Vizio P Series 2018 vs TCL 6 Series (R617 Series) Review (P55-F1 vs 55R617, P65-F1 vs 65R617)

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Vizio P series is the second top model of Vizio’s 2018 4K HDR LED TV under P Quantum Series, while TCL 6 Series or R617 is the top model of TCL’s 2018 4K HDR LED TV lineup.  Although they are sold in mid-range price level, but picture quality offered is not far behind some models of the big names like Samsung, Sony, or LG that sold more expensive. In the market, Vizio P Series comes in 3 screen sizes option including 55 Inch (P55-F1), 65 Inch (P65-F1) and 75 Inch (P75-F1), while TCL 6 series comes in only 2 screen sizes option including 55 Inch (55R617) and 65 Inch (65R617). Meanwhile, with the same screen (P55-F1 vs 55R617, P65-F1 vs 65R617), Visio P Series is sold hundred dollars more expensive than TCL 6 Series.  So, what features offered by them and which is a better choice between them.

Vizio P Series vs TCL 6 Series Key Specs

Specs and FeaturesVizio P SeriesTCL 6 Series
Resolution4K (2160×3840)4K (2160×3840)
Size Available55 Inch (P55-F1), 65 Inch (P65-F1), 75 Inch (P75-F1)55 Inch (55R617), 65 Inch (65R617)
Panel TechnologyLED (VA Panel)LED (VA Panel)
Backlight TechnologyDirect LEDDirect LED
Local DimmingYes (Full Array Local Dimming)Yes (Full Array Local Dimming)
Local Dimming ZoneP55-F1 = 56, P65-F1= 100, P75-F1 = 120Undefined
Picture EngineVM 50 EngineDual Core CPU
Display ProcessorV8 Octa-Core ProcessorDual Core GPU
HDR SupportsDolby Vision, HDR10, HLGDolby Vision, HDR10
UHD Up-scaling EngineSpacial Scaling EngineUndefined
Color TechnologyUltra Color SpectrumUndefined
Motion Clarity EnhancementClear Action 720Clear Motion Index 120 Hz
Native Refresh Rate120 Hz60 Hz
UHD Codec SupportVP9 and HEVC (H.265)Undefined
Smart TV PlatformSmartCastRoku TV 2018
Remote ControlXRT136Voice Enabled Remote Control RC580
Voice NavigationNoYes
Audio Channel2.02.0
Total Sound Output10 watt x 28 watt x2
Audio PassthroughUndefinedDolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos
HDMI Ports53
USB Ports11
PriceSee today’s priceSee today’s price

TCL 6 Series vs Vizio P Series Performance

Picture Quality

For their price level, Vizio P series and TCL 6 series actually has excellent picture quality. Both of them equally can produce deep black level, make their performance in a dark room is good. Black of images displayed on their screen will look really black, even when they are set in a dark room where the impact of the depth of black produced by a TV is very sensitive. Additionally, with HDR content, black level produced by them is also dark enough to reveal details of images in dark scene excellently like the movies creator’s intended, make shadow details of HDR images can be shown excellently on their screen. Meanwhile, compare between them, TCL 6 Series actually has stronger native contrast ratio than Vizio P Series. But even so, equally coming with Full Array Local Dimming technology, the local dimming of Vizio P Series can do better job in enhancing the contrast ratio. The result, with local dimming enabled, the contrast ratio of Vizio P series is almost comparable to TCL 6 Series that is about around 6000:1. But even so, since Vizio P Series has better dark uniformity due it has better local dimming performance, with the same level of black, blacks at some points will look more uniform than TCL 6 Series.

 

While their performance in producing deep black is almost similar, particularly with local dimming enables, TCL 6 Series has better peak brightness than Vizio P series.  With SDR content, peak brightness of TCL 6 Series is brighter than 700 nits that means it is great for most bright room. Its local dimming is even very effective to brighten the small window up to brighter than 1000 nits. On the other hand, although not as bright as TCL 6 Series, with more than 400 nits, peak brightness of Vizio P Series actually is also bright enough to fight the glare in bright room, make it can maintain its picture quality in most bright room.  Meanwhile, with HDR content, both of them even can produce brighter peak brightness than when playing SDR content. With more than 800 nits, peak brightness of TCL 6 Series is great, very close to the level of 1000 nits the movies creator’s intended. When showing small bright objects in a dark scene, it even can show them brighter than 1000 nits. This means, highlight details of HDR images will look excellent on its screen. On the other hand, with HDR content, Vizio P series can produce peak brightness brighter than 600 nits that means it is still fairly good for HDR content. This means, HDR content will look fairly bright in most bright room. Like TCL 6 Series, when showing small bright object in a dark back ground, it even can show them brighter, that is about around 800 nits. Nevertheless, although TCL 6 Series has brighter peak brightness, but in reducing blooming around bright object when they are showing small bright object like highlight of HDR image, Vizio P series can do better. This is due local dimming of Vizio P series can do better job than TCL 6 Series.

 

In term of color reproduction, Vizio P series can deliver a bit wider color gamut than TCL 6 Series.  But for this case, their difference is not significant and overall, their color coverage in DCI P3 is more than 90% that means it is good for HDR content. The result, most colors of HDR images can be shown fairly accurate, particularly that mastered in DCI P3 like HDR 10 images. Not even just in DCI P3 their color coverage is good, in rec.2020, their color coverage is also good. But like most of modern TVs, their green reproduction is also limited. This will make them lack some detail. This will be more noticeable particularly when they are showing very bright scene like bright outdoor scene. Additionally, both of them also have similar color volume. Their color gamut will narrow at darker color, make them cannot produce deep color fairly well. But even so, except dark color, both of them can show their color gamut at their entire brightness range and their color volume is only limited by their own wide color gamut. While Vizio P Series can a bit wider color gamut that make some certain colors can be shown more accurate, in term of color gradient, TCL 6 Series offers better performance, particularly when they are showing dark greens and grays. In these colors, some color banding will be more noticeable on the screen of Vizio P series than TCL 6 Series. Nevertheless, overall, color gradient of images displayed on their screen looks smooth without major color banding in any colors, particularly when they playing HDR contents. Overall, in case of color accuracy, Vizio P series is better, but in case of color gradient, TCL 6 series offers smoother color gradient.

By considering some major aspects of picture quality, overall, they equally have good picture quality. Nevertheless, in certain aspect, each of them has advantages and disadvantages than each other. TCL 6 Series has better peak brightness and color gradient, while Vizio P series has better color gamut and uniformity.

Winner: TCL 6 Series has brighter peak brightness and better color gradient, Vizio P series has better uniformity and color gamut

Side Viewing Angle

Since both of them come with VA panel, like other TV with VA panel, side viewing angle coverage of them are also equally poor. Started at less than 20 degrees off center and front, color of image displayed on their screen will look shift. Their black level even will look deteriorate started at less than 15 degrees off center and front. The result, when viewed from an angle, particularly wider than 15 degrees, the picture displayed on their screen will not look as good as when viewed from the center and front. And from the wider angle you watch TV, the picture will look worse. This certainly is not their own problem considering all other TVs with VA panel also have the same problem.  But even so, as long as you have set your seat so are still within their viewing angle coverage, this should not be problem for you.

Winner: Draw (Equally Bad)

Motion Handling and 24p Playback

Although Vizio P series lower pixel response time than TCL 6 Series, but essentially, their pixel response time is equally excellent for fast paced contents. This means, when they are playing fast moving images like sports or fast movies, the picture produced will looks clear and smooth with almost no motion blur visible. Following fast moving object, there is only a short faint trail where most people may not notice this much. Blur that may be visible is more caused by 60fps persistence than their pixel response time.  Meanwhile, to dim their backlight, both of them equally use PWM Dimming system, but they use different dimming frequency. For this case, Vizio P series uses 960 Hz while TCL 6 Series uses 480 Hz of dimming frequency. With its dimming frequency, Vizio P series offers almost flicker-free. Although not as high as Vizio P series, dimming frequency of TCL 6 series is already fairly high to make the backlight flicker is almost no visible. The use of high dimming frequency may make their screen is almost flicker-free, but on the other hand, this will make some duplications. For this issue, both of them also equally have an optional BFI (Black Frame Insertion) mode that will flicker their screen at 60 Hz. To enable this feature, on TCL 6 Series, you must enable “LED Motion Clarity” under Advanced Picture Setting on its picture setting, while on Vizio P series, you just need set on “Clear Motion”. By activating this mode, the motion will look far clearer, but on the other hand, this will make flicker is more noticeable. For this case, you have two options, enabling this feature means the motion look clearer but flicker will be more noticeable or disable this feature means flickers will not visible but blur that caused by persistence will more noticeable.

Meanwhile, when playing 24p movies, TCL 6 series can do better job than Vizio P series particularly when the source is 24p movies via 60i like movies from satellite TV and 60p signal like movies from streaming devices. With these source types, TCL 6 series can show them with judder-free while Vizio P series cannot remove the judder completely. Fortunately, most people don’t sensitive to judder, so this should be problem for Vizio P Series. Meanwhile when playing native 24p videos like Blu-Ray or DVD’s movies or playing movies via streaming media like Netflix, Amazon Videos, and others, both of them are equally able to show them smoothly with judder-free. Still about motion clarity performance, since TCL 6 series has native 60 Hz refresh rate panel, it can only interpolate 30 fps content to 60 fps. On the other hand, with native 120 Hz refresh rate panel, Visio P series can interpolate both 30 fps and 60 fps content up to 100 fps fairly well.

Winner: Vizio P Series is better in handling motion, TCL 6 series is better in handling 24p movies

Inputs/Outputs

As their major connectivity, Vizio P series is equipped with 5 HDMI ports while TCL 6 series is only equipped with 3 ports. But even so, all of their HDMI ports already support HDCP 2.2 and CEC menu. For TCL 6 series, all of their HDMI ports also already support HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth, while for Vizio P series, that support HDMI 2.0 are only 4 ports (HDMI 1,2,3,4) while 1 port (HDMI 5) doesn’t support HDMI 2.0. Both of them also equally have 1 port that support ARC (Audio Return Channel), Vizio P series is on HDMI 1 while TCL 6 series is on HDMI 3. The number of USB ports of Vizio P series is also a bit more that is 3, while TCL 6 series only has 1 port. Both of them also equally have 1 RF In, 1 Composite In, 1 Ethernet port, and 1 Digital Audio Out (optical). The difference is about Component in and Analog Audio Out (Optical) where Vizio P series has this inputs while TCL 6 Series doesn’t have this inputs.

Meanwhile, talking about their input lags in PC and Game Mode, TCL 6 series has lower input lags, particularly in 4K resolution. In both 4K and 1080p input, the input lags of TCL 6 series are less than 20 ms that means it is great for any games. On the other hand, in 1080p resolution, the input lags of Vizio P series may be not far different to TCL 6 series, that is still less than 20 ms, but in 4K resolution, its input lags is above 25 ms. But even so, its input lags is still less than 30 ms that means it is still comfortable for any games, even for fast paced games that require fast reflexes.

Winner: TCL 6 series has lower input lags, Vizio P series has more inputs/outputs. 

Smart TV

 

As their smart TV platform, TCL 6 series is featuring Roku TV 2018 while Vizio P series is featuring Smart Cast.  Roku TV has attractive and smooth interface and also easy to use with almost no serious performance. When you are launching an app or menu, it will open smoothly.  On the other hand, the interface of Smart Cast is too basic, there is even no animation. Nevertheless, its performance is too slow. When you are launching and app, it will load slowly. Meanwhile, the main attraction of SmartCast, it has built-in ChromeCast, allow you to stream any content from any devices that also support ChromeCast. On the other hand, in addition it also allows you to cast any content from your smart phone to your TV, Roku TV also can the audio from its native apps to your smart phone. Overall, although not as complete as other smart TV platform like Android TV of Sony TV, WebOS of LG TV, or Tizen OS of Samsung TV, both of these platform also provide a lot of preinstalled apps, particularly which intended for streaming purpose.

Meanwhile, as their controller, the remote of Vizio P series is larger and have more buttons than the remote of TCL 6 series. Both of these remote equally have some dedicated buttons. The advantage of TCL’s remote, it has voice control functionality, allow you to search and control some other features with your voice command. But even so, it doesn’t support CEC control that means it doesn’t have a universal ability. On the other hand, the Vizio’s remote doesn’t have voice control, but it already supports CEC menu Control, allow you to control some basic command of other devices connected on your Vizio TVS via HDMI ports with a single Vizio’s Remote.

>> Please click here to see today’s price for the Vizio P Series <<

>> Please click here to see today’s price for the TCL 6 Series <<

Summary

PerformanceVizio P SeriesTCL 6 Series
Picture Quality(4/5)(4/5)
HDR(4.1/5)(4.2/5)
Motion Handling(4.3/5)(4/5)
Inputs(4.6/5)(4.6/5)
Sound Quality(3.1/5)(2.9/5)
Smart TV(3.4/5)(3.9/5)

Conclusion

Overall, for their price level, Vizio P series and TCL 6 Series equally have excellent picture quality and performance, but overall Vizio P Series has slightly better picture quality. Compared between them, each of them has advantages and disadvantages to the others in certain point. The advantages of Vizio P series, it has better local dimming, better black uniformity, wider color gamut, better motion handling, less visible blooming, and also less visible flicker, and higher refresh rate panel.  On the other hand, TCL has brighter peak brightness, better 24p movies handling, lower input lags, and also more attractive and responsive smart TV experience.   The other advantages offered by Vizio P series, it supports more HDR formats including HDR 10, HLG, and Dolby Vision while TCL 6 Series only supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision and doesn’t support HLG. This means, since HLG is specifically designed for TV broadcast, you cannot enjoy TV shows with HDR quality on the screen of TCL 6 Series. Meanwhile, both of them equally have the same major drawback, which is poor side viewing angle.

Which is a better choice between them? As we have mentioned above, with the same screen size, TCL 6 Series is sold slightly cheaper than Vizio P series. Now, the decision comes back to you according to your own preferences. Overall, Vizio P series has better picture quality, but to get it, you must spend more hundreds dollar of your money. On the other hand, picture quality and performance of TCL 6 series are also not less far behind Vizio, but on some certain aspect like peak brightness and smart TV, it is better. And the most important, it is sold cheaper.

>> Please click here to see today’s price for the Vizio P Series <<

>> Please click here to see today’s price more the TCL 6 Series <<

 

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