Home > Consumer Reviews > Samsung SM2433BW 24-inch Widescreen TFT Monitor

Simply wonderful monitor. Best picture quality I've ever seen. Comparible to the T240 - just lacking the HDMI socket, but the DVI port does the same thing anyway.

Colours are vibrant, and it's easy to set up. The base was quite hard to get into the monitor - it took two people, but it's no problem really, just be prepared. You can always a little vaseline, which I have heard numerous people say helps a lot.

You can't adjust height or any of those gimmicks, which isn't a problem for me because I sit directly in front, but it's probably not for people who want to be able to watch movies on it with lots of friends around.

It's a large screen - really the picture doesn't do it justice. I've upgraded to this from a 19" Acer monitor and the difference is simply phenomenal. I have my Xbox 360 and computer set up on it and it all works perfectly. I've also plugged in a PS3 to see what it's like, and it perfect. Plays Blu-Ray movies to perfection, and it HDCP compliable.

All in all, a wonderful monitor at a superb price. You can't go wrong.

ADDITIONAL:

Samsung also offer a 3 year warranty with this monitor when you buy it.

This monitor is certainly a bargain for the size, but is not without flaws. Mine (purchased elsewhere, and returned) had the following problems:

* Viewing angles - these were sufficiently narrow that there is almost no viewing position from which a colour difference across the monitor is not obvious; even sat directly in front of it. When viewing from below the level of the screen, dark areas wash out very quickly, making darker movies almost unwatchable.

* Build quality - as noted by others, the stand is almost impossible to insert without lubrication. Also, the stand does not let you tip the monitor forward of vertical, which exacerbates the viewing angle problem.

* Buzzing - my monitor emitted a noticeable buzz when set at any brightness less than 100%. This was the reason for returning it. A google search suggests others have had the same problem.

* Color profile - the monitor's supplied color profile (for use in graphics apps such as Photoshop, or even Windows Gallery) is defective, and lends a yellow cast to all software using it. While graphics professionals are unlikely to be using this monitor, IMO this is unacceptable even for amateur use like mine. It can be corrected with a proper calibration tool, but again, this is something the casual user is unlikely to own.

In short: buyer beware. Yes, you'll get lots of screen area for the price (and it does look very pretty in gloss black), but the shortcomings are very obvious.

I purchased this monitor after reading many reviews, and I am not disappointed. The picture quality is stunning. I took me 5 minutes to find the on/off button, but that is because I did not look at the helpful picture!

I bought the monitor to get 1920x1200 resolution. I work from home in IT, and as tools become more complex the size of the screen needs to be bigger and bigger. Not so long ago 1024x768 was good enough. Recently I was feeling cramped with 1280x1024. I don't how long 1920x1200 will last, but for the time being at least it is very good!

The physical size of the screen is not so large either (the surround is very small) ... and I had no trouble getting the screen on its stand (but my expectations were well set by previous reviewers).

I am astounded at the improvement over my previous 17inch monitor, and I heartily recommend this monitor to anyone who is looking for that extra screen space.

Samsung SM2433BW 24-inch Widescreen TFT MonitorI confess I didn't buy this through Amazon but from Staples. It was the last one on the shelf. As it was a fairly recent model I summized that it couldn't have been on demo for very long and was offered a discount of 10% on the original selling price bringing it down to £189.00. Also it was spotless with no missing or dead pixels.

The previous day (and following reading various reviews on different makes then looking at them all) I went to Staples where the assistant suggested I bring in my SD card with photos for a comparison across a range of other monitors. As the monitor is for photo editing and general internet and to fit reasonably on my desk I was after a 22" screen.

None of the other makes including LG and Phillips both of which were 22" models could even match the stunning picture quality of the Samsung 24" which was running at the same resolution as the others across a common connection. The "BrightView" Phillips of course produced reflections of everything in the store. I have an HP Pavillion laptop with the BrightView screen and find the reflections disconcerting in all conditions. Phillips did not get that one right! Overall size wise the Samsung 2433BW looked the same as the HP 22" which had a wider bezel.

Side by side was also a Samsung 2232BW which at the same resolution certainly didn't have the sharpeness of its' 24" brother.

I took my wife to view all the screens the next day and she immediately picked out the 2433BW as the best. It was then a no-brainer.

I had no problem with the stand assembly as it had already been done by the store. It came in a very small package and took about ten minutes to connect and get up and running. I have to transport it later to the Continent and the base plate is easy to remove from the stalk by a small wing nut. The screen with stalk attached can be nicely boxed.

This is an amazing screen and compared to various other makes and sizes I have owned, puts them all in the shade. I was worried about the lack of swivel and height adjustment but this doesn't seem an issue due to the the size of the screen. One has to be prepared to turn ones head from side to side to read everything. Little price to pay for having such stunning clarity! The buttons situated down the side have no markings but bottom is "on/off" and top is "menue". A press of the latter results in confusion. Samsung could have designed a better set of controls - or meybe I am just a bit thick! I am 71 years old and don't intend to waste enormous amounts of time on such a ridiculous adjustment/control system. I just put it on auto adjustment (2nd button up) and left it at that.

There are no add-ons such as USB ports or speakers. Samsung seems to have concentrated on getting what must rate as one of the best screens at the price. The blue on/off light at the bottom is not intrusive and the screen does not need to be turned much for family members to see photos from behind me - it has good angle of view from the side and certainly clearer than the others tested. Whilest it is light for its size it does wobble on its' stand. However the stand goes well with its' glossy black good looks and with a set of T10 speakers is very aesthetically pleasing for a house study.

One probably needs a better graphics card than I have (GForce 5500) to get the best out of it. Despite this it is a "stunner" both in looks and performance,and for simple purposes of photo editing and basic home usage one couldn't find better.

I already use a 23" sony monitor with the same resolution at work so I was genuinely surprised at just how much (apparent) desk space you get from the extra inch on this monitor.

Usability is definitely a combination of size AND resolution and for me the combination of 1920*1200 at 24" seems just about perfect and noticeably clearer than the same resolution at 23" (though obviously that is a very personal thing). In use, it's just excellent with loads of room for applications, menus and tools.

Out of the box the initial brightness & contrast were both set way to high, but that was easily fixed and the menu is pretty easy to navigate and seems comprehensive.

I found the calibration software that came with the monitor to be pretty poor, and in the end I've uninstalled everything that came with the monitor except the driver. I think profiling the monitor to get the best out of the colours will have to wait until I get a hardware monitor profiler (although it looks pretty good for now).

Online opinion suggests that the stand is difficult to fit, but (although it did take a bit more welly than it ideally should) it was really just a matter of setting the stand on a firm surface, getting a really good grip on the monitor (leave the screen protecting film on and don't be afraid to hug) and pushing the monitor down onto the stand firmly (at the end at least you'll know the stand is stronger than it looks).

All in all, it looks lovely, its very usable, its fantastic for games and for about £200 its an excellent price.
(Also someone else bought it for me (thanks :o)