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Samsung Syncmaster 205BW

82

Very Good

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6 User Reviews | add yours »

Pros
Clean, simple, thin-bezeled design
Cons
Pin lock can make height adjustment hard

$139.00 - $169.00
From 2 Merchants

Pricing: Very inexpensive: $239 (1/25/2008)
Performance: Very Good: 81
Features: Very Good: 80
Design: Good: 78

Find out how these four scores, and their relative weights, combine to produce the PC World Rating.

Pricing

Very inexpensive: $239

Performance

Very Good: 81

PC World Tests
Refresh Rate Tested	60
Interface Tested	Digital
Graphics Score	82.1
Text Score	80
DisplayMate Motion Test Result	Very Good
DVD Motion Test Result	Very Good
Gaming Motion Test Result	Very Good
Horizontal Viewing Angle Test Result	108.5

Features

Very Good: 80

Screen Specs
Size (inches)	20inches
Resolution (pixels)	1680 by 1050
Maximum Brightness (candelas per square meter)	300
Contrast Ratio	600:1
Horizontal View Angle (degrees)	160
Vertical View Angle (degrees)	160
Antiglare	Yes
Pixel Response Time (milliseconds)	6
Panel Manufacturer	Samsung
Can Factory Default Settings Be Reset?	Yes
Pixel Pitch (mm)	0.26

Physical Adjustments
Tilt	Yes
Height	Yes
Pivot	No
Swivel	Yes
Adjustments	Multiple adjustments

Dimensions
Depth (inches)	7.9
Height (inches)	13.9
Width (inches)	18.5
Weight (pounds)	15

Other Features
Cabinet Colors	Black
Headphone Jack	No
Speaker Type	No
Energy and Ergonomic Standards Met	TCO'03
Maximum Power Consumption	75
Standby/Sleep Power Consumption	2
TV Tuner	No

Support & Reliability
Labor Warranty (years)	Three
Parts Warranty (years)	Three
Weekday Support Hours	24
Saturday Support Hours	24
Sunday Support Hours	24
Toll-Free Support	Yes

Design

Good: 78

What You Should Know about the Syncmaster 205BW

Widescreen Monitor Offers Extra Viewing Space for HD Video, Gaming, and Work Apps

Widescreen displays such as this one have become more popular as people discover the benefits of the extra horizontal space for application palettes, viewing documents side by side, and for a more cinematic experience when watching movies or playing video games. This is a 16:10 widescreen display capable of displaying high-definition video, but it is a bit taller than the 16:09 aspect ratio found on most HDTVs, so some letterboxing will be necessary to fill the space above and below the video window.

Reviewed by: SteveShavkin

Duration of ownership: 1 Day

Strengths: I've only had the monitor for a few hours but thought that my first impressions would be helpful. Quality was evident right out of the box. Stand was already attached. Smooth height and tilt adjustments. BIG screen....lots of real estate. OS controls very easy to use. No dead pixels and colors are vivid. Bought from Sam's Club because of their 90 day return policy in case of a problem.

Weaknesses: Haven't found any yet.

Overall Evaluation: This is my first LCD monitor (it replaced a 6 year old 19" IBM P96 CRT). Out of the box the screen is way too bright but easy to adjust to your liking. I'm impressed with the overall picture sharpness. Colors look true, text is sharp and I don't see any ghosting or blurriness. The wide screen takes some getting used to. After some trial and error I settled on a resolution of 1152 x 864 pixels and adjusted my icon size, text and spacing to suit me. At the highest resolution you'll need the Hubble Telescope to read text etc. For the money ($299) I don't think you could do any better than the 205BW.
Reviewed by: PrivateBenDover

Duration of ownership:

Strengths: Great Images, Nice size, Great Price

Weaknesses: Stand strength.

Overall Evaluation: The monitor is a joy to play games on visually. My one GREAT BIG COMPLAINT......The monitor stand does not lean back, in fact over time it has slowly drooped forward due to the weight of the monitor itself. I now have to prop the front of the base up with a book just to get a straight on view. The monitor almost wants to face the floor. POOR POOR stand design...very weak.