« Digital Cameras Capture Picture Of Emerging Inflation? | Main | Camcorders For Graduation: Capturing The Angst Of The Newly Educated In Stunning High-Def »
LCD Prices Too High? Consider Some Upstart Brands
Electronics | Apr 18, 08
One way to save on flat-panel purchases might be to consider some brands now challenging the hegemony of the Sonys and Samsungs of the world.
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal stated Vizio had 12.4% of the LCD television market in Q3 2007, while Samsung and Sony were at 14.2% and 12.5% respectively. The Journal notes that Vizio’s monitors are made by Taiwan-based AmTran, which has made screens for Sharp and Sony but gives advantageous terms to Vizio, in which it holds a 23% stake. This allows Vizio to pass on savings to consumers. For example, consider the Vizio VU42, a 1080p model offered at just under $1000. By contrast, the least expensive Sony 42 inch model on this site, the FWD-42LX1/B, is priced about $500 dollars more and has only 720 resolution. On a smaller scale, the pattern isn’t universal. The lowest non-refurbished price on the 32-inch Vizio VX32L is just under $630, and while Sony’s FWD-32LX1/B goes for less than $600, another 720 model, the Sony KDL-32M3000 32 inch BRAVIA M-Series, is just shy of $700.
There are other small brands to consider, including Westinghouse, Olevia, and ViewSonic, and I’ve noted some less expensive models from Sharp recently. With a weak dollar and other inflationary forces keeping flat-screen prices firm in recent days (see "Flat-Screen Prices Still, Well, Flat; Some Even Rise") it might well be worth exploring lesser-known alternatives. As Vizio and others are demonstrating, the ability to keep prices low may mean these players don’t stay obscure forever.
Posted by jeffrey.trester (Permalink)
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://blog.pricescan.com/mtsystem/mt-tb.cgi/199
