By Kelly Lu - August 30, 2001

Infobox

What? SyncMaster 180T Product Page Who? Samsung Electronics Canada Home Page How much? $2899 CDN (~$2000 USD)

About 2 weeks ago, I took a look at the KDS Radius RAD-7 LCD monitor. Being a 17" TFT LCD monitor, we liked the RAD-7 for its balance of size-it, being a 19" CRT and 18" LCD equivalent with the same amount of desktop real estate-and price-at under $800 USD, it's a bargain in the LCD monitor world. Today, we look at an LCD monitor that will tip that same balance between price and size: while the Samsung SyncMaster 180T, which is what I'm reviewing here today in case you haven't caught on yet, is a true 18" TFT LCD monitor that has an identical viewable area as a 19" CRT, it comes at a hefty price of $2899 CDN (approx. $2000 USD). Of course, there's a reason for such a high price… yes, size is one of them, but the other main one is quality.

As you will see when you continue to read through this review, the Samsung SyncMaster 180T has thoroughly impressed me and will surely impress any person who comes within viewable sight of it. Not only is it physically appealing, but the images that it reproduces are also second to none. So, without further ado, let's delve into the details of this beautiful gem.

Specifications

	SyncMaster 180T
Panel	a-si TFT/CE
Viewable Area	18.1"
Pixel Pitch	0.281 mm
Brightness	220cd/m2
Contrast Ratio	350:1
Viewing Angle (h/v)	160/160
Interface	Analog (Analog RGB)/Digital (DVI Digital Link)
Video Level	Analog: 0.7Vp-p, Digital: TMDS
Input Connectors	15 pin D-SUB, DVI-D
Horizontal Frequency (Max.)	81KHz
Vertical Frequency	56Hz-85Hz
Maximum/Optimum Resolution	1280x1024
Power Consumption	40W (Max)
Power Management	Energy Star / NUTEK
Special Features	Dual CPU Input (Analog/Digital) & Auto Signal Detection
USB Powered Hub Option	Yes
Dimensions (mm)	449.4 x 461.2 x182
Net Weight	9.15kg

If you just take a look at the specifications of the SyncMaster 180T, you'll find that it has quite an average set of features. With a 0.281mm pixel pitch, which is, like most other 18" models, larger than a 17" TFT LCD such as the Radius RAD-7 and a 1280x1024 recommended and maximum resolution, the 180T is just like any other LCD monitor. Also like other 18" LCD monitors is its 220 cd/m2 typical brightness rating and its 350:1 contrast ratio--the 350:1 contrast ratio is one of the better specs in the industry, but isn't top-notch either. Finally, it has a relatively good viewable angle of 160-degrees in both vertical and horizontal directions.

As you can see, the SyncMaster 180T might not seem much by just looking at the specs, but, like all other monitors, the specifications cannot show us the whole picture of what the monitor is able to do...

On to: First Impressions