Customer Reviews

Samsung SyncMaster 2443BWX 24" LCD Monitor

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are several types of monitors, and this is the least expensive "TN" type. There are other types of panels, but the TN panels are known for generally faster response at lower prices, and with narrower viewing angles and "shallower" colors compared to other panel types. This makes TN panels most suitable for gamers and casual users.

After unpacking this monitor and hooking it up, I was surprised how bright and colorful it is...Very good for a TN panel. The default brightness out of the box is too bright. After adjusting the brightness, I checked it for dead or stuck pixels, and thankfully found no bad pixels.

I don't really mind the viewing angles since I'm using it as a computer monitor and I sit right in front of it. However, on dark images you can see the monitor gets progressively brighter near the top of the display and darker near the bottom, although it's not really noticeable most of the time unless you're looking for it (or unless you're picky about your display). During casual use this is not objectionable.

For 90% of users, myself included, the only way you'd notice a difference in color range between this monitor an a more expensive panel (such as IPS) is if you set it up next to an expensive panel.

As TN panels go, this monitor is very good. I would definitely recommend this monitor for casual users, since it's a lot of monitor for the price. Programmers, web designers, authors, and many others will love this monitor. Also, it's a great monitor for gamers since (in my subjective opinion) the input lag isn't bad, and the pixel response is fast.

Because of the progressively increasing brightness near the top of the display on black images, I would not recommend this monitor for anyone whose job requires precise color control for image editing, video editing, etc. Those users should pass on TN panels and should look instead at more expensive panel types, such as IPS panels from Apple and other vendors.

Also, bear in mind that it only has VGA and DVI inputs, so if you need DisplayPort or HDMI inputs then you'll need to look elsewhere. (My video card only has DVI outputs so this is not a limitation for me, but YMMV.)

Buying tip: Because I wanted a monitor that's guaranteed to have no dead pixels, I purchased this display from a local electronics retailer. Shipping a monitor back because of dead pixels is an expensive hassle. In addition, I recommend that if you get a monitor with bad pixels and you take it back to the brick and mortar store, just tell them "it doesn't work", because some stores won't let you return an otherwise-normal monitor just for 2~3 dead pixels.

Summary
A good monitor for the money, especially if you need a 15 pin D-Sub (VGA) input. I don't plan to return mine, but there may be better ones out there for similar cost. If I were buying today, I'd also have a close look at the Asus 24 inch models.

This is my first LED monitor, I'm coming from a 19 inch (17.1 viewable) CRT. I got the 2443BWX on sale Best Buy for $300.

Obviously, twenty four inches is a nice improvement. My aging GeForce 5500 128MB AGP card manages - but just barely - to drive the 2443BWX at its 1920x1200 native resolution at 60 Hz. I can get the native resolution only with the analog input.

Text is razor sharp. Video looks good. No ghosting or motion blur. Color is good, but before the auto adjust feature (which may work only with VGA) reds were over saturated. Blacks are dark, but not as sharply defined as with my old CRT.

Since my last monitor was a CRT, I am not accustomed to the limited viewing angle. It took a while to find the position that worked best for me, which was to place the top of the monitor just below eye level, and tilt the monitor back slightly.

Pros

Big screen for the money. Three year parts and labor warranty. No ghosting. No motion blur. Very nice picture quality for web browsing, video, and newsgroup browsing.

Works with Linux - in Kubuntu 8.04 with the Nvidia closed source driver (version 169.12) I have it set as a SyncMaster 240T.

The auto adjust feature worked well for me, which was a very good thing considering the horrible On Screen Display controls.

Cons

At first, I thought I had zero bad pixels out of the box. While none are completely dead or stuck, there is a cluster at the left hand edge of the screen that shows red when they should be black.

Unlike the 2443BW, the 2443BWX has no height adjustment capability and no USB ports.

The full user manual is on CD only, no paper edition is in the box.

OSD control buttons are truly horrible. This is easily the worst feature of the monitor. I've had the monitor for a week now, and I still haven't managed to use all the adjustments. Once you manage to get in the desired setting, it is a crap shoot as to whether you'll adjust the setting in the correct direction, inadvertently leave the OSD screen, or jump to the next setting.

As with all TN LCDs, optimum viewing angle is limited. With a screen this size, the problem is magnified. If you aren't positioned perfectly in relation to the 2443BWX, you'll see either the TN characteristic darkness at the top, bottom or side of the screen.

Depending on your needs, the lack of HDMI, no height adjustable stand, no USB ports, and no speakers may or not be problematic to you.

I just received this Samsung 2443BWX this morning and hooked it up to my Mac Pro using the included DVI cable. Absolutely stunning picture quality out of the box, and gets even better with slight picture tuning. The horizontal and vertical viewing angles seem much wider and more balanced than the 22" Dell I use at work. There are several predefined color options that you can choose using the monitor menu from Internet, Text, Gaming, etc that are simple to use and change. The stand is sturdy and provides good tild and swivel. would highly recommend this monitor from a price and performance perspective.

Thanks and good shopping!

I too picked this up at Costco for 349 and out of the box there were no dead or stuck pixels. Unlike the TOC monitors, there is a 100mm VESA attachment under a removable panel on the back. I'm going to pair this with an Omnimount so that I may use it in portrait mode. I'm currently using it with a mid-2007 MacBook Pro and it works just fine with the OSX software from Samsung's website (which allows me to adjust some settings (though not all)).

Got it from Costco last week for $350 with an instant manufacture rebate. Great deal. Huge monitor! No dead pixels. It is very bright with such a high contrast ratio so you can adjust it to your needs. Great for gaming. The are no buttons to press it is motion censored to turn on which is a pretty cool feature. I upgraded from a 17" sony lcd and I must say.."Once you go wide screen" you can never go back." I can't imagine ever going to anything smaller than 24 inches now. 1900x1200 is unbeatable! GET YOURSELF IMMERSED IN THE GAME AND GET ONE OF THESE!

I got this for less that $200 -- NEW!!! -- It's one of the most amazing monitors I've ever used. I like the full 1920x1200 resolution -- it matches my 17" Unibody MacBook Pro perfectly. I'd highly recommend this product. The only issue I ever have is sometimes when I wake the computer up, it has trouble reconnecting and I have fuzz for about 3 to 5 seconds. Not a deal breaker.

This is a great monitor. Side by side with my other samsung, you can't even tell it's been refurbished. I really like the option to set it up vertically or horizontal. For the price, you can't get a better, more versatile monitor in my opinion.

I bought this monitor refurbished shipped to the door for $209. I was nervous that the deal seemed too good to be true, but the monitor showed up today and it works perfectly and looks beautiful! Sure, it isn't the right choice for a graphic artist, the colors do shift if you view things off center. But other than that expected issue, it has easy to work menus and looks gorgeous!

Beautiful, clear, great white and color.
If you get this for multimonitoring - be aware that this has to be the main DVI.
Also, the multimonitor doesn't work well with the other being a VGA.
One Samsung monitor mm and rotation work as advertised.

Or, both Samsungs, multimonitor and rotation work as advertised.

Tiger Direct staff and Samsung were little or no help. We kept switching things until we got it working - then ordered another!

This monitor delivers excellent service, even without the accompanying software-which I've not yet installed. I did have to get some help getting it to "agree" with my computers but the results are wonderful.