New monitor - is this too good ot be true?

Rami

So I was looking for a new monitor to go with my PC, and after realising I've already used up most of the space on my desk I'd have to settle for no bigger than 22 inch.

I know from general reading around and friends that Samsung have a reputation for very good quality at the low to mid price range of LCD TVs and monitors, so I started with them. What I found was...confusing.

3 monitors, with what I see as identical specs except for contrast ratio and a slight difference in viewing angle. And what confuses me is the pricing.

1. ]Samsung SM-2032BW Pebble 20" Widescreen

- Viewable Area: 20” Widescreen (1680x1050 Resolution)
- Interface: Analog / Digital
- Response Time: 2ms
- 16.7M Colours
- Contrast Ratio: 3000:1
- Viewing Angle (H/V): 170°/ 170°
- Brightness: 300cd/m2
- 3 Years On-Site Warranty with Samsung

2. Samsung SM-2053BW Aqua 20" Widescreen LCD Monitor

- Viewable Area: 20” Widescreen (1680x1050 Resolution)
- Interface: Analog / Digital
- Response Time: 2ms
- 16.7M Colours
- Contrast Ratio: 8000:1
- Viewing Angle (H/V): 170°/ 160°
- Brightness: 300cd/m2
- 3 Years On-Site Warranty with Samsung

3. Samsung SM-T200 20" Widescreen LCD Monitor

- Viewable Area: 20” Widescreen (1680x1050 Resolution)
- Interface: Analog / Digital
- Response Time: 2ms
- 16.7M Colours
- Contrast Ratio: 20,000:1
- Viewing Angle (H/V): 170°/ 160°
- Brightness: 300cd/m2
- 3 Years On-Site Warranty with Samsung


A CR of 20,000:1 sounds ridiculously good, yet it's the cheapest of the 3, at £147. The 8000:1 monitor is £149 and the 3000:1 is £154. I don't know how much of a difference that 10° of viewing angle makes either.

So what's the deal here? Because it gave me that sense of being too good to be true.

RUNN1NGMAN

Contrast ratios are infamously erratic--I don't if they are even going to be consistently measured for monitors of the same brand. It's kind of like if the EPA asked auto manufactures to supply their own mileage numbers. Maybe Samsung started using a different method to measure CR between the manufacturing of the three monitors. It's impossible to know until you look at them side-by-side with your own eyeballs.

Denada

The Contrast Ratio figure is notoriously vague. Every manufacturer measures and rates contrast ratio differently, making the number pretty much useless. Also, as a computer monitor, viewing angle shouldn't matter much. You're pretty much always going to be in front of it.

Just buy whichever one you can afford and has good reviews. They're probably all fine.

Thanatos

I have a 22" widescreen Acer that I paid less than that for that is great. You may want to check them out.

Technicality

When I was looking for monitors I found some bizarrely expensive ones that had no discernable difference in spec, and it confused the hell out of me. When I investigated further I eventually discovered they were much thinner. This may be the case with these.