Starting today, the phrase "I can't afford a 4K TV" is no longer an acceptable excuse. Affordable Ultra HD TVs are finally here thanks to Vizio's latest E-Series line of displays.
The E-Series will start at $229 and offer a 4K model, the 43" E43u-D2, for only $469. Both models pack in Google Cast functionality which allows you to stream content directly to the TV from a smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC.
Specs-wise, the E-Series supports up to 12 Active LED Zones, a 120Hz Effective Refresh Rate and VM50 Ultra HD Engine that can intelligently upscale content to 4K resolution.
If this sounds familiar, it might be because Vizio announced the first member of its new SmartCast line of TVs last month with the all-new Vizio P-Series.
The difference between the P- and E-Series of displays, besides the massive disparity in price, is that the P-Series comes with a 6" Android tablet that acts as a remote.
Should you want the Android tablet but aren't quite ready to step up to the P-Series, Vizio also today announced the M-Series line up of displays.
Meet the SmartCast M-Series
The M-Series starts at $849 for a 50" Ultra HD display and shoots up to $3,999 for the 80" M80-D3. All members of the M-Series support Dolby Vision and Full-Array LED backlighting with up to 64 Active LED Zones.
So how exactly did Vizio manage to undercut the competition (and itself) this year? It cut costs by removing the TV tuner from all the displays in its 2016 catalog, which means that if you want to watch over-the-air broadcast channels, you'll need to pick up an external box.
And while it'd be easy to get worked up over a missing component, considering that many owners opt for traditional cable instead of over-the-air broadcast channels anyways, it's probably a wise decision.
Both series of displays will be available soon via Vizio's online store and should slowly trickle into brick and mortar stores in the next few months.
