Vizio vs TCL, both of these TV brands offer some of the best-priced 4K TVs that you can find in the market at the moment. Vizio’s models come with some great specs and advanced features, making them a better value for money. The TCL brand stands out, however, in many important categories, especially when it comes to panel technology. Check out our Vizio vs TCL TV comparison to see which brand you should choose if you’re on a budget.

Vizio vs TCL – A brief comparison

In the TCL Group, TCL is the TV manufacturer that is affiliated with TCL Technology, a Chinese-owned company. In 2020, the company, which was founded in 1999, will have sold nearly 24 million TV sets globally, making it the third largest TV manufacturer in the world.

Three years after TCL was founded, Vizio was founded in 2002. The company’s primary goal was to lower the price of HDTVs in comparison with US competitors. As a result of the business model, the company has been very successful. A flat-screen TV was the company’s second-largest seller in the US as of 2020. The company sold more than 80 million TVs worldwide by the end of 2021, a report claims.

Vizio vs TCL – Face-to-face comparison of their features

Technology in the field of panels

The TCL panel technology has undergone numerous experiments over the years. LED technology has been used mostly by the company up until the last couple of years. In recent years, TCL sets have been available with both LED and QLED panels. Among the very few manufacturers with QLED panel licenses from Samsung, TCL is one of the most interesting.

In comparison to Vizio vs TCL, Vizio has exclusively used traditional LED panels for all its models. Despite being more energy-efficient than QLED TVs, these models are unable to reproduce the deep blacks and rich colors of QLED panels. TCL models have an advantage over Vizio sets when it comes to panel technology.

In addition to producing classic LED TVs, Vizio also produced an OLED TV a few years ago. A true QLED TV, this is one of the top TVs that TCL has made to date, and is comparable to the latest QLED TV from TCL.

Vizio vs TCL – A comparison of image processors

The AiPQ Engine processor is found in most TCL models. This image processor is pretty unimpressive when compared to most Smart TVs. For its upcoming models, the company announced a new AiPQ Engine processor, which should provide more processing power for images.

Vizio’s IQ Active is the image processor used in the latest generation of Smart TVs from Vizio. With its multi-step algorithms, this processor is capable of accurately upscaling Full HD content to 4K, reducing image noise, and enhancing contrast. The image processors on Vizio TVs are significantly more capable when all of these factors are considered.

Vizio vs TCL – A comparison of motion technology

In particular, TCL’s 5 and 6 Series televisions feature excellent motion technology. The majority of TCL models have excellent response times when transitioning between scenes. PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) dims TCL TVs’ backlight, despite the fact that they are not flicker-free. Due to this, watching normally shouldn’t cause any bothersome flickering.

Vizio offers good motion technology in most of its models. Clearly, results vary depending on the model used, and there is no doubt about that. Vizio’s 2020 V Series, for instance, provides mediocre motion technology and considerably slower transitions. Vizio OLED 2020 models, on the other hand, have fast response times and virtually no motion blur.

It is clear from all of this that TCL models offer a better motion technology in general than models from other brands. While this may be the case, Vizio TVs can feature outstanding motion technology.

Vizio vs TCL – A comparison of picture quality

Although both brands are budget-friendly, Vizio vs TCL offer excellent picture quality for their price range. However, we must compare the two brands across several key categories to determine the nuanced differences. Among them are:

Vizio vs TCL – Black Level and Contrast Ratio

It is well known that TCL TVs produce deep blacks and have superb native contrast ratios. A TCL model that includes local dimming can further improve the contrast ratio and enhance performance. 

On most Vizio models as well as on TCL sets, native contrast ratios are excellent. Seeing the content in dark rooms will produce impressive dark scenes and deep blacks. Vizio OLED TVs, for example, have an infinite contrast ratio since each pixel can be turned off individually.

Vizio vs TCL – Dimming on the Local Level

These two brands cannot be compared based on their local dimming properties, since their models are all over the place in this category. When comparing Vizio vs TCL models, most of them are equipped with a full-array backlight. Local dimming is included in this preferred backlight configuration.

There are some models from both manufacturers that come with basic direct backlight configurations and do not feature local dimming. It is not possible to darken the picture in a dark environment for the best viewing experience with these models.

Vizio vs TCL – Maximum brightness

In comparison to Vizio models in the same price range, most TCL models offer higher peak brightness. Vizion’s TVs generally fail to perform well in this category despite some models offering excellent peak brightness, such as the P Series Quantum X.

Vizio vs TCL – Differences in color

The color gamuts of most TCL TVs are excellent and they cover the DCI P3 color space well. The Rec standard is supported by some models despite the fact that some do not. Despite their 2020 coverage, they still perform very well in this category. Colors are displayed in a wide range of luminance levels thanks to their wide color gamut and excellent contrast.

In terms of color properties, most Vizio models released in the last couple of years offer impressive value for their price. With the M7 Series and P Series, for example, you can enable wide color gamuts and enjoy splendid color volume. Moreover, the Vizio P Series Quantum X provides one of the widest color gamuts in its class.

Vizio vs TCL – Angle of View

Moving even slightly off-center will result in loss of image quality on TCL TVs. TCL sets can vary in performance from model to model, but most aren’t suitable for wider seating arrangements since they quickly lose brightness and show gamma shift. Although VA panels have a hard time producing solid viewing angles, this isn’t a knock on brands.

Comparing Vizio vs TCL, both TV brands provide slightly better viewing angles. There are some models, such as the Quantum 2021 of the M7 Series, that have abysmal viewing angles despite the Vizion V Series having decent viewing angles. It is advantageous to have a VA LED panel even if it has average viewing angles.

The effects of reflections and glare

The majority of TCL TVs feature a semi-gloss screen finish, which provides acceptable reflection handling but not exceptional results. It is estimated that approximately five to six percent of the light that hits a TCL display surface is reflected. On the other hand, many Vizio models have semi-gloss or glossy screens. There is a wide range of options available to you based on your needs and requirements.

Vizio semi-gloss models perform similarly to TCL glossy models, which reflect just 2% of total light. As a result, Vizio has the best performance in this category. In terms of ambient light, a glossy screen finish is great, but it isn’t good for direct reflections.

Vizio vs TCL – the quality of the sound

It should be noted that all TCL TVs come with built-in speakers that have a good frequency response and are able to reach extremely loud amounts of sound, which makes them a good option for large rooms or noisy environments. Although most TCL models lack a lot of bass, if any at all, they do produce some sound.

As far as sound quality is concerned, Vizio TVs deliver decent results. You can hear clear dialogue even at high volume levels since these TVs have a well-balanced sound profile. Even though they have solid bass, they lack the power to deliver the punch of higher-end TVs.

To get the best audio-visual experience, regardless of the brand you choose, you should consider pairing your new TV with a soundbar or subwoofer.

An operating system for smart TVs

While you can find TCL models with the Roku TV smart platform, the newest models use the Google TV operating system. SmartCast is the platform that comes with modern Vizio TVs.

Availability of connectivity

Despite the fact that picture and sound quality are arguably the most important aspects of a TV, connectivity features can have a significant impact on overall user experience. Taking advantage of voice control options or pairing your TV with other devices requires knowing what connectivity features are available to you. In order to compare the two brands, let’s start with voice assistants, wireless technologies, and input specifications.

Vizio vs TCL – A comparison of the inputs

In terms of input specs, both Vizio vs TCL TV brands come with all the features that a modern smart TV should include across all supported resolutions, which you may expect from such a TV.

Both brands have incorporated a variety of inputs into their models, as you can see in the comparison table above. Although there are USB ports on the TV, it is less than what you can expect on other brands of TVs. Vizio’s model, for example, only has one USB port, which is simply insufficient for some users.

Assistants with voice recognition

The Android TV remote app comes with most TCL TVs that use the Google TV smart platform. As one of the best AI-based voice assistants in the world, Google Assistant also offers top-notch voice control features. Several voice commands are available on TCL TVs, including opening apps, searching for content, changing input ports, and changing channels.

In order to control their TVs with your voice, Vizio redesigned their Smart TV remote with a built-in microphone. Even though Vizio’s voice assistant adds a level of convenience, it can only perform a few basic tasks. One of the most notable features is that you can open apps or change inputs, but this does not always work. The voice assistant capabilities of TCL TVs are significantly better than those of Vizio TVs.

The use of wireless technologies

Vizio and TCL Smart TVs feature the same Wi-Fi support features, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Bluetooth is also available on many TVs from these two manufacturers. You cannot connect your phone or tablet to some Vizio vs TCL speakers because they only support Bluetooth LE.

Features that make it stand out

The difference between Vizio vs TCL TV brands is substantial, but neither brand has an advantage over the other. Despite this, they share several standout features that make them stand out from other budget brands. A specific example of this is VRR, FreeSync, and G-SYNC. Many models from TCL and Vizio offer these features, despite the fact that they’re not available in every model.

Additionally, many Vizio vs TCL TV sets come with HDR, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. Comparing these TVs to Samsung, Sony, and LG, the price of these TVs is especially attractive.

Vizio vs TCL price comparison

In addition to comparing the two brands based on a number of criteria, it’s also important to talk about their market prices. When it comes to budget-friendly TVs, Vizio is the better option since both brands offer some of the most affordable models. Due to the lower cost of Vizio models across all available sizes, TCL models are noticeably more expensive.

Final verdict of the Vizio vs TCL comparison

This Vizio vs TCL TV comparison will be determined by your personal preferences and budget. The Vizio TV is the more affordable of the two brands. Their image processors are also more powerful, their reflection handling properties are better, and their viewing angles are wider.

While they cost more than TCL TVs, they have some advantages over them. Their QLED panels make them noticeably brighter, they have a better voice assistant, and they feature better motion sensors.

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