Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM
Size: 24″ Wide
Aspect Ratio: 16:10
Pixel Format: 1920 x 1200
Contrast Ratio: 1000:1, 10000:1 (dynamic)
Response Time: 5ms (Gray-to-Gray: GTG)
Brightness: 400 cd/m2
Viewing Angle: 160/160
Input: HDMI, VGA, DVI
Other: 4-way adjustable stand (height, swivel, tilt, pivot), speaker, 3-year warranty.
Price: $599
Samsung Electronics America, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Corporation, showcased its SyncMaster 2493HM 24″ LCD monitor and its slightly larger sibling, the 25.5″ SyncMaster 2693HM at Macworld.
Just a quick comment on the 25.5″ monitor: couldn’t they simply make it 26″? The model name suggests that the monitor is 26″ but in fact it is 25.5″. This might be confusing to the customer.
Unlike the slim LCD TVs that I saw at CES, most 24″ LCD monitors continue to be rather chunky. The 2493HM is no exception. (The Samsung link below will take you to the 2493HM page where you can view the monitor at different angles.) I am willing to guess that this 24″ is thicker than some 42″ LCD TVs that I saw. Why is that?
The design is plain, which is nice. It doesn’t provoke a “Wow!” reaction. One of the best designs I have seen (aside from Apple’s Cinema Displays) are monitors from HP. But I digress. The 2493HM has a feature that did wow me and that’s the dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000:1. That is very very good. I am not completely sure how this is achieved, but from the looks of it, the CCFL-based backlights are being modulated to be in sync, in terms of brightness, with the video that is being displayed.
The HDMI input might be nice but, with just one, is simply not enough. If you bought this as your main display for your PC, then you’ll be making use of that HDMI port (with a HDMI-to-DVI cable). If you want to connect your PlayStation 3, you’ll either need to disconnect your PC or get a HDMI hub, an additional cost.
(Update 2008.03.16) A comment came in saying that the 2493HM has both VGA and DVI ports in addition to HDMI, so I checked it out on Samsung’s site. And yes, the 2493HM has all three connectors. So you can use it for your PS3, PC and then some. Thanks for the comment!
Pay close attention to the viewing angle. It is just 160/160. What that tells me is that this monitor uses a TN panel, an inferior technology to Patterned Vertical Alignment (PVA) that Samsung uses for its more advanced models. I don’t particularly like spending $600 for a TN display and I recommend you don’t either.
All in all, this seems to be a OK display with ho-hum looks and general features with just one great feature: its dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000:1.
[tags]Samsung, 24″, LCD Monitor, 1920 x 1200, HDMI, Dynamic Contrast[/tags]
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Actually this monitor has hdmi, dvi, and dsub connectors, so you probably won’t be using the HDMI port for your PC.
Thanks for the comment! I’ve updated the post to reflect what you wrote. Thanks!
Is the monitor HDCP through the DVI port? I have an LG burner that won’t play blu-ray or HD-DVD through my current Viewsonic monitor because it isn’t HDCP.
@ jenroth
Sorry, I am not sure if the HDCP is through the DVI port or the HDMI port. There is an excellent review of the 2493HM at Overclocker’s Online (http://www.overclockersonline.net/?page=articles&num=1631), but they don’t mention if HDCP is implemented on the DVI or HDMI port. I did find something that might suggest that HDCP is via the HDMI port here at ITP.net (http://www.itp.net/reviews/details.php?id=3275).
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