Saturday, January 31, 2009

Efficiency and Convenience in One - Samsung SyncMaster 2263DX

By Matt Ryan

Many people, both personally and professionally use dual monitors when computing. This concept has been around since the 90s and is becoming more commonly used. There is; however, a new approach to this concept that could make some lives easier or at least less cluttered.

Samsung has released a dual monitor set that has a 22" monitor along with an attachable 7" monitor - the SyncMaster 2263DX. This is a great setup for those who like the concept of dual monitoring. It is especially beneficial for individuals whom have limited desk space, and cannot fit two full sized monitors on their desk. The 7" monitor is perfect for secondary applications like instant messaging, while the 22" monitor is ideal for running your standard applications.

The primary monitor, 22-inch, has a resolution of 1680 x 1050, a response time of 5mx, and a contrast ration of 1000:1. If you know your monitors, you know this is an average monitor. The big difference with this monitor, from single units, is the fact that you must connect it with a USB port along with a DVI, HDMI, or VGA cable.

The 7" monitor is not quite as glorified as the 22", but that is to be expected considering it is considerably smaller. This monitor has a 400:1 contrast ration, 800 x 480 resolution, and a response time of 30ms. Considering major applications will not run on this monitor, these numbers should be sufficient.

The secondary monitor attaches nicely to the primary monitor, taking up much less real estate on your desk. It is attached via a pivotal arm that allows you to rotate the monitor to the perfect position. Additionally, the 7-inch monitor can be adjusted to either landscape or portrait layout, whichever you prefer.

The dual monitoring experience, that the SyncMaster 2263DX offers, is phenomenal. However, it does not stop with pure efficiency and spaciousness. The smaller monitor can actually be used as a secondary portable monitor for a laptop, or even a standalone unit on your desk. You do not have to use it as an attachment to the 22-inch monitor that it comes with.

The Samsung SyncMaster 2263DX offers telecommunications benefits as well as dual monitoring. There is a 3.0M webcam, 1.5W down firing speakers, and a microphone integrated directly into the larger monitor. It is the perfect set up for videoconferencing.

This unit sells for around $550. While this is a bit pricey compared to a standard 22-inch monitor, there is additional functionality and convenience in the SyncMaster 2263DX.

It all comes down to what is most important to you. If you are considering dual monitoring then you obviously, need a solution that will help you to work more productively. The big question is space and budget. If you are willing to spend the extra dough, for the latest technology, then this is a great buy. If space is not an issue and budget is, then waiting for the price to drop might be the best alternative (or purchase two separate monitors).

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