Samsung SyncMaster 915N

The SyncMaster 915n appears to be something of a departure from Samsung's usual feature-packed monitors. This model, stripped down to the basics, delivers decent screen quality and one of the lowest prices ($399 at testing time) we've seen on a 19-inch monitor. Our jurors found the 915n's text display clean, albeit slightly spidery. In our graphics tests, it showed clear text and accurate-looking images on our test screen of a Web page. The 915n earned ratings of Very Good for text and Good for graphics.

Though the SyncMaster 915n won't win any design awards, our review unit felt durable. The 56-page manual is complete and neatly organized--a blessing because the controls were a bit difficult to understand without it. Cryptic, hard-to-see symbols identify the skinny buttons that control the screen adjustments; even a dab of paint to make the symbols stand out would be a welcome improvement. Perhaps Samsung expects us to forgo the buttons altogether and use the included MagicTune software to adjust the screen with the mouse instead of with buttons--not a bad idea. MagicTune is a nice surprise in a low-priced monitor.

Upshot: The Samsung SyncMaster 915n offers good image quality and button-free screen adjustment at a notably low price.

Laura Blackwell