Twas a fortnight before Christmas and all through the house, everyone was arguing which HDTV to buy.
In my quest for a quality yet affordable set to replace the big honkin' CRT, I encountered many different brands. From the famed Sony and the exalted Samsung to the legendary Sharp. But the clouds cleared from my view, and there I saw a Vizion. That is to say, that I gladly purchased a Vizio HDTV.

Vizio seems to have acquired a reputation as the affordable HDTV manufacturer, and it's no surprise in this economical climate. The company has a commitment to selling affordable but high quality products. The size range in which I was browsing didn't offer very much in the way of affordable 1080p sets, save for the Sony Bravia and several models by Vizio. I wanted something that looked great but didn't break the bank. After having decided that the Sony Bravia was a smidgen too pricey, I then turned my gaze at two Vizio models. Ultimately, I decided to purchase the Vizio 32″ 1080p model VL320M.

The Skinny (additional specs here)
Size: 32″Native Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 50,000:1 (with DCR)
Response Time: 6ms
Refresh Rate: 60hz
Audio: SRS TruSurround HD
Input: HDMI (3), RF Connector (1), Component YPbPr/Stereo Audio (2), S-Video (1), RGB (1), Composite (2),
Output: SPDIF Digital Optical (1), Stereo Audio (1)

How It Looks
The set arrived with zero dead pixels and in perfect condition. It was a breeze to set up, and I immediately tried out all of the goodies on it. The picture is clear and the colors are crisp. The set ran Mass Effect on the XBOX 360 with no noticeable ghosting or fun killing lag. There was a slight blur during combat game-play, but nothing that hindered my ability to effectively destroy copious amounts of synthetic life. There was some slight lag playing Grand Theft Auto IV but the game also lagged even on my ancient CRT.

Some say that 32″ 1080p sets are a waste, and that you can't notice the difference with a set that small. Coming from an ancient CRT, the difference was instantly noticeable. As stated above, the XBOX ran beautifully with only a very small amount of blur. DVDs played exceptionally well and my Roku streamed both Netflix and Amazon Video-On-Demand gorgeously over a wireless connection.

How It Sounds
I am by no means an audiophile, but the stock speakers on the television sound excellent for normal use. The SRS TruSurround technology truly makes a difference, and it sounds great even on my stereo set up with generic brand speakers. The only audio problem that I encountered was that one of the external speakers would stop working if SRS TruSurround was disabled. This is likely an issue with the speaker wire, however, as it has always been quite glitchy.

Sum It Up
The VL320M is an great looking and sounding product for the price point. We payed just over $500 for the set, and couldn't be happier that we did. I can highly recommend this set if you're on a budget but want something that looks great. However, if you do have a bit more money to spend, going up the ladder may be worth it. Though not pointless, the 32″ screen is small for the 1080p resolution. While there is a noticeable difference compared to 720p, the extra space you'd get by paying for a larger set would only amplify the awesomeness.

I stand firmly by Vizio, and the VL320M as perfect for people who want a sexy new televison for Christmas, but don't have a lot to spend.

Sources
http://www.vizio.com/vl320m.html#support

Samsung LN52B750