Samsung 2263UW LCD Monitor
Jul 10th, 2008 | By Anthony
Samsung 2263UW LCD Monitor
Date
: 07/10/08 – 05:22:20 AM
Author
:
Category
: Monitors
Page 1 : Introduction
Samsung is no stranger to Overclockers Online, and definitely no stranger to the consumer electronics sector. For years, Samsung has been churning out anything from printers to media players, appliances, and, of course, display devices. With 70 years of experience on their backs, Samsung's success comes as no surprise.
Not too long ago, we took a look at Samsung's 2493HM top of the line 24-inch LCD monitor with equally top of the line features. The 2493HM aimed to immerse itself within the modern digital home as an all-in-one piece. However, the monitor's high price point kept monitor out of reach for most consumers. Today we will be looking at the Samsung's new 2263UW monitor which bundles in much of what we love about the 2493HM, in a smaller package, lower price and a few nice surprises.
Samsung's new SyncMaster 2263UW's focus is to combine the functionalities of voice and video communication with a display device, thus minimizing desk clutter and redefining the capabilities of a monitor. With a 1680×1050 resolution, 8000:1 contrast ratio, 6ms response time and 170°/160° viewing angle, its extracurricular endeavors certainly do not undermine first and foremost function: a monitor.
Page 2 : Features and Specifications
Here is what Samsung has to say about the new SyncMaster 2263UW:
Judging from the specifications alone, the 2263UW is a feature packed monitor!
Page 3 : Package and Contents
The 2263UW comes packed in a typical plain brown cardboard box, and like always, well packed.
Although minimal, the package offers in-depth detail and specifications along with compatibility information.
Opening the unit up, Samsung has included a typical bundle of accessories: documentation, software, cables, and of course, the SyncMaster 2263UW monitor itself!
The 2263UW ships in three pieces: the display panel, hinge and base. We will discuss installation in later sections, but for now, let's continue anachronously.
Samsung's overall aesthetic styling as of late has been dominated by black gloss, clear materials, blue accent lighting and an overall modern feel – subtle, classy, yet sophisticated and stylish.
The SyncMaster 2263UW is a display panel and then some. Accordingly, along with its built-in webcam, speaker and microphone, Samsung's 2263UW is equipped with two USB connectors, speaker and microphone jacks for external devices.
Towards the bottom of the panel are two speakers, of course, these are not by any means comparable to a standalone speaker system, but for basic usage such as in a work environment, integrated speakers will not only save space, but reduce clutter.
With the 2263UW, Samsung has opted not to use a full-fledged LCD arm, but instead a fairly basic mount. The stand allows for tilt and full 360 degree swivel, but is not height adjustable.
Top center, we have the webcam.
Tucked away towards the back are three connectors: DVI, VGA and HDMI. Towards the other side of the screen is a power plug.
Page 4 : Installation
As mentioned earlier, the 2263UW comes shipped in three parts, the stand, hinge and display panel.
The hinge attaches to the base via a screw.
And the panel simply sides onto the hinge.
From there, the monitor can be raised, lower, and tilted to suite the needs of the user.
While the included mount does a perfectly good job acting as a stand, we will be doing something a little bit different with this review.
The 2263UW claims to be more than a monitor, thus, it is only appropriate that we treat it as more than a monitor. For the duration of the review, the monitor will not only serve as my bedside computer, but planner, digital audio player, and streaming television.
Page 5 : Display Settings & Configuration
Before we actually begin playing with the monitor, in order to fully take advantage of what the SyncMaster 2263UW has to offer we will begin with installing the drivers.
Included with the software bundle is MagicTune, Natural Color Pro, webcam drivers and the basic monitor drivers. Of course, only the bare minimum drivers need to be installed; however, the included applications allow fine tuning of features, if users choose to do so. While we will not be going through each and every piece of included software, we will be taking an in-depth look at Samsung's MagicTune software!
Page 6 : MagicTune
MagicTune is a nifty little application which takes the On Screen Display (OSD) controls a few steps further. This application offers all that the On Screen Display controls have offer, and then some allowing the user to quickly and conveniently tweak all imaginable settings, and not to mention without needing to fidget with monitor buttons!
Picture
This tab controls the absolute basics, brightness, and contrast along with a little feature Samsung likes to call MagicBright. MagicBright can conveniently be accessed through the On Screen Display controls allowing optimization for any environment. MagicBright includes optimized settings for text, internet browsing, games, sports, movies, a configurable custom setting, and lastly dynamic contrast, automatically adjusting the display according to one's usage.
Color
The Color tab allows users to further tweak color tone, RGB balance, gamma, color effects, color saturation through MagicColor, and calibration which we will discuss in the next section.
Image
This section allows the adjustment of the display's vertical and horizontal position along with sharpness.
Option
This final section is for tweaking MagicTune and the OSD itself allowing users to customize keys.
Page 7 : MagicTune: Calibration
Perhaps the most interesting feature included in MagicTune is the ability to calibrate the monitor. Of course, MagicTune is by no means a replacement for hardware calibration, but the ability to easily and fairly accurately calibrate a monitor through software is just about as good as it gets without emptying ones pocket for a hardware calibration tool.
The program itself is not as intimidating as it looks, although it does help for an explanation, and that's what we are going to cover right now!
Our main concern is the slider and patch in the middle of the square, our goal is to make the color patch and the grey patch disappear into the background. It helps to squint your eyes, but it's simply easier to move backwards from your monitor a few meters; of course, the aide of a wireless mouse is a god-send!
Calibration is a five step process, it does take a while, and it takes quite a bit of fiddling, so sit down and grab yourself a drink!
Here is where things get tricky. A slight hue can be detected in the color patch indicating that the screen is displaying the wrong hue. To correct this, simply grab the patch in the middle, and move it in accordance to the color wheel on the bottom. In this case, the color patch had a tint of blue, so move it slightly towards the direction of yellow.
The same goes for the final step, first use the slider on the bottom to best match the color patch to the background, then adjust for color.
Once all five steps are completed, hit the preview button!
Page 8 : Testing and Usage
Now with the initial setup out of the way, we can take a look at how the monitor performs!
While my monochrome desktop does little justice for this monitor, the display produces a crisp picture with brilliant colors and contrast.
Anything from your modern day fast paced first person shooter to maybe something a bit more laid back such as Maxis and Electronic Arts' new Spore, the 2263UW and its 5ms response time keeps up. Again, reproduction of colors is as always stunning.
But, as an avid digital photographer, a good monitor has to be capable of more than just fun and games.
In the photo editing environment, the 2263's technical capabilities really shine. The enormous range of colors and contrast give it an enormous edge with digital photography.
Last time when we looked at Samsung's SyncMaster 2493HM, one of my major gripes with the unit was the non-tactile, non-intuitive design of the on screen display buttons (OSD). With the 2263UW, Samsung has done a bit of tinkering. The 2263UW still uses the same touch sensitive buttons to maintain the same overall sleek appearance, but has implemented an audible beep upon contact. While the controls are still fidgety, the simple implementation of an audible beep is a vast improvement.
But, still, the volume control is still button controlled. Honestly, a nice flat brushed aluminum volume control knob off to the side of the monitor would not only look great, but vastly improve the volume control.
Next onto the webcam!
Of course, we aren't expecting too much from it, because, well it is a webcam.
Scaled, the picture quality is decent, and relatively speaking, the color is acceptable. However, running at its full 3MP resolution of 2048×1536 is quite another story. The image is overall, extremely soft, noisy, and slightly posterized.
The same goes for the video.
Page 9 : Conclusion
Here we are again at the end of another review. Over the last few months, Samsung's SyncMaster 2263UW has blessed my room. Besides being a mere monitor, its integrated speaker, webcam and microphone refreshes any workspace with a breath of newfound functionality. Of course, one could opt for an external speaker system, microphone and latch on webcam, but that of course, is not always the most practical solution, especially when space or desktop area is a part of the equation.
Samsung's SyncMaster 2263UW is truly an interesting bundle combining the specifications of a high end display with the functionality of integrated multimedia capabilities. With a stunning 8000:1 contrast ratio, and 5ms response time, the 2263UW is truly a solid contender.
That being said, the 2263UW does have its shortcomings. While the addition of audible beeps in place of mechanical response for the touch sensitive buttons is a great addition, the volume control could still use some work. A height adjustable stand would also be a great addition, and would no doubt complete the 2263UW package.
Advantages
- Crisp display
- Beautiful colors
- Built in speakers and USB hub
- Sharp display
Disadvantages
- Fickle volume control
- Stand has a limited range of motion
Overclockers Online would like to thank Samsung for making this review possible.