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Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Vizio says its products are "the best Windows machines in the world." And with a starting price point of $898, the company seems to be targeting could-be Apple customers head-on with high-end products and household name recognition. But that's where the parallels end.  The TV sector was much less crowded when Vizio entered 10 years ago and on the cusp of a major growth trajectory; the same cannot be said of the PC market today.

The company makes its high-profile and costly foray at a time that reports show PC growth is eroding, thanks to the popularity of the tablet.  IDC predicts worldwide personal-computer shipments will grow 5% in 2012 with the majority of growth occurring in emerging markets. Mature markets like the U.S. and crisis-ridden Europe saw a drop off in PC sales of 9% last year, also according to IDC, making Vizio's U.S.-centric strategy risky.

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