bit-tech Shopping: Samsung SyncMaster 215TW Black 21" LCD Monitor

Rating: 10

Time with product: 3 Days

Strengths: Trusted brand for image reproduction, inputs lets it work as a good HDTV, stand adjusts for height/tilt/rotation, shiny features like picture-in-picture, simple styling

Weaknesses: Known input lag issue, easily takes over a desk, you'll need separate speakers

Summary: This monitor has been out for a few years, but it's still one of the most able in Samsung's current consumer-oriented line of monitors (it has more inputs than the newer, widescreen monitors and generally retails for more, though also shows up on eBay for more reasonable prices). It's not meant for gaming and has a known input lag issue, but digital imaging connoisseurs without a huge amount of money to burn will be pleased (especially since this does double-duty as an HDTV).So even though I've broken the monitor's features/functions up into categories and rated them separately, I'm still giving it 5 stars overall because it's a great monitor and I highly recommend it.

Rating: 6

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: 1000:1 contrast ratio. Crisp photos.

Weaknesses: Lag in video display. I watch a lot of instructional video that shows up fine on a 19" CRT, but this has a lag with people's lips trailing behind the audio. The lag is noticeable and distracting.

Summary: I thought my computer had developed problems until I hooked the CRT monitor back up as a test. Also the blacks on video show up with ghosting grays in them. Another review I saw on Newegg said the following: Pros: Great picture, went from 17 inch flat CRT to this, and the difference is huge, as other people commented. superior quality picture, and the pivoting works great. Cons: INPUT LAG (as titled by forum users). This is due to the fact that this monitor panel is a-si TFT/PVA LCD. This panel provides awesome picture quality but because it has to do more "work" to produce better quality picture, it comes with a lag in displaying the pictures. BUT Samsung added a technology called "MagicSpeed" (same as overdrive) which "SHOULD" compensate for the lag by speeding it up, but apparently it's not doing it's job. Other Thoughts: I have talked to couple Samsung customer service rep, in which one was tier 2 lvl service rep. He was very helpful in trying to go about figuring out the fix for this. I have filed an issue regarding this monitor, stating that there is an input lag and that it displays pictures split seconds later then the sound. He told me that he will turn this issue over to product research department, where they will try to figure out what the problem is, but the problem is, Samsung has no idea that this problem exists with this particular model. Apparently nobody called it in (or gave them totally wrong information). Due to the fact that not enough people called it in, it might get pushed aside. So if you have purchased this monitor and you have this problem, do call in, and let them know of this issue. Maybe they'll come up with a fix for it.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 2

Strengths: HD-like DVD movie playback, crystal clear text, awsome color rendition, wide viewing angle

Weaknesses: MagicTune software isn't available for the Mac OS

Summary: After cruising numerous stores and viewing many LCD computer monitors in the 20 to 22 inch size, it was apparent that the most value was to be had with the Samsung SyncMaster 215TW. While there were some 22 and 23 inch widescreen monitors that matched the 215TW's PQ, they were priced hundreds of dollars more. In the $500 and under bracket, the 215TW was hands-down the best PQ we saw. I think it is the 1000:1 contrast ratio that makes the difference, but the 215TW just had a far superior picture compared to anything else on the shelf. All had the same pictures displayed and driven by the same PC, so the playing field was level and the 215TW just stood way out. We hooked up our 215TW to our Power Mac G4 MDD with Radeon 9600 video card. While the instructions show the hookup for Macs to be only analog, ignore that. Our 215TW is working fine via a DVI connection, and the PQ is really stunning with our Mac set up. Samsung doesn't provide the accompanying software in the Mac OS, but that is not much of a problem. Only the MagicTune software is unavailable for Macs with this Samsung monitor, as the MagicBright function is built into the monitor setup buttons. That isn't true for the smaller and cheaper Samsungs. We are running the 215TW at a resolution of 1680 x 1050 @ 60 Hz, which is the unit's maximum. It is more than adequate for watching QuickTime movie trailers in HD and allows for really sharp text. Our 215TW replaced a 19" ViewSonic PF790 professional series CRT, aperture grille monitor. The increased text clarity and reduced eye strain with the 215TW is a welcome surprise, and the color saturation and distinction is gorgeous. Viewing angle with the 215TW is as good or better than any of its competition. Response time is more than adequate as we haven't detected any ghosting with fast moving video. Movie DVDs look fabulous on this monitor. Watching Pirates of the Caribbean on this monitor makes it look like near HD quality. Finally, the adjustable, rotating, and flipping stand is really nice. Too bad so many LCD monitors are stuck with basically non-adjustable stands. No dead pixels on the unit we purchased and no problems with anything after two weeks of ownership and use. Build quality appears good, and Samsung included both a VGA and a DVI cable with the monitor. Nice! We highly recommend this monitor for anyone looking for a widescreen LCD computer monitor in this size range and to any Mac users looking for a highly compatible widescreen LCD monitor.

Rating: 4

Time with product: 3

Strengths: Crisp image, fast response time

Weaknesses: no support for maintaining aspect ratio of 4:3 display resolutions, speakers turn off when monitor is turned off, somewhat cheaply constructed monitor bracket

Summary: This was a decent monitor for web browsing, movie watching and the like, but had several shortcomings that left me disappointed. When playing a game, or doing something at a more common 4:3 resolution it stretched over the entire width, resulting in a stretched image - I have other monitors that have a setting to make the image as large as possible, *but still maintain the aspect ratio*, so for a 4:3 display it will fill the height, but have black bars on the sides which is preferable. I would be ready to recommend it for general movie watching and web browsing, but it is a little expensive for a general purpose monitor. Another weakness, but one that all widescreen LCDs seem to have, is that when rotating the display there is no driver support for automatically having the onscreen display rotated, it must be changed manually.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 21 Days

Strengths: Computer and Component InputsNice size for movies and two page document viewingGreat pixel response time

Weaknesses: None noted - yet

Summary: I did considerable research for a monitor that would be good for the computer and also for movie playback. We live on a boat and multifunction devices really help because we have limited space. The display is very good with a wide viewing angle and good brightness. The fast pixel display time (8 ms) means that there isn't any drag or blur when watching fast action scenes in a movie. My wife likes the wide display that lets her edit two pages at once on the computer. This really speeds up her work.