Samsung 152N

WHAT'S HOT: The SyncMaster 152N offers sophisticated controls, giving you the ability to choose among preset color temperatures and to adjust individual red, green, and blue levels. If you take any of your adjustments too far, the menu allows you to reset just the geometry or just the color. In addition, you can change the brightness without entering the on-screen menu--plus and minus buttons on the bezel allow one-tap access. Another thoughtful feature: The monitor remembers what submenu you were last using and returns to that point when you bring up the controls again.

Should you need more information, Samsung includes an excellent HTML manual on disc that provides detailed and well-illustrated sections on safety, setup, adjustment, and troubleshooting. The manual also provides information on how to reach Samsung's 24-hour, daily tech support.

WHAT'S NOT: Especially in light of the strong scores that other Samsung monitors have earned, the 152N didn't live up to our expectations for image quality, placing at number 14 in graphics and number 16 in text, among 21 competitors. Our judges faulted its performance on a Microsoft Word screen in particular. As for graphics, it had the most trouble displaying dim shades in our color scale test.

WHAT ELSE: Colors in photographs were well saturated, but the images still appeared dark even with the brightness level at its highest setting.

The monitor's design is basic yet functional. A thin black bezel surrounds the screen, which is mounted high on a black neck and base. Though the setup provides only tilt adjustment, making the change is relatively easy.

UPSHOT: Good controls and documentation mark Samsung as a company that puts effort into making solid products, but the image quality on the SyncMaster 152N is disappointing.