Samsung S27A950D Review

N

NCX

Supreme [H]ardness
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Yes I need my own thread.


I have measured the color presets and calibrated the monitor. Very good default accuracy, good (not great) gamma, average contrast and blacks. The average contrast is certainly a let down, however due to the reflective nature of the UCP it wouldn't be an issue with the lights on if it was not for the back light bleeding.

Most Lagom tests are passed flawlessly except for a slight green tinge+banding visible on the lower shades of grey in the gradient banding test.

There was some slight grey gradient banding in the darker shades of grey and green tinge which I have not seen on the other TN panels I have tested. The default gamma is a tincy bit low "Standard," preset @2.09 resulting in slightly less punchy colors compared to the Acer G245Hbmid and LG W2442PA's default values. By default the monitor is set to "Gamma Mode 1," mode 2 drops the gamma below 2.00 resulting in washed out colors and mode 3 raises the gamma to around 2.3 with a tincy bit more banding. Still I would recommend using Gamma Mode 3 and turning down the green a bit.

I have to reset the monitor and re-measure everything again just to be sure, but I thought I would post the initial measurements. After calibration the black level and contrast is medicore at 0.16cdm/2 @122cdm/2 brightness for a contrast ratio of 760:1. Gamma was 2.18 when calibrated using the Gamma mode 1 option. Color temperature remained perfect at 6499k and the average Delta E was <0.80.

Installed the Tri-Deff software, will try some 3D gaming and Tron: Legacy.

Further updates will be in the actual review hosted @ WCGT.
 
We don't care about all the gamma and color details, we just want to know about input lag, response time, and ghosting.
 
eddie500 said:
We don't care about all the gamma and color details, we just want to know about input lag, response time, and ghosting.
Click to expand...

I agree. Its a gaming monitor and then input lag, response time and ghosting is the only thing that counts.
 
Contrast is important to an extent for gaming, allowing you to see people hiding in the dark better, although most "Pro" gamers are gonna blow up their gamma to see people in these situations anyways.
 
Did you try with dynamic contrast? Doesnt this monitor have back-lit led with local dimming? if so maybe dynamic contrast might need to be on (?)

According to samsung: Dynamic contrast 5000000 :1
 
I think a monitor with local dimming would be bigger news, very unlikely.
 
It is back-lit though and turns on and off the diodes for each frame in 3- mode as far as i understand. Shouldnt be any problem to add local dimming.
 
This is a 650$ monitor with promised 100% photo accuracy. Even if you don't care, color accuracy was promised, and it does deliver. Gamma and color are extremely important for gaming if you want to see the media as:

1.) The way it was intended to be seen
2.) See all the details, and use of art, contrast and scenery in games
3.) Character models with R/G/B tinted faces and scenery due to inacurate color is unaceptable
4.) Most of the other 120hz panels and even 200$ TN's come with good colors
5.) Ver low gamma values result in very washed out colors

I have all the 120hz response time pictures, uploading them to WCGT.
 
I think the angle he's coming at is this.

It's a 120hz monitor, people buy them for generally FPS games or 3D.

FPS gamers generally don't care too much about color accuracy, they want the game to be responsive.

Everyone is entitled do their own opinion. To NCX everything panel-wise is important. To me its responsivness back light bleed and contrast.
 
Actually I mostly really only care about response time, but I was just kind of joking a bit when I wrote that. I should have put a smiley face at the end.

I of course would love to hear about the rest of the monitor.

Anyway I can not really understand the response time photos you have added. Could you elaborate on them?
 
eddie500 said:
Actually I mostly really only care about response time, but I was just kind of joking a bit when I wrote that. I should have put a smiley face at the end.

I of course would love to hear about the rest of the monitor.

Anyway I can not really understand the response time photos you have added. Could you elaborate on them?
Click to expand...

They are animated images that zip from one side to the other extremely quickly. With a slow display you would see pronounced after images rather then it looking like a still image.
 
Ok the response time section is complete except for the subjective assessment. Different colors+contrasts on different monitors in different games=different ghosting, I will have to test some games, but I I doubt I will see any real ghosting that will disaude me from giving the monitor a 5 star rating.:D

Thanks Falesh will check out the 3D link you posted.

http://www.cesarsommer.com/3d-photography/downloads/movies.html
 
I am really loving this monitor. I just received mine. Hopefully NCX will post up some input lag numbers so that I don't have to! So far it seems fairly snappy so I think the number should be somewhat low.
 
Hey NCX and Vega.

Where did you guys purchase the monitor? I've been following/lurking for the last couple of months in the other 2+ threads and judging by your comments I think this may be the monitor for me to get.

I'm running crossfired 5850s, do you think they will handle the monitor ok? I hope so because buying this monitor may cause me to get a divorce ;) but if I had to buy new graphics cards in addition to the monitor I can, with 100% certainty, guarantee a divorce lol!!

Thanks a ton for the time you have put into your review NCX it is great.


Thanks,

-AI
 
Edit: I figured the differences in model were just regional code, but later posters have indicated that the T27A950 is different than the S27A950D.

The Samsung T27A950 is now on DigitalVersus's "Product Face-Offs" page, and literally all of the results are terrible :(

More ghosting then 60hz sets, 43.2 ms input lag (!), below average contrast, and poor panel uniformity??

http://www.digitalversus.com/duels.php?ty=6&ma1=36&mo1=864&p1=11267

NCX, I haven't had a chance to read your review yet, but it seems positive and the ghosting tests look clean. Wonder where's the disconnect?
 
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T27A950 is completely different. Only the monitor frame might be the same component.
 
Antipode said:
The Samsung T27A950 is now on DigitalVersus's "Product Face-Offs" page, and literally all of the results are terrible :(

More ghosting then 60hz sets, 43.2 ms input lag (!), below average contrast, and poor panel uniformity??

http://www.digitalversus.com/duels.php?ty=6&ma1=36&mo1=864&p1=11267

NCX, I haven't had a chance to read your review yet, but it seems positive and the ghosting tests look clean. Wonder where's the disconnect?
Click to expand...

The "T" model is totally different, its a 27" TN tv with 60hz input only.
the "S"27A950D is the monitor version with 120hz input via dl.dvi and displayport.
60hz input with tv circuitry gives massive input lag.
 
Oh, I have two requests for the review that are not commonly tested!

1) Does the headphone jack emit static? If I connect headphones to my Samsung PX2370, it emits a constant high pitched squeal when the brightness is not set to 100%. This is incredibly annoying when I am playing consoles since sound is transmitted to the monitor via HDMI.

2) Are there overdrive errors? For example, my Samsung PX2370 is set to the default "faster" mode and it causes banding for fast moving gradients. A good way to test this is to *tightly fit* the gradient test image from Lagom.nl into a browser and shake it rapidly around.

Here's a Youtube video of LG W2442PA having issues with gradients:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5o9E8fDPZs"]YouTube - &#x202a;LG Flatron W2442PA - BF Overdrive sorgt für Bildfehler 2 (Beschreibung lesen!)&#x202c;&rlm;[/ame]
 
Morkai said:
The "T" model is totally different, its a 27" TN tv with 60hz input only.
the "S"27A950D is the monitor version with 120hz input via dl.dvi and displayport.
60hz input with tv circuitry gives massive input lag.
Click to expand...

Cool thanks. I noticed the difference in model numbers but I wasn't sure if that was just a regional thing.
 
I got mine and as i suggested i tried with dynamic contrast on - looks fantastic, perfect blacks with zero blb on mine at least. Try with yours too and post the result!
 
I got this monitor yesterday and it's awesome, granted I upgraded from a old 22 inch samsung lcd so I don't have anything similar to compare to. I did what the above poster said as well and changed it to dynamic contrast which seems to look better. There's a tiny bit of backlight bleed but it's only noticeable if you're a foot away from the screen and it's a dark scene. I can't really notice a difference between input lag in games from my old monitor but everything seems to be faster and smoother.

The only thing i'm hesitant on with this monitor is the 3D, the conversion works in Starcraft 2 with no problems, in BFBC2 there's a bit of ghosting in the right eye but it's the Tridef program that's giving me problems. Maybe i'm not setting it up right but I just can't get it to work properly. I'll just spend more time messing around and wait to see what other people are doing.


IMO as an average user with no need for an IPS display:
2D: Awesome
3D: Undecided
 
Jay_262 said:
I got this monitor yesterday and it's awesome, granted I upgraded from a old 22 inch samsung lcd so I don't have anything similar to compare to. I did what the above poster said as well and changed it to dynamic contrast which seems to look better. There's a tiny bit of backlight bleed but it's only noticeable if you're a foot away from the screen and it's a dark scene. I can't really notice a difference between input lag in games from my old monitor but everything seems to be faster and smoother.

The only thing i'm hesitant on with this monitor is the 3D, the conversion works in Starcraft 2 with no problems, in BFBC2 there's a bit of ghosting in the right eye but it's the Tridef program that's giving me problems. Maybe i'm not setting it up right but I just can't get it to work properly. I'll just spend more time messing around and wait to see what other people are doing.


IMO as an average user with no need for an IPS display:
2D: Awesome
3D: Undecided
Click to expand...

My main concern is if the monitor has a hardware issue with the 3D, if that is ok then I don't mind tinkering with software or waiting until it is fixed. How is the 3D in videos and 3D photos?
 
Jay_262 said:
I got this monitor yesterday and it's awesome, granted I upgraded from a old 22 inch samsung lcd so I don't have anything similar to compare to. I did what the above poster said as well and changed it to dynamic contrast which seems to look better. There's a tiny bit of backlight bleed but it's only noticeable if you're a foot away from the screen and it's a dark scene. I can't really notice a difference between input lag in games from my old monitor but everything seems to be faster and smoother.

The only thing i'm hesitant on with this monitor is the 3D, the conversion works in Starcraft 2 with no problems, in BFBC2 there's a bit of ghosting in the right eye but it's the Tridef program that's giving me problems. Maybe i'm not setting it up right but I just can't get it to work properly. I'll just spend more time messing around and wait to see what other people are doing.


IMO as an average user with no need for an IPS display:
2D: Awesome
3D: Undecided
Click to expand...

Is the ghosting distracting in bfbc2? Does it take your attention away from the gameplay? The 3d isn't critical as it is not the selling feature to me but i'm curious about it. I currently have a Samsung 245BW and i'm wanting to upgrade to the 120hz refresh rate and larger screen but if the 120hz refresh rate isn't noticible then I may rethink screen decision. I pretty much only play FPS shooters and will be playing BF3 when it is released.
 
@Antipode

I will try the headphone jack out later. In regards to banding, even the 8bit monitors will show banding with didigtal media, especially games.

I haven't seen even the tiniest 2D ghosting yet in the few PC games I gave played (L4D2, BFBC2) or console games (RDR, DR2, KZ3). there is major crosstalk ghosting on consoles with the 2D-3D conversion. Didn't see any crosstalk or ghosting with KZ3 which is a native 3D game, however the visuals are majorly downgraded (lol PS2) and the colors are muted.

The Tri Def software has a ton of options, by default there was a ton of crosstlak with L4D2, but after tweaking it runs perfectly. Same goes for the 2D-3D conversion on PC with movies. Refer to the other thread for pictures of L4D2 in 3D and fixing the crosstalk.

Still have a ton of work to do with the 3D performance and a paper to write. Just have some verifications to do with the color performance and I can finish the 2D portion of the review.
 
NCX said:
The Tri Def software has a ton of options, by default there was a ton of crosstlak with L4D2, but after tweaking it runs perfectly. Same goes for the 2D-3D conversion on PC with movies. Refer to the other thread for pictures of L4D2 in 3D and fixing the crosstalk.
Click to expand...

Just what I wanted to hear! Definitely not can canceling my pre-order now. :p
 
Falesh said:
My main concern is if the monitor has a hardware issue with the 3D, if that is ok then I don't mind tinkering with software or waiting until it is fixed. How is the 3D in videos and 3D photos?
Click to expand...

Photos and videos are fine in side by side (I'm using a GTX570 so I think that's the only format I can use.)

roocrew99 said:
Is the ghosting distracting in bfbc2? Does it take your attention away from the gameplay? The 3d isn't critical as it is not the selling feature to me but i'm curious about it. I currently have a Samsung 245BW and i'm wanting to upgrade to the 120hz refresh rate and larger screen but if the 120hz refresh rate isn't noticible then I may rethink screen decision. I pretty much only play FPS shooters and will be playing BF3 when it is released.
Click to expand...

Yes the 120hz is worth it!
It really only takes my attention away when i'm playing recon class and looking down a scope but it's only minor for me. I'll have to spend more time with it to see how bad it really is. I'm going to refer to NCX's guide on how to fix the crosstalk and report back.
 
NCX said:
@Antipode

I will try the headphone jack out later. In regards to banding, even the 8bit monitors will show banding with didigtal media, especially games.

I haven't seen even the tiniest 2D ghosting yet in the few PC games I gave played (L4D2, BFBC2) or console games (RDR, DR2, KZ3). there is major crosstalk ghosting on consoles with the 2D-3D conversion. Didn't see any crosstalk or ghosting with KZ3 which is a native 3D game, however the visuals are majorly downgraded (lol PS2) and the colors are muted.

The Tri Def software has a ton of options, by default there was a ton of crosstlak with L4D2, but after tweaking it runs perfectly. Same goes for the 2D-3D conversion on PC with movies. Refer to the other thread for pictures of L4D2 in 3D and fixing the crosstalk.

Still have a ton of work to do with the 3D performance and a paper to write. Just have some verifications to do with the color performance and I can finish the 2D portion of the review.
Click to expand...

What did you change to get rid of the crosstalk? i tried left for dead 2 too, and it looked great apart from the obvious crosstalk.
 
NCX said:
@Antipode

I will try the headphone jack out later. In regards to banding, even the 8bit monitors will show banding with didigtal media, especially games.
Click to expand...

Did you get around to testing this before you returned the monitor :p

The moving gradient banding issue is caused by overdrive in my Samsung PX2370. When I set the response time to "normal", the banding goes away. The video I linked of the LG has a foreign language description that I don't understand, but it also sounds like an overdrive issue.

Not sure if this is a general problem with overdrive, but since this is a 120 hz monitor, I was wondering if it still has the same moving gradient banding problem.
 
Tried it out with the KZ3 soundtrack, Tron: Legacy, and KZ3 on PS3. Everything was fine except near max volume where it garbles explosions and anything really loud. The sound quality was ok I guess, compared to using the Astro MixAmp. I used 85% volume for a comfortable level, 110 would have been perfect, but anything over 95 added heavy distortion.

There was gradient banding when shaking the screen but that isn't a realistic representation of motion artifacts, just like that video. Unless you constantly try to play games while having a seizure it shouldn't be an issue. There will always be banding in games/digital media any ways, I wouldn't worry about it.
 
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Thanks NCX!

I'm not that big on needing great sound quality, but the constant static hum I get when I plug in a headset to my PX2370 drives me nuts.
 
Darth Bobo said:
I soo hope that the S23A750 and S27A750 will perform like this also...
Click to expand...

This. I would've bought one now if it werent for that ridiculous stand. I love the S27A750 style and I do also hope that it perform similar or better.
 
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