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Samsung uses monitors to achieve device harmony

Samsung's new monitor series allows you to connect your laptop, smartphone, and tablet, and control them from a giant 27-inch screen.

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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.
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Eric Franklin
3 min read
Sleeker and even sexier than its predecessor, the TA950 from 2011, the new TB750 HDTV monitor is a thing of beauty. That much is obvious, even with only half the monitor showing. The slideshow below reveals the rest. Samsung

Your mobile device screens aren't large enough! At least, that's what Samsung thinks. On Wednesday it announced three new lines of monitors, which wirelessly connect to both your tablet and smartphone and allows you to control them from the displays' 27-inch screens.

A smarter, less 'Central'-ized station?
In 2011 Samsung introduced Central Station, its wireless monitor docking station for laptops. Given the novelty of the tech, I couldn't help but be impressed with it, but definitely saw room for improvement. Compatibility with tablets and smartphones however, wasn't exactly what I had in mind. But, maybe that's why I'm not the multibillion dollar corporation.

As with Central Station, placing a laptop equipped with the included wireless USB adapter within 5 feet of the Smart Station immediately syncs the computer with your connected desktop peripherals, like your keyboard and mouse. It also retains the two USB 3.0 ports and a single USB 2.0 port from Central Station.

Samsung also adds compatibility with Mobile High Definition Link (MHL)-compatible smartphones and tablets and allows users to use their desktop keyboard and mouse to navigate the device's interfaces on a 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution, 27-inch screen.

Also, judging from the viewing angle spec below, it looks like Samsung has upgraded the screen from a twisted nematic (TN) panel; however, Samsung hasn't yet revealed which panel type Smart Station houses.

Look for Smart Station in March with prices starting at $549.

Here's a quick spec run through for those into that sort of thing.

  • Screen size: 27-inch
  • Resolution: 1,920x1,080
  • Brightness: 300 cd/m2
  • Static contrast ratio: 5,000:1
  • Viewing angle: 178/178 degrees
  • Built-in speakers
  • HDMI input
  • USB LAN
  • 3 USB ports: 2 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0

A new design for an already well-designed monitor
One of the best-looking monitor designs from 2011 was the Samsung TA950 series with its incredibly sleek and sexy metallic aesthetic. The new TB750 series alters that design a bit and judging from the pics, looks ever sleeker and sexier than last year's model.

Like Smart Station, the TB750 also includes MHL support, which allows compatible tablets and smartphones to use it as a display. In addition, the monitor makes use of Intel's wireless display (WiDi) technology, which allows you to stream video and audio wirelessly to the monitor.

The TB750 sports an HDTV tuner and Samsung's SmartHub software, which allows apps like Netflix, Facebook, and Twitter, to run on the monitor, independent of a connected computer or mobile device.

The TB750 will be available in March starting at $599.

Begin the spec roll...

  • Screen size: 27-inch
  • Resolution: 1,920x1,080
  • Brightness: 300 cd/m2
  • Static contrast ratio: 1,000:1
  • Viewing angle: 170/160 degrees
  • Built-in speakers
  • HDMI input
  • Wireless LAN
  • 3 USB ports: 2 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0

PLS (finally) comes to a second monitor
Samsung's PLS panel technology debuted on the SA850 last year to impressive results.

We've been waiting for Samsung to share the wealth a bit with the panel tech, and it looks like it soon will. The SB970 series is the first monitor since the SA850 to utilize the impressive panel technology and also makes use of Samsung's exclusive Natural Color Expert technology. Samsung states that this includes "hardware color calibrations within the monitor to ensure there is no displayable loss of tonalities on screen".

Like the SA850, the 27-inch monitor also sports an impressively high resolution of 2,560x1,440 pixels. The monitor allows for a 4-inch height adjustment and tilt, but it's unclear whether swivel or pivot are provided.

The circular aluminum base includes a USB hub, and video connections including DisplayPort, DVI, and HDMI. And in keeping with the theme of this blog, MHL support connects your compatible tablets and smartphones.

The SB970 arrives in March, with prices starting at $1199.99.

  • Screen size: 27-inch
  • Resolution: 2,560x1,440
  • Brightness: 300 cd/m2
  • Static contrast ratio: 1,000:1
  • Viewing angle: 178/178 degrees
  • Built-in speakers
  • HDMI, DVI, and DisplayPort inputs
  • Wireless LAN
  • 3 USB ports: 2 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0

I hope to get to see all three of these monitor series at CES next week, so look for updated impressions in the not too distant future.

New Samsung monitors epitomize beautiful design (photos)

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