Vizio XVT3D424SV 42-Inch 3D LED HDTV Review

While the Vizio XVT3D424SV only has a 42” screen it more than makes up for it with plenty of high-end features. This includes full HD 1080p stereoscopic 3D, a 480Hz refresh rate, Wi-Fi, Internet widgets and even a Bluetooth remote control with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

Design

In terms of design the slim Vizio XVT3D424SV is all sharp angles with almost no rounded surfaces or corners. Instead of the usual black matte, the bezels have a piano black glossy surface finish making it rather prone to smudges and fingerprints. The stand and round base are similarly surfaced but it should look good enough in most environments.

Features and Specifications

While the looks might be rather generic, the Vizio XVT3D424SV specifications are certainly solid with support for Full HD 1080p stereoscopic 3D and a 480Hz SPS refresh rate for smooth motion-blur free action. The LED backlight uses Vizio's own Edge lit Razor LED backlighting technology with Smart Dimming which according to them allows for automatic dimming for 16 individual zones. In addition it also packs in a 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for literally no ghosting effects whatsoever. It even has its own Vizio Internet Apps that provide the usual Internet widgets via the HDTV's built-in dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi.

In terms of connections the Vizio XVT3D424SV has four HDMI ports, one component video port, one composite video port, three USB ports, one D-SUB port, one Ethernet port, an optical/digital SPDIF out port along with the usual audio out jack. This HDTV also has two 15W built-in speakers.

Performance

Picture and video quality for the Vizio XVT3D424SV are surprisingly excellent for a 42” screen HDTV. Likewise, the better than average 15W speakers also provide for very audio, something which usually isn't available in even the higher-end HDTVs. Connectivity for this HDTV is very good as you can connect practically everything in your home to it. Due to the 42” screen size, it can fit into a smaller living room without straining the eyes too greatly. While the stereoscopic 3D is very good, the bundled 3D glasses are a bit pricey and do not fit over glasses and other eyewear very well.

This HDTV connects very well via the built-in Wi-Fi and does media streaming without too many technical hiccups in the process. The slide-out QWERTY keyboard on the Bluetooth remote is a godsend for those who like to do their browsing, emailing, twittering and Facebooking from the comfort of their couch but the batteries do tend to run out rather fast, especially if you type a lot.

Conclusion

Overall, the Vizio XVT3D424SV is an excellent fully featured HDTV squeezed into a 42” screen size. It should satisfy practically everyone but will probably do best in smaller environments, as the screen size may be a bit small for a large high-end living room.