When it comes to the modern TV landscape, there are a huge number of brands to choose from.
Vizio is an interesting one: the company started as a budget maker, undercutting the big household name brands by hundreds of dollars. From the beginning, Vizio’s sets were recognized for their impressive quality given the low price points.
Fast forward to today: Vizio has developed into an impressive contender. While they are still price-conscious, there are new players taking up the bargain basement, and Vizio has expanded into features you won’t find there. RTINGS appreciates what the brand is doing today and gives its top recommendations
in this review.
Today’s Vizio TVs are nearly all smart, and most feature some mix of features like these:
- 4K
- HDR
- QLED
- OLED
- 120 fps for gaming and sports
Vizio’s Current TV Lineup
V-Series: The V likely stands for “value,” because these are the most affordable sets from Vizio. They still pack a punch, with 4K resolution, Dolby Vision support, a customized LED backlight and smart TV and gaming features to boot. V-Series Smart TVs are available in 55, 65, and 70 inches.
M-Series: Let’s call this the midrange series. Vizio markets it as “more awesome for everyone,” and the prices are still impressively low. It’s not hard to justify the tiny jump in price from the V-Series, given the impressive upgrades here. In addition to everything the V-Series can do, M-Series sets have up to 85% brighter color and 800 nits of peak brightness. Additionally, these LED sets produce stunning blacks thanks to up to 90 local dimming zones. When gaming, M-Series sets produce 60 fps at 4K resolution, too. M-Series sets are 50, 55, and 65 inches.
P-Series: Vizio’s premium offerings jump up a bit in price. Still, compared to the competition, these prices are impressive for what you get. 180% more color, up to 10 times the peak brightness of the average 4K TV, and stunning depth thanks to as many as 792 dimming zones. P-Series sets can also produce 120 fps at 4k resolution. These are Vizio’s largest TVs, too, at 65, 75, and 85 inches.
OLED: Vizio also offers two OLED sets, which produce stunning color and true blacks. OLED is a premium experience on its own. OLED TVs from Vizio are 55 and 65 inches.
Extended Warranties for Vizio TVs
Vizio TVs are comparatively inexpensive, and they have a good reputation for build quality. But the truth is, stuff happens, right? Your new Vizio TV comes with a one-year manufacturer warranty, but it doesn’t cover everything, and it doesn’t last all that long.
Many Vizio owners choose to expand and extend warranty coverage with an
extended TV warranty. It’s a great way to add peace of mind and keep a lid on your electronics budget.
There are a bunch of companies offering extended warranties or similar service protection plans. While they all do basically the same thing, there are small differences among the various plans. There’s also often one very big difference: price!
How Extended Warranties Work
Virtually every extended warranty works in about the same general way. For the first year where the manufacturer warranty is in place, your extended warranty simply extends coverage. There are things that the manufacturer warranty may not cover but that could diminish your enjoyment of the TV. An extended warranty could cover events that aren’t covered by the manufacturer during that first year, like screen burn-in or dead pixels. However, not all companies cover these things like Upsie does.
Once your manufacturer warranty expires, all coverage relies on the extended warranty. This is where the extended plans really shine, giving you full protection where you’d otherwise have none.
Why Upsie Beats the Competition
Some manufacturers, like Apple and Microsoft, have their own first-party extended care plans. Vizio doesn’t offer one, so we’ll look at some of the top third-party and store-based plans.
Upsie offers nearly identical levels of coverage to other big players in this space, like SquareTrade or Best Buy’s Geek Squad program. Where Upsie shines, though, is on price and flexibility of terms.
In one recent comparison, Upsie’s two-year plan on a $1,999 Vizio TV cost just $98.99. SquareTrade was markedly higher at $119.99. Geek Squad wasn’t even close: the Best Buy service wants $199.99 for the same two years of coverage!
There are slight differences in coverage as well. SquareTrade doesn’t cover screen burn-in and only covers dead pixels once three or more show up. Best Buy will replace a defective remote one time.
Each company has different rules on how long you have to purchase an
extended TV warranty, too. Upsie is the most generous, allowing you to purchase up to 11 months after the TV purchase. Upsie also doesn’t put any restrictions on where you purchased the TV, where Geek Squad requires you to purchase from Best Buy.
For the same or better coverage at a significantly lower price, Upsie is the clear choice for your Vizio TV extended warranty. Ready to take the plunge?
Learn More About Vizio TV Warranties: