A brand that has constantly kept itself in the television making scene is Vizio. As time progress they seem to get better providing an exquisite line of panels such as their OLED and P-Series. But if that maybe a bit too costly there is their very reliable M-Series. Vizio was nice enough to provide us with the M65Q7-H1 from their 2020 M-Series Quantum line. Its jam packed with processing power to make sure your viewing content is up to par, but I was more interested to see how it handles next-gen gaming from the likes of Sony’s PS5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X consoles. Vizio touts what they are calling a Pro Gaming Engine capable of handling your gaming needs but does it really?
Style
This TV from Vizio is a 65” LED 4K display and is also replacing a Hisense 65” TV I reviewed a couple years back. While it looks thinner it comes in about 50lbs. Getting the TV setup was quick just attaching and screwing the legs and placing upon my TV stand. There is a decent number of connections on this TV ranging from RCA, Coax, Optical, Ethernet, USB, and surprisingly (4) HDMI ports.
The M65Q7-H1 itself design wise is practically bezel-less with very slim borders and the Vizio logo sitting in the right-hand corner. If you are looking for something a bit flashier, they have saved that for their higher end models. I do like the matte black though as it blends in with my various speakers surrounding it.
As far as those (4) HDMI ports I have them all being utilized by various devices. There is an Xbox Series X, Sony PlayStation 5, NVIDIA Shield TV, and my soundbar which is a Sonos Beam. CEC Discovery recognized the devices right away and named them so its easier to navigate thru Inputs later meaning no guessing or labelling. All the ports support 4K/60Hz so no having to compromise one over the other.
There is stereo speakers which Vizio has setup to use this DTS X feature. Frankly they sound okay but don’t really care any base. You are better off getting a soundbar.
Navigation / Apps / Features
First thing you will grab is Vizio’s remote control. Personally its a bit longer than most and they could of opted out the numbers and just put a mic button. Of the many buttons it is equipped with app keys such has Vudu, Netflix, Prime Video, Xumo, Hulu, and Redbox. The ”Watch Free” button maybe something you want to check out depending on your cable/streaming tv situation. Basically, giving you free channels powered by Pluto TV. There is a bit of something for everyone on there. While most TV makers have been using a form of Android TV, Vizio still relies on their own UI called SmartCast. They seem to keep it updated and have the latest apps on there like Apple TV+, Disney+, Peacock, HBOMAX, etc. I did watch “Soul’ in Dolby Vision without issue on the build-in Disney+ tv app. There is also Apple AirPlay / Chromecast support. Whether I used my iPhone 12 Pro, my friend’s iPhone, or Galaxy Z Fold 2 they connected without issue.
While those options are available, I mostly relied on using my next-gen consoles or NVIDIA Shield TV for my media consumption. I just feel it’s faster than Vizio’s UI and I also am accustomed to Android TV. Thanks to CEC I could easily power on/off the TV via any of the devices. I have only come across an issue though where sometimes I will turn the Shield TV device or TV off and it will come back on a minute later. But no issues with this on the consoles. I’m thinking the Shield is never truthfully sleeps and always ready to go.
What Do You Want to Watch…?
How does the M65Q7-H1 handle content? I would have to say pretty damn well. Vizio’s IQ Active processor does a lot of the leg work making sure you get the best quality possible. Watching “Birds of Prey” on Blu Ray 4K UHD, scenes like with Harley Quinn in the police station have eye popping color that come out at you thanks to the Quantum Dot. While looking at The Dark Knight in UHD on Vudu, it did on a good job on the dark scenes especially the one such as Bane vs Batman. It handles movements good even in intense sequences with no motion blur or pixelating which I would get on the Hisense. It also makes sense to point out this TV supports visual enhancements such as Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+. Out the box the TV settings handle everything just right. Calibrated and Calibrated Dark are my fave, but I will sometimes switch to Vivid or Bright depending on the content. This can easily be accessed via the “Pic” button on the remote.
Whether watching these in a well-lit room or even in the darkest, content still looks great. Only time I found watching TV not a job is those sunny days where the light comes thru my blinds and hits the TV a bit. Also, M65Q7-H1 looks best sitting directly in front of you. Sometimes I look at it from an off angle when I am at my work desk and feel I’m missing a bit.
…Or Play?
As far as gaming is considered, I think I enjoy gaming on it more than watching content. especially filling the screen edge to edge. Vizio’s ProGaming Engine is catered to gaming and kicks in automatically detecting when you are playing. It has Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), AMD FreeSync, and gaming up to 4K 60fps. Its advertised as HDMI 2.1 but looks to be getting HDMI 2.0 bandwidth as of right now. The Xbox Series X and PS5 do gaming up to 120fps so if you are itching for that you won’t get it here. But 4K 60fps has been looking glorious when web slinging in Spider Man: Miles Morales or cruising the streets in Forza Horizon 4 on Series X. Mortal Kombat 11 PS5 is highly detailed showing you all the blood and guts while Jedi Fallen Order on Series X doesn’t miss a lightsaber slice. These are all different genres in gaming and I was impressed how well it held up. There is almost zero lag and playing in darker areas the color shines.
Worth it?
I been using the M65Q7-H1 the past couple months now and it hits most of the marks you expect in its mid-tier price range. Colors are rich but I do wish the TV could get a bit brighter at times even after putting on the Vivid or Bright settings. Watching fast pace action sequences stayed on point with no blur whatsoever. I think this TV really shines with gaming though. Details are sharp thanks to Vizio’s ProGaming Engine system and things such as VRR being supported make everything feel seamless without lag. Even though it doesn’t have 120Hz and caps at 60z it is still a great display for playing next-gen consoles.
As of right now the Vizio M65Q7-H1 is $669.99 on Best Buy but I have seen the prices go up and down the past few weeks. It is also in and out of stock on Amazon as well.
