Vizio is Serious About Pushing Into the PC World, Releases Several Windows 8 Devices
Previously known more for its TV and monitor line, Vizio seems to be pushing hard into the PC world. Whether or not there is room for Vizio or not remains unseen. That being said, they certainly have a few interesting looking offerings on hand. Vizio’s new range of Windows 8 devices include two all-in-one machines and several ultrabooks. One thing you will notice is that Vizio is diving in head-first into touch with its desktop/all-in-one line.
Vizio Thin + Light Ultrabooks
There will be several different variants in the ultrabook category. Let’s start with their more entry-oriented ultrabook.
The 14-inch entry model is priced at $849 and has a resolution of 1600×900. It is still powered by an impressive Intel Core i5 1.7GHz processor and has 4GB of RAM. Instead of an HDD, we have a smaller 128GB SSD. There is also the power of Intel HD 4000 graphics, an HDMI port, Bluetooth and webcam. Battery power is supposedly rated around 7 hours of use. The size of this thing is 16mm, and the weight is 1.55kgs.
Now on to the more ‘premium’ offerings. The mid-range ultrabook is an 1.7GHz Core i5– like the lower-cost model. In fact, it pretty much has the exact same specs all around other than a bigger display. It isn’t much more expensive than its 14-inch brother at $899.
As for the ‘higher-end’ 15.6-incher? It is powered by a 1.9GHz Core i7 and 4GB of RAM. It has slightly more space with a 256GB SSD, and costs $1,199.
Vizio 15.6-inch Notebook
Not into the thin-and-light category? At $1,199 you can get your hands on the Core i7 quad-core 2.3Ghz Vizio notebook. This one has 8GB of RAM and a 1TB/32GB SSD combo drive.
Vizio All-in-One Touch
Touchscreen technology is certainly a major draw with Windows 8, and the All-in-One from Vizio is about making the most of the experience. I absolutely love the unique look here. The stand is sleek and sexy. Many of the all-in-ones I’ve seen are either too clunky looking or have a base that is thick and large. Of course not all of them are like that. This model somewhat reminds me of a modernized more attractive version of the old lamp-stand iMac G4 from way back in the day.
The new all-in-one series will come in 24 or 27-inch LED variants, both with 1080p capabilities. The screens are fully capable of gesture recognition with all ten fingers and also has a touchpad included for when you don’t feel like reaching up and using the screen.
While there are two different sizes in this line, there are multiple configurations. The ‘base’ version features a 2.4GHz Intel Core i3 and a 24-inch display. Then there is a 2.5Ghz Core i5 24-inch model. Both of these models have either 4GB of 6GB of RAM, a 32GB SSD and an Intel HD 4000.
The premium offering is a quad-core 2.4GHz Core i7 with a massive 27-inch display. This thing packs 8GB of RAM and a 1TB/32GB SSD/HDD hybrid drive. There are also two HDMI ports, Wi-Fi, bluetooth and better video card performance thanks to the Nvidia GeForce GT 640MLE.
All of these devices are expected to hit sometime around November. Vizio builds decent – if not great – monitors and televisions. That being said, a PC is certainly a much more complex animal. Can they succeed here? They certainly build fairly attractive looking models, which is a good start. What do you think? Interested or not?
