Samsung S27B971D Monitor Review
by Chris Heinonen on October 31, 2013 12:00 PM ESTThe maximum light output of the S27B971D is only rated for 250 cd/m^2 in the Standard mode, which is lower than we expect to see. For all these pre-calibration measurements I use the sRGB mode of the display. It is the most accurate out of the box and what I would use if I couldn’t calibrate the display.
With the brightness set to maximum we get 261 cd/m^2 of brightness on a white screen. This is slightly more than the specs say, which is nice to see, but 10 nits is a pretty small difference. Set down to the minimum we get 62 cd/m^2 which is a good range of brightness. Many displays stop well before 100 cd/m^2 which can be too bright for nighttime or light controlled environments. If you do use the high brightness mode you can get 321 cd/m^2 from the S27B971D, but you give up accuracy. I’d skip it, unless there was a specific instance where it was helpful.
As PLS is similar to IPS I expect to see black level results that more closely mirror it than a VA style panel. The black levels on the Samsung are a bit underwhelming. With the backlight at maximum the black level is 0.3737 cd/m^2; at minimum it is 0.0904 cd/m^2. With values like this I’d like to see a higher white level as the contrast levels are going to be only fair.
As I suspected the contrast levels on the Samsung are only 700:1 and 690:1. These are OK for an IPS/PLS panel but not amazing. Samsung rates the display at 1,000:1 for static contrast but I didn’t find a way to achieve those numbers unless you use the dynamic contrast system (which I don’t). So it's a fair result but not great.
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QuantumPion - Thursday, October 31, 2013 - link
Get the same panel offbrand (QNIX/X-STAR) for only ~$300-$350ish off ebay. Win.cheinonen - Thursday, October 31, 2013 - link
The panel is only one piece of the system. You can have a great panel and a really bad display result. See the reviews of the LG 29EA93 versions and how much difference you can get using the same panel.QuantumPion - Thursday, October 31, 2013 - link
The reviews of the QNIX and X-STAR rate it as being pretty much identical in quality (including out of the box color accuracy) as the name-brands. The only downside is the cheapo stand and casing.glenster - Thursday, October 31, 2013 - link
Samsung should put out one like the Qnix QX2710.aliasfox - Thursday, October 31, 2013 - link
It's almost in the same position as Apple's (aging) Thunderbolt dispay. They're both 2560 x 1440 27" displays that sell for $1k, they both have nice looking industrial designs, and have image quality that's good, but no longer great.If I were considering either one, I'd jump the marginal $250 and grab the NEC, or save $300 and grab one of the other ones.
MykeM - Friday, November 1, 2013 - link
You can pick Apple's TB Display for $800 at Apple online store. It's refurbished but comes with the same 1 year warranty.NCM - Tuesday, November 5, 2013 - link
Regarding Apple's Thunderbolt display, at least for the same $1K price Mac users get another benefit: the built-in T'bolt hub that gives USB, and FW ports, plus ethernet and a power supply for laptop charging. Together these would cost at least another $300, effectively reducing the Apple monitor's price. For those who can benefit from this docking capability (not everyone, obviously) that makes the T'bolt monitor very decent value.xKeGSx - Thursday, October 31, 2013 - link
What about the LG 27EA83-D? I own one. Got it from Microcenter for $649 when it was released and newegg just had it on sale for $550. 27" IPS panel, 2560x1440, 99% Adobe RGB, works great for games that I've tried, and is stunning after calibration. It does come precalibrated with results but those are never true. All the reviews I've read have raved about it and I've been waiting for Anandtech or tftcentral to confirm my bias. Please give this monitor a review! Thanks.Panzerknacker - Thursday, October 31, 2013 - link
I just would never buy a Samsung, especially not a expensive one like this. My experience with their products is usually a short lived one, because they tend to break pretty early.Nfarce - Thursday, October 31, 2013 - link
Well I've bought 3 HDTVs, 4 PC monitors, 3 SSDs, and 2 mobile phones all made by Samsung and none have given me any problems. You are just unlucky. Look at the reviews of any of the products I mention above on sites like Amazon or NewEgg and see how many people complain about failure.