bit-tech Shopping: Samsung SyncMaster 226BW Black 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor

• Video - 15 pin High-Density D-shell (VGA)
• Video - 24 pin DVI-D

• HDCP
• Swivel Screen
• Wallmount

Rating: 10

Time with product: 6

Strengths: bright colors, excellent contrast, default factory settings perfect for me and worth the ?

Weaknesses: none worth mentioning here

Summary: This screen is big bang for the buck. Order online and you will pay cheaper than you would buying from your neighborhood's store, even with the manufacturer rebate.I did not have to change any of the settings, which was a nice plus, but most importantly, this screen just works in all lighting conditions. My desk is in a corner area where there can be from none to very bright back-lighting and the anti-glare works pure magic.My typical use for this scree ranges from watching videos, playing games, to developing software. I used to feel pain while working at home vs. my dual-screen display at work. Now, it feels the same with a resolution of 1600xwhatever.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 60

Strengths: Crisp, bright colors. Great looking monitor.

Weaknesses: Blinking LED when in standby is annoying.

Summary: I bought this for my wife and now I wish it were mine. It makes my old Apple 20" cinema display look like a dinosaur. My only problem with it so far is that the blue power LED is quite bright and blinks annoyingly when in standby. If I leave the door to the office open at night, I can see the blinking light filling the hallway outside. It is a minor thing, I know.

Rating: 4

Time with product: 1 Days

Strengths: thin bezel, bright, lightweight

Weaknesses: severly limited viewing angle causes brightness and color change from top to bottom

Summary: For work that does not depend on critical color and brightness quality, this monitor is probably ok. It displays clear, sharp text, the backlight is even, and it gives a nice, bright image. The manual controls also give a reasonable amount of adjustment. 2 inputs (DVI & d-sub) are also helpful. But here is the caveat. This monitor is not suitable for color-critical work with photography or design. From a normal working distance, the top of the screen looks significantly yellower and darker than the bottom of the screen. Side-to-side variance is not as bad, but is still marginal. I am a professional photographer, and make my living working with photographs on my computer screen all day, every day. I must admit that I was VERY disappointed that a highly rated monitor from such a reputable manufacturer (Samsung) would perform so poorly. Another problem is that it has poor tonal separation in brightest image areas. But its biggest problem is its extreme sensitivity to viewing angle. If you had a photo of a scene of evenly lit pale blue fog, on this monitor the top of the photo would appear slightly darker and definitely greenish gray. The bottom of the photo would have a harsh brightness to it and be much bluer. One of my monitors is a Dell 2005 FPW. It is not perfect, but its viewing angle consistency is far superior to the Samsung 226bw. I am sorry that I do not yet know of a current monitor suitable for critical photo work, that I can steer you towards. But for critical phtography work, or even semi-critical viewing, the Samsung 226bw is NOT your monitor. This one goes back to the dealer tomorrow.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 1 Days

Strengths: Size, price, picture quality, 3 year warranty, Samsung

Weaknesses: 16:10 not 16:9, MINOR back light bleed, 160/160 degree viewing angle not 178/178, no tilt/swivel

Summary: Samsung has been making quality products for years, and this monitor is no exception. I originally wanted to purchase the Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP, but it is 2x the price of this monitor. I desperately needed a great monitor for web browsing, movies, and games. This monitor met all of my needs and expectations. 280 dollars AR for a 22" monitor is a fantastic deal, and it's a purchase I am glad I made. I finally (after six years) retired a 20.1" CRT. Do not let the weaknesses I listed deter you from purchasing this monitor. They are nominal issues at best. I am thoroughly satisfied with my purchase, and I highly recommend this product to anyone looking for a high quality LCD.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: s panel

Weaknesses: a c panel

Summary: I bought a samsung 226bw and it looked terrible so I read online and found a sight that tells you how to take the back cover off about 5 screw really easy and you can see what panel you have. I had a C made bye Chi-something I took the monitor back to the store and got one with a diffrent manufactor date. Took it home and it looked great really great, so I took the back cover off and sure enough Big Made my samsung on the back of the screen.