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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming performance and a smooth experience with fast-moving content, the TCL R646 might be the better choice due to its higher refresh rate. It is also brighter, which is beneficial if you watch TV in a bright room. However, its higher price reflects these advantages. On the other hand, the Vizio M-Series has a lower price and is quite well-rounded, with good performance for watching movies, animated content, and news. It's a solid choice if you're on a budget and looking for a versatile TV, but it may not perform as well in very bright rooms or for gaming purposes. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the TCL R646 (LCD)
- Very good for bright room
- Very good for gaming
- Good for use as monitor
- Very good reflections
Advantages of the Vizio M-Series (LCD)
- The Vizio M-Series (LCD) has no clear advantages over the TCL R646 (LCD).
Key differences
Gaming
8.2
6.4
8.0/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
6.7/10
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.7/10
5.3/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
70.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
60.0/100
8.7/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.0/10
The TCL R646 (LCD) is very good for gaming, while the Vizio M-Series (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL R646 boasts a better response time which provides clearer image quality with fast-moving content, suitable for gaming, while the Vizio M-Series falls short in this aspect. Additionally, the TCL R646 has lower input lag, crucial for a responsive gaming experience, compared to the Vizio M-Series which may have slightly more delay when reacting to user inputs.
Bright Room
8.9
6.6
5.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.0/10
9.1/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.5/10
8.3/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.8/10
8.1/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
6.6/10
The TCL R646 (LCD) is very good for bright room, while the Vizio M-Series (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL R646 is better suited for bright rooms due to its excellent SDR brightness and very good handling of reflections, as well as providing very good HDR brightness. In contrast, the Vizio M-Series has only good SDR and poor HDR brightness, coupled with just fair performance in reflecting light, making it less ideal for bright environments.
Cost
$600
$550
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
The TCL R646 (LCD) has a price of $600 and the Vizio M-Series (LCD) costs $550.
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Key similarities
Picture Quality
7.9
7.6
8.43/10
CONTRAST
7.88/10
7.6/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.8/10
miniLED FALD
PANEL TYPE
LED FALD
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The TCL R646 (LCD) and Vizio M-Series (LCD) both have good picture quality.
Movies & TV
7.8
7.6
8.43/10
CONTRAST
7.88/10
6.8/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.7/10
5.9/10
UPSCALING
6.6/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL R646 (LCD) and Vizio M-Series (LCD) are both good for movies & TV.
The TCL R646 excels in watching movies and cinematic TV due to its high contrast ratio and effective local dimming, which result in deep blacks and a pronounced contrast that enhances dark scene details. In comparison, the Vizio M-Series also offers a good contrast ratio and local dimming, though slightly less effective, but still provides an enjoyable movie-watching experience with fairly deep blacks.
Sports
6.6
6.2
5.3/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
7.6/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.7/10
5.9/10
UPSCALING
6.6/10
9.1/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.5/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL R646 (LCD) and Vizio M-Series (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
For watching sports, the TCL R646 has a very good response time, minimizing motion blur, but has limited viewing angles which can affect those watching from the side. The Vizio M-Series has a fair response time, which may result in more motion blur during fast action, and struggles more with reflections, potentially reducing visibility in bright rooms.
Cartoons & Animation
8.4
8.3
7.6/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
8.1/10
7.6/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.8/10
9.1/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.5/10
7.2/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
8.3/10
8.0/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.8/10
The TCL R646 (LCD) and Vizio M-Series (LCD) are both very good for cartoons & animation.
The TCL R646 is commended for its colors out of the box, displaying a "good" performance, and the Vizio M-Series is praised for its "very good" color out of the box, which means both TVs present colors well without the need for much adjustment. Additionally, both TVs have "very good" color gamuts, ensuring that they can display a wide range of colors, which is particularly important when watching colorful content like cartoons and animation.
News, Talk, & Other TV
7.5
7.6
9.1/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.5/10
5.9/10
UPSCALING
6.6/10
The Vizio M-Series (LCD) and TCL R646 (LCD) are both good for news, talk, & other TV.
The TCL R646 has excellent SDR brightness and great upscaling capabilities, making it a strong choice for watching news and TV programs in brighter environments. The Vizio M-Series, while it has good SDR brightness, stands out with its very good colors out of the box and color gamut, providing vibrant and accurate hues right when you set it up.
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How the TCL R646 (LCD) and the Vizio M-Series (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| TCL R646 (LCD) | Vizio M-Series (LCD) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$600 | $550 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | TCL | Vizio | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | July 2, 2021 | |
Full name | |||
Full name | 55R646 | M55Q7-J01 | |
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 55" | 55" | |
Screen Resolution | |||
Screen Resolution | 4K | 4K | |
TV FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android TV | SmartCast | |
Sound Quality Score | |||
Sound Quality Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
NextGen Ready | |||
NextGen Ready | No | No | |
HDMI Ports | |||
HDMI Ports | 4 | 4 | |
Coax Ports | |||
Coax Ports | 1 | 1 | |
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Picture Quality Score | |||
Picture Quality Score | 7.9/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Bright Room Score | |||
Bright Room Score | 9/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.2/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Movies & TV Score | |||
Movies & TV Score | 7.8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Sports Score | |||
Sports Score | 6.6/10 | 6.3/10 | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D) | |||
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D) | 28.5" x 48.3" x 3.6" | 28.1" x 48.3" x 3.4" | |
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | |||
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | 30.9" x 48.3" | 29.3" x 48.3" | |
Weight without Stand | |||
Weight without Stand | 42.3 lbs | 30.5 lbs | |
VESA Mount | |||
VESA Mount | 300 x 300 | 300 x 200 | |
DISPLAY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Color Depth | |||
Color Depth | 10 bit | 10 bit | |
Black Frame Insertion | |||
Black Frame Insertion | Yes | Yes | |
Auto Low Latency Mode | |||
Auto Low Latency Mode | Yes | Yes | |
Contrast | |||
Contrast | 8.4/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Local Dimming | |||
Local Dimming | 6.5/10 | 5.7/10 | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Speaker Setup | |||
Speaker Setup | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
Speaker Power | |||
Speaker Power | 30 W | 20 W | |
Dolby Atmos | |||
Dolby Atmos | Yes | Bypass only | |
DTS:X | |||
DTS:X | Yes, Bypass only | Up to DTS Digital Surround, Bypass only | |
Get a great deal on the TCL R646 (LCD) or the Vizio M-Series (LCD)
About TCL
TCL, the highly recognizable TV brand from China, has firmly established itself as the second-largest manufacturer in terms of sales volume. Renowned for striking an impressive balance between affordability, picture quality, and design, TCL TVs deliver a compelling overall package. While they have traditionally excelled in the low-end and midrange TV segments, TCL has recently made remarkable strides in the realm of high-end televisions, introducing impressive models that rival top competitors. Most TCL TVs use Roku software which is very user friendly and easy to use, but they have a few other models that use Google TV which has the largest app selection, but is not as user friendly as Roku.
About Vizio
Vizio is an American company. While they initially gained recognition for offering budget-friendly TVs, they have successfully expanded their product lineup to include high-end options as well. They manufacture TVs primarily in Mexico, China, and Vietnam. Similar to many Korean TV brands, Vizio developed its own smart TV software called SmartCast. In the past, SmartCast was not the best smart TV software, but it has evolved so that it is now good for using your TV and connecting to streaming services.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec TVs team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest TV information and makes it digestible for you.
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