Supersonic Supersonic SC-1520VTV 15.6 inch Smart AC/DC LED TV Review
The Supersonic SC-1520VTV's party trick is running on car power, but as a TV, it's dim and slow. Only consider it if you need a screen for your RV.
The 30-Second Version
Only buy this if you need a TV that plugs into your car's cigarette lighter. For any normal use, it's a dim, slow screen that's easily outclassed by cheaper options.
Overview
Let's be clear about what this is: the Supersonic SC-1520VTV is a portable, dual-power screen for a very specific use case, not a living room TV. The one thing to know is that its entire reason for existing is that you can plug it into a wall outlet or your car's 12V socket. It's a 15.6-inch Full HD panel with a basic smart TV system built in, and it scores near the bottom of our database for picture quality and gaming. But if you need a screen for an RV, a workshop, or a kid's room where a regular TV won't work, that's its niche.
Performance
Honestly, nothing about the performance surprised us in a good way. The numbers tell the story: it lands in the 0th percentile for picture quality and gaming in our rankings. The 180-nit brightness is dim, the 30ms response time is slow, and the 60Hz refresh rate is standard for basic content. The connectivity is its one bright spot, hitting the 80th percentile thanks to three HDMI ports and two USB ports on a screen this size. That's useful for hooking up a streaming stick, a game console (though it'll be a laggy experience), and a hard drive.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Runs on 12V car power or AC, which is its main trick. 67th
- Three HDMI ports is generous for a small screen.
- The VIDAA smart OS is simple and gets you to Netflix and YouTube.
- It's relatively light at 3.6 pounds and has VESA mounts.
Cons
- The picture is dim and bland. It's in the bottom 1% of TVs we've tested.
- Forget gaming. The 30ms input lag and 60Hz panel make it a slideshow for anything fast-paced.
- Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) is outdated and will struggle with high-bitrate 1080p streams. 17th
- The audio is weak, ranking in the 39th percentile. You'll want external speakers. 18th
Specifications
Full Specifications
Display
| Resolution | 1920 (Full HD) |
| Panel Type | LED |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
Picture Quality
| Brightness | 180 nits |
| Contrast Ratio | 3000:1 |
| Color Gamut | 16.7 Million Colors |
HDR
| Dolby Vision | No |
| HDR10+ | No |
| HLG | No |
Gaming
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Response Time | 30 |
| ALLM | No |
Smart TV
| Platform | VIDAA |
Audio
| Dolby Atmos | No |
| eARC | No |
Connectivity
| HDMI Ports | 3 |
| USB Ports | 2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 4 |
| Ethernet | Yes |
| Optical Audio | Yes |
| VESA Mount | 100x100 |
Power & Size
| Energy Star | No |
| Weight | 1.6 kg / 3.6 lbs |
Value & Pricing
At $160, it's not a good value if you judge it as a television. You can get a much better 32-inch 1080p smart TV for that price. Its value is entirely in its dual-power flexibility. If you need that specific feature, the price is okay. If you don't, it's a hard pass.
vs Competition
Don't compare this to the Sony Bravia or LG OLEDs listed. That's like comparing a skateboard to a sports car. For a portable screen, a better comparison is a standard 24-inch monitor or a small Fire TV. A basic 24-inch 1080p monitor costs less, has a better panel, but needs a separate streaming device and AC power. An Amazon Fire TV Omni Series 32-inch is smarter, has a better picture, and costs about the same, but it's AC-only. The Supersonic only wins if 'runs in my car' is your non-negotiable requirement.
| Spec | Supersonic Supersonic SC-1520VTV 15.6 inch Smart AC/DC LED TV | Sony BRAVIA 5 Sony BRAVIA 5 98" 4K HDR Smart Mini-LED TV | LG OLED evo - C5 series LG - 65" Class C5 Series OLED evo AI 4K UHD Smart | Hisense U65QF Mini-LED Hisense - 75" Class U6 Series MiniLED QLED UHD 4K | Samsung Neo QLED Samsung QN800D 75" 8K HDR Smart Neo QLED Mini-LED | Roku Mini-LED QLED 4K - Pro Roku - 55" Class Pro Series 4K QLED Mini-LED Smart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | - | 98 | 65 | 75 | 75 | 55 |
| Resolution | 1920x1080 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 7680x4320 | 3840x2160 |
| Panel Type | LED | Mini-LED | OLED | Mini-LED QLED | Mini-LED | Mini-LED QLED |
| Refresh Rate | 60 | 120 | 120 | 144 | 120 | 120 |
| Hdr | - | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG | HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG |
| Smart Platform | VIDAA | Google TV | webOS | Fire TV | Tizen | Roku TV |
| Dolby Vision | false | true | true | true | false | true |
| Dolby Atmos | false | false | true | true | true | true |
| Hdmi Version | - | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
Common Questions
Q: Can I use this as a computer monitor?
Technically yes, it has HDMI. But the 30ms input lag and dim 180-nit screen make it a poor experience for anything but basic web browsing. Get a real monitor.
Q: Does it come with a wall mount?
No, it just has standard 100x100 VESA mount holes on the back. You'll need to buy a separate mount or stand.
Q: How's the streaming performance with Wi-Fi 4?
It's fine for standard-definition or low-bitrate 1080p. If you're trying to stream high-quality 1080p or 4K (downscaled), expect buffering and quality drops, especially if you're far from your router.
Who Should Skip This
If you're looking for a decent small TV for a bedroom or kitchen, skip this. Go get a 32-inch TCL Series 4 or an Insignia Fire TV instead. They're smarter, brighter, and cost about the same. This Supersonic is for people whose TV needs to work where there's no wall outlet.
Verdict
We can only recommend this if your primary need is a 15-inch screen that can be powered from a car, RV, or boat. For that, it's a functional solution. For literally any other use—a bedroom TV, a kitchen TV, a monitor—there are vastly better options for the same money or less. It's a tool for a job, not an entertainment centerpiece.