Samsung Quality, Exceptional Performance, and Value! The Perfect Combination!

During my latest PC upgrade (it’s been a while), I chose to pick up a new display (two actually). My old 19” CRT was pretty bulky and I wanted to reclaim some of the desktop space I lost years ago!

The Monitor

The Samsung SyncMaster 906BW is a 19” TFT LCD Widescreen monitor. The high points of the specifications for this monitor are listed below for your reference:

- 0.285mm Pixel Pitch
- 300 cd/m2 Brightness
- 2000:1 Contrast Ratio
- 2ms Response Time
- Maximum Resolution of 1440x900
- Supports 16.7 million colors (24-bit Color Depth)
- 42 Watts Power Consumption While On (1 Watt in standby)
- 3 year manufacturer’s warranty.

Why I Chose the 906BW

While searching a few of my favorite e-tailers, I had narrowed my selection down to 3 separate units (all from Samsung BTW). After comparing them for what seemed like an eternity, I finally landed my sights on the Samsung SyncMaster 906BW. Since monitors today are so similar in specifications, it’s really difficult to choose a clear ‘leader of the pack’!

In my case, the factors that ‘stood out’ the most were the Contrast Ratio and Response Time. The other monitors I looked at had half the contrast ratio, and twice (or more) the response time. For these two reasons alone, I chose to go with the Samsung.

Of course, these ‘simple decisions’ were made after selecting Samsung (I’ve always enjoyed their products), a screen size of 19” (above 19 and it gets pricey), and other considerations.

Assembly and First Impressions

After a few minutes of unpacking and unwrapping, it was off to assembly. Assembling the monitor was a real piece of cake. All you had to do was install and tighten the base to the rest of the unit, no tools required! Just flip back the metal tab and give it a few twists!

Once assembled, I sat in awe staring at my new screens. They feature a sleek black casing with a touch of silver trim across the bottom. When turned on, the power button has a hint of blue backlight behind the button. These things look great!

Installation and Setup

The actual process of installing/configuring the monitor is fairly simple. Simply connect the cable to your PC and boot the machine. Windows will detect the monitor, prompt you to install the device, and away you go. You can then access the display properties on your machine and set the appropriate display resolution.

When cabling the monitor, you have two choices; DVI or VGA. For those of you with DVI connections on your PC, this is most definitely the way to go (though you’ll have to provide your own Dual Link DVI cable). For everyone else, the monitor also supports a standard VGA connection, and this time the cables are provided!

In my case, I chose to go the VGA route due to the lack of available DVI cables. Once I get around to ordering some DVI cables, I’ll definitely be switching over myself!

Ok, you’ve had them for a while. How do you like them?

I love em! These monitors have been able to keep up with everything I’ve thrown at them. Whether it’s video games, word processing, DVD/Video, etc they have no problem keeping up.

I spent a great deal of time inspecting both screens, and have yet to find a single pixel out. With manufacturers allowing many pixels to be out before replacement, these screens are flawless. This speaks a great deal to Samsung’s commitment to quality.

It has taken some time to get accustomed to the desktop though. Having a desktop two 19” widescreens wide is a bit odd (i.e. short and wide), but I’m getting used to it. With both screens running at the max resolution of 1440x900, there is tons of desktop space available!

Power… Is an LCD really better?

Another big factor to consider here is POWER. Many CRT monitors out there consume 100W or more when running. If you use your computer a great deal, or leave the monitor running constantly this can add up over time.

LCD monitors usually consume much less power than their CRT equivalents. Take my case… The CRT I replaced consumed 100W of power while running. The TWO 906W LCD monitors on my desk right now consume 40W each for a total of 80W! When my monitors go into standby, that total consumption drops down to 2W (1W each monitor)!

Let’s be truthful, what’s the catch?

Ok, so I’ve done nothing but talk ‘up’ this monitor. There has to be ‘something’ that needs improvement right? Sure!

My first gripe would be the monitor pedestal. The monitor is short, which leaves most users looking ‘down’ toward the monitor. As you might guess, this doesn’t help the neck or back muscles after a full day of computing. There is no adjustability here, so you get what you get and that’s it. With that said, this is nothing a $20 monitor stand from your local office supply store can’t fix (and they offer some ‘under monitor storage’ too)!

The second grip would be screen adjustments. I’ve noticed that every few days I have to tap the ‘auto adjust’ button to realign my screens. It’s not that far off, but just enough to clip an edge or two of the screen. I haven’t really pin-pointed ‘when’ the screen drifts, but it happens every now and them. I do have a few games that change the screen resolution at times, so they might be the culprit. Either way, a quick tap of the ‘auto-adjust’ button and it’s all back on track.

In Conclusion

In the end, a monitor is what you make it. Check out some monitors at your local shop, and let them sell you on features. You never know what you might learn! I’d definitely recommend this monitor if you’re looking for something in this range (though be prepared to drop $20 on a stand). I know I love mine!