Took the plunge at last.

pieman109 · 13 Feb 2006 at 15:26

As title. Just ordered meself a Samsung SM-913N to replace me Hitachi 17" which has performed fine for about three years now. Its taken months to decide which one to go for, and I've made me choice on the basis of reviews here, so if it's pants, its all your fault and I want a refund!

Baddass · 13 Feb 2006 at 15:38

hope you enjoy it mate. Be sure to get us some comparative comments when you've had chance to play with it

DDave · 13 Feb 2006 at 15:40

Have been looking at one of them myself to replace my Hercules Prophetview 920 Pro DVI (geez thats a long name!). Theres nothing wrong with my current monitor at all except that it's black and I want a silver one to match the rest of my setup.

pieman109 · 13 Feb 2006 at 15:52

Baddass said:
hope you enjoy it mate. Be sure to get us some comparative comments when you've had chance to play with it

The Hitachi has given stirling service over the time I've had it and the only reason its being replaced is I fancy something bigger. I was considering a widescreen (me kids choice) but I plumped for one of these 'cos of the favourable comments.
One query, as it only has analogue input, does it "auto" set itself when first switched on? I ask this 'cos I really don't want to have to sit in front of it fiddling and tweaking it to get it to look good. The Hitachi has an auto set button which is like a one touch jobbie that sets the screen up.

ACPCUP · 13 Feb 2006 at 16:00

That is the only thing that put me off the Samsung is the fact that it only has VGA and no DVI.

pieman109 · 13 Feb 2006 at 16:49

ACPCUP said:
That is the only thing that put me off the Samsung is the fact that it only has VGA and no DVI.

Apparently, as baddass has stated, the picture quality via VGA on the samsung is so good it rivals the DVI picture on other screens. WhenI get it I'll post back here and let ppl know my opinions.

ACPCUP · 13 Feb 2006 at 17:38

Yea, you are right mate. Just that my Graphics card has DVI and VGA so i would rather a DVI TFT. If it wasn't for this fact, i would get the Samsung. Let us know what you think of it mate. Cheers

pieman109 · 15 Feb 2006 at 19:40

Ok, it arrived today, got it connected and turned it on. very first problem:

Slightly over bright, turning that down a bit in CCC cured that.

Thats all the probs!

Colours seem more vivid than me old hitachi, but not by a lot I'd say. The big advantage from my point of view is because it runs 1280 x 1024, the same as me old 17" screen, with this being 19", script is BIGGER so for someone that needs glasses for close in work/reading, this monitor is perfect! Everything is easier to read.

WRT the analogue input and comparing it to the hitachi's DVI, I can't tell the difference, they look the same....ish. there are very slight differences in tone/contrast,etc , but certainly one is not better or worse than the other.
the wallpaper on me desktop looks more vivid and clearer too. I'm gonna try some shooter and see how it fares.

when playing games, what can I say, excellent. No ghosting, vivid colours (again), blacks are very black as it were, a lot less backlight bleed than me old hitachi only noticeable when the room lights are off btw.
Games are so much more immersive and look more detailled probably 'cos the screen is bigger and I'm noticing more.

Very impressed with this screen. Highly recommended and considering the price you can't go wrong.

Baddass · 15 Feb 2006 at 20:41

excellent to hear, sounds like it lives up to everything you were hoping for, good size, more immersion in games, improved black depth, comparable image calirty to DVI on other monitors, good colour reproduction, good gaming performance.....

glad you like it, dont forget some pics sometime

pieman109 · 15 Feb 2006 at 21:00

I've got it looking even better for my eyes now by turning up the contrast and turning down the brightness using the ati CCC. Is this the correct method or should I use the screen options?

Sandmaster500 · 15 Feb 2006 at 21:26

Don't know if you know or not:

Press the 2nd button along and this has 3 preset brightness' and another custom one (defined using the 3rd button along).

Had mine over a month now. At first even on very low brighness it felt bright, not i have it on "entertain" (the brightest mode) mode all the time and it doesn't feel too bright for me. I am also ver pleased with this monitor. Saw it for £180 the other day = me SO tempted to buy a 2nd.

Let me know if you have any tips, haven't really tryed to optimise mine much yet really (using a 7800GT btw).

Apatche64 · 15 Feb 2006 at 21:51

i downgraded from a dell 2005 to this and i'm not impressed, think the dell spoiled me!!!

the text doesn't look that good to me tbh, it's good in games, but the dell beats it on everything, looks kinda washed out, hate the way you have to adjust it yourself.

pieman109 · 15 Feb 2006 at 22:14

What was the difference in cost mate, about £200? I think considering the price for the samsung the performance is fine. You're gonna be running a higher res on the dell for start which will make the text look sharper from the off I'd have thought.

Apatche64 · 15 Feb 2006 at 22:25

mate it's not a higher res just a wider one

wasn't slagging your purchase off, just saying i couldn't live with it.... it's not £200 cheaper btw because i get the dell for £250, refurbished though, but definatly worth the extra £70

pieman109 · 15 Feb 2006 at 22:31

Apatche64 said:
mate it's not a higher res just a wider one wasn't slagging your purchase off, just saying i couldn't live with it.... it's not £200 cheaper btw because i get the dell for £250, refurbished though, but definatly worth the extra £70

No offence at all taken mate .WRT the Dell thats a very good deal I'd have thought. Sort of thing I'd have gone for meself actually had I have known about it. Incidentally what res were you set at in desktop?

Apatche64 · 15 Feb 2006 at 23:46

with the samsung, 1280 x 1024 ... do you think i got a duff sm 913n... or spoiled by dell. ? text really isn't as good , and colours although contrasty aren't as nice.

dell res is 1680 x 1050

what setting have you got it on?

pieman109 · 16 Feb 2006 at 00:08

I'm running 1280 x 1024 which is the highest res I can go to. The Dell is 1680 x 1050 so obviously text is gonna "crisper". The dell is the better monitor, thats for sure.

Apatche64 · 16 Feb 2006 at 00:12

it's the same res but wider mate,

what setting have you got it at in brightness etc? any colour software running?

a lot of people have said this is a cracking moniotr, but i think if i'd just gone from my q17 to this i would be happy , but the dell has crashed the party.

oh well.

pieman109 · 16 Feb 2006 at 00:12

Sandmaster500 said:
Don't know if you know or not:

Press the 2nd button along and this has 3 preset brightness' and another custom one (defined using the 3rd button along).

Had mine over a month now. At first even on very low brighness it felt bright, not i have it on "entertain" (the brightest mode) mode all the time and it doesn't feel too bright for me. I am also ver pleased with this monitor. Saw it for £180 the other day = me SO tempted to buy a 2nd.

Let me know if you have any tips, haven't really tryed to optimise mine much yet really (using a 7800GT btw).

One thing I have found is the "gamma" settings, gives you a choice of three options and they all have a nice effect, I'm using "mode 1" atm and see how I get on with that. Also "colour tone", warm, cold and normal.
Brightness and contrast I've left at default, (80 and 80) I think and I'm using the preset option atm to find the optimum setting for me.

Apatche64 · 16 Feb 2006 at 00:15

right i'm the same, doh . think it's either a duff monitor or the dell is too much better. either way i think it's going back.