Earlier this year, we outlined all of the new LEDs in our LED TV Buyers Guide for 2012. Well, at least we thought we did. Apparently, VIZIO was holding out a little on us. The company just announced plans to start shipping six new large-screen LED HDTVs, just in time for your holiday shopping needs. (Yes, that time is coming up fast!)
One of the models we've seen before -- just not on shelves. That's the 58-inch XVT3D580CM 21:9 Cinemawide Class LED Smart TV with Theater 3D. Priced with an MSRP of $1999, this 58-incher features the ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio, which is very close to a movie theater's 2.35:1 aspect ratio at 2.33:1. That basically means you can ditch those black bars, without sacrificing the image quality.
Other features on the CinemaWide model include Edge Lit Razor LED backlight LCD with Smart Dimming, built-in-WiFi, and a Bluetooth remote with a QWERTY keypad. It also provides access to VIZIO Internet Apps (V.I.A.), for instant, on-screen access to Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Facebook, Twitter, VUDU, Pandora, and more. Also, this is a passive 3D TV, and includes four pairs of 3D glasses for viewing those effects right out of the box.
The four remaining models fall under the E-Series and M-Series. First up is the newly designed E-Series 60-inch E601i-A3 Razor LED Smart TV, which has a full 1080p HD image and VIZIO Internet Apps for $999.99. Other features include a 120Hz refresh rate and built-in WiFi. That 60-incher is available now, with a 70-inch E701i Razor LED Smart TV coming sometime before the holiday season. The 70-inch model adds in auto-adjust features, SRS StudioSound HD, and a $1999.99 MSRP.
That M-Series includes 55-inch M550VSE (MSRP: $949.99) and the 65-inch M650VSE (MSRP: $1499.99), as well as the 65-inch M3D651SV Razor LED Smart TV with Theater 3D (MSRP: $1699.99). Each one has a 1080p image, with the 65-inch M3D651SV adding in 3D features. Other perks across the line include built-in WiFi, VIZIO Internet Apps, SRS StudioSurround HD, and three HDMI inputs (the M3D651SV actually has four).
"VIZIO's 60-inch (E601i) is a Smart TV with the thin LED design that consumers prefer, at a price that would have only bought you a 42-inch CCFL TV in October 2009," said Tamaryn Pratt, principal at Quixel Research. "VIZIO has been able to drive the price down for consumers, allowing them to enjoy the latest features and a slim design on a larger screen, at a great value. With a 60-inch TV offering more than twice the screen viewing area of a 42-inch TV, now is the perfect time for consumers to trade up."
