Vizio has announced the availability of its full line of "E-series" models, the company's cheapest. Select models feature local dimming, our favorite enhancement for LED LCD TVs, promising great picture for the money. February 26, 2014 10:06 AM PST The 2013 Vizio E-series, like the E420i-A1 here, were among the best values available. (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) In the wake, in both senses of the word, of Panasonic's decision to stop making plasma TVs, there's now a hole in the TV market. It's right at the intersection of picture quality and value, a massive axle-rending divot left by the uncaring snowplow of market forces. Absent as-yet-unannounced new plasma models from Samsung, this year it's up to LED LCD to pave the pothole. I'm pessimistic that any can reach the levels of bang/buck that the Panasonic S60 and ST60 achieved, but products like the Vizio E series -- with its affordable, effective local dimming -- are the most promising contenders I know of so far. Today Vizio announced the availability of its 2014 series of E TVs. Judging from what we've seen in models reviewed last year, namely the 50-inch E500i-A1 and the 42-inch E420i-A1 post-firmware-update, they'll be among our most recommended TVs of 2014. A chart-full of Es, decoded The new models range from 23 up to 70 inches. Most of the models at 55 inches and smaller on the chart below are currently available (the two numbers after E in the model name column indicate the size, e.g. the "E500i" is a 50-inch TV). The 60, 65 and 70-inchers aren't available yet, and Vizio's rep couldn't tell me when they would be. (Credit: Jim Noyd/Noyd Communications) Now, prepare to be confused, because the chart doesn't show the full model name. For 2013, Vizio's actual model names included "-A0," "-A1," etc. One example is the E550i-A0, still available for sale at Best Buy. For 2014, they include a "-B0," "-B2," etc. So the "E550i" listed above is actually the E550i-B2, on sale at Amazon and elsewhere since the beginning of February. In other words, "A" denotes a 2013 TV, and "B" a 2014 one. The TVs on the chart above should all have a "-B0" or "-B2" after their model numbers--and they do when listed by retailers. In case you're wondering what the difference is between a "-B0" and a "-B2," Vizio tells me that, just like last year, the number after "B" doen't signify anything important. I guess the company added them just to assure complete confusion. The rest of the columns are easier to decipher. The "Plus" denotes the same Smart TV suite featured on 2013 M series models like the Vizio M601D-A3R (what the hell does "A3R" mean? I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you). You can find out more about edge-lit vs. full-array backlights and local dimming zones by clicking those links (short version: more zones=better). Sticklers, like yours truly, will note that Vizio has now ditched the "direct" nomenclature for its non-edge-lit TVs and is now calling everything "full-array." Finally, "Clear Action 180" should mean improved motion resolution compared to Vizio's standard 120Hz feature, which was basically fake in 2013. I say "should" because we won't know until we can test them. Happily, Vizio says that test is nigh. I've been told an E550i-B2 will be on its way to our lab within the week, which should make it the first 2014 TV review we'll publish at CNET. We got a gander at a pro-production version back in November and its local dimming looked even better than the 2013 E models we reviewed. I expect the final version to set a high bar for value.
Vizio has announced the availability of its full line of "E-series" models, the company's cheapest. Select models feature local dimming, our favorite enhancement for LED LCD TVs, promising great picture for the money.
The 2013 Vizio E-series, like the E420i-A1 here, were among the best values available.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
In the wake, in both senses of the word, of Panasonic's decision to stop making plasma TVs, there's now a hole in the TV market. It's right at the intersection of picture quality and value, a massive axle-rending divot left by the uncaring snowplow of market forces.
Absent as-yet-unannounced new plasma models from Samsung, this year it's up to LED LCD to pave the pothole. I'm pessimistic that any can reach the levels of bang/buck that the Panasonic S60 and ST60 achieved, but products like the Vizio E series -- with its affordable, effective local dimming -- are the most promising contenders I know of so far.
Today Vizio announced the availability of its 2014 series of E TVs. Judging from what we've seen in models reviewed last year, namely the 50-inch E500i-A1 and the 42-inch E420i-A1 post-firmware-update, they'll be among our most recommended TVs of 2014.
A chart-full of Es, decoded
The new models range from 23 up to 70 inches. Most of the models at 55 inches and smaller on the chart below are currently available (the two numbers after E in the model name column indicate the size, e.g. the "E500i" is a 50-inch TV). The 60, 65 and 70-inchers aren't available yet, and Vizio's rep couldn't tell me when they would be.
Now, prepare to be confused, because the chart doesn't show the full model name. For 2013, Vizio's actual model names included "-A0," "-A1," etc. One example is the E550i-A0, still available for sale at Best Buy.
For 2014, they include a "-B0," "-B2," etc. So the "E550i" listed above is actually the E550i-B2, on sale at Amazon and elsewhere since the beginning of February.
In other words, "A" denotes a 2013 TV, and "B" a 2014 one. The TVs on the chart above should all have a "-B0" or "-B2" after their model numbers--and they do when listed by retailers.
In case you're wondering what the difference is between a "-B0" and a "-B2," Vizio tells me that, just like last year, the number after "B" doen't signify anything important. I guess the company added them just to assure complete confusion.
The rest of the columns are easier to decipher. The "Plus" denotes the same Smart TV suite featured on 2013 M series models like the Vizio M601D-A3R (what the hell does "A3R" mean? I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you). You can find out more about edge-lit vs. full-array backlights and local dimming zones by clicking those links (short version: more zones=better). Sticklers, like yours truly, will note that Vizio has now ditched the "direct" nomenclature for its non-edge-lit TVs and is now calling everything "full-array." Finally, "Clear Action 180" should mean improved motion resolution compared to Vizio's standard 120Hz feature, which was basically fake in 2013. I say "should" because we won't know until we can test them.
Happily, Vizio says that test is nigh. I've been told an E550i-B2 will be on its way to our lab within the week, which should make it the first 2014 TV review we'll publish at CNET. We got a gander at a pro-production version back in November and its local dimming looked even better than the 2013 E models we reviewed. I expect the final version to set a high bar for value.
