Samsung 955DF 19" Monitor

Conclusion

The 955DF qualifies as a budget 19" monitor, especially considering the fact that it uses a flat CRT. Most retail stores price the 955DF at around the $300 mark, while online stores sell the 955DF for around $250 or less (not including the pricey shipping costs). As a budget monitor, the 955DF is about as good as they come.

The 955DF has a number of features that put it ahead of other monitors in this price range. In addition to having a very high quality picture tube that offers a perfectly flat image and a good anti reflective coating, the 955DF has a plethora of user controls. The highlight feature of the monitor also distinguishes it from the crowd, as the highlight zone can come in useful when watching a windowed movie on your screen. Most users will likely forget about this feature quickly simply due to the fact that the opportunity to use it comes fairly rarely.

Image quality wise, the 955DF did well in our tests. We were able to find a few problems with the monitor using DisplayMate, but on the whole none of the problems were noticeable in actual use. Perhaps the largest problem with the 955DF is its low refresh rate at 1600x1200. Many users find 1600x1200 too high of a resolution to use on a 19" monitor, but those with good eye sight will appreciate the extra desktop space gained by moving from 1280x1024 to 1600x1200. Unfortunately 1600x1200 is not an option on the 955DF since the monitor only supports a 68Hz refresh rate at this resolution. The 950p, on the other hand, is able to support a 75Hz refresh rate at 1600x1200. Those who are considering running at 1600x1200 on their 19" monitor should stay away from the 955DF.

Being a budget monitor, the 955DF also lacks some features that we would have liked to see. More advanced user controls, such as focus and a user definable color setting, would have been nice as would have a removable VGA cable and BNC inputs. Then again, there is only so much we can expect from a monitor priced in the sub $300 range.

Overall, the 955DF is an excellent monitor at an excellent price. If you are in the market for a 19" monitor that will run well at 1280x1024 and look great, do not hesitate to go with the Samsung SyncMaster 955DF.