Product: Samsung SyncMaster 245BW 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor
Manufacturer: Samsung
MSRP: $499.99 [BizRate]
Lowest Historical Price: $330 [History]

Introduction
Ever since we rolled out BensBargains.net 3.5 with a wider layout, desktop space became low in supply. The Dell 2001FP 20.1" LCD Monitor we were using at the time just wouldn't cut it anymore with its 1600x1200 resolution. Enter the Samsung SyncMaster 245BW 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor. Prices on LCD monitors were dropping like flies at the time, with the Samsung 245BW going for $330 and the Soyo DYLM24D 24" Monitor going for as low as $250. Based on its specs, we felt the Samsung was worth the extra money.

Specs
Screen Size: 24"
Response Time: 5ms
Brightness: 400 cd/m2
Resolution: 1920x1200@60Hz (Analog/Digital)
Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (3000:1 Dynamic)
Video Signal: Analog RGB, DVI
Viewing Angle (Horizontal/Vertical): 160/160

Setup
The install was fairly simple. It was, for the most part, pre-assembled. Standard accessories are included: VGA & DVI cables and the power cord. The power supply is integrated with the monitor, so there is no clunky brick to deal with. The screen is height-adjustable (but cannot be rotated to portrait mode) and can be tilted from -3 degrees to 25 degrees. There was no need to install any software since the driver can be installed through Windows Update.

Review
On paper, this monitor sports some decent specs. A 5ms response time means that there is no visible ghosting. The 1000:1 contrast ratio lends itself to deep blacks and bright whites. However, since it uses a TN Panel, the viewing angle is limited, and it cannot display a full complement of colors. Although this may not affect most users out there, it is something worth mentioning.

The default settings for the monitor are horrid. Brightness is set at 100 and contrast is set at 80, and the screen looks washed out using these settings. Luckily, there are settings to fix some of these problems. An included setting called MagicColor, if put on "Intelligent Mode," makes the bright colors brighter and the darker colors darker, improving picture quality immensely. If you lower the brightness and contrast settings, you'll also get a clearer, less washed out picture.

Conclusion
Although it may seem like this is a negative review of the monitor, it is not. Out of the box, this monitor is a bit of a train wreck. But after a little bit of tweaking, it is actually a pretty decent monitor in its price range for recreational users. Graphic designers and such should probably look elsewhere. The 3-year manufacturer's warranty should put you to ease regarding the longevity of this monitor.

Image Gallery


Price History [History]


Compare Prices