No, the VIZIO E420VL has not been recalled – it’s actually a great TV!
Note – this is a review, click here to visit the VIZIO E420VL site
Purchasing a LCD HDTV can be a HUGE decision for some of us. Even though the price on the VIZIO E420VL is fairly low considering the market average, let’s face it – $500 is still a lot of money when you’re on a budget.
Personally when I buy a new tv, laptop, home theatre etc. is examine the market – sometimes even for weeks. To me it’s a natural process and a logic thing to do, but it is time consuming and it can be overwhelming considering all the different brands – and even worse; the ‘model number jungle’.
What I’m looking for in a LCD TV, is a cheap high quality TV that doesn’t compromise picture quality. I only buy from trusted retailers, so I feel safe, IF the worst case scenario should ever arise; that the TV should ever stop working.
I finally found a TV that lived up to most of my expectations.
It’s called the VIZIO E420VL and besides being a FULL HD 1080p 42 Inch LCD TV at a low price tag, it also has some interesting features, like..
- 120Hz
- a contrast ratio of 100.000:1
- digital ambient light sensor
- advanced sound technologies from SRS labs
- 3 hdmi ports
Click here to visit the VIZIO E420VL site
I’ll elaborate on these features in more detailes later in this VIZIO E420VL review.
Pros |
Cons |
| Price | Looks |
| Screen quality | Deep blacks |
| Color quality | Off angle viewing |
| Picture adjustibility |
Picture rating: 80/100
The VIZIO E420VL does indeed deliver a decent solid crisp picture, with vibrant colors and lazer sharp accuracy. I did however notice a slight issue with the deep black levels.. but again that’s compared to TV’s that costs 2,3 or even 4 times as much as the VIZIO E420VL.
Out of the box, the movie preset was the best setting as expected. I guess some would say it’s a little dark on the gamme side (and I’m one of those people), but luckily the color adjustments is pretty good, so I was able to fine tune these pretty easy.
Deep blacks:
Well.. the one issue I experienced with the VIZIO E420VL was with the deep blacks.. Personally I think i was too light, even compared to other LCD HDTV’s in the same price range. I’m a bit of a ‘deep black fanatic’ so you’ll most likely never even notice it yourself.
I just find it a bit weird, since the VIZIO E420VL delivers amazingly bright and vibrant colors with a really great contrast ratio as well.
Color quality:
Well.. the best word to describe the colors of the E420VL is… VIVID!!
The skin tones looked really realistic and natural. The VIZIO E420VL has a HUGE edge over most other LCD HDTV’s I’ve reviewed, because the colors has a warmth which is really rare.
The primary colors were amazingly accurate, but still with the exception of the deep blacks.
The physics:
The VIZIO E420VL is a LED based LCD HDTV, so one would naturally expect edge and corner brightening, letting some light out. Surprisingly enough, however, that was not the case. I have nothing to critisize with regards to corner end edge lightening, but the off angle performance was definitely not the best I’ve seen.
The matte screen keeps reflections to a bare minimum, so you’re not distracted in brightly lit rooms.
Features and Specifications rating: 60/100
The remote control is designed in a logic manner, and a nice feature is that you’re able to control up to 3 different devices from the VIZIO E420VL remote control.
The 120Hz processor ensures smooth playback and a true 1080p HD experience. For more info about the impact 120Hz has on image quality, read this blogpost.
The E420VL has all the connectivity possibilites a modern HDTV should have, and you have the possibility to attact a thumb drive directly to the TV.
Pic in pic is included by the way..
Conclusion and rating: 80/100
Overall I did enjoy watching movies and sports on the VIZIO E420VL. The only slight disappointment I ran into, was with the deep black, which turned out to be a little to light for my taste. Besides that, the color accuracy was amazing, the picture was smooth, crisp and considering the price, this is a great choice.
Like all LCD TVs however, you should never use the internal speakers, but hook it up with an external sound system.
I recommend the VIZIO E420VL to anyone who can’t afford the top of the line LCD HDTV’s, but wants the next best thing, at the lowest price possible without having to compromise image quality.