Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM 24-Inch Wide-Screen LCD Monitor

The Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM looks great--and I'm not talking exclusively about the antiglare treatment or the crisp 1920-by-1200-pixel native resolution, which provides very good visual quality. The SyncMaster also sports sleek lines and a thin, glossy black bezel that stays relatively smudge free.

Getting the best picture out of the 2493HM is a breeze thanks to DVI, HDMI, and VGA connectivity. Will you use the two USB ports built into the neck of the base? Maybe not, but their positioning certainly makes for easy access.

On the audio front, the built-in down-firing speakers provide a wide range of sound that doesn't flatten out. You can crank the volume--but the louder it gets, the more distortion you hear. Want to rock in silence? Use the built-in headphone jack. But if you're looking for maximum sound quality, buying a separate set of speakers that has a subwoofer is your best bet.

The on-screen display menu does a superb job of marshaling options and streamlining navigation. You can adjust advanced features such as individual colors or use one of the many preset configurations. The buttons for the OSD menu are touch sensitive; though each button is clearly labeled, it's hard to see what it does, resulting in some usability frustrations.

The only other gripe I have with this display is that the contrast ratio (which clearly isn't 10,000:1, though it claims to be) and response time (5 ms) are engraved in the top right corner of the bezel. So much for subtlety. Samsung obviously put lots of TLC into designing this SyncMaster, but the constant visual reminder of the unit's response time seems tacky.

Still, this is a great monitor at an average price--and that's a winning combination.