If you have read some of my reviews in the past, then you may already know that I no longer have a desktop computer. Instead, I have come to rely on my laptop as my primary computer and this has suited my mobile lifestyle just fine. In fact, I use my notebook as if it were a desktop, attaching it to an external monitor and a wireless desktop.
The trouble is that when I try to use a dual display setup, my laptop screen is inevitably lower than that of the external LCD monitor. The latter is on a stand and this can make for a somewhat awkward experience. Recognizing this relatively new niche, Samsung has released a pair of so-called laptop companion monitors. Today, we’re taking a look at the Samsung SyncMaster LD190.
Features at a Glance
Before we get down to the laptop-friendly elements of this particular product, let’s run down the main features and specifications.
The LD190 isn’t exactly the largest LCD screen on the market, measuring just 18.5-inches across the diagonal, but this is still a substantial improvement over the 14.1-inches I get on my Dell laptop. If you want something bigger, there’s also the 21.5-inch LD220 (which sadly does not offer you more pixels of resolution at that increase in size).
As part of the Samsung LapFit series of monitors, the LD190 features a native resolution of 1366 x 768, taking on the 16:9 wide aspect ratio popular with movie enthusiasts. I fully expected a higher resolution than this, seeing how even a de-branded 20-inch HP monitor is capable of doing 1680 x 1050. Is that a deal breaker? Possibly.
Rounding out the specs are a 1000:1 contrast ratio, 250 cd/m2 brightness rating, 5ms response time, 2-lamp low power consumption, and UbiSync technology. The UbiSync is not unlike the technology in the previously reviewed Nanovision Mimo UM-710 USB Monitor.
Looking Inside the Box
In terms of retail packaging, Samsung has taken the same approach with the SyncMaster LD190 as it has taken with just about every other LCD monitor in the company’s lineup. You get a pretty standard-looking brown cardboard box and inside, everything is packed away with a pair of Styrofoam inserts.
Aside from the LCD monitor itself, which comes with some clear protective tape around the bezel, you get a power cable, VGA cable, USB cable, installation CD, and supporting documentation.
It Stands on Its Own
And this is the main selling point for the LapFit SyncMaster LD190. Nearly all other LCD monitors come with a stand of some kind that elevates the screen above the surface of your table. Such is not the case with the LD190.
Instead, you can almost say that the Samsung LD190 is designed like a giant digital photo frame. There is a kickstand-like portion that protrudes out the back and you can angle this to your liking to prop up the monitor. The idea behind this design, as you can probably imagine, is so that the bottom of the screen makes contact with your desk or table. In this way, the monitor will line up better with your laptop when it sits next to it, making the dual monitor configuration a little more user-friendly.
Since it sits on your desk like a giant digital picture frame, you don’t get the tilt and swivel functions that you normally would find with any other LCD. Of course, you could adjust the angle of the stand and rotate your screen as needed with it on your desk.
Connectivity Kept Simple
You want a bunch of fancy features and added functions? You’ll need to look elsewhere.
The Samsung SyncMaster LD190 does not come with integrated stereo speakers, a USB hub, a webcam, or any of that other kind of stuff. As a result, the connectivity options have also been kept remarkably simple. On the left side is a place for the power supply and the two input options are on the right side. There’s also the standard VGA/RGB port and a USB port.
The USB port has a function other than just simply being there. After you install the appropriate drivers from the provided CD-ROM, you can run this monitor through a USB connection at full-resolution. That’s pretty convenient. It is a shame, however, that there is no option for DVI or HDMI.
Glowing Red Controls and On-Screen Menu
On the Samsung SyncMaster P2370, we were treated to the Starlight Touch interface for the on-screen menu. This made for a cool white glow for the touch-sensitive “buttons” that would magically appear from behind the black bezel. For the LD190, we get a similar experience, except it’s all in brilliant red.
Until you graze your finger along the lower-right corner of the black bezel, you won’t see any of these touch-sensitive buttons. The only exception is the power button, which is an indented portion on the otherwise flat bezel.
For some reason or another, it seems like Samsung significantly simplified the menu interface for the LD190. Initially, it’ll appear like you do not have nearly as many options for adjusting things like contrast and color balance. There is a tab for brightness, but where’s the rest? That’s where the MagicBright options come into play.
You can use any of the pre-determined settings or you can make your own with the custom option. This isn’t quite as convenient as some other menu systems, but it sure makes it a lot simpler.
Let Me Level with You
So, is this LCD monitor really on the level? (Sorry, that was a horrible pun and it was completely uncalled for.)
In the picture above, I have my 14.1-inch Dell Inspiron sitting on a basic laptop stand next to the Samsung LD190. As you can probably see, everything seems to be lining very well between the two screens. I happen to have my laptop screen turned off in the shot, but you get the idea. It’s also notable that, for the shot above, I am running the LD190 off of a simple USB connection.
As mentioned, this adds a great deal of versatility and, assuming that your computer has the processing power, you can run several monitors using several USB connections. The USB connection is similar to that of the Nanovision Mimo UM-710 and the Samsung SPF-85V digital frame.
With the LapFit design, I can see how it would be a lot more comfortable for laptop users to do the dual monitor thing with a display like this over a regular LCD.
Vertical and Horizontal Viewing Angles
What about the overall performance of this LCD monitor? As I do with all of my LCD reviews these days, I ran the Samsung SyncMaster LD190 through its paces in DisplayMate for Windows Multimedia Edition 2.12. This program has a series of test patterns for benchmarking and fine-tuning purposes as well as evaluating the quality of the picture on a monitor.
For the vertical viewing angle, the LD190 does an admirable job. With several other (cheaper) LCD monitors that I have tried, the display either becomes unreadable or the color starts to shift when you look at the screen from an extreme vertical angle. Such is not the case with the LD190. I don’t see why you’d ever look at the screen from such an extreme angle, but it’s good to see that it would still be reasonably usable, even if you’re looking straight down on it. You will notice that the screen gets a little washed out with the brightness, but that’s better than a color distortion and lack of legibility.
The horizontal viewing angle is even more impressive. To my naked and untrained eye, I experience no color or brightness distortion. The horizontal angle, to me, is much more important than the vertical, since it’s quite possible that you’ll have your screen on an angle. No complaints in this department.
Benchmarks, Contrast, Brightness…
Continuing with the DisplayMate benchmarks, I ran through a series of test patterns to see if anything caught my eye. The color saturation is very rich with this monitor. The red is really red and the blues are really blue. The slightly less impressive contrast ratio became apparent in some test patterns that were looking to differentiate between different levels of grey, so this may become a bit of a concern for gamers and other people concerned with subtle differences.
It’s quite notable that the screen is also very bright on its default settings and, if you adjust these down a notch or three, the contrast can improve significantly. For more shots of the test patterns, check out the gallery on the next page.
Final Thoughts
Laptop users are getting some much needed attention from the different computer and computer accessory companies these days. No longer are we only offered a variety of bags, mice, and webcams. These companies are recognizing that notebooks are oftentimes used like desktops and, as such, need desktop-like peripherals. The LapFit line from Samsung is a great push in this direction, making it so much easier and more convenient for notebook users to do dual displays with an external monitor.
The images line up very well and the performance of the LD190 is pretty well on par with equivalent non-LapFit monitors. The contrast ratio is far from perfect and the lack of extra features is a bit of a downer, but this is still a good monitor and it’ll suit most consumers just fine. Clearly an innovative product just a few tweaks away from being great.
Pros
- Innovative photo frame-like configuration
- Brilliant and rich colors
- USB connection for video input
- Quality Samsung LCD panel
Cons
- Less than admirable resolution
- No DVI connection option or added features (webcam, mic, USB hub, speakers, etc.)
- Contrast ratio could be improved
Overall Rating: 8.0/10
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