Pros
- Way cheap. The best TV on the market for under $1000.
- Nice design. Super thin. Almost no bezels.
- Built in Wi-Fi with Smart TV apps.
- Very bright display – great for rooms with lots of light
- 60” Screen. 60”!
Cons
- Blacks not as deep as top of the line plasmas
- Viewing angles could be better
- No 3D
Our Score
The Geek’s Take
At just under $1000, the E601I-A3 is the best overall TV value on the market. Though you can certainly spend more and get more, the E601I-A3’s ultra thin design, stunning picture, amazing feature set, built in wifi, and HUGE 60” screen make this the perfect option for consumers looking for a great all around TV. Buy now from Amazon and get the lowest price on the web.
Full Review
Picture Quality
Let’s face it – picture quality is why you fork over the big bucks for a quality HDTV, otherwise, we may as well go back to listening to the radio.
A few minor concerns to address first – CNET takes the E601I-A3 to task for poor off angle viewing compared to other LEDs on the market. Are you really going to be watching the big game from 170 degree angle? Probably not, so take that with a grain of salt. Other reviewers from the likes of PC Magazine and HomeTheaterReview.com have observed less than stellar picture uniformity along the edges of the screen, a concern of most LEDs. Is this something you’ll even notice? Most likely not.
Aside from those minor things, everything else we see on picture front is stellar. Yes, the blacks could be blacker and the colors a little richer, but again, those are disadvantages of LED. Overall, we consider the E601I-A3’ picture quality to be very good, certainly at the top of its class in the LED realm. If you’re looking for the absolute pinacle of picture, perhaps our Highly Rated choice Panasonic VIERA TC-P55ST50 is more up your alley.
Design
One thing everyone can agree on, the E601I-A3 looks great from a design standpoint. Just look at this thing. Awesome, right? It’s an edge-lit LED (not sure what this means? Check out our HDTV Buying Guide) so it’s razor thin and feather light, which makes it perfect for wall mounting. Even cooler, Vizio’s thin frame design means less bezel along the edges for more screen in a smaller space. It’s almost like watching TV on a sheet of glass. You’ll love that about it.
Features
Another area where the E601I-A3 shines: features for the price. A few of the make-your-friends-jealous features include:
- VIZIO Internet Apps – Connect to the web to stream video through apps like Netflix and VUDU, music from Pandora, Facebook, Twitter, Ebay, and tons more. Built in Wifi means connection to your network takes seconds.
- Razor LED™ for richer colors and more vivid details in an ultra thin design
- QWERTY keyboard remote
- 120Hz Effective Refresh Rate
Just a few years ago, this would have been a $3000 TV. What a wonderful world we live in. One thing of note though – no 3D. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, maybe you should check out our Highly Rated Sony BRAVIA KDL55HX850 instead.
By now, I think you get it. The E601I-A3 gives us the warm and fuzzies. For the money, this is the best TV around, bar none. At this screen size and feature set, the E601I-A3 has very little competition at this price point.
Summary
With rave reviews from pros and consumers alike, we have no reservations naming the E601I-A3 our Geeky Reviews Editors’ Choice. It’s the best TV on the market for under a Cleveland. Period. Buy with confidence.
*Where does this rating come from? Check out How We Review