Vizio E3D420VX

One of the biggest obstacles to mass adoption of 3D is the high price of sets with that feature, but Vizio looks to ease those concerns with its sub-$900 (at retail) E3D0VX series of 3D LCD TVs. There are trade-offs to getting 3D at this price point, but experts and users thus far say that while videophiles may not be impressed, the series will do just fine for most typical users.

The Vizio E3D0VX series of LCD TVs is available in three screen sizes, the 47-inch E3D470VX (*Est. $700), the 42-inch Vizio E3D470VX (*Est. $700) and the 32 inch E3D320VX (*Est. $350).

Performance

Falls short of better TVs, but picture quality is still very good. These sets are driven by a conventional (CCFL) backlight. Better sets use LED backlights and local dimming to produce much deeper blacks. Some, such as Vizio's step-up M3D0KD series, can produce blacks that compare favorably to those on plasma TVs. Uniformity on the Vizio E3D0VX could be better, but that's an issue with many LCD TVs. Most reviewers say that blacks are deep enough to satisfy all but the most critical viewers and that colors are excellent. The matte screen makes this set a good fit for rooms with moderate lighting. The set's enhanced refresh rate is 120 Hz (actual), which does a good job of controlling motion artifacts.

Features

For the price, this set comes well equipped. The E3D0VX uses passive- rather than active-shutter technology to deliver its 3D effect. Brighter pictures and the ability to use cheap, lightweight glasses are the big advantages. Reduced resolution (half the resolution of the source if it were 2D) is the big trade-off. While purists might turn up their noses, we've seen expert and user reviews that say the reduced resolution is acceptable, and that subjective 3D picture quality is in many ways better than that of other 3D sets, whether they use passive- or active-shutter technology.

Vizio packs some additional goodies into this set. A nice stable of Internet content providers covers most of what's come to be expected. You'll find Netflix, Amazon Instant, Hulu Plus and Pandora. Wi-Fi is built in. One glaring omission is the lack of DLNA support, so you can't stream content from your computer, though playback of local photo and music files from a USB drive is supported.

Design

Nice remote, but the set itself is pretty pedestrian. As CNET puts it, "The chunky Vizio E3D0VX series won't win any beauty contests." The use of a CCFL backlight almost mandates a thicker bezel and cabinet depth compared to sets that use LED technology. The stand does not swivel. Connectivity and access to ports is pretty good, however, and CNET appreciates that connections are labeled in such a way that less experienced users can see which provide the best quality. The two-sided remote is well liked, and includes a full QWERTY keyboard that makes using the set's Internet features easier.

Value

If you can live without the best picture quality, there's a lot of bang for the buck. You'd be hard pressed to find another set with both 3D and Internet features at this low a price. However, picture quality is a step back from that of other sets, muddying the value equation.

Bottom line

Introduced in 2011, the E3D0VX continues on for now as an entry-level set, with entry-level pricing and picture performance, but anything but entry-level features. While the picture quality is actually pretty good for its class, that's setting a pretty low bar. If you can afford to spend more, Vizio's step-up M3D0KD series, which has an LED backlight, offers a similar feature set but throws an image on the screen that clearly outclasses the E3D0VX -- along with most other mainstream LED TVs.