Samsung SyncMaster 3. (CVM4967 SyncMaster 3 color monitor) (Hardware Review) (Evaluation)
by Tom Benford

Samsung has blended functionality with form, and the result is known as the CVM4967 SynMaster 3. The principal distinction between the SyncMaster 2 and 3 is the dot pitch: The SyncMaster 2 has a coarser 0.31-mm dot pitch, while the SyncMaster 3 sports the finer 0.28-mm dot pitch, which makes it particularly easy on the eyes at resolutions above 640 x 480.

The design and layout of the SyncMaster 3 reflect a fair amount of thought with regard to ergonomics. The user-accessible controls are all front mounted and within easy reach for adjustment. The power switch and illuminated indicator are located at the lower right of the machine, with adjustment knobs for brightness and contrast located to the left of the LED.

A drop-down panel extends from the left side of the unit to about midscreen and conceals additional controls for adjusting the display. Beneath this panel are the horizontal and vertical position controls, the horizontal and vertical size controls, and a unique knob called the side-pin control.

The manual, which is well intended but poorly written with regard to grammatical translation, explains that the side-pin control is used to correct the side pincushion of the image on the screen. That description does little for me; however, actually adjusting the knob makes its effect visible. When you turn the side-pin control counterclockwise, the sides of the video image bow in to compensate for the curvature of the video screen. Turning the knob clockwise negates the bowing effect and restores square sides to the image. While this control might be useful for adjusting the video in some applications, I found the factory default setting to be quite adequate while using the monitor.

Another unique feature of this monitor is the click-stop position of the vertical size control. A click in the middle of the adjustment range selects the proper vertical size for VGA mode, although this may not be the optimal size for some of the extended modes.

A detachable tilt-swivel stand is supplied with the monitor and snaps on and off with minimal effort. At the rear of the monitor, a female AC power connector accepts the detachable power cable supplied with the monitor. The video connector cable is permanently attached to the monitor and is terminated with a 15-pin D connector.

I was pleasantly surprised at the overall image quality on the SyncMaster 3, although the curvature of the screen seems to be somewhat more noticeable than on other monitors. As with many other monitors, the SyncMaster 3 displays a tendency toward defocusing and blooming with certain screen images, and it exhibits some slight moire patterning with some dot patterns. The moires are quite slight, however, and the overall resolution and registration of the video image make extended viewing without eyestrain possible.

The SyncMaster 3 proves itself a capable performer in all of the standard VGA and higher-resolution modes including 1024 x 768 with 256 colors. It's a good choice for average users who want to explore the higher resolutions of Super VGA.