Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM

The Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM is a 24in LCD monitor that looks great — and we're not talking exclusively about the antiglare treatment or the crisp 1920x1200 native resolution, which provides very good visual quality.

The Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM also sports sleek lines and a thin, glossy black bezel that stays relatively smudge free.

Getting the best picture out of the Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM is a breeze thanks to DVI, HDMI and VGA connectivity. Will you use the two USB ports built into the neck of the base? Maybe not, but their positioning certainly makes for easy access.

On the audio front, the Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM's built-in down-firing speakers provide a wide range of sound that doesn't flatten out. You can crank the volume — but the louder it gets, the more distortion you hear.

Want to rock in silence? Use the Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM's built-in headphone jack. But if you're looking for maximum sound quality, buying a separate set of speakers that has a subwoofer is your best bet.

The on-screen display (OSD) menu does a superb job of marshalling options and streamlining navigation. You can adjust advanced features such as individual colours or use one of the many preset configurations. The buttons for the Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM's OSD menu are touch sensitive; though each button is clearly labelled, it's hard to see what it does, resulting in some usability frustrations.

The only other gripe we have with this display is that the contrast ratio (which clearly isn't 10,000:1, though it claims to be) and response time (5ms) are engraved in the top right corner of the bezel. So much for subtlety. Samsung obviously put lots of TLC into designing this SyncMaster, but the constant visual reminder of the unit's response time seems tacky.