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Vizio All-in-One review (24-inch): a TV maker tries its hand at desktops
More Info Vizio Thin + Light review (14-inch, 2012) Vizio officially introduces PC line Vizio's 24- and 27-inch Ivy Bridge all-in-ones get official: on sale today for $898 and up We see lots of computers announced every year: many of them are forgettable, and we don't even have the manpower here at Engadget to review them all. You might wonder, then, why we've been a little fixated on Vizio's. Well, for starters, up until a few months ago the company didn't even make PCs, and now it's selling five. Secondly, they actually look pretty good, especially for an outfit that's best known for its value-priced TVs. We've already had a chance to take its 14-inch Thin + Light laptop for a spin, and came to the conclusion that although it had a flaky trackpad and poor battery life, it represented a good start for a company that hadn't previously made a computer. Now we're taking a look at one of the company's all-in-one desktops -- the 24-inch version, to be exact. At $800 and up, it, too, is attractively priced, with an eye-catching metal design, external subwoofer and a crapware-free Windows install. But is it as good as it looks? Let's find out.
Vizio Thin + Light review (14-inch, 2012): how do the company's first laptops measure up?
More Info Vizio officially introduces PC line Hands-on with Vizio's laptops, desktops and 10-inch tablet Vizio details its first laptops: two thin-and-lights and a mainstream 15-incher, on pre-order for $898 and up Nine months ago, Vizio didn't make laptops. Now, it's seemingly all our readers are writing in about. The company, best known for its value-priced TVs, is expanding into the PC market, with a collection of all-in-ones and thin-and-light notebooks. So why have we been getting so many emails asking when the heck we're going to publish a review? After all, it's not like shoppers have any shortage of choice when it comes to Windows computers. The answer: Vizio is taking the same approach with PCs that it does with televisions, which is to say it's offering impressive specs while undercutting its competitors. Case in point: all of Vizio's laptops have a full-metal design, solid-state drive, zero bloatware and a minimum screen resolution of 1,600 x 900. And yes, that even applies to the lowest-end notebook, which goes for $900. Can you see now where this would be a tempting deal for folks who'd like to avoid spending $1,100-plus on an Ultrabook? Well, for those of you who've been curious, we've been testing Vizio's 14-inch Thin + Light, and are now ready to unleash that review you've been waiting for. Meet us past the break to see if this rookie computer is as good as it looks on paper.%Gallery-161758%
Samsung X430 headed for Microsoft Stores with a crapware-free copy of Windows
We just got a quick look at a previously Korea-bound Samsung X430 laptop that Microsoft has tapped as a "Microsoft Store Exclusive." It's pretty good hardware, both inside and outside, for the price. Also, due to its Store-exclusive nature, Microsoft also put the promised "Microsoft Signature Image" on here, which means a copy of Windows 7 completely free of crapware and trialware, though Microsoft has put a good quantity of first party software that you'll probably want like Windows Live, Bing Maps 3D, and Microsoft Security Essentials. If you ask yourself "how would Steve Ballmer use this computer," the Signature Image is pretty much the answer. For $1,099 you get a Core i3 ULV processor, GeForce 310M graphics, a 500GB HDD, and a 14-inch WXGA screen. Our favorite part is probably just the premium feel of this device, and its no-nonsense look, at least when it's open and you're actually using it -- that faux carbon fiber lid on the outside is a little loud. %Gallery-104830%
