Review: SyncMaster 213T impresses

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has consistently delivered top-notch monitors, and the company's new SyncMaster 213T is no exception. We were impressed with the 21.3-inch flat-panel display's sharpness and especially with its trim, clean lines.

The display is set in a case that extends only about an inch on each side. The sleek silver base is similarly trim. There is no hidden channel for video and power cables, so those may be visible. But because the unit has its power supply built in, you won't be tripping over a box on the floor. We also liked the fact that the 213T can be adjusted in any direction, including swiveling to portrait mode. Bundled Pivot Pro software lets you change the display to suit either orientation.

The 213T passed our suite of display tests with nary a hiccup in analog or digital modes.

Although efficient and easy to manage, this display isn't for everyone. Those needing to display high-speed animations may be disappointed with the device's 25ms response time, though CRT monitors are generally employed for such purposes. The majority of users will never notice any lag.

Also, the unit offers only limited, though easy to navigate, display controls. You can adjust color channels, for example, but you can't manually adjust color temperature. Finally, we found the unit's brightness range to be somewhat limited as well. For most purposes, we left the unit set at maximum brightness.

The bottom line: The SyncMaster 213T isn't exactly inexpensive, with a price tag of $1,199. But the unit's trim footprint, clean lines and excellent display make it an attractive choice.