Every good review needs to open with the bottom line. The 65-inch LCD 3D HDTV Vizio XVT3D650SV is great machine. It delivers high quality, a plethora of useful features, and a substantial offering of inputs.
At $3,699.99, the XVT3D650SV might not be the cheapest option, but its loads of features justify its otherwise skeptical cost. The screen is a glossy black that doubles as a mirror when the images aren’t streaming. The body is 2.3 inches thick, and the additional 2-inch border around the screen is a flat black. A wide speaker occupies the bottom border, and that omnipresent Vizio circular logo is backlit when switched on, just like all Vizio models.
It might not be super-thin, but it’s small. The 26-inch stand is oval-shaped, and somewhat wobbly, despite the fact that it cannot be rotated. You might prefer mounting it on a spacious wall. Make sure you have help lifting the 93-pound monster.
The XVT3D650SV comes packed with all sorts of wonderful inputs and outputs. There are 3 USB ports, 5 HDMI easy-to-access inputs, cable antenna jacks, Ethernet, a VGA port, optical audio output, PC audio inputs and 2 analog stereo outputs.
With the 4 pairs of normal-looking 3D glasses, users really get into the action with the XVT3D650SV’s superb performance. The images come out crisp and well-balanced. Users have the option of adjustmenting the image as they wish using any of 9 preset viewing modes, each with a tiny description, or by opening the simple configuration menu to tweak brightness, sharpness, backlight, contrast, color and tint.
The Vizio jag wheel located on the television opens the Quick Menu on screen, with which you can manually change the channel, the input, turn off the machine or raise the volume. Otherwise, the Bluetooth remote has it all, even a slide-out keyboard for using the XVT3D650SV’s internet options.
XVT3D650SV’s built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi means that users can lounge in their sofa, checking their Twitter or Facebook in between programs. The VIA, or Vizio Internet Apps option presents a customizable navigation toolbar that offers HDTV configuration, favorites and over 60 widgets. Widgets include weather, finance, Pandora, Rhapsody, Yahoo News, CBS and more. The XVT3D650SV also comes coupled with Netflix, Vudu, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Amazon on Demand for streaming films.
When it comes to watching films, TV series or 3D movies, users will be pleasantly satisfied. The 3D quality is very good, despite the slightly less-sharp background. The smart dimming feature is particularly impressive, with the 32 LED zones automatically adjusting to present the best blacks in the right situation. Conversely, the Real Cinema and Smooth Motion options aren’t any big deal.
Overall the picture is well-balanced, the 5-preset audio is clear and without distortion at high volume and the passive 3D presentation is impressive.