Samsung SyncMaster 900 review: Samsung SyncMaster 900

Recently, Samsung has become more competitive in its pricing, resulting in more budget-priced Samsung monitors offering high-end features and performance. The SyncMaster 900NF earned an Editors' Choice principally because of its strong display quality, excellent support for higher resolutions, and well-designed onscreen menu system, but it had many other good attributes as well. Recently, Samsung has become more competitive in its pricing, resulting in more budget-priced Samsung monitors offering high-end features and performance. The SyncMaster 900NF earned an Editors' Choice principally because of its strong display quality, excellent support for higher resolutions, and well-designed onscreen menu system, but it had many other good attributes as well.

A High-Res Flier
The $439 SyncMaster 900NF supports a maximum resolution of 2,048 by 1,536, though the low 69-Hz refresh rate at that resolution would be hard on many users for any extended period of time. While it scored well on CNET Labs' tests at 1,280 by 1,024, we found the recommended mode--1,600 by 1,200 resolution at 85 Hz--to be the more practical setting. At 1,600 by 1,200, the focus was well above average and the colors were uniform and fully saturated. Black-on-white text and white-on-black text were easily readable, even at 6.8-point type. Our grayscale charts showed even and distinct grays. And the 900NF experienced no halo, pincushion, crosshatch, or screen-regulation problems. We did encounter some moiré patterns at higher resolutions but were able to remove them using the onscreen controls.

The monitor uses a flat Mitsubishi DiamondTron aperture grille tube with a .25 mm horizontal stripe pitch. While all 19-inch CRTs are unavoidably bulky, the Samsung's depth of 19.4 inches is larger than that of the Cornerstone p1450 or the KDS Avitron AV-195TF. However, the cabinet is tapered in the back and appears to be well ventilated.

A Flock of Features
The SyncMaster 900NF has numerous useful features. In addition to the standard VGA connector, the display has a set of five BNC video-input connectors. The user controls for the onscreen menu system are located behind a hidden panel. Seven buttons access a full group of settings, including three custom-color temperature settings and a control that can fine-tune the focus for a specific area of the screen. And three seconds after making an onscreen adjustment, the monitor automatically saves the changes for you. The 900NF has a three-year warranty that includes a one-year replacement policy. An optional $35 USB hub kit lets you add four powered-USB ports to the base of the monitor.

With its solid performance at 1,600 by 1,200 resolution and its combination of useful features, the Samsung SyncMaster 900NF would be a worthy addition to almost any desktop.