Let's face it, a monitor is one of the most important components in a
computer system; after all, it is the one device which allows you to see what's going on.
Being able to properly configure, adjust, and set up a display is not
something to be overlooked.
Given
that the bezel of the Samsung 172X is just under 11mm thick, there isn't all
that much room to place buttons or power controls. The designers got around this
by placing the seven controls on the bottom edge of the display - with two
little rubber feet to prevent the keys from coming in contact with the
stand.
In
addition to the all important "auto adjust" key (a lifesaver if you use the
analog video cable to hook up an LCD monitor) we find the Exit, Menu, Power,
Brightness (+ and -) and MagicBright keys. A small indicator LED rests dead
center to let you know if the display is in power save mode, or powered up.
Looking at the 172X display head on, you'll notice that
neither the Samsung logo, or control panel is distracting from the display's
screen. I consider this a really important point, especially when you compare
the Samsung 172X to a lower-end LCD monitor. Often on lower-end displays, more
emphasis is placed on marketing the brand, or brightly labeled control panel
than is put into the fact that such distractions can compromise the user
experience.
This may not seem like much of an issue in the face of
12ms pixel response times, or 500:1 contrast levels, but it indicates a level of
forethought that is often omitted. Plus, if you spend as much time as I do in
front of a monitor, you'll also learn to appreciate the lack of distractions on
the bezel. :-)
The rear of the 172X is metallic-silver painted
plastic, but you'd be forgiven for thinking it was magnesium alloy. All in all,
the Samsung 172X is a very stylish, and pleasant LCD monitor to use. The design
and functionality of the display mark the solid engineering that Samsung is
quickly becoming known for in the LCD markets. And as a bonus - not a dead or
broken pixel in sight!
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