Samsung PLS - s27a850d - fantastic.

xoleras

2[H]4U
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Oct 11, 2011
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I love this monitor.

I switched from a dell u2711 and HP ZR2740w. Those both had great uniformity / image quality but the aggressive anti glare coating was a deal killer. Its really ridiculous - anything with a white background looks dusty or grainy. I could not stand it because I do tons of text work.

The AG is so bad in fact, that it detracts from image quality. Small font black text on a white background is somewhat blurry due to the glimmer from the AG coating. You can diminish the effect by upping the brightness, but then your color is screwed up, blacks will be grey.
Also if its a heavily lighted room there's just no way to not notice the glimmering on white backgrounds. The AG coating is atrocious on u2711/zr2740w.

Now this monitor looks *perfect*. Whites are *white*. It has a light AG coating that is perfect. Not overbearing like the other IPS panels. I have heard some users have issues with backlight bleeding but my unit has none. Just in case though, buy from a retailer with a good return policy.

I love this thing to death.
 
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Should also add, response time / input lag is improved over the dell / HP unit. Its not 120hz, thats for sure, but its closer to TN in terms of response time. Very happy :)
 
The screen on my Samsung Series 7 Slate is PLS, absolutely a beautiful screen indeed. Congrats!
 
I have one sitting in the box ready to go under the Christmas tree. I can't wait to try it!
 
Ugh...

SHoulda checked here first.

My Westy L2410NM died (caps popped somewhere in there) the other day, and my order at Dell for the U2711 is in production.

Uncharacteristic of me to not do a ton of research first, and it may bite me. I am sure the AG of the u2711 will bother me. I am temporarily using an Asus ML239H 23" that I had on another system that my son primarily uses, and I must say, it is a beautiful monitor - ESPECIALLY for 169.00 (which is what I got it for on a killer Newegg sale a while ago), and I really notice the toned down AG coating relative to the Westy.

I went through 3 or 4 HDTVs before settling on my Panny plasma for what my family considered minor or non-issues a few years ago, so odds are high that the Dell AG may bother me a LOT. The Dell's got the <edit>2</edit> year warranty with advance exchange for any issue, and that's hard to turn down for a 900.00 monitor. Guess I wait and see how bad the Dell AG bothers me. I just might return it for that Samsung....

CDW still carries it, and its only 850.00...

BB
 
I dunno dude, literally everything about the u2711 I had was perfect. I do mean perfect -- perfect uniformity, great colors, no backlight bleed, etc. EXCEPT the AG was a major turn off for me :(

Some people say they don't notice it, but if youre in a heavily lit environment doing lots of text work i'd say you'll notice it a bit.
 
Environment is dim. But trying to figure out how sharp the image is, and how much noise there is in an image when processing gets more difficult with AG coating. As I've gotten more into it, I've noticed the AG coating more often.

Its now a wait and see game. If it is an issue, I return it and get the Samsung.

BB <-- picky when spending approx 1K on a monitor...
 
Happy to see that foks dont seem to be encountering backlight bleed issues with recent batches of these samsung montiors. I bought one a few months back and returned it due to pretty strong backlight bleed in the lower right, which proved distracting. If thats not showing up in other folks' samsungs, i just might give it anotehr try.
 
Happy to see that foks dont seem to be encountering backlight bleed issues with recent batches of these samsung montiors. I bought one a few months back and returned it due to pretty strong backlight bleed in the lower right, which proved distracting. If thats not showing up in other folks' samsungs, i just might give it anotehr try.

Yeah dude, I was paranoid about it when I first got the unit. I had read your account about the backlight bleed (I think - may have been someone else here) and inspected it thoroughly after getting it from UPS today :) Big sigh of relief after finding no probs. I was actually surprised by how
uniform/great looking whites are. Easily the best whites i've seen, although the 2009/2010 IPS panels were very good as well (the discontinued NEC models). WTH happened with the AG coating? I seem to remember the NEC/Dell IPS panels that
are now discontinued had good AG (ie- not super thick). I have no idea why they changed it with the 2011 models :(
 
Yeah, that was me (among others) complaining about it. Where did you buy yours from? I might try again from the seller you bought from.
 
WTH happened with the AG coating?

What happened to peoples vision is the big question. How doe we go from using clear glass CRTs to the complete opposite without noticing? Especially those doing professional photo related work
 
What I really meant was, why do manufacturers design this stuff and expect us to pay 1k+ for something with a huge design flaw?

I've never used a glossy CRT or LCD, and I've never seen a CRT or LCD with AG as aggressive as what is on 2011 model IPS screens. In fact, back in the day the only brand of glossy CRT I saw was a NEC -- most of them had AG.

In 10 years of using CRTs/LCDs, every screen i've seen with AG had a light coating. Nothing like what recent IPS panels have. Its pretty confusing that you pay 1000$+ for something that bugs the hell out of you :(
 
Because most people aren't actually bothered by it? I think anti-glare in general looks like ass so I went with the Apple Cinema Display but my co-workers definitely aren't bothered with the anti-glare coating over their NEC Multisyncs. Most people are satisficers, and not maximizers, so they are willing to be happy with their purchases instead of feeling buyer's remorse over everything.

To be honest, I wasn't hugely bothered by the anti-glare until people (that is the internet) kept reminding me about it.
 
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Weird :confused::confused: My girlfriend immediately said "why is the screen so dirty" (referring to the shimmer) when seeing the u2711 :)

Huge flaw in my eyes, hopefully next years IPS panels won't have such thick AG. I'm not bothered by AG either -- u2711 / zr2740w just have a way thicker coat than practically every monitor out there
 
You notice it but you don't care about it. There are a lot of testimonials here of people who notice the antiglare coating and then stopped caring about it.
 
Weird :confused::confused: My girlfriend immediately said "why is the screen so dirty" (referring to the shimmer) when seeing the u2711 :)

Huge flaw in my eyes, hopefully next years IPS panels won't have such thick AG. I'm not bothered by AG either -- u2711 / zr2740w just have a way thicker coat than practically every monitor out there

Yes, the 27" panels from LG are the worst in this regard. It's a shame because otherwise they are nice panels.
 
How's the "minor color shift" in the vertical direction that people are reporting for the PLS panels? I know my MVA panel colorshift did bother me, though I put up with it as a tradeoff for the cost differential from IPS at the time.

Almost cancelled the u2711 today, but figured I'd get it and actually use it for a day or three before deciding.

Of course, now I'm PRIMED to notice it.... :mad:

BB
 
No color shift here. White uniformity is actually the best i've seen on any monitor, IPS or otherwise. I'd definitely return it if there were any uniformity issues, that would drive me nuts.
 
Never have noticed any color shifting on my Samsung Series 7 Slate which uses a PLS panel and it would be much more noticeable on a tablet than a desktop monitor.
 
Had mine a couple of days:

+ Perfect anti-glare; almost completely undetectable, yet functional. Makes white clean milky smooth white. In my opinion this is what makes this monitor a much better choice that the other 27"s. This is what I'm been looking for for over a year or so.
+ Colors pop
+ Good adjustability
+ Ambient light detector adjust brightness; convenient if you sit in a room which is very light during the day but dark during the night.
- Flimsy construction; creaky sqeaky
- IPS glow (or should I say PLS glow) makes the viewing angles very narrow in practice (washed out colors from the side). This is also discernable in dark games even if you sit right in front of it; the edges of the screen will look grey (no its not backlight bleeding, my screen had almost none BLB). Im coming from an Eizo S-PVA screen so I'm used to black blacks and being without IPS glow, which I find very annoying actually.

Unfortunately I will have to return mine since it has a defect pixel (red) in the middle low part of the screen.
 
Had mine a couple of days:

+ Perfect anti-glare; almost completely undetectable, yet functional. Makes white clean milky smooth white. In my opinion this is what makes this monitor a much better choice that the other 27"s. This is what I'm been looking for for over a year or so.
+ Colors pop
+ Good adjustability
+ Ambient light detector adjust brightness; convenient if you sit in a room which is very light during the day but dark during the night.
- Flimsy construction; creaky sqeaky
- IPS glow (or should I say PLS glow) makes the viewing angles very narrow in practice (washed out colors from the side). This is also discernable in dark games even if you sit right in front of it; the edges of the screen will look grey (no its not backlight bleeding, my screen had almost none BLB). Im coming from an Eizo S-PVA screen so I'm used to black blacks and being without IPS glow, which I find very annoying actually.

Unfortunately I will have to return mine since it has a defect pixel (red) in the middle low part of the screen.

That sucks dude. I'm glad I got a good one, its definitely worth it IMO -- the whites like you mentioned are amazing and much better than the other 2011 model IPS panels. Only real flaw I can think of is IPS (PLS) glow, but that happens with every IPS i've seen. I can deal, it bothers me less than the ridiculous AG on the u3011.

Good luck with your next one (if you're getting another) :)
 
That sucks dude. I'm glad I got a good one, its definitely worth it IMO -- the whites like you mentioned are amazing and much better than the other 2011 model IPS panels. Only real flaw I can think of is IPS (PLS) glow, but that happens with every IPS i've seen. I can deal, it bothers me less than the ridiculous AG on the u3011.

Good luck with your next one (if you're getting another) :)

Yea, IPS/PLS glow is a flaw, but one that one simply has to accept considering the state of current monitor technology. Overall, I can't see that any other monitor trumps the 27" SA850 (when you get one without BLB and pixel defects...).

Yes, I'm getting my replacement tomorrow. Hope I will be lucky not only with the pixel but also with backlight bleeding, which have been plaguing this monitor line (at least the early batches), the first I got had almost no BLB.

I'm glad we have this law in Sweden which dictates that you have 14 days to return anything purchased over distance (e.g., internet) and receive full refund, no questions asked. Especially useful when buying monitors considering the prospect of getting one with faulty pixels or BLB. :)
 
I really wish this display was 3D. Combination of 3D and that resolution would be perfect.
 
Sounds nice. I will seriously consider next time I have to replace a monitor.

One of my monitors is "on the fritz" and I can't decide what to do about it. I can get a 27" 1080P 3D LCD or a 27" High Res 3D LCD. Both are around the same price. I've put up with the distortion issues of this other monitor for about a year now. It's time to replace it, but there isn't a clear upgrade path.
 
One of my monitors is "on the fritz" and I can't decide what to do about it. I can get a 27" 1080P 3D LCD or a 27" High Res 3D LCD. Both are around the same price. I've put up with the distortion issues of this other monitor for about a year now. It's time to replace it, but there isn't a clear upgrade path.

I agree, there are so many choices it makes my head spin ;)

There's no single technology without its drawbacks. Only TN has 120hz (which is really nice). Only IPS / PLS have > 1080p resolution. Nearly all IPS panels have harsh AG despite being good monitors.

Tough decisions these days, I wish a new technology would combine the best of all technologies. Colors / viewing angles of PLS / IPS with 120 hz.
 
One of my monitors is "on the fritz" and I can't decide what to do about it. I can get a 27" 1080P 3D LCD or a 27" High Res 3D LCD. Both are around the same price. I've put up with the distortion issues of this other monitor for about a year now. It's time to replace it, but there isn't a clear upgrade path.

These are my sentiments exactly. I am in the same boat... On the fence and just can't decide. Would love the 120hz, but which is better the extra real estate of the 1920X1200. I could put up with a TN if it had the extra pixels and 120hz backed by a good company.
 
I opened my S27A850D yesterday.

+Amazing image quality, easily the best that I have ever seen on a desktop monitor.
+The AG is perfect
+I can't yet judge color quality

-Large section of BLB on the bottom
-Even worse, a piece of dust is stuck inside of the panel casting a shadow inside of the screen. This is near the center and bothersome.

I'm going to return the display and try to get a better copy. The pixel density and AG has blown me away, hard to go back to anything else!
 
How's the "minor color shift" in the vertical direction that people are reporting for the PLS panels? I know my MVA panel colorshift did bother me, though I put up with it as a tradeoff for the cost differential from IPS at the time.

Almost cancelled the u2711 today, but figured I'd get it and actually use it for a day or three before deciding.

Of course, now I'm PRIMED to notice it.... :mad:

BB

Got the 2711 today. A touch of backlight bleed from the top, but not terrible. IPS glow is significant, though, as close as I sit to the thing.

AG coating... well, I can see it, but I guess I'm so used to it at work, its not bothering me too much. I only really notice it on large swaths of white to about 20%grey. Will do some editing and light gaming on the few games I play to see how it goes.

Wish somewhere around here had the samsungs to look at. :(

BB
 
Got the 2711 today. A touch of backlight bleed from the top, but not terrible. IPS glow is significant, though, as close as I sit to the thing.

AG coating... well, I can see it, but I guess I'm so used to it at work, its not bothering me too much. I only really notice it on large swaths of white to about 20%grey. Will do some editing and light gaming on the few games I play to see how it goes.

Wish somewhere around here had the samsungs to look at. :(

BB

After having the Samsung, I can't imagine having any other display with a typical AG coating. So don't look at one unless you want to buy one :)

Now if only their QC was under control.
 
For those who have this Samsung S27A850D, how is it for:

a), Text

b). Photo Editing

c) Movies


Thanks.
 
After having the Samsung, I can't imagine having any other display with a typical AG coating. So don't look at one unless you want to buy one :)

Now if only their QC was under control.

Yah, their QC has me worried. The AG doesn't bother me in regular viewing, apparently.

But for image editing, when viewing lighter/brighter images at 1:1, I can't tell if its noise in the image or the AG coating. I have to zoom to 200% image size to make the image pixels large enough that the AG is no longer a factor in that determination.

THAT is annoying. Especially on a monitor that is more often than not used for enthusiast or semi-pro photogs.

Can I live with that? Not sure yet. I can feel myself falling into the devil I know camp, however.

I did take care of most of the ips glow issue. Raised the monitor a tad (it was too low) and tilt the bottom end fwd 3-4 degrees. Evens it right out. And for image editing, the corners are filled with palettes and tool bars, so its not an issue for that.

BB <--- sorry to hijack the Samsung thread, but didn't think this would make sense in a new thread.
 
After having the Samsung, I can't imagine having any other display with a typical AG coating. So don't look at one unless you want to buy one :)

Now if only their QC was under control.

I can't agree with you more, cause this is what happened to me.

I had a Asus pa238q ips before and don't really think the AG bother me, however I return it cuz the low contrast and some other reason.
I bought the s24a850dw after when it was available, and also order the u2412m at the same time cuz I want to do a comparison and decide which to keep.
I got my 850dw first but didn't really notice the AG difference. Then I got my u2412m a week after, and I was shocked!!!
The AG is killing my eye now, and I start to wonder will my eye get damage if I chose to use the AG ips.
Although my 850dw have some backlight bleeding, but I'm pretty sure I'll still choose it over any AG ips.
 
Does anybody else have dust behind their screen? It looks sort of like a dead pixel but perhaps bigger. I have three spots near the center which makes me want to sent this back for another copy.
 
Yea, IPS/PLS glow is a flaw, but one that one simply has to accept considering the state of current monitor technology. Overall, I can't see that any other monitor trumps the 27" SA850 (when you get one without BLB and pixel defects...).

Yes, I'm getting my replacement tomorrow. Hope I will be lucky not only with the pixel but also with backlight bleeding, which have been plaguing this monitor line (at least the early batches), the first I got had almost no BLB.

I'm glad we have this law in Sweden which dictates that you have 14 days to return anything purchased over distance (e.g., internet) and receive full refund, no questions asked. Especially useful when buying monitors considering the prospect of getting one with faulty pixels or BLB. :)

Got my replacement now. Despite this having a green pixel when it is supposed to be black I will keep this one, as it is really only discernable when the screen is totally black. Also, I found some kind of pixel defect in the lower left corner, but it doesn't bother me (other than it is annoying that Samsung can't seem to get things 100% right with this monitor, but I think I will get over this annoyance).

There is no BLB at all on this monitor, and I'm beginning to think that what people call BLB in reviews and opinions of this screen is often actually IPS/PLS glow, as this is relative to other IPS screens I've seen more severe. Even at the most optimal positioning in front of the monitor there will be some contrast shift in corners due to the IPS/PLS glow (which in practice only annoys you in dark games, not in "desktop mode").
 
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