You’ve probably heard of Vizio, and when you’ve compared price tags to some other brands, you’ve probably considered purchasing one of its products. Heck, a 50-inch plasma can be had for under $1,500, and depending where you’ve checked online you can find some pretty favorable reviews.

That’s helped Vizio grab a 12-percent share of the flat-panel market in the second quarter of 2007, tops in the industry, according to researcher DisplaySearch. Just below Vizio is Samsung at 11 percent.

And while a Vizio 50-inch plasma might be cheap compared with other brands, some of its smaller models seem like pocket change. The company’s 42-inch plasma HDTV is $999 and 42-inch LCDs start at that price, while 32 to 37 inch LCDs range from $600 to $800.

Of course, picture quality and other features that separate the brands might be in the eye of the beholder. However, as Full HD 1080p flat-panels become the norm, Vizio seems poised to continue to lead the way with offerings—a 47-inch 1080p LCD is just $1,699 right now, with Vizio’s prices already commonly found lower at places such as Costco and Circuit City.

Via: USA Today

Arlen Schweiger - Editor of Electronic House Magazine

Arlen writes about home technology installations and product news and reviews for electronichouse.com and Electronic House magazine.