Over the last year we've seen a steady trend of
manufacturers moving away from the already popular and well established 19"
sector to concentrate on the emerging 20" market. This has been matched by a
growing demand by the consumer for a larger format and resolution, with an
increased interest in the widescreen format in particular. Widescreen popularity
is on the increase due to modern games, High Definition TV, and gaming devices
all offering support for this aspect ratio. People are now looking for
multi-purpose displays capable of meeting their combined multimedia needs
ranging from normal desktop PC use to the connection of Blu-Ray DVD and XBox 360
devices.
Traditionally the larger diagonals have been
reserved exclusively for VA and IPS type panels, but much like the 19" market
before it the introduction of TN Film technology panels has helped drive costs
down and improve the competition. While the larger format screens (24" in
particular) remain a little out of reach for most users, the 20" market has
become more affordable, and with a wide choice of technologies, specifications,
and features to choose from it is becoming easier for a potential buyer to find
a screen to suit their individual needs, though it also has the potential to
confuse.
Dell and Samsung, two of the largest TFT
manufacturers in the market are no exception with the release of their new
models, the Dell 2007WFP and Samsung SM205BW. Both are widescreen format, but
the models differ greatly in technology, features and price. On the one hand
the Dell offers an S-IPS panel and a wealth of connectivity and functionality.
On the other, the Samsung model is more basic in function, but comes with a
lower price tag due in part to its use of TN Film technology. This review aims
to compare them side by side and examine their performance and usability in
practice.
The following review had been conducted in
conjunction with our friends over at Pureoverclock.com and the full review is
available here:
http://www.pureoverclock.com/article637.html