Review: Samsung SM215TW monitor

A big step up from the SM205BW, the SM215TW adds a whole lot more than an extra inch of screen diagonal. With the same native resolution of 1,680x1,050, you may wonder why this display costs an extra £155. Despite a rather similar outward appearance, the SM21TW offers a number of improvements.

Replacing the 20.1in TN panel with a 21in S-PVA unit has boosted the specification considerably. The contrast ratio is up from a commendable 700:1 to an impressive 1,000:1 and viewing angles are increased from 160º horizontal and vertical up to 178º.

These changes amount to a very noticeable increase in image quality, but there are also functionality gains.

The SM215TW’s stand adds auto-pivot functionality to the standard tilt, swivel and height adjustments and many more inputs are added to the standard VGA and DVI ports. Component video, S-video and composite video inputs are all there, along with stereo phono jacks to drive the built-in stereo speakers.

The extra functions bring more options to the on-screen menu, including picture-in-picture and the ability to rename inputs to reflect what you have plugged into them. You can then select your viewing by choosing, say, ‘DVD’ or ‘TV’ rather than ‘component video’ or ‘S-video’.

An enhanced version of the SM205BW’s software suite is provided with the SM215TW.

Unlike Sony’s MFM-HT205 which is a hybrid TV product, the SM215TW looks and functions like a normal desktop monitor.

And, if you want to watch digital video from a normal TV-watching distance, you may find the extra brightness, contrast and remote control afforded by Sony’s product an advantage.

It may cost significantly more than its baby brother, but the SM215TW is a distinct improvement and far better suited to multimedia use.

This article is part of a group test of HDCP Vista-ready TFT monitors.
See also
Dell 3007WFP
Samsung SM205BW
Sony MFM-HT205
Viewsonic VP233wb
The HDCP chain
How we tested the monitors
How HDCP works

Performance graphs and table of features can be read via our pdf downloads

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