From the August 1997 Issue of PC World
We evaluated the following monitors for the August review of 15-inch monitors, but they did not makethe list.
Samsung SyncMaster 500b
PRO: Extensive on-screen menus, easy to adjust
CON: Fairly expensive
VITAL STATS: 13.8-inch viewable screen, .28mm dot pitch tube, up to 130-Hz refresh rate (at 800 by 600 resolution), Plug and Play ready, color and image adjustment software, three-year warranty, 24-hour daily toll-free tech support
The Samsung SyncMaster 500b is a solid all-purpose monitor, with good text and graphics scores. It replaces the SyncMaster 500 Gli that ranked fourth on our June Top 10. Unfortunately this monitor didn't score as well on text as its predecessor. That shortcoming, combined with a fairly high $379 price, knocks the Samsung off our chart this month. Everything else that was good about its predecessor is good about this model: It features a bevy of screen controls that are remarkably easy to use.
One thing we really liked about this monitor is its good looks. It's attractive and unconventional, with intersecting angles and patterns on its side and rear. In fact, it's one of the few monitors we've seen that looks good from any angle. Samsung's support policies are also attractive, with a three year warranty and 24-hour toll-free tech support. We plan to retest this model with an updated test suite and report our findings in our October issue.
Samsung, 800/933-4110, www.sosimple.com
Hansol Mazellan 15AX
PRO: Good price, well-detailed graphics
CON: Controls have no on-screen display, text could be sharper
VITAL STATS: 13.9-inch viewable area, .27mm dot pitch tube, 75-Hz refresh rate (at 800 by 600 resolution), Plug and Play ready, three-year warranty, 8 hours of weekday tech support
A couple of months ago, the Mazellan 15AX would have been one of the least-expensive models we looked at. Now, seven of the models on our top 10 cost less than this $359 fairly bare-bones monitor. With an unexceptional price, it's hard to overlook shortcomings like the lack of an on-screen display for controls and Hansol's short tech support hours. The image quality on the Mazellan 15 AX wasn't bad: Our scanned photos looked fairly good, and we were able to read the 8-point type in our test worksheet. But the URL in our Web page was somewhat out of focus, and the text in general wasn't as crisp as we like. Support could also be better. The three-year warranty is good, but the toll-free weekday tech support hours are amongst the shortest of any monitor vendor. Hansol does have a higher-quality 15-inch model; look for its review in an upcoming issue.
Hansol, 888/426-7651, www.hansol-us.com
