• Review: Samsung SyncMaster S23A300B

    Review: Samsung SyncMaster S23A300B

    Jayesh Limaye, Aug 03, 2011 0958 hrs IST

    Superb quality, good pricing.

    Good design and build; Almost no ghosting; Power saving; Semi-matte screen finish; Good pricing

    No HDMI input; Only tilt adjustment available; External power adapter

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Samsung SyncMaster S23A300B
MRP: Rs 11,000
Street price: Rs 10,800

Large screen monitors have never been as affordable as they are today, and the prices are dipping lower. LCD monitors with LED backlighting are quickly replacing the ones with CCFL lighting, because they are supposed to be more energy-efficient and are brighter. Samsung's SA300 series of Full HD TN panel based monitors come in 23", 24" and 27" screen sizes. We have reviewed the SyncMaster S23A300B, which is the 23" version.


Bundle

Samsung SyncMaster SA300
D-sub to D-sub cable
Power adapter
Monitor stand
Stand connector
Installation manual
Product warranty
CD with manual and drivers

As is usually the case, the stand has been provided separately and needs to be attached before you can start using the monitor. Attachment to the monitor is by means of a single thumb screw and is easy. There is an external power adapter, which is inconvenient. A D-sub cable has been provided, we would have preferred a DVI cable because most video cards support this newer digital standard.


Design And Features

The S23A300B is a handsome monitor with an all-black body. The bezel is of a thickness less than a centimetre and a half, and makes the screen appear larger and aesthetically pleasing. The bezel and the stand have a piano-black finish prone to gathering fingerprints and dust impressions. Although we were a bit sceptical about the durability of the stylish curved stand, it is quite sturdy as is the rest of the monitor. The stand allows only tilt adjustment up to 20 degrees backward. There are four rubber feet below the oval stand base to keep the monitor grounded in one place. However, since it is quite light, the monitor may shift position if the table is moved or if you have subwoofers with powerful bass, placed on or under the monitor.


Review: Samsung SyncMaster S23A300B


Samsung SyncMaster S23A300B.


To appreciate how flat this monitor really is, you have to look at it sideways. The space saving is evident and the space occupied by the stand base is not too much to worry about either.


Review: Samsung SyncMaster S23A300B


A monitor can't get slimmer than this.


The back of the monitor has a wood-like wavy pattern. A plain matte finish could have been better as this one is surely going to gather dust and cobwebs if not cleaned regularly. A Kensington slot is present on one side.


Review: Samsung SyncMaster S23A300B


Wood-like pattern on the back can gather cobwebs if not cleaned regularly.


The ports are located at the back, just above where the stand's hinge connects to the monitor. This monitor comes with only D-sub and DVI ports. Samsung has not included the increasingly popular HDMI port. There are no speakers or USB hub on this monitor either, thereby restricting its use strictly to a display device.


Review: Samsung SyncMaster S23A300B


Only D-sub and DVI ports are available.

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Discussion Board
(13) Comments
jay
,ssf, on Dec 25, 2011 09:41 AM
is there a way to put that monitor on a dual stand??i have 2 of the same ones but i noticed they have no holes in the back
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sunil
,Mumbai, on Aug 03, 2011 10:14 AM
what abt the pannel ? what diff does DVI port mamkes over HDMI when we are not talking audio which is better port .
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Jayesh
, TechTree, on Aug 03, 2011 10:50 AM
It has already been mentioned that this is a TN panel monitor. You will find practically no difference in quality between HDMI and DVI because both carry the same digital TMDS video signal. HDMI is currently the default interface on Blu-ray and media players, and hence it is preferable if you want to connect a monitor to such a player. This does not really make much of a difference as far as PC connectivity is concerned as D-sub and DVI are the standard ports in this case.
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yashodhan
,surat, on Aug 03, 2011 05:14 PM
in simple words HDMI=DVI+audio(5.1) and nothing else.
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Sakthi Periyasa
,Chennai, on Aug 05, 2011 10:17 PM
Samsung Syncmaster S23A300B - 23 inch monitor may have some good features BUT compared with my T220 I found it to be suffering with green/yellow color tint and the images are not that sharp and crisp as T220. Also there is visible ghosting when I played fast action movies. Probably IF you are upgrading from a lower standard montior THEN this model might satisfy you otherwise IF you already have a high end quality monitor like the T220 then you will be disappointed with the image "color quality" and ghosting in fast action images.
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Ankit
,Mumbai, on Aug 06, 2011 02:47 PM
Why would anyone want to downgrade from a high end monitor to a mainstream monitor? Has the recession hit you so bad?
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steve lederer
,san ramon, ca, on Nov 24, 2011 11:32 PM
Is there a trick to tilting the screen backwards?
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Bharat
,Chennai, on Aug 03, 2011 04:46 PM
Acer S231HL or Samsung LS23A300B or LG E2360V or Dell ST2320L or Benq G2420HD (CCFL). Which one is good performance wise? Should have deep blacks, maximum brightness @100% (cd/m2) and good contrast ratio.
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Jayesh
, TechTree, on Aug 04, 2011 02:12 PM
Since we have not yet reviewed these monitors, it would not be fair to make a recommendation based solely on features. You can try searching the web for reviews of these products on other websites.
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varun padhye
,mumbai, on Aug 04, 2011 03:57 PM
i have the Dell ST2320L..all i can say that it is a very good monitor with excellent contrast and colours.. one problem though while viewing a pure black image the screen on the edge is a bit dim.. dnt kno why put other than that it is a very good buy.
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Syed Atif
,New Delhi, on Aug 04, 2011 09:24 AM
Any idea how much the 27" version costs?
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Jayesh
, TechTree, on Aug 04, 2011 02:25 PM
The MRP of the S27A550H on Samsung's website is Rs 20,500, but you should be able to get it for less than 20k if you look around.
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Sachin
,Goa, on Aug 03, 2011 11:11 AM
There is 22inch model with exact same specification for 9k which is even better value for money.
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