Review: Vizio 65-inch E-Series 1080p Smart HDTV (E650I-B2)

This year Vizio launched their newest 65-inch version of their e-series TVs, replacing last years “650i-A2” model with the new “E650I-B2“. We did a off-site (print) review of the the previous of the two and rated it 8/10 last year. This time we have the privilege of looking at the newly revised model and although they only tweaked a few small things such as adding full-array LED backlighting, the one thing they haven’t changed was the fact that it is a great TV for the price. Vizio is known for delivering more bang for your buck when it comes to value priced TVs, thus separating it from the generics and creating a solid reputation.

The picture is slightly better than last years model due to some upgrades such as the previously mentioned full-array backlighting. The blacks are crisper, darker and the color range seems more defined. At 120hz, it holds well against fast paced movies and video games without any noticeable choppiness (lag) in the picture.

We spent some time watching some Despicable Me 2 on blu-ray to focus on it’s picture and were quite pleased with the results. The colors were crisp and there was no real blurry/grainy patterns to any of the scenes. It’s noticeably a step down from a nice Samsung TV, but once again…price. Comparing it to other TVs within the “normal” price range, you get a good TV with the Vizio.

Sound-wise, it lacks like most flat TVs that don’t have giant bulky speakers built into the outer frame (like some Sony models). You won’t get theatrical TV out of it, but what it will sound like…is a simple flat TV. You can’t really dock it many points for this since (something we always like to point out) you are paying for a device that provides picture, not sound. For sound, you get a soundbar or system if you want something “bigger”.

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This TV is good selection for those not looking for 3D, yet can’t afford the space for the amazing 80-inch M-Series we reviewed recently. This will fit in most situations since it has a thin bezel to it (just like the rest of Vizio’s recent lineups). If you are looking for something to replace that older wide-framed 55-60″ TV with something slightly bigger without breaking the bank or consuming any additional space, this is a great option.

It is a little deeper than some of the more expensive TVs, but nothing outrageous. It simply looks like they all used to a few years ago. It can still hang flat on the wall if you needed it to. It does however look better sitting on the stand than it does on the wall. Maybe it’s because we have been too badly spoiled these last few years with the expensive ultra-thin models on the market.

We couldn’t find any troubles with the apps. The E-Series doesn’t move as quickly around the app menus as say the M-Series would, but it also doesn’t cost as much. It isn’t mind numbing slow or anything, so it’s nothing that will get under your skin as you use it. There wasn’t any noticeable lag between using ethernet or WiFi for apps such as Netflix, and online gaming didn’t make us want to throw anything at it (no noticeable lag).

There were reports of apps crashing causing the TV to freeze up and the user to have to pull the power cable briefly to fix it. However, Vizio was supposed to release a firmware update that was to fix this, so this should no longer be a problem. We didn’t experience these problems during our use of the TV, which gives even more weight to that assumption. Not everything in technology is perfect (in fact, nothing is), but as long as the company is willing to provide a solid solution, that’s all that matters.

The TV supports all of the inputs you would be looking for normally in a TV and typical for most of today’s TVs. On the back you will find four HDMI inputs (v1.4), one shared component/composite input, a coaxial input for cable/satellite/ota and a USB input for media devices (ie, thumbdrive). For outputs, you have both digital and analog for sound. There is an ethernet port, although it has WiFi built-in if you have a wireless network to connect to.

The remote does its job and feels just fine in the hand. It is medium in size and offers a keyboard on the back, which is always a plus when you are trying to search through applications such as Netflix or Youtube (prevents from having to hook up a wireless keyboard to the TV).

Our Conclusion

Simply put, the E650I-B2 is a great TV for those looking for something slightly bigger than your typical 55-60″ on a budget. You get something big for something small, it fits in a tight space and looks good for what you are paying for. For an “e-series” TV, we once again gave it an 7.5 out of 10. It hasn’t drastically changed from last years model, but it did enough to keep up with the market.

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