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Vizio D Series 1080p 2016  TV Review

Review updated Mar 01, 2017 at 06:31am
Tested using methodology v1.0 
Vizio D Series 1080p 2016
7.0
Mixed Usage 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

6.5
Movies 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

6.7
TV Shows 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

7.4
Sports 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

8.0
Video Games 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

5.6
HDR Movies 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

5.2
HDR Gaming 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

5.3
PC Monitor 
Value for price beaten by

Not at the latest test bench

 2
 TV Settings
The Vizio D Series 1080p 2016 is a good budget LED TV. It performs good enough across the board, with average-good picture quality. It handles motion very well. Note: this review is for the 1080p variant of the D Series. We reviewed the 4k UHD separately here.

Our Verdict

7.0
Mixed Usage 

For mixed usage, the Vizio D Series 1080p 2016 is quite average across the board. It is better for video games, but when viewed from the side the picture quality diminishes rapidly.

Pros
  • Good basic picture quality.
  • Low input lag and motion blur, which is great for video games.
Cons
  • Loss of picture quality at an angle.
  • Cable and DVDs look slightly blurrier than most TVs.
6.5
Movies 

Fine for movies. Average picture quality, but lacking features found on high-end TVs. Nice deep blacks and good black uniformity.

6.7
TV Shows 

Average performance in a bright living room. Picture quality deteriorates very quickly when viewed from the side. Reflections are handled well but TV doesn't get bright enough to combat glare.

7.4
Sports 

Average for watching sports. Motion is handled well, but average picture quality and uniformity of field. Must remain directly in front of TV or quality diminishes rapidly.

8.0
Video Games 

Great for video games. Picture quality is average but handles motion well with low motion blur. Good input lag for fast paced games.

5.6
HDR Movies 

Doesn't support HDR. Doesn't accept either HDR format. No wider color gamut. Can't get very bright highlights. Average picture quality.

5.2
HDR Gaming 

Doesn't support HDR10 or Dolby Vision. Can't produce bright highlights and doesn't support a wide color gamut.

5.3
PC Monitor 

Not bad as a PC monitor. Only a 1080p TV but handles motion well. Input lag is quite good so feels responsive.

  • 7.0
    Mixed Usage
  • 6.5
    Movies
  • 6.7
    TV Shows
  • 7.4
    Sports
  • 8.0
    Video Games
  • 5.6
    HDR Movies
  • 5.2
    HDR Gaming
  • 5.3
    PC Monitor
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Mar 01, 2017: Review published.
    2.  Updated May 18, 2016: Our testers have started testing this product.
    3.  Updated May 16, 2016: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    The Vizio D Series 1080p 2016 TV has a lot of variants. The one we bought is the 50" with SKU D50-D1. The 43" model D43-D1 has an IPS panel that produce weaker blacks and contrast but wider/better viewing angle. Except for this particular size, we expect our review to be valid for the other sizes of the Vizio D 1080p 2016. Some other differences can be found depending on sizes as illustrated in the table below. Our review is not valid for the 4k UHD variations of the Vizio D Series which we have reviewed separately here.

    If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Vizio D Series doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

    Size Model Effective Refresh Rate Real Refresh Rate HDMI # Speakers DTS TruVolume Backlight Local Dimming Zones
    32" D32-D1 120 Hz 60 Hz 2 5W x 2 Yes Direct N/A
    40" D40-D1 120 Hz 60 Hz 2 8W x 2 Yes Direct N/A
    43" D43-D1 120 Hz 60 Hz 2 10W x 2 Yes FALD 5
    43" D43-D2 120 Hz 60 Hz 3 10W x 2 No FALD 5
    48" D48-D0 120 Hz 60 Hz 3 10W x 2 Yes FALD 5
    50" D50-D1 120 Hz 60 Hz 3 10W x 2 Yes FALD 12
    55" D55-D2 120 Hz 60 Hz 3 15W x 2 No FALD 12
    60" D60-D3 120 Hz 60 Hz 3 10W x 2 No FALD 10
    65" D65-D2 120 Hz 60 Hz 3 15W x 2 No FALD 16
    70" D70-D3 120 Hz 60 Hz 3 10W x 2 No FALD 12

    Popular TV Comparisons

    Comparison picture

    Top left: Vizio E 1080p 2015 (E60-C3). Bottom left: Sony W650D (KDL-40W650D). Middle: Vizio D Series 1080p (D50-D1). Top right: LG LF6300 (49LF6300). Bottom right: TCL FS3750 (48FS3750). Unlike our other photographs, this picture wasn't taken under a controlled environment, so do not draw conclusions from it.

    The Vizio D Series 1080p 2016 has a lot of bang for the buck. It is sold cheaper than many comparable TVs for the same kind of features. This makes it easy to recommend.

    Test Results

    Sort:
    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    6.0
    Style
    CurvedNo

    From watching directly in front, the design of the Vizio D Series 2016 looks good. From the side, or in a setup where the back of the TV can be seen, it appears bulky. It feels a bit cheap with all parts being made out of plastic, but it is not the worst looking TV.

    Stand

    Two plastic stands sturdily holds the TV on each of its sides.

    Footprint of the 50" TV stand: 10.2" x 39"

    Back
    Wall MountVESA 200x200

    The back of the TV looks bulky but well thought out since no connections will be blocked if the TV is wall mounted.

    Borders
    Borders0.55" (1.4 cm)

    Made of plastic, borders have an average thickness.

    Thickness
    Max Thickness2.44" (6.2 cm)

    The bulkiness of the TV is apparent when watched from the side.

    Picture Quality
    8.9
    Contrast
    Native Contrast
    5,594 : 1

    The D Series has deep blacks which results in a great contrast ratio that makes the picture pops.

    2.0
    Local Dimming
    Local Dimming
    Yes
    Backlight
    Full-Array

    Poor local dimming, especially for a full array. Some edge-lit TVs even do better than this. In our video, you can't see much blooming, but that's because it dims the dot too much.

    7.2
    SDR Peak Brightness
    SDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
    306 cd/m²
    SDR Peak 2% Window
    265 cd/m²
    SDR Peak 10% Window
    245 cd/m²
    SDR Peak 25% Window
    304 cd/m²
    SDR Peak 50% Window
    338 cd/m²
    SDR Peak 100% Window
    362 cd/m²
    SDR Sustained 2% Window
    264 cd/m²
    SDR Sustained 10% Window
    245 cd/m²
    SDR Sustained 25% Window
    304 cd/m²
    SDR Sustained 50% Window
    338 cd/m²
    SDR Sustained 100% Window
    362 cd/m²

    It can get fairly bright but not anywhere near the level of higher end HDR TVs. For regular content, this is good enough.

    0.0
    HDR Peak Brightness
    HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
    N/A
    HDR Peak 2% Window
    N/A
    HDR Peak 10% Window
    N/A
    HDR Peak 25% Window
    N/A
    HDR Peak 50% Window
    N/A
    HDR Peak 100% Window
    N/A
    HDR Sustained 2% Window
    N/A
    HDR Sustained 10% Window
    N/A
    HDR Sustained 25% Window
    N/A
    HDR Sustained 50% Window
    N/A
    HDR Sustained 100% Window
    N/A

    This TV does not support HDR.

    7.0
    Gray Uniformity
    50% Std. Dev.
    4.115%
    50% DSE
    0.186%

    The uniformity of the screen isn't good and a yellow tint can be seen both in the middle and on the left side of the display. It is still better than an average LED TV.

    4.2
    Viewing Angle
    LCD Type
    VA
    Color Shift
    20°
    Brightness
    32°
    Black Level
    10°

    The television has poor viewing angles, colors become washed out and the blacks become gray. It is recommended to be sitting in front of the television rather than at an angle.

    9.0
    Black Uniformity
    Native Std. Dev.
    0.981%

    Great black uniformity. Not much clouding can be seen on a totally black screen. Great for dark scenes.

    8.0
    Gradient
    Color Depth
    8 Bit

    The Vizio D Series 1080p 2016 uses an 8 bit panel. Gradations can be seen in the shift of colors. This won't be a problem in regular content although some banding can be seen on some scenes.

    8.4
    Pre Calibration
    White Balance dE
    2.6
    Color dE
    3.3745
    Gamma
    2.07

    Out of the box, red is a little prominent and give a little too warm look to the picture. White balance dE isn't too high and doesn't create problems.

    9.6
    Post Calibration
    White Balance dE
    0.25
    Color dE
    1.2605
    Gamma
    2.19

    Most issues could be fixed with calibration. White balance dE got very low and a few color issues could be resolved.

    7.5
    480p Input

    Compared to other TVs, the Vizio D 1080p 2016 is just a little worse with 480p content. As long as the seating aren't too close from the TV, this shouldn't be a big concern.

    7.5
    720p Input

    Same can be said with 720p content. The Vizio D 1080p 2016 isn't the best with that resolution but isn't bad either. Cable channels will looks a bit soft.

    10
    1080p Input

    In 1080p, it is excellent and offers feature rich details.

    0.0
    4k Input

    Doesn't have 4k, but it is available in a 4k version that we reviewed here.

    7.1
    Color Gamut
    Wide Color Gamut
    No
    DCI P3 xy
    78.26%
    DCI P3 uv
    84.72%
    Rec 2020 xy
    56.56%
    Rec 2020 uv
    63.36%

    Good for regular Rec.709 content only. Colors cannot get more saturated like TVs that support HDR.

    6.1
    Color Volume
    Normalized DCI P3 Coverage
    70.218%
    10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage
    40.342%
    Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage
    51.461%
    10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage
    29.611%

    The color volume is below average. The TV can't produce very saturated colors at any luminance level.

    10
    Image Retention
    IR after 0 min recovery
    0%
    IR after 2 min recovery
    0%
    IR after 4 min recovery
    0%
    IR after 6 min recovery
    0%
    IR after 8 min recovery
    0%
    IR after 10 min recovery
    0%
    8.0
    Reflections
    Reflection
    2%
    Screen Finish
    Semi-gloss

    The television handles reflections well and will be capable of getting bright which should be enough to for most living room environments.

    0.0
    3D
    3D
    No
    3D Type
    No
    2D to 3D
    No

    No 3D feature.

    Pixels
    TypeLED
    Motion
    8.9
    Motion Blur
    Refresh Rate60 Hz
    Response Time
    11.9 ms
    Overshoot
    1 ms

    The response time is low, therefore there is almost no motion blur. The trail following the moving logo in our test is short and faint. The down transitions are slower than the up transitions, which results in an orange tone between the letters of our logo. Enabling "Clear Action" can make the image even clearer, but will make the television flicker a great deal which may bother some.

    9.2
    Image Flicker
    PWM Dimming Frequency
    480 Hz
    BFI
    Yes
    BFI Frequency
    60 Hz
    BFI In Game Mode
    Yes

    The D Series 1080p 2016 uses PWM to dim the backlight at a frequency of 480 Hz. It is possible to reduce the backlight frequency to 60Hz to clear up motion, but this produces a visible flicker.

    7.1
    24p Playback
    Judder-free 24p
    Yes
    Judder-free 24p via 60p
    No
    Judder-free 24p via 60i
    No

    Only 24p sources are completely judder-free. 60p and 60i have constant judder.

    0.0
    Motion Interpolation
    Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
    No
    Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
    No

    There is no motion interpolation features on this TV.

    Inputs
    8.7
    Input Lag
    1080p @ 60Hz
    26.5 ms
    1080p With Interpolation
    N/A
    1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
    26.5 ms
    1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
    N/A
    4k @ 60Hz
    N/A
    4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
    N/A
    4k @ 60Hz + HDR
    N/A
    4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4 + 8 bit HDR
    N/A

    The input lag of this television is low, which will be great for fast pace first person shooter games. Enabling 'Game' as a picture mode will enable both the 'Clear Action' and 'Game Low Latency' settings, which will help with motion blur, but as a result the input lag will go to 30.7ms, and you will have more flickering during game play.

    0.0
    Supported Resolutions
    Resolution1080p
    1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
    No
    1080p @ 120Hz
    No
    4k @ 30Hz @ 4:4:4
    No
    4k @ 60Hz
    No
    4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
    No

    Update: From further testing we have concluded that all current Vizio TVs that we have reviewed do not display 4:4:4, but 4:2:2. This is due to the TV inputs accepting 4:4:4 but actually displaying 4:2:2. 4:2:2 is better than 4:2:0, but slightly blurrier for text than 4:4:4.

    Side Inputs
    Rear Inputs
    Total Inputs
    HDMI3
    USB1
    Digital Optical Audio Out1
    Analog Audio Out 3.5mm0
    Analog Audio Out RCA1
    Component In1
    Composite In1 (shared)
    Tuner (Cable/Ant)1
    Ethernet1
    DisplayPort0
    IR In0
    SD/SDHC0
    Inputs Specifications
    HDR10
    No
    5.1 Passthrough ARC Dolby Digital
    Yes
    Dolby Vision
    No
    5.1 Passthrough ARC DTS
    No
    5.1 Passthrough Optical Dolby Digital
    Yes
    5.1 Passthrough Optical DTS
    Yes
    HDMI 2.0 Full BandwidthNo
    ARCYes (HDMI 1)
    USB 3No
    HDCP 2.2No
    CECYes
    MHLNo
    Variable Analog Audio OutNo
    Sound Quality
    7.0
    Frequency Response
    Std. Dev. @ 70
    3.28 dB SPL
    Std. Dev. @ 80
    3.11 dB SPL
    Std. Dev. @ Max
    4.45 dB SPL
    Max
    86.5 dB SPL
    Low-end Cutoff
    127 Hz

    Good frequency response, however, there may be some pumping and compression present at higher volumes. Low-end cutoff and maximum loudness are below average, even for a TV.

    5.4
    Total Harmonic Distortion
    Distortion @ 70
    0.026
    Distortion @ 80
    0.101
    Distortion @ Max
    0.19

    Relatively high distortion number overall, however, at higher volumes the amount of rise in distortion is acceptable and the sound doesn't fall apart (unlike some other TVs).

    Smart Features
    Apps

    Most of the popular apps are available through the smart interface and the navigation through the different menus is straightforward.

    6.0
    Interface
    Smart OSBasic

    The smart interface of the Vizio D Series 1080p 2016 isn't the prettiest but is straightforward enough to use and offers a good variety of apps. Most of the interface is quick and easy to navigate in. Without the help of a better remote, long text input can be a little awkward.

    10
    Ads
    Ad-free
    Yes
    Opt-out
    N/A
    TV Controls

    A button located behind the left side of the TV can be use for limited controls such as opening the TV and switching inputs. It can still be accessed if the TV is mounted on a wall.

    Remote
    RemoteBasic

    The remote is easy to use and has some handy popular apps shortcuts.

    In The Box

    - Remote
    - Batteries
    - Manual

    Misc
    Power Consumption44 W
    Power Consumption (Max)124 W
    Firmware1.90.34.0000

    Comments

    1. Product

    Vizio D Series 1080p 2016: Main Discussion

    Let us know why you want us to review the product here, or encourage others to vote for this product.

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      You guys wouldn’t happen to know what the “analog audio output” voltage is would ya?

      No, sorry.

    2. 2
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      1
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      You guys wouldn’t happen to know what the “analog audio output” voltage is would ya?