Get in Sync with Dynaflat 955
Written: Apr 24 '02
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Pros: large flat face, style, reliable, nice price
Cons: refresh rate at high resolution
The Bottom Line: All-purpose reliable monitor with a hard price to beat.
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| nutrasweet's Full Review: Samsung SyncMaster 955 DF (Black) 19 in. CRT Conve... |
A few years ago, when Samsung was mentioned as the brand name of a device (e.g. microwaves), people would only shrug their shoulders and think of them as a "generic" substitute. There have been some changes since then due to their reliability and competitive pricing of their products.
As for my experience with the monitor, I decided to upgrade from my 17" Dell monitor that I have had for the past 3 years. By the way, behind that Dell logo, the monitor was a Samsung and NO problem whatsoever with it. I too, had skepticisms about Samsung until I found out the truth behind the logo when I was upgrading the drivers for it. Obviously, if Dell decided to contract out Samsung to produce some of their monitors, Samsung must be doing something right.
The monitor has been in my possession for about a month. I ordered it through Amazon.com at a sticker price of $240 with free shipping. After finding a $10 coupon on the net, the out-the-door price was $230. At the time, Best Buy had it for $299 with a $30 rebate. I figured that's a $40 + tax savings and I have had good experience with Amazon.com. The monitor arrived promptly within 5 working days as promised.
From the box, I noticed that the monitor looked a bit different from the picture advertised on the net. I later found out that this is the newer version of the Dynaflat 955. The old model seems bulkier and the screen did not looked as flat due to the large chassis around it. The control panel was not the James Bondish flip out type as before but instead just typical displayed buttons on the front face. My first impression was that it looked quite ordinary. However, the smaller chassis made the monitor looked extremely flat especially from the side angle. As far as weight's concern, it was pretty much typical for this size - about 45 lbs. I've compared weight with other competing monitors e.g. Sony & Viewsonic and found that they all range in the 40-50 lbs category. If you want the real estate, then you have to handle the weight. It seems to me that a lot of people complained about how heavy this monitor is. It might be if you plan to use it on the road like a labtop.
Once I turned on the monitor, I definitely noticed right away the difference between this newer model and the older version. The monitor was brighter and definitely you would get more coverage compared to the 17". As far as set up in the control panel, it seems quite self-explanatory to me without the need of the instruction guide. The manufacture default setting was satisfactory for me at 1024x768 @ 85hz. I boosted it up to 100hz and have been quite satisfied with it since. At this setting, my eyes don't strain as compared to my back when I would just spend hours on the monitor browsing the web or playing games (Ages of Empire II and Civilization II). The color was rich and vibrant which compliments the brightness of the screen.
As with any product, there are always some glitches or minor complaints. I found some minor discrepancies in the text. First, I believe the instructions recommend facing the monitor to the east. I don't know why but when they say to do something that oddly, your curiosity gets the best of you. So, I began twisting and turning the monitor to see what happens. If facing directly in front of you, the monitor appears flawless. As you turn more towards a 45 degree angle, you would lose some color. Once you get to the point that you can't turn anymore, red would become sort of like dark pink. My guess would be it affects the electron beams to the monitor but I'm not a computer engineer or a physicist. The point is, to keep it straight or at least semi-straight. Secondly, I noticed some distortion in the text. When you are typing, the input line seems a bit darker than the lines above. Once you get to the next line, then that previous line becomes normal with the rest of the text and the new line get a bit darker and so forth. This does not affect me a bit but might to some perfectionist.
I don't really know how specific or detailed graphics designer want their monitors to be. As far as ordinary folks like myself who only want extra space with decent specs, this would be the monitor to beat, especially with that sticker price. I use mine for the internet, word processing, games (the general daily stuff) and I have no complaints. I've read some technical reviews and Viewsonic does not pair up. Sony, however had a better review, but if you want to shell out an extra $100-$150 bucks to make the color a bit brighter and the text a bit crisper with a nice Sony logo on the front, go for it. Otherwise, this would be the best bet for you. I consider this an all-purpose monitor with a price that's hard to beat. Totally recommend it!
Danny
Palm Springs, CA
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 230
Operating System: Windows
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Epinions.com ID:
nutrasweet
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Member: Danny
Location: San Diego, CA
Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 1 member
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