Samsung SyncMaster 700NF

Samsung has been quietly building a strong reputation for its displays.

The SyncMaster 700NF is a stylish unit. Despite Samsung's clean execution

of details and sterling reputation, the SyncMaster 700NF's picture wasn't

as brilliant or sharp as the Mitsubishi Diamond Plus 73's. The difference

is only apparent when the two are side-by-side, but there is a difference.

Samsung designed the SyncMaster 700NF to appeal to users running applications

in which color reproduction is critical. The monitor not only has the common

VGA input cable but also the component inputs used with high-end video cards.

Samsung also bundles E-Color Inc.'s Colorific color-matching software on

a CD-ROM, along with a color reference card, to ensure precise tuning of

the display's color. This is critical for those users who need to see exactly

the colors that will be printed.

At $312, the Samsung is only slightly more expensive than the Mitsubishi.

For the few extra dollars, customers get a monitor that runs at a very high

resolution. While less-expensive models (such as Samsung's own SyncMaster

DF series) top out at 1,024-by-768 when running at satisfactory refresh

rates, the SyncMaster 700NF runs at an astounding 1,600-by-1,200. Such resolution

is probably higher than most users will want on a 17-inch display, but you

have it in case you need it. Even at that sky-high resolution, the SyncMaster

700NF refreshes at a flicker-free 75 Hz. If you find yourself wondering

why some apparently similar monitors cost less, look at the refresh rate

at the highest resolution.

The SyncMaster 700NF's control panel, on a drawer that pops out of the

front of the monitor, provides good ease of use in navigating through the

control menus, but it probably doesn't quite need seven buttons. It is nice

to have dedicated brightness and contrast controls that double as navigation

arrow buttons when using the menu, but a single button that only pops up

a status information window seems unnecessary.

—Carney is a freelance writer based in Herndon, Va.