![]() ![]() One option: You probably have a TV that’s several times larger than your computer display. ![]() It has a dedicated Game Mode that offers less than 10ms input lag to make games play smoothly and its 1080p resolution is perfect for last-gen consoles like the Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch.As many people start to work from home these days, they’re finding that their 13-inch laptop screens don’t always cut it. The good news is that gamers, mostly, will really like this TV. None of that matters if you’re only using it to watch cartoons or dramas – both of which look great here – but you’re limited in what kinds of content you can watch. Two other problems are the TV’s IQ Processor and its native refresh rate – it’s simply not equipped with all the tools it needs to remove grain from space scenes in movies like Star Trek, nor is it ready to handle sports with its basic 60Hz refresh rate. The results are images that are less vibrant than what you’d find elsewhere. Without HDR built-in, this TV can’t produce as many colors as a 4K HDR screen can. ![]() Where the TV is less strong is in its color reproduction and saturation. If you look closely, you’ll notice a bit of light leakage off to the side and more of a grey tone instead of outright black, but by and large the brightness and black levels are quite good at this price point. With array lighting instead of side-lit LEDs, the D-Series can effectively black out parts of the screen for better contrast while keeping parts of the TV brightly lit. The reason for that is the TV’s moderately high brightness and decent black levels thanks to the full array lighting. It has its issues that are especially apparent if you’re used to watching some higher-end TVs, but if you’re upgrading from an old CRT or first-generation flat-screen, you’ll be pretty impressed. (Image credit: Vizio) Picture performanceįor an HD TV, the D-Series’ picture performance is actually above average. We absolutely recommend doing the latter even if it costs a bit more money in the long run, as it will save you minutes of your life just waiting for SmartCast to load. The big downside to SmartCast on the D-Series is that it does run a little bit slower than on higher-end models and the power-on sequence can take awhile if you don’t enable fast start that leaves the TV in low-power mode when you’re not watching it. If that’s not your style, you can tune in to Vizio’s WatchFree TV service that takes some regular channels like MTV and blends them together with internet-only stations to create a cable-like experience with ads that you can watch when there’s nothing else on. Of course, most of those streaming services do require a subscription in order to access them. You’ve got the ones we mentioned above like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus, as well as a number of other lesser streaming services like Adult Swim to watch Rick and Morty and Peacock to watch We Are Lady Parts. Speaking of streaming services, all the main ones are here and accounted for. This can effectively be done in two taps – and it works with most major streaming services. ![]() To begin with, let’s talk about the Cast in the SmartCast name that allows you to use Chromecast Built-in or Apple AirPlay 2 to send content from your phone to the big screen. Not only does it give it a leg up on other non-smart TVs, but SmartCast in particular offers a lot of functionality out of the box. SmartCast really feels like the TV’s strong suit. (Image credit: Vizio) Smart TV (SmartCast) The remote doesn’t have voice search built-in, but there is a SmartCast app you can download if you want additional functionality. Last but not least, the TV comes with a basic IR remote that has shortcuts for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, Crackle and others, as well as Vizio’s own WatchFree service. It doesn’t list any contrast control zones for this TV, which we’ll explain down below, and the TV’s panel only has a native 60Hz refresh rate. Inside the TV, Vizio has installed its basic IQ Processor to handle motion processing and upscaling and a full array panel. Having just two HDMI ports isn’t exactly a deal-breaker at this price, but it is something to pay attention to – if you know you have more than two devices that need to go into the TV, you’ll either need to find another model or invest in something like an HDMI splitter. Here you’ll find the inputs and outputs for the TV that include only two HDMI ports (HDMI 1 supports ARC), composite-in and both digital optical audio out and 3.5mm aux. Spin it around to the side, however, and you’ll see that it’s not completely modern – the D-Series is fairly thick around the midsection that juts out several inches. With a minimal bezel around the screen, slim plastic legs and a low-profile look, the D-Series looks very modern… at least in the front. For a low-price TV, the D-Series actually looks pretty sleek. ![]()
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