When is a TV not a TV? When it doesn't have a built-in tuner. And so VIZIO's 2017 lineup of Ultra HD-capable 4K displays are a lot of things, but they can't technically be called TVs -- even though that's exactly what people will call them.
Why no tuner? Most TV buyers use paid services, such as cable or satellite to get their live TV broadcasts, so including an over-the-air HD tuner in the display was an unnecessary expense. Or at least, that's the theory.
So they don't have tuners, but what do they have? Lots of cool features and performance, apparently.
The first of the 2017 lines is the SmartCast P-Series Ultra HD HDR XLED Pro Display collection, which comes in 55-, 65-, and 75-inch screen sizes. All three were designed with High Dynamic Range (HDR) in mind, with XLED Pro full-array local dimming backlight technology and XHDR Pro, as well as Dolby Vision and HDR10 content support. The end result promises more detail, depth, and color than ever before.
Other image features on the P-Series include Ultra Color Spectrum color perks, the Xtreme Black Engine Pro for backlight control with 128 local dimming zones, and Clear Action 960 technology with a 240Hz effective refresh rate.
The 2017 VIZIO SmartCast M-Series Ultra HD HDR XLED Plus Display collection offers a few extra size options, with five different models ranging from 50 to 75 inches. All five sets have the XLED Plus, Dolby Vision and HDR10 content support, Ultra Color Spectrum, and Clear Action 360 with a 120Hz effective refresh rate. These models also have Xtreme Black Engine Plus technology, which uses 32 local dimming zones and a dimming algorithm to tweak the brightness on-screen.
Both of the new lines will soon be able to access SmartCast TV, VIZIO's revamped smart TV platform that's coming this summer. The feature will allow users to tap into featured content and thousands of apps through Chromecast on-screen using the included tablet remote, the SmartCast Mobile app for iOS and Android devices, and Google Assistant. The new experience will be coming as an over-the-air update for 2016 SmartCast Ultra HD displays and all 2017 SmartCast models sometime this summer.
The 55-inch P55 SmartCast P-Series Ultra HD HDR XLED Pro Display is available now, with an MSRP of $1,299.99. The 65-inch P65 and 75-inch P75 will follow at some point, priced at $1,999.99 and $3,499.99, respectively.
The 50-inch M50 SmartCast M-Series Ultra HD HDR XLED Plus Display is shipping now, with an MSRP of $799.99. The 55-inch M55 ($999.99), the 65-inch M65 ($1,499.99), the 70-inch M70 ($1,999.99), and the 75-inch M75 ($2,999.99) will follow soon.
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