. Plug a 4K HDR player into the wrong port and you might get an error message … or worse, SDR content.

The other crucial part of the M-Series’ design is the inclusion of the bespoke 8GB Android tablet. Although the tablet is primary intended use is to control the TV, casting content from apps like Netflix, Hulu and Vudu to the big screen, it also works as a competent reader, 720p video watcher and game player in its own right. There are loads of positives here, obviously, and a clear advantage to having a smart remote that we’ll cover more in the next section.

Design TL;DR: The Vizio M65-D0’s design leaves a lot to be desired. Sure, it’s easy to setup and has plenty of ports, but it’s not nearly as slim (or stable) as its competitors’ sets.

Smart TV (SmartCast)

SmartCast is a novel idea. Why should TV companies re-invent the wheel each and every year when it comes to operating systems when Google has an excellent open system in the form of Google Cast? Sure, there’s no real interface to speak of, but in the hands of capable, tech-savvy folks, it’s just as effective of a solution without any of the upkeep on Vizio’s end. 

This is a win-win situation. Not only do you get a screen that has every Chromecast app on it via the Android tablet, but that means Vizio doesn’t have to spend its time making sure it has the latest version of Netflix, Hulu and all the dozens of other streaming apps we’ve come to expect in a TV these days.

So, how does it work? Well, it’s identical to Chromecast. Namely, all you need to do is load up an app on the included Android tablet (like say Netflix, YouTube, Vudu, etc…) and press the Cast button to send it to your TV. Easy right? 

Now, as the name suggests, you can also mirror the Chrome browser from your PC, but you’ll need to be prepared for the rather ugly image quality if you’re using an HD screen.

While streaming an app on the TV, the tablet is totally free to be used as a web browsing or gaming device without affecting the quality of your stream. Hello mulitasking!  The other important part of this equation is the SmartCast app that comes pre-installed on your tablet. This app is helpful to find all kinds of content and even better at keeping track of the shows you already like through the My Watchlist tab. But, that said, it does have its limitations like the lack of a 4K HDR section to help you find the best-looking showcase content and the fact that you won’t be able to access Amazon Video via the tablet.  

Despite not having Amazon, there are over 1,000 other apps with Cast functionality as well as voice integration with Google Home so chances are good you won’t miss Amazon too much.

Smart TV TL;DR: SmartCast might be the strongest part of Vizio’s 65-inch offering. The inclusion of the tablet is useful not only as a hub for apps, but it actually enhances the overall usability of the system by putting controls at your fingertips. Too bad there’s no Amazon.

HD/SDR performance

It’s always hard transitioning from a TV’s best aspects to its worst, but this honestly can’t be helped. While the SmartCast functionality is one of the TV’s best qualities, its HD/SDR performance is, by far, its worst. 

Simply said, the vast majority of HD/SDR content looks grainy and, at least in the standard picture mode, very washed out. Blacks turn out a muddy, granular grey, while most of the primary colors lack the vibrancy anyone would expect from such an expensive 4K TV.

Thankfully you’re not locked into standard mode forever (there are six different settings including standard, vivid, calibrated, calibrated dark, game and computer) but finding the one that actually looks good for HD content is a challenge – calibrated looks washed out, vivid is a bit too oversaturated and loses contrast, both game and PC fair the same as standard. 

There’s no real “good choice” here in terms of picture settings. 

Now, none of this is to say Vizio hasn’t tried to give you the options to get to the place to get your TV to look its best. It has the six basic options and then, if you don’t mind digging into the SmartCast app a bit, an additional set of calibration settings that can be tweaked. 

We recommend going in immediately and turning up the “reduce signal noise” and “black detail” options, and making sure “reduce block noise” is at least at medium. These little tweaks don’t bring the TV up to par with other similarly-priced sets from Sony, Samsung and LG, but they will make it a more bearable viewing experience, thankfully. 

So what’s going on behind the panel? Well, there’s a few different components working in tandem – a full array panel with 64 active LED zones, Vizio’s Spatial Scaling Engine and Vizio’s VM50 Ultra HD Engine with Active Pixel Tuning. 

These components make it sound like the M65 should be one of the most visually competent TVs on the market. Sadly, it’s not. At least, not when it’s fed HD/SDR content. 4K/HDR content, on the other hand…

HD/SDR TL;DR: Long story short, HD/SDR is best avoided whenever possible. The upscaling isn’t top-tier here and most content looks lackluster in HD/SDR.

4K/HDR performance

So how do you squeeze the most out of Vizio’s panel? The first thing you should do is find yourself some 4K HDR content – when Vizio’s screen uses the wider color gamut via HDR, things are significantly better. Colors still don’t pop like they do on brighter, more powerful panels, but having the right kind of content is a good first step.

After finding solid 4K HDR content (see: Netflix), your best bet is to turn on the vivid picture preset then go into the settings to turn down motion judder and crank up black details. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be rewarded with a picture worthy of the 4K HDR name. 

When all’s said and done, you’ll find the picture has better contrast and colors seem to be well-saturated even if they’re not completely eye-popping.  

Keep in mind that the M65 supports not just one type of HDR on it, but two: both HDR10 and Dolby Vision. While Dolby Vision content is hard to find – the first UHD Blu-ray with Dolby Vision support just came out earlier this month – you can always stream movies like Pacific Rim and Mad Max: Fury Road from Vudu, which has a number of Dolby Vision titles. 

Outside of the always-spectacular Dolby Vision stuff, we spent a fair amount of time checking out how the two new 4K HDR game consoles, the PS4 Pro and Xbox One S, looked on the TV. For the most part, both looked amazing. Games like Horizon: Zero Dawn looked exceptionally gorgeous (thanks to both HDR and 4K support) while even regular HD games seemed to benefit from the dual upscaling from both the TV and game console. 

Overall, the difference between watching 4K HDR content and HD SDR content is night and day here. If anyone still says they can’t see a difference between the two, show them this TV. 

4K/HDR TL;DR: Vizio’s M65 does a much, much better job with 4K/HDR than it does with HD/SDR. Colors still aren’t as eye-popping as they could be and contrast could be even better, but those are mostly minor concerns with an overall excellent display.

Sound

The M-Series’ audio performance is on par with its visual performance: better with some types of content than others and, for the most part, middling compared to what else is out there. But, that said, it helps that Vizio equipped the M65 with two 15-watt speakers. These speakers are a bit more powerful than the standard 5-watt speakers you’d find on rival sets and while they don’t have exceptional clarity, they can actually get pretty loud. 

We tested the TV in our office space, a sizeable 40 by 60 foot office in San Francisco, and had no problem hearing the music from 12 to 16 feet away. 

While it wasn’t the best for bass-heavy EDM music or rap, it did have decent mids and highs – which is not only perfect for folk, pop and rock music but also to hear speech and sound effects during shows and movies.

A bit better clarity and low-end bass would’ve been nice, but it’s something we can excuse because the balance is just about right where it should be.   

Sound TL;DR: Good audio performance. Perfect for the mid-range monologues in Game of Thrones, but not the best companion for a dance party. 

Other panels to ponder

Vizio’s biggest strength is that it makes larger sets affordable. The M65-D0 costs $899 (around AU$1,200), for example. It’s hard to believe, but that’s a 65-inch 4K HDR Smart TV for under a grand. Finding all that for the same price is tough, but it is possible. 

The first place you should look is LG’s 65UH6030. It’s one of last year’s models, but it puts out a substantially better picture for only about $100 more. LG’s UHD set doesn’t come with a tablet, obviously, but it does come with LG’s webOS, a super smart operating system that has nearly every major streaming app on it – including Amazon Video. 

While Samsung and Sony also have a few models in this price point (see: the Sony XBR-65X750D or Samsung’s KU6500) nearly all of them are going to be several hundred dollars more than Vizio’s screen. 

Final verdict

Vizio’s M-Series is an exceptionally smart new direction for TVs. It removes something that was difficult to keep up to date and fully stocked with the latest apps and replaces it with a system that nearly everyone can understand and use – Google Cast. For this purpose Vizio provides a sleek, effective Android tablet in every box, which is something you won’t find any other TV manufacturer doing right now. All of this comes packaged with a massive 65-inch screen and costs well under $1,000. Problematically, however, the TV isn’t one of the best performers out there – especially when it’s fed HD/SDR content. 

If you can limit yourself to 4K HDR videos and are deadset on the under-$1,000 price point, this is your TV. If you don’t mind going a bit higher in price, though, there are much better TVs out there that look better and offer everything Vizio’s M-Series does … well, minus the tablet. 

While Sony, LG and Samsung scrap over which high-end screen should grace your living rooms in 2017, Vizio is dedicating its resources to going after the budget-conscious crowd. Its primary tool will be its line-up of 2017 D-Series TVs, which it announced earlier today. 

The entry-level model is the 24-inch D24h-E1, which starts at $139, and swells up to 65-inches for the 4K Vizio D65-E0, which will sell for a bargain price of $899. In total, you can expect 12 TVs total in the D-Series, which will update and replace the 2016 models.

The series is divided into three separate specs. At the bottom of the pack is the D24h-E1, a basic LED Smart TV. Up next are the seven full-array HD Smart TVs – the D32f-E1, D39f-E1, D40-E1, D43f-E1, D48f-E0, D50f-E1 and D55f-E0. These have a 1080p resolution and up to 12 active LED zones. Lastly, you’ve got the four fully-array 4K TVs – D43-E2, D50-E1, D55-E0 and D65-E0. 

Every TV in the D-Series will offer a smart TV functionality through Vizio’s Internet Apps Plus operating system that brings Netflix, iHeartRadio and more to the on-screen app dock. The operating system is a bit more straight-forward than the one you’d find on the SmartCast E-, M- and P-Series, all of which come with Chromecast built-in and an Android tablet. 

Vizio says that high-quality streaming on 4K Ultra HD models is possible thanks to a built-in V8 octa-core processor, HEVC decoding and the latest ultra-fast Wi-Fi standard, 802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi, which should help reduce buffering times.  

Here’s the full line-up alongside the accompanying price points: 

• VIZIO D-Series™ 24” LED Smart TV (D24h-E1) MSRP $139.99
• VIZIO D-Series™ 32” Full-Array LED Smart TV (D32f-E1) MSRP $199.99
• VIZIO D-Series™ 39” Full-Array LED Smart TV (D39f-E1) MSRP $299.99
• VIZIO D-Series™ 40” Full-Array LED Smart TV (D40-E1) MSRP $319.99
• VIZIO D-Series™ 43” Full-Array LED Smart TV (D43f-E1) MSRP $349.99
• VIZIO D-Series™ 43” Ultra HD Full-Array LED Smart TV (D43-E2) MSRP $419.99
• VIZIO D-Series™ 48” Full-Array LED Smart TV (D48f-E0) MSRP $399.99
• VIZIO D-Series™ 50” Full-Array LED Smart TV (D50f-E1) MSRP $419.99
• VIZIO D-Series™ 50” Ultra HD Full-Array LED Smart TV (D50-E1) MSRP $499.99
• VIZIO D-Series™ 55” Full-Array LED Smart TV (D55f-E0) MSRP $479.99
• VIZIO D-Series™ 55” Ultra HD Full-Array LED Smart TV (D55-E0) MSRP $569.99
• VIZIO D-Series™ 65” Ultra HD Full-Array LED Smart TV (D65-E0) MSRP $899.99

While these TVs don’t have the most memorable names (a problem Vizio has been struggling with for years) the prices, at least, are real attention-grabbers.

• These are the best 4K TVs of 2017

Sometimes minor news can slip through the cracks at a big show like CES. That's why Vizio saved one smaller announcement for the calm after the storm – Its SmartCast series of TVs are about to get a whole lot smarter.

Vizio said today that it plans on upgrading the SmartCast app – the primary way to control TVs in the E-Series, P-Series and M-Series – and making the app a bit more like Roku. To that end it’s bringing better content recommendation tools and universal search directly to the app. 

The biggest change is that you'll soon be able to find highlighted content in the new Featured section that Vizio says will come packed with content recommendations. 

For new SmartCast users, Vizio says that the home screen’s Discover section will instead showcase a curated selection of fan favorites, such as non-subscription content from Pluto TV and others, along with other top picks from subscription-based apps.

Not sure where to find Cast-enabled apps? 

The SmartCast app home screen will also now include a convenient Cast Apps section, featuring popular Chromecast-enabled apps like Netflix. Select a given app, and it will launch directly on your mobile device. If the app is not yet installed on your device, you’ll be sent directly to the iTunes App Store or Google Play Store to download the desired Chromecast-enabled app.

Vizio’s announcement might not be on par with LG’s new W Series OLED, but hey, sometimes it’s the small things in life that make all the difference.

• Check out our list of the best 4K TVs in the world

In a day and age where you could easily drop the entirety of your next paycheck on a soundbar, Vizio’s 38-inch SmartCast SB3851 is a breath of fresh air. 

For around $299 (about £240, AU$395), the SB3851 comes with a decent-sized bar, a wireless subwoofer and two satellite speakers for around as much as a Blu-ray player. 

It might not offer the Hi-Res badge that Sony’s soundbars offer or include objective-based surround sound like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X but, for the price, the SB3851 is tough to beat.

Design

As far as soundbars go, the SB3851 is more or less right in the middle in terms of size. At 38 inches end-to-end, it makes for the perfect companion for any size TV. It fits just as well underneath a 65-inch screen like the Sony Bravia XBR-65X930D as it does beneath a 49-inch TV – its versatility is just one of its many strengths. 

The other strengths, design-wise, are the two satellite speakers that connect to the back of the subwoofer. The SB3851 comes with the cables necessary to hook them up, and they can sit surprisingly far from the subwoofer thanks to the ample-sized cord. 

The satellites and the main soundbar share the same basic-but-classy design scheme of black and silver. The body of the speaker is covered in a fabric mesh while the ends are capped in silver with a VIZIO logo etched into the center. It’s simplistic to be sure, but sometimes the best designs are the most refined ones. 

Besides the two satellite speaker cables, inside the box you’ll also find a remote control, a stereo RCA to 3.5mm cable, a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable, a coaxial cable, an HDMI cable, a digital optical cable and enough gear to wall mount the speaker, if that’s something you’re into. 

The cables, as you might expect, correspond to open ports on the the SB3851’s backside – there’s HDMI in/out, digital coaxial In, auxiliary audio in, optical audio in and an ethernet port, just in case you want to hardwire it to your router.

Controlling the music can be done in a number of ways, either through the buttons along the top of the speaker – which include power on, Bluetooth, volume up and down and source buttons – via the remote or through the VIZIO SmartCast app. It’s here where we run into our first snag with VIZIO’s cost-effective soundbar – beyond basic controls, the VIZIO app adds almost nothing to the experience. In the app there’s a music section, for example, that more or less is limited to content from iHeartRadio and Vadio, the latter of which apparently is not supported on Google Cast Audio. 

The system seems to make more sense for movie and TV lovers who have assumingly bought one VIZIO’s excellent SmartCast TVs. However, for a music lover, there’s almost no purpose for the app to live on your phone.

That said, the exception to that would be if you bought multiple VIZIO SmartCast products – say a soundbar, a TV and a portable speaker – and wanted to create a Sonos-like multi-room audio setup, something which can only be facilitated through the app.

The other bonus here is that once your device is hooked up over Wi-Fi most apps on your mobile device will recognize the soundbar as a regular ol’ Google Cast system, meaning friends can send audio streams from YouTube, Spotify or Pandora with a tap of a button.

Performance

There’s two ways to see performance – relative or universal.
Universally speaking, the SB3851 leaves a lot to be desired. It has a shallow soundstage, and sound begins to crackle and distort at higher volumes. Sound from VIZIO 38-inch ’bar is accurate and fairly clear, but compared to some of the higher end gear from Yamaha and Klipsch, it’s far from the top of the pack.

But those soundbars, the ones with immaculate mids and highs and room-shaking lows, those costs hundreds of dollars more, sometimes thousands.
Compared to soundbars in its class, though, the SB3851 is well-performing setup that handles all types of content, from rap and rock to basic talk radio to intense action scenes, with ease. Moreover, if I had to pinpoint one highlight for the SB3851 it’d be how versatile the soundbar is at nearly everything. Mids and highs shine through just bright enough over a controlled bass. Little details are lost here and there, and the bass feels a bit more passive than I’d like it to be, but overall you can feed VIZIO’s soundbar any kind of content and come away at least moderately pleased with what you hear. 

If you’re looking for hard specs, the only ones supplied by VIZIO are that the soundbar itself contains two 2.75” full range drivers (one for each channel), one 2.75” driver for the center channel, two 2.5” high-efficiency drivers for each satellite and a 5” subwoofer driver. The system’s frequency response is 50-20KHz, but there’s no mention of codec support – though it does support Dolby Digital, DTS Studio Sound and DTS TruVolume technology.

We liked

Check any other major manufacturer and you’d be hardpressed to find a 38-inch soundbar, two satellite speakers and a wireless subwoofer – with built-in Google Cast capabilities – for $299 (about £240, AU$395). I’m not saying it’s impossible and I’m sure they exist somewhere, but finding them at the quality that VIZIO’s SB3851 offers is one heck of a task. 

We disliked

On the flip side of that, while I label the soundbar as a good all-arounder, there are others who’d claim that the soundbar lacks refinement in the audio department. Just because it can handle everything, doesn’t mean that it handles everything with delicate care. Details are going to get lost in the transition and highs, lows and mids won’t sound as good here as they would on higher end equipment. 

Final verdict

In the budget audio category, VIZIO’s 38-inch soundbar is king. Few hardware manufacturers would be as ambitious in selling you a soundbar, a subwoofer and two satellite speakers for under $300, and even fewer would then pack in the half-dozen cables needed to connect the sound system to all your favorite devices. 

That said, performance-wise the SB3851 leaves a lot to be desired. While it can push the envelope in terms of volume, it never sounds as crisp or as clear as a soundbar should. The SB3851 is therefore best bought as an affordable replacement to the awful-sounding speakers that come built into your TV. This soundbar probably isn’t going to win any fans from the audiophile crowd, but as a bargain hunter I can’t help but love VIZIO’s latest ‘bar.

In a rather confusing turn of events, a new report suggests that Google will take a bite out of its streaming device business in order to incorporate Chromecast-like functionality directly into future television sets.

Several sources speaking with Variety confirmed the existence of a new series of TVs from Vizio that will integrate Chromecast directly into the hardware.

While this sounds a lot like an Android TV offshoot, the report says it's similar in functionality, but not exactly the operating system we've come to know and love on Sony TVs and Nvidia Shield.

The new line of TVs won't have any native apps, instead streaming videos directly off a phone or tablet; i.e. Chromecast, but without a circular disc hanging off your television set.

To make this news a bit juicier, Vizio might go as far as to provide a new Android device to anyone who purchases a Chromecast-equipped TV, in lieu of a traditional remote. However, the report warns that the inclusion of an Android-powered remote might be subject to last-minute changes.

Should the report turn out to be true, this would mark Google's fifth entry into the living room space after Chromecast, Chromecast Audio, Android TV and the original Google TV, which failed to take off in 2014.

There's no word on pricing or availability for the first 'Chrome TVs', but my money's on a launch sometime in the fall.

• These are the best Chromecast apps

Samsung's 4K OLED mirror display was cool, but Vizio is raising the ante with an insanely expensive futuristic TV of its own, part of a new reference series.

The Vizio RS120-B3 is a 120-inch LED TV that is not only capable of 4K UHD and HDR, but comes with 384 zones of backlights - individual areas that can be turned on and off to produce greater contrast - and will cost a deal-breaking $130,000 … well, $140,725 after tax.

The RS120-B3 or, as it should be called, the Lamborghini of televisions, will support HEVC H.265 codec and come stocked with Vizio's V6 six-core processor, an 800-nit, Full-Array LED backlight and a new 802.11ac antenna. It's also one of the first TVs to support Dolby Vision - Dolby's proprietary version of high dynamic range.

Content for Dolby vision and the exorbitantly priced TV will come from Vudu's 4K channel that features a small handful of films including Man of Steel, Edge of Tomorrow, The Great Gatsby, San Andreas and Mad Max: Fury Road, and can access Netflix for more high-end visual goodness.

Is $130,000 too rich for your blood? Vizio will offer a 65-inch, quantum dot version of the TV for the much more reasonable - but still a little bewildering - price of $5,999 (or about £3,900/AU$8,400). The RS65-B2 also comes with an integrated surround sound soundbar, a subwoofer and two satellite speakers.

Both systems are available to order starting today through a special form on Vizio's website.

• Want a smart TV but don't have $130,000 to drop? Try pairing a "dumb" TV with the all-new Chromecast 2.

It wasn't too long ago 4K TV was thought of exclusively as an expensive luxury. But then at CES 2014, Vizio introduced the first Ultra HD television under $1,000. And just this week, the company dropped the price of entry-level 4K TVs yet again with a new $599 (about £400, AU$768) screen.

The 43-inch M-series (model number M43-C1) comes at an amazing bargain, but like you might be asking yourself right now, I wondered if there was a catch with this affordable option.

Following the news announcement, Vizio opened up a temporary showroom floor to display its latest M-series televisions with which it hopes to bring 4K to mainstream users. After staring at the M43 along with the wide selection of 4K screens Vizio had on hand for a good hour or so, I came away feeling that while these sets are affordable, they sorely lack the soul of a premium Ultra HD screen.

No sharp enough yet

Unlike every other 4K screen I had seen up to that point, I didn't feel the same revelation in improved image quality with the M43. It' s certainly sharper than your standard Full HD TV, and Vizio even strategically placed it next to a few of its E-series televisions, which house lower-res 1080p screens. With the 43-inch M-series you can discern more details from this riverside look at Big Ben in London to the finer details in this hillside.

However, resolution is only one part of the equation. Most 4K screens I've laid my eyes on, from the Philips Brilliance 288P monitor to Samsung's 105-inch curved Ultra HD 4K TV, had a brilliance to them. Colors on a 4K screen should look warm and saturated and have an unbelievable level of contrast. With Vizio's screen I felt that hues were bright but nothing too memorable, and a shot of the London cityscape at night lacked an astonishing amount of contrast, failing to make it pop off the screen.

That's not to say the screen looks terrible; it's actually quite nice and better than most other televisions you can get in the same price bracket. But when compared to other 4K TVs, it lacks the dazzle that makes the tech, however expensive, truly impressive.

The upside

From Vizio's perspective, it wants to make 4K more accessible while still maintaining a high picture quality.

"There is a lot of market traction for 4K TVs and panel prices are coming down, so we want to lead the market from the picture performance end," Parin Shah, senior product manager at Vizio, told me at the event. "We trying to drive the market with large volumes to really get the prices down."

Shah said the M43 isn't an entry-level TV, and called the step up from [its Full HD TVs] "massive from a spec standpoint."

On top of the 4K resolution, Shah explained Vizio's new M-series televisions also offer a remote with a keypad on its underside for quickly typing in the names of favorite programs and local dimming zones. The dimming zone feature allows the 43-inch screen to selectively decrease the amount of backlight illumination on parts of the screen to make for better black levels and higher contrast images.

While that sounds great on paper, the entry level M-series set only has 28 local dimming zones. Spread across a 43-inch canvas, this means every LED illuminating the screen covers an area roughly the size of your fist, so the contrast control is good but only to a certain point.

By comparison, Samsung has employed micro dimming to deliver twice the number of lighting zones for better contrast and color control in its 4K TVs. LG's 4K TVs, meanwhile, primarily employ emissive OLED technology, which means they bypass the need for a backlit screen as the display panel acts as its own light source while rendering an image at the same time. Of course, you have to keep in mind these other options are much more expensive than Vizio's M43 4K TV.

A new standard

Ultimately, though, Vizio feels the most demonstrable improvement in picture quality will be the increase in resolution to 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, up from the current 1080p standard.

"A lot of apps are coming up with 4K content but at the same time the upscaling engine, it's getting better and better and you'll see a difference from the original Full HD content," Shah said. "It's a good-looking TV [that] you want to put it in your living room and you want to brag to your friends about it."

Shah is right about the M43 being about bragging rights. 4K TVs for the most part are still exorbitantly expensive, so a $600 set could be the first big step towards opening it up to more users. 1080p televisions used to be just as expensive when the television world was moving up from standard definition. Eventually, affordable 1080p display options hit the market that were followed by a long series of screens with improved color, refresh rates, contrast ratios - and generally better looking televisions.

Now, as for where 4K TVs fits into this timeline, I feel the technology is just finally starting to chip its way into more homes. The content is nowhere near ready with the exception of a few outliers like Daredevil on Netflix and the coming 4K reboot of Planet Earth. Likewise, Vizio's own M43 shows there's still some work to be done on the hardware side, but it seems 4K is on its way to becoming the new standard and more affordable options like Vizio's $599 TV will only help to get it there.

• Will high-dynamic range become the next must have TV technology?

TV manufacturer Vizio has built quite the following in recent years, offering high quality HD TVs at exceptionally affordable prices. Now the company is planning to do the same for 4K sets.

On day one of the CES expo in Las Vegas, the American company announced the arrival of its new P Series televisions, which will be its first 4K sets to go on sale to the public, sometime in 2014.

The P Series, which will come in sizes between 50- and 70-inches, and will be "aggressively priced" according to the company, which did not reveal specifics on price or availability.

For the outlay, whatever it may prove to be, the P Series promises "best in class" picture quality thanks to "advanced local dimming technology, featuring a backlight that consists of 64 Active LED Zones, HEVC Codec for Ultra HD streaming and VIZIO's V6 six-core processor that combines a quad-core GPU and dual-core CPU."

Just how low Vizio chooses to go with its price point, could herald a new era of adoptability for 4K television sets, which are currently priced out of the reach of the vast majority of consumers.

Money no object

As well as the P Series, Vizio also lifted the lid on its Reference Series 4K television, which it is brazenly calling the "ultimate TV if there were no limitations or need to compromise."

The Reference Series, which will come in 65- and 120-inch sizes (making it the largest so far at CES), is 4K capable, can handle 48fps films and games at 128fps and is the result of two years of dedicated R&D.

It offers High Dynamic Range with an exceptionally bright 800 nit backlight, 384 Active LED Zones for "unprecedented contrast" and support for "true" 10-bit colour.

Something tells us that television won't be quite as "aggressively priced" as the P Series.

Meanwhile, in other news, it seems Vizio has officially ditched 3D. It's new line-up of E-Series and M-Series HDTV's were announced with no sign of a third dimension.

Via IGN

Google is giving its good TV graces to a handful of manufacturers at next week's Consumer Electronics Show, likely in the hopes of jolting some life into its struggling small screen venture.

The company announced in a blog post Friday that three firms - Asus, Hisense and TCL - will unveil Google TV devices during the annual tech gathering.

Existing partners like LG, Vizio, Sony and others are also slated to demonstrate Google's revamped TV platform through each companies' individual offerings.

LG already set the wheels in motion when it revealed before Christmas that it will show off seven new Google TV sets at the show, with the largest screen size, belonging to the GA6400, coming in at 60-inches.

Time to shine

Google gave its struggling television platform an overhaul last November, updating it for speed and accessibility.

The company has struggled from Day 1 to gain a following, both from consumers and big names like Samsung. Though the South Korean giant has announced a Google TV product, it has yet to follow through with actually releasing anything to the public.

With the addition of Asus, Hisense and TCL, Google can count nine TV buddies, a decent pack if it hopes to keep growing its TV gig.

The G-team also plans on showing its YouTube on TV feature on LG, Panasonic and Sony Smart TVs during the Vegas corral, so its presence will certainly be felt.

TechRadar will land in Nevada before long and we'll let you know if the Google TV showcases hit the jackpot or go bust.