to the VIZIO M-Series 4K TV

The VIZIO M43Q6-J04 is part of VIZIO's 2022 M-Series line of 4K smart TVs. VIZIO's M-Series 4K TVs aim to provide premium picture quality and robust smart features at an affordable price point compared to other brands.

The M-Series sits below VIZIO's high-end P-Series Quantum and OLED TVs but above the more budget-friendly V-Series. As such, the M43Q6-J04 is positioned as a solid mid-range option for those seeking an immersive 4K viewing experience without breaking the bank.

Some key things to know about the M-Series:

• Comes in a range of sizes from 43" up to 75"
• Powered by VIZIO's IQ Active Processor for 4K upscaling
• Utilizes full array backlighting with up to 90 local dimming zones
• Supports HDR formats like Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG
• Runs VIZIO's SmartCast smart TV platform
• Offers gaming features like AMD FreeSync, auto low latency mode, and variable refresh rate

Overall, the M43Q6-J04 combines VIZIO's picture enhancing technologies with robust smart features to deliver an affordable 4K entertainment solution. But how does it actually perform? Read on for an in-depth review.

Design

The VIZIO M-Series 43 inch 4K Smart TV (M43Q6-J04) features a thin profile and minimal bezels for a modern, sleek aesthetic that blends nicely into any living space.

At just 2.4 inches thick, this 43-inch TV has a streamlined depth that doesn't take up much room on your media console or wall mount. The bezels surrounding the screen are impressively slim, meaning the image dominates the front of the TV with barely any frame around it.

With its elegant and unobtrusive design, the M43Q6-J04 is made to essentially disappear into your home entertainment setup. The thin body and narrow bezels allow the 4K picture to take center stage. This TV makes an excellent choice for minimalists wanting advanced display technology in a discreet, compact package.

The minimalist design of the VIZIO M-Series allows it to blend in seamlessly with modern decor. The slim profile and tiny bezels help it occupy a small footprint, making it an ideal option for smaller living spaces. Even though the M43Q6-J04 has a compact 43-inch screen size, the slender frame maximizes the viewable display area for an immersive viewing experience.

In addition to the pared-down aesthetic, this 4K smart TV also packs in premium performance and features. It supports Dolby Vision HDR for ultra-vivid colors and contrast, while the full array backlighting delivers enhanced brightness and black levels. The intuitive SmartCast interface provides seamless access to popular streaming apps and voice controls.

Those wanting a space-saving 43-inch screen can’t go wrong with the artfully designed VIZIO M-Series. It manages to squeeze exceptional 4K picture quality and smart capabilities into a remarkably slim, discreet profile. For unobtrusive elegance, the M43Q6-J04 is a top choice.

If you're looking for a competitively priced 43-inch 4K TV with a minimalist design, check out the Toshiba 43C350LU. Like the VIZIO M-Series, Toshiba's 43-inch model features a slim profile with narrow bezels surrounding the screen. It has a depth of just 2.28 inches, making it easy to wall mount or place on a media console without taking up much space.

The 43C350LU still manages to deliver good 4K picture performance despite its compact size. It includes Toshiba's REGZA 4K engine for upscaling HD content, and supports HDR for expanded contrast and color. The TV also has DTS Studio Sound for more immersive audio. For smart features, it uses the user-friendly Fire TV interface.

Design-wise, the Toshiba 43C350LU shares the same minimalist aesthetic of the VIZIO M43Q6-J04. The slim body and thin bezels allow the screen to take center stage in your living room. If you want an affordable 43-inch 4K TV with premium style and features, the Toshiba 43C350LU is a great option to consider.

With its discreet profile and space-saving form, the Toshiba 43C350LU is ideal for small rooms. It provides an expansive 4K viewing experience without dominating the space. For shoppers wanting an inexpensive TV that looks much more premium than its price tag suggests, this Toshiba model is a compelling choice.

In summary, those searching for a reasonably priced 43-inch 4K smart TV with a slim, minimalist design should take a look at the Toshiba 43C350LU. It delivers strong performance and features without breaking the bank. Combined with its thin bezels and low profile shape, it's a great blend of style and value.

Display Quality

The VIZIO M43Q6-J04 features a stunning 4K resolution display with full array backlighting and quantum dot technology. The 4K resolution provides over 8 million pixels for incredible clarity and detail. You'll notice the difference in everything from HD movies to your favorite shows.

The full array backlighting consists of up to 192 independent dimming zones that intelligently adjust to on-screen content. This allows for superior light uniformity and deeper blacks. Dark scenes really come to life with enhanced contrast.

Quantum dot technology produces over a billion hues of color. It's significantly more colors than standard 4K TVs. Scenes appear extremely realistic with colors that pop on screen. You get lifelike color whether you're streaming movies, viewing photos, or playing games. Overall, the display quality is excellent with vivid 4K resolution and advanced dimming technology.

The 4K resolution and quantum dot technology in the VIZIO M-Series delivers an immersive viewing experience with striking clarity and vivid, accurate color. The full array backlighting with up to 192 local dimming zones results in deep black levels for excellent contrast. This brings out details in dark scenes and makes images come alive on the screen. You'll be amazed by the picture quality whether watching movies, TV shows, sports, or gaming.

VIZIO uses effective video processing in the M-Series like Clear Action 360 to reduce motion blur. This keeps fast-moving action smooth and sharp. There are also plenty of HDMI ports for connecting all your devices. Overall, the display quality and features enable an engaging 4K viewing experience.

Compared to other brands like LG, the VIZIO M-Series stands out for its combination of 4K resolution, quantum dot color, full array local dimming, and affordable pricing. You get premium display specs and performance that typically cost much more from other manufacturers. VIZIO packs in top-tier display technology that outshines many competitors.

With 4K resolution, over a billion colors from quantum dot, full array local dimming for contrast, and effective video processing, the VIZIO M43Q6-J04 delivers an immersive viewing experience. The picture quality is stunning with excellent clarity, vivid and accurate color, deep blacks, and smooth motion handling. Overall, the display quality is outstanding for the price and great for watching movies, TV, sports, gaming, and more.

Smart Features

The VIZIO M-Series 43 inch (M43Q6-J04) comes with VIZIO's SmartCast smart TV platform, which provides access to popular streaming apps and services. One of the highlights of SmartCast is built-in Chromecast support, allowing you to cast content from your mobile device or laptop directly to the TV.

You can use voice commands with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa to launch apps, search for content, play music, get answers, and control smart home devices. The TV works with Alexa-enabled and Google Assistant-enabled devices for hands-free voice control. Just link your VIZIO account to your Google or Amazon account to get started.

SmartCast provides access to many popular apps such as Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max and more. It's easy to find and watch your favorite movies, TV shows, music and more. VIZIO continues to add new apps and services all the time.

Overall, the built-in Chromecast support and voice control with Google Assistant and Alexa make it simple and convenient to find and access content on the M43Q6-J04. SmartCast delivers a smooth, intuitive smart TV experience.

Gaming Performance

The VIZIO M43Q6-J04 offers solid gaming performance for its price range. It has a low input lag of around 15ms, which is very good for TVs in this budget category. The low input lag means you'll experience minimal delay between pressing buttons on your game controller and seeing the action happen on screen.

The TV also supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) when connected to compatible gaming devices like the PS5 or Xbox Series X. VRR matches the TV's refresh rate to the game's frame rate, resulting in a smoother gaming experience with reduced screen tearing. This is an important feature for serious gamers who want the best performance.

Overall, with its combination of low input lag and VRR support, the VIZIO M43Q6-J04 provides a responsive gaming experience suitable for fast-paced action games. Casual gamers will appreciate the smooth visuals enabled by VRR, while competitive players will like the minimal lag that doesn't hold them back. For its price, this TV gets high marks when it comes to gaming.

Audio Quality

The VIZIO M-Series 43 inch 4K Smart TV comes with decent integrated speakers that get reasonably loud without too much distortion. The 2 speakers produce a total of 30 watts of sound output, which is decent for a mid-range 4K TV.

The speakers provide clear dialogue and decent bass response. While the audio isn't as immersive as having a dedicated soundbar, it certainly gets the job done for everyday TV watching and streaming movies.

One of the highlights of the audio is support for Dolby Atmos. This provides more immersive sound quality by adding height channels. When you play Dolby Atmos content, it can create a surround sound effect and make you feel like the audio is coming at you from all directions.

Overall, while audiophiles may still want an external sound system, the integrated speakers offer reasonably good audio quality straight out of the box. The inclusion of Dolby Atmos is also a nice touch at this price point.

Ports and Connectivity

The VIZIO M43Q6-J04 has a robust selection of ports and connectivity options. This includes:

• 4 HDMI ports, including 1 HDMI 2.1 port. The HDMI 2.1 port supports advanced gaming features like 4K 120Hz, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). This ensures a smooth, lag-free gaming experience.

• 2 USB ports. The USB ports allow you to connect external devices like hard drives to view photos/videos or record live TV.

• Ethernet port. The Ethernet port provides wired internet connectivity for streaming apps and software updates.

• Digital audio output. Optical audio out allows connection to soundbars and AV receivers.

The abundance of HDMI 2.1 and USB ports make this TV ideal for connecting the latest game consoles, streaming devices, soundbars, and more. Overall the ports provide ample options for connectivity without requiring any dongles or adapters.

Remote Control

The VIZIO M43Q6-J04 comes with a simple remote control that is easy to use. It has all the dedicated buttons you need to control the TV's basic functions:

• Power button to turn the TV on and off

• Volume and channel rockers to control volume and switch channels

• Mute button to quickly mute the sound

• Input button to select between different input sources like HDMI ports

• Number pad for direct channel access

• Menu button to access the on-screen menu and settings

• Play/pause, fast forward and rewind buttons for media playback control

• Apps button to launch smart TV apps

The buttons have a nice tactile feel and are well spaced out. The remote is lightweight and fits comfortably in your hand. It's powered by 2 AAA batteries.

The simple button layout makes the remote intuitive and easy to use, especially for basic TV watching. While it lacks advanced controls, it covers all the essentials very well.

Pros

The VIZIO M43Q6-J04 has several notable strengths that make it a great option for a 43-inch 4K TV.

Great Picture Quality

The VIZIO M43Q6-J04 delivers excellent 4K picture quality thanks to VIZIO's IQ ActiveTM processor and full array backlighting with up to 20 dimming zones. It supports HDR content in HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision formats, producing vivid colors, deep blacks, and great contrast. The 4K resolution brings out fine details, and motion handling is very good with clear, smooth motion and minimal blur.

Good Smart Features

This VIZIO 4K TV comes with VIZIO SmartCast, which gives you access to popular apps like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max and more. It works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for hands-free voice control. Chromecast is built-in so you can cast movies, shows, and more from your mobile device to the big screen. The smart platform is very user-friendly overall.

Sleek Design

With ultra-thin bezels around the display and a slim profile, the M43Q6-J04 has an elegant, modern design that blends into any living room. The stand is sturdy and helps keep the TV stable. The overall build quality and materials feel premium.

Cons

The VIZIO M43Q6-J04 has some drawbacks that are worth considering before buying.

Mediocre built-in audio

One of the downsides of this 43-inch TV is its mediocre built-in audio. The two 10W speakers deliver decent audio quality for everyday TV watching. However, the sound lacks bass and richness compared to higher-end TVs or dedicated soundbars. For movies, games, and immersive content, you'll likely want to pair the TV with a good soundbar or speaker system.

Limited HDR support

While this VIZIO TV supports HDR content, its HDR performance is limited compared to premium 4K TVs. It can accept and display HDR10 and HLG HDR formats. However, it lacks more advanced HDR formats like Dolby Vision. It also doesn't get as bright as higher-end TVs, so the HDR effect isn't as impactful. If HDR performance is a priority, it's worth looking at VIZIO's higher-end M-Series Quantum model or other competitors.