Vizio's 2020 LCD TVs bring quantum dots, more dimming zones, better gaming

Vizio , the No. 3 TV maker in the US after Samsung and TCL, has announced pricing and availability of its extensive 2020 range of  TVs . The new 2020 TVs are available in store now and promise better color, better contrast and improved performance, for gamers in particular.

The biggest surprise for this year was the company's first OLED TVs, but its bread and butter is still LCD-based sets like last year's M-Series Quantum and P-Series Quantum X, both of which scored very well in CNET's reviews. The company has five ranges of LED TVs -- four of which include quantum dot technology -- and their names are almost identical to those of their 2019 predecessors. A new year brings a revamped operating system, SmartCast 4.0, along with an all-new voice remote. 

Vizio TVs have lagged behind competitors' smart TV systems, in particular Roku systems, but the new SmartCast aims to close the gap with faster response times, improved search, better customization and more apps. Vizio is using its own home-brewed voice system, however, rather than building in Alexa or Google Assistant (although you can still pair the TV with Alexa and Google speakers).

For image quality Vizio touts an upgraded "IQ processor" that promises better upscaling, enhanced noise reduction and better control over brightness. All of the TVs support Dolby Vision, HDR10 Plus, HDR10 and HLG as well as HDMI 2.1.

The M-Series and up TVs feature Vizio's ProGaming Engine, which offers support for Variable Refresh Rates, AMD FreeSync and 4K@120Hz. Vizio says the engine offers a faster response time than was possible before, while the Auto Game Mode automatically enables low lag when the TV detects a connected gaming console.

At the top of the lineup is the P-Series Quantum X, which Vizio says "arguably has the industry's best picture." It promises better contrast than before: 792 zones of local dimming (versus 2019's 384) and a brighter picture with 800 nits of full-screen brightness (up to 3,000 nits peak). It will come in a "bezelless" design in sizes of 65 inches, 75 inches and 85 inches.

Vizio's 2020 P-Series Quantum ratchets down the picture quality enhancements a little, for while it still includes the IQ Ultra processor it offers 240 zones of local dimming and 1,200 nits of peak brightness. The TVs are available in 65- and 75-inch sizes.

The M-Series Quantum's top 55- and 65-inch M8 models offer 90 local dimming zones and 800 nits of peak brightness. The number of dimming zones is set at 30 local – double the previous year's -- while the M7 TVs include up to 600 nits of peak brightness. 

Meanwhile, the V-Series ranges in sizes from 40- to 70-inch models, each a budget-level TV with the gaming-friendly technologies and HDR support of the more expensive models.