Samsung Syncmaster T240HD

Samsung’s Syncmaster series emphasizes straightforward plug-and-play HD media capability. The Samsung Syncmaster T240HD is slightly undersized if you want it to double as an HDTV, but for getting up close and personal with games, media editing, or detail intensive graphic work it’s a perfect fit. If HD media is not your priority, we recently reviewed the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD’s little SD brother, the Samsung Syncmaster T220. Both are capable, easy-to-use displays.

Standout Features

• 24-inch viewing space
• Onboard TV tuner
• 1920 x 1200 resolution
• HDMI, DVI, VGA and coax cable uplinks
• Full size remote control

Features

Most displays and computer components these days go for a minimalist futurism in the style department. The Samsung Syncmaster T240HD has a look that is almost reminiscent of furniture. Who says a computer monitor can’t blend with the color scheme and look of a more traditional office or living space? The Samsung Syncmaster T240HD proves that a monitor doesn’t have to contrast wildly with the rest of one’s decor. The thin red-black bezel of the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD is accented by a tasteful dark maroon stripe along its bottom. In contrast to Dell’s monitors, which usually feature leggy stands more appropriate to sci-fi spaceships, the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD has a smooth circular base. Its row of buttons is discreetly tucked away on the side so as to not interrupt the uniform appearance of the bezel. The Samsung Syncmaster T240HD is a handsome alternative to more techie-looking displays.

In terms of brightness and image quality, the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD brings an impressive list of tech specs. 1920 x 1200 resolution, a 5ms response time, 300 candela brightness, and a 1000:1 – 10,000 dynamic contrast ratio explain some of the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD $450 price tag. DVDs and Blu-rays are rendered fabulously, but sadly, despite the solid specs, the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD doesn’t pump out very rich colors or blacks in video games.

Other monitors will offer some better contrast and truer color, but the fact that the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD does so much more than your average monitor makes it appealing despite its minor failings. With a remote control, HDMI, VGA and coax cable uplinks, the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD doesn’t just double as a television, it is a television. For those with a PC as the nerve center of their entertainment lives, the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD, quite appropriately, is remarkably easy to synchronize with a TV, DVR, Blu-ray player, or any other means of input.

Summary of Reviews from Across the Internet

Samsung TV owners find the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD easy to use. That’s because the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD features the same menu interface and remote control as Samsung HDTV sets.

Gamers find the color quality on the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD to falter when compared to Dell’s 24-inch UltraSharp 2408WFP.

Summary

Ease of setup, superior usability, and full TV functionality make the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD ideal for the modern HD media enthusiast. Simple gamers or office users could forgo the luxurious extras on the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD for a cheaper monitor and still walk away satisfied, but the true HD fan will find the Syncmaster indispensable.

How does the Samsung Syncmaster T240HD stack up to other leading monitors? Take a look at our side-by-side comparisons and reviews for an idea.

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