Samsung Syncmaster 181T 18.1 inch TFT LCD Display
The Syncmaster 181T in its black and silver housing is something quite different for an LCD, and much better looking than most. The secret is as simple as an almost non-existant front bezel which measures just 18mm wide.
Immediately, thoughts around the lab turned to
pairing up six of these 'little' 18.1" TFT LCD's into a giant 27" x 47" mosaic
of LCD goodness. Of course to do this we'd have to scrape up a few grand and
find a graphics card capable of outputting a 3840x2048 resolution image over six
display's. It's a weekend project really. ;)
Like the 181B, the 181T features an integrated powersupply. This time around the display actually has a rear power switch - this is something we haven't seen before on an LCD display. In addition to the powercord and analog video input is a DVI port, good for those of you who have yet to make the transition to digital video signals.
With the 181T connected via the Digital DVI
connector it is almost impossible for the display to be misconfigured, making
the "auto adjust" no longer necessary. The dual inputs allow the 181T to be
connected to two computers simultaneously, and switched between the two inputs
with just the touch of a button. There is no PIP, or split screen
however.
There is a plastic lazy susan in the base of the stand but there is far too much friction for it to work properly, so the whole stand moves instead. The stand in use on the 181T comes with one or two inches of vertical travel, and nifty tilt hinge so the entire display can be rotated 90 degrees.
The 181T uses a 18.1" a-si active matrix TFT 1280x1024 resolution LCD screen for
viewing comparable to that of a 19" CRT display. The TFT panel is capable of displaying 16.7 Million colors, and features a 0.281mm dot pitch, contrast ratio of 450:1, brightness of 250 cd/m2, pixel response time of about 25ms and very wide viewing angles of 85/85/85/85.
| Samsung SyncMaster 181T Display: |
|
|
|
| Screen Size: |
18.1" Diagonal |
| Resolution: |
1280x1024 pixel |
| Pixel Pitch: |
0.281" |
| Luminosity: |
250cd/m2 |
| Contrast Ratio: |
450:1 |
| Viewable Angle: |
85/85/85/85 |
| Pixel Response: |
~25ms |
| Power Draw: |
40W |
|
|
| Approx. Retail Price: |
$1100 USD |
| Manufacturer: |
Samsung | | Inputs: 15-pin Analog VGA |
|
| 18.1" LCD Display
Comparisons |
| Display |
pixel pitch |
luminance |
contrast |
viewing angle |
screen size |
max resolution |
price range |
| Hitachi CML181SXW |
0.280 mm |
235 cd/m2 |
350:1 |
85/85/85/85 |
18.1" |
1280 x 1024 |
$900 |
| Samsung 181T |
0.281 mm |
250 cd/m2 |
450:1 |
85/85/85/85 |
18.1" |
1280 x 1024 |
$1100 |
| Samsung 181B |
0.281 mm |
250 cd/m2 |
400:1 |
80/80/80/80 |
18.1" |
1280 x 1024 |
$1200 (est.) |
| Samsung
180T |
0.280 mm |
220 cd/m2 |
350:1 |
80/80/80/80 |
18.1" |
1280 x 1024 | $1600 |
| Samsung
800TFT |
0.2805 mm |
170 cd/m2 |
220:1 |
80/80/80/80 |
18.1" |
1280 x 1024 | $2500 |
|
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up/down/left/right |
| |
(USD) |
The 181T will connect to host computer
via either a DVI or Analog cable and as such really seems targeted to the
higher end markets, or corporate image makers. The slim bezel and unobtrusive
logo would make this a good LCD for sales displays or other
locations along those lines. On the other hand, users looking
for a low footprint display with paired down appearance should also find the 181T quite attractive. The stand also
incorporates spaced for a rear mounted, and optional USB Hub.
Wall mounting is possible with the 181T, and unlike other displays we have looked at
in the past, a small grouping of 181T's would look really good on a wall. The screen features 100mm VESA
mounts. The display ships with tilt software, power cord, analog and digital video cables and a
CDROM full of instructions.
Up next we take a closer look at the display, and its
tilting feature for portrait viewing.
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