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ZIFFPAGE TITLEAt A Glance
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ZIFFPAGE TITLEFull Review
Not everyone has the need (or the desk space) for a 24-inch LCD widescreen monitor, but if you work with large spreadsheets or multipage documents, or require a high-resolution (1,920-by-1,200) display for digital imaging, Samsungs SyncMaster 244T will fill the bill. But its $1,250 street price will give most consumers a good case of sticker shock.
Samsung offers the 244T in two color choices; black or silver. I reviewed the silver model, which sits on a rectangular base and is supported by a multihinged, height-adjustable arm that tilts, swivels, and pivots 90 degrees for viewing images in portrait mode. Im a big fan of monitors that automatically rotate the screen image for you, as this one does, thanks to Samsungs MagicRotation software, which is included in the box. Its a good thing, too, since I needed both hands free to pivot the massive screen.
An ultra-thin bezel gives the 244T a streamlined look, and the seven function buttons positioned on the lower right bezel are slim but well marked. A Menu button takes you into the OSD (on-screen display) controls, where you can adjust brightness and contrast levels, change the aspect ratio and position of the screen, tweak sharpness settings, adjust gamma levels, and customize color preferences, including saturation and hue.
There are also a handful of preset color tone selections to choose from, including several levels of Cool, Warm, and Normal tones, and theres a Film Mode switch for watching HDTV if you decide to connect to a high-definition signal. The Auto button automatically adjusts the incoming analog signals sharpness properties and screen position, and the PIP button activates the picture-in-picture feature, which enables you to view a picture from a secondary source in a smaller window. One of the buttons is a hotkey for entering Samsungs MagicBright menu, where you can select one of four preconfigured settings that are optimized for specific applications, including Entertain, Internet, Text, and Custom. The MagicColor menu also has preset color modes that enhance color properties, including skin tones.