The First Vizio LED TVs Are Now Available

Vizio has made quite an impact in the American LCD HDTV market over the last few years, making a name by selling quality TVs at relatively cheap prices. Now Vizio has finally made good on the promise to expand into LED-backlit LCD TVs with the release of the VIZIO VF551XVT. Vizio’s LED TV can be found at many electronics retailers for under $2000, which is quite a good price for an LED TV of this size.

Want proof? Check out the photo of the VIZIO VF551XVT price tag taken at a Costco. That’s 55 inches for less than $2000 (pre-tax, of course). You should be able to find one in your local area by now.

The VIZIO VF551XVT offers all the benefits we’ve been promised for LED TVs. It’s energy efficient, handles 1080p resolution input, and it’s still just as slim as other HDTVs. Plus, Vizio has given this TV a 240Hz refresh rate. There’s still debate about whether the human eye can even tell the difference between 120Hz and 240Hz, but just in case you’re positive your eyes need the best, Vizio has given it to you.

But don’t rush out and buy it just yet; Vizio has an even better option on the way. The VF552XVT is coming out later this year, and it’s got a lot more to offer. The VF552XVT will still have an LED-backlit screen, but it includes a 802.11n wireless networking option, a slider QWERTY Bluetooth remote and tons of widgets. With this thing you’ll be able to do a lot more than watch Blu-rays. The widget offerings are broad enough to interest almost anyone, including entries from Vudu, Revision3, Facebook, Twitter, Rhapsody, Blockbuster OnDemand, Showtime, Flickr and more.

The VF552XVT will be 55 inches diagonally as well, but probably won’t make it under the $2000 mark. We’ve heard it will be $2199, which actually isn’t too big of a price hike considering all the extra functionality that will be included.

Whether you want the connectivity or just a simple LED TV, it looks like you’ll have some good options this fall. If you want more options besides Vizio TVs, check out our review of LED TVs, where we investigate the best on the market and compare their features side-by-side.

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