X

Samsung SyncMaster S27A850D review: Are we impressed by its new panel tech?

Samsung's new PLS panel tech makes its monitor debut.

Eric Franklin Former Editorial Director
Eric Franklin led the CNET Tech team as Editorial Director. A 20-plus-year industry veteran, Eric began his tech journey testing computers in the CNET Labs. When not at work he can usually be found at the gym, chauffeuring his kids around town, or absorbing every motivational book he can get his hands on.
Expertise Graphics and display technology Credentials
  • Once wrote 50 articles in one month.
See full bio
Eric Franklin
The S27A850D's substance is as appealing as its style. Josh Miller/CNET

For those of us without disposable incomes, spending more than a couple hundred dollars on a monitor requires a little justification. When it comes to expensive monitors, there's usually a professional justification, as pro graphics artists require precise image clarity and the more expensive monitors are more likely to be suited to the task.

The S27A850D is decently priced for a professional monitor of its size. It's also the first full-size display to use Samsung's Plane Line Switching (PLS) panel tech, which offers brighter screens at a lower cost of power. The level of performance is about on par with a high-end In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel like what the Dell UltraSharp U2711 houses.

But does the S27A850D offer enough in performance and features to really make it a good investment?

Check out the full review to find out.

More reviews can be easily accessed from the monitor hub.