Samsung SyncMaster S27A850D review

Samsung’s SyncMaster S27A850D is the first of a new breed. It shares the same 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution as many high-end 27in monitors, but the panel technology is new: Samsung’s latest marks the debut of its own Plane-to-Line Switching, or PLS, panel technology.

The physical differences are evident right away. Where most 27in IPS-based monitors are thick-set affairs, the Samsung’s LED-backlighting and external power supply make for a slender, elegant profile.

A tubular stand allows the monitor to smoothly rise up and down by 150mm, and also swivels round into portrait orientation. You need two hands to guide the panel into position, but the large rectangular base helps to keep it stable on a desk.

Connectivity is excellent. In addition to two dual-DVI sockets and DisplayPort inputs, Samsung has also packed in a three-port USB 3 hub. With the ports positioned at the monitor’s rear, pointing left and right rather than straight down, it’s easy to connect and disconnect cables without craning your neck underneath.

Power saving is top of the SyncMaster’s agenda. Brightness and proximity sensors in the display’s lower bezel automatically adjust brightness and activate standby mode, and the PLS panel itself draws precious little power. Calibrated to a brightness of 120cd/m2, the Samsung drew a modest 29W from the mains. Even pushed to its blinding maximum brightness of 380cd/m2, power consumption rose to just 50W – about half that of an equivalent IPS display.

There’s no doubt Samsung’s fledgling panel technology does a lot of things right. Colours are rich and vibrant and the SyncMaster SA850 delivers vivacious, larger-than-life images. While black levels aren’t deep enough to rival VA panels, the measured contrast ratio of 826:1 is still a match for the IPS-panelled competition.

Viewing angles are superb, proving easily as wide as our reference Eizo ColorEdge CG275W, and while response time isn’t as quick as the best TN panels – there’s still a trace of blur in fast-moving games – an effective overdrive circuit means that it never veers into ugly smearing.

It isn’t a perfect showing, however. Colour accuracy lags behind the best models we’ve seen, with an average Delta E of 3.8 and a maximum deviation of 6.9. Contrast is merely on a par with the competition, hitting 826:1. Far more disappointing is the leakage from the Edge-LED backlighting. In darker movie scenes, an obvious glow seeps into the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.

Yet, for a technology still in its infancy it is an impressive first outing. Sensible design and green credentials go hand-in-hand with good image quality, and the price is reasonable given the features on offer. Consumers will be better served by Hazro’s cheaper HZ27WC, but businesses after an adjustable, high-quality display should definitely put the Samsung SyncMaster S27A850 on their shortlist.