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The first thing I noticed about the monitor was the size, with dimensions of 468x492x483.2 mm, the 900IFT isn't a small monitor and I had to rearrange the test bench a bit so the 900IFT would fit.
85% Rating:
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Samsung 900IFT |
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How the 900IFT performed
PCstats CRT Display Evaluation
Criteria: |
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To aid our evaluation of Cathode Ray Tube
based displays we work with a program called Nokia
Monitor Test. The software has been designed specifically to help with
the proper configuration of any display, but also has the added benefit of
illustrating deficiencies in the quality of image being presented.
While glaringly obvious problems would be
immediately obvious to anyone looking at a simple page of text, the
monitor test program stresses the display to the 'limit'. By doing this we
can see exactly where the strengths and weaknesses of a particular display
lie.
The program consists of twelve multi-screen
tests, each designed to test one particular facet of a displays
qualities. An example from each of the test-screen is shown below.
Note: We let the monitor warm up for at least 30 minutes
before attempting to perform our visual tests on the quality of the
picture display. This gives the CRT time to reach optimal operating
conditions.
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Display Test System
Configuration: |
Video Card: |
ATI Radeon 8500 |
Operating System: |
MS Windows 2000 |
Display Settings: |
Color Temp: 6500 Kelvin Resolution: 1600x1200
pixels Frequency: 75Hz Colour: 32
Bit
(warmed up 30min before test) | |
Display Resolutions: |
Recommended
Mode |
1280 x 1024 /
85Hz |
Supportable
Refresh Rate |
Max 1600x1200
/ 64Hz |
VESA |
1600 x 1200 /
65, 70, 75Hz (76Hz max) 1280 x 1024 / 60, 75, 85Hz (89Hz
max) 1024 x 768 / 87i, 60, 70, 75, 85Hz (119Hz max) 800 x 600
/ 56, 60, 72, 75, 85Hz (152Hz max) 640 x 480 / 72, 75, 85Hz
(160Hz max) |
IBM |
VGA3
Mode |
Macintosh |
1280 x 1024 /
75Hz 1152 x 870 / 75Hz 1024 x 768 / 60, 75Hz 640 x 480 /
60, 67Hz |
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CRT Display Test |
Overall |
Test Notes and Observations |
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Geometry: |
Pass |
Very good geometry for a CRT, test grids remain square throughout center of screen
and only skew very slightly at upper left corner. The amount
of skew is almost unnoticeable however.
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Brightness and Contrast: |
Pass |
Good contrast from 1%-9% whiteness. White
test at 100% is nice and bright. Small white cube tests
illustrate no ghosting although the boxes at the outer edges show some loss of
convergence.
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HV Test: |
Pass |
Vertical trace line stability in three bar test is
excellent, horizontal line remains completely stationary.
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Colour: |
Pass |
The white test screen is bright and very
consistent over the full screen area. Both blue and green are very vibrant
and bright. Red seems to be a bit washed out.
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Convergence: |
Satisfactory |
White test grid illustrates some loss of convergence
at the far corners. Yellow and and aqua show up very sharp, and
purple illustrates a large loss of convergence around the outside of the display
screen relative to the white pattern. RGB test pattern displays very well.
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Focus: |
Satisfactory |
Grey areas how some Moire lines and edge patterns are not quite as
clear as center area.
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Resolution: |
Pass |
Resolution is good for the most part, but monitor seems to have some challenges display the
1pixel test stripes - moire lines begin to show.
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Moire: |
Pass |
Good, again some moire lines show up
on the grey screens.
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Readability: |
Satisfactory |
For a flat face monitor I would have hoped to
have seen sharper text at the outer edges of the screen. Where the
glass gets thicker there is some loss of text sharpness in the display.
This occurs at about 1" from the outside of the display, and compared
to our reference ADI Microscan E66 the Samsung is not as good.
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Final Evaluation
Notes & Conclusions
Compared to the LCD monitors we've been seeing in the
lab in recent months, working with a CRT again is a bit lie going back in time.
A good CRT still has a few benefits over that of an LCD (namely the
number of colours it can represent), and the 900IFT is a good monitor
overall. With a retail price of $520 CDN ($350 US), the SyncMaster 900IFT
is competitively priced against other 19" monitors in it's class.
With an 18" viewable size, the SyncMaster 900IFT gives its user lots of real estate
and the ability to do 75 Hz at 1600x1200, it shouldn't give you headaches
when starring at it for prolong periods of time. The text on the 900IFT
is very good up to 1280x1024, at 1600x1200 the words seem a little blurry anywhere
on the monitor. The OSD and controls on the monitor are easy to use, unlike
some of the other monitors we have had here in the labs.
Overall I
was pretty pleased with the Samsung SyncMaster 900IFT, it offers quite a bit of screen size for
a very attractive price. Yes it's not a true flat monitor, but you're not going
to notice it unless you stare at the corners of your
screen.
Related Articles:
Here are a few other articles that you might enjoy
as well...
1. Hitachi CM810 21 inch CRT Monitor Review 2. Samsung F.A.
Porsche Design 171P LCD Display 3. Samsung SyncMaster
170T TFT Display 4. ADI Microscan E66
19” Monitor Review 5. ATI Radeon 8500
Videocard Review
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