Samsung SyncMaster 920NW Review

The Samsung 920NW is a 19-inch widescreen LCD monitor certified for Windows Vista operating system that delivers a more commanding view of whatever task is at hand. With sharp 1440 x 900 resolution and the expanse of a 16:10 aspect ratio, the Samsung SyncMaster 920NW is an ideal solution for everything from multi-application projects to multi-player games. But more than just the big picture, the 920NW also delivers world-class image quality. A 700:1 contrast ratio reveals deep detail. Fast 5ms response time virtually eliminates blurring and ghosting when the action really begins to heat up. And 160-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles make it easier to share the excitement. The Samsung SyncMaster 920NW also features exclusive Samsung Magic technologies that combine to deliver the ideal image in every situation. MagicTune software gives you full monitor control right from your mouse, while MagicBright 2 technology delivers unique brightness levels tuned for different applications. And it’s all wrapped up in a stylish narrow-bezel design that improves the appearance of any desktop or any wall, thanks to VESA wall mount compatibility. The Samsung SyncMaster 920NW widescreen LCD monitor. A bigger, more beautiful view.

Samsung 920NW’s specs also include a 160-degree viewing angle (both horizontal and vertical), a high level of brightness with a 300 cd/m2 (candela per square meter) rating and a 700:1 contrast ratio. (The higher the contrast ratio, the greater a monitor’s ability to display subtle color details and not get washed out by ambient room light.)

The Samsung 920NW’s 19-inch screen (measured diagonally) is framed by a narrow bezel, ensuring that this monitor won’t overpower your desk with its size. The Samsung 920NW monitor sits atop a rounded base that can tilt forward and backward for just the right view. The back includes a power connector, VGA (15-pin D-Sub) connector, and lock connector (for optional Kensington locks to secure the monitor to your desk). This monitor is Energy Star qualified, with a 42 watt power consumption rating and less than 1 watt of consumption in stand-by mode.

Samsung 920NW includes several Samsung technologies that enhance your viewing, including MagicColor, which improves and adjusts mid-level colors to shades the eye accepts as natural, and MagicBright, which creates an optimal viewing environment, based on the the image you’re watching. Samsung 920NW also includes the MagicTune monitor config application, which makes it simple and convenient to tweak your screen’s settings.

Samsung 920NW User Review:

I bought Samsung 920NW monitor because I wanted a black 19 inch widescreen and this was one of only two I could find anywhere that didn’t have one of those tacky glossy black bezels. I don’t know what this trend is with making every single tech product as shiny as possible but to me the glossy black look is awful and I wish manufacturers would stop beating it to death and at least offer a normal matte black option for people who feel the same. That said, Samsung 920NW has a regular matte black bezel which looks great. Performance-wise it does the job very well. The picture is clear and looks sharp from a wide range of viewing angles. I only have two gripes with this monitor. One is just a matter of personal preference and the other is an unavoidable side-effect of using higher resolutions. First, the native resolution for this machine is 1440 x 900. This makes the image sharp, but on the tiny side. It’s not so tiny that it’s a huge issue, but it is smaller than I would prefer. None of the other resolutions are usable unfortunately, as they all result in image stretching or skewing. So while the 1440 x 900 res works fine, it will more or less be your only option and you will have to be comfortable with the smaller image and text size. What’s interesting is that the instructions that come with it suggest setting the monitor to 1152 x 864, even though this is NOT the native resolution as advertised. While this resolution ALMOST works, it is not really a fit. You end up with larger, more appropriately-sized text and icons but the text appears slightly blocky and stretched, which I couldn’t get used to. In the end I settled for the native res and dealt with things being slightly smaller. My other mini-gripe is that some lower quality images and videos that looked fine on my previous monitor now look pixelated and blocky. This is apparently because when lower resolution images are viewed on high resolution screens, it actually brings out the pixelation which may not have previously been visible. It’s hard to hold this against the monitor though, since the same problem would have occured on any higher-res screen.

All in all, Samsung 920NW is a very nice monitor with an excellent picture, but does have a few flaws/minor annoyances which prevent me from giving it a higher rating.

By B. Maltz

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