IT NEVER CEASES TO amaze just how the price of LCD monitors continues to fall, while display sizes keep increasing. A few years ago, a 26-inch LCD was out of reach for many gamers. Not only that, but the quality left a lot to be desired and the response times were less than adequate for the most part.
Fast-forward to 2008, and one can pick up an HD LCD monitor, such as the Samsung T260 we have here, at a very good price. Not only is the monitor affordable, but it is among the best 26-inch units you will find on the market. In our opinion, it’s the best 26-inch LCD available locally, which isn’t surprising as Samsung is among the major substrate manufacturers; and logic would dictate that they know best how to calibrate their monitors to work best with their substrates.
To that end, Samsung has done a stellar job with the T260. It offers 25.5 inches of actual viewable screen space, has a native resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 (16:10) - as one would expect - and has an impressive 5ms response time (grey-to-grey). The monitor features an HDMI and DVI input like all LCD monitors of this size. It also has the standard VGA input for older sources and has USB connectors built in at the rear of the monitor. They are most certainly not located in a user-friendly position, but with USB extension leads, they could be useful for keyboards and other peripherals. The monitor boasts full HD 1080p, which is great; but without HDCP support, some encrypted high-definition content will be ‘un-watchable’ - at least not in 1080 format. This is the only fault we could find with the monitor from a technical point of view.
Other than the HDCP issue, the monitor is virtually flawless. The ‘dynamic’ contrast rate of 20,000:1 may be more academic than anything else, but one thing is certain: the image is quite incredible. Working with a monitor of this size, one is usually impressed by the sheer size of the screen area, but this is not the case with the T260. It truly produces an incredible image, which looks impressive if you’re watching a DVD or playing an FPS. It is nothing short of amazing and puts to shame just about any other monitor of this size. Gaming at non-native resolutions is as one would expect not a good idea, but should one be forced to lower the resolution in any game to maintain a playable frame rate, the image is still sharp and very easy to get used to.
Aesthetically, the monitor is flawless: the power button is touch sensitive, so you merely touch it and the monitor is turned on or off. Configuration buttons are located on the right side of the monitor away from view to give the T260 a very clean facia. The gloss black finish works very well and makes the T260 look elegant and appropriate in almost any environment it is placed in.
In terms of LCD monitors, the T260 is right up there with the best of them. For twice the price, you won’t get a better monitor in terms of quality, and this is true for the smaller models in the range as well (right down to the 22-inch model). If you are thinking about getting a 24-inch model, you may want to consider the T260 instead. It has the same native resolution, but the larger size will allow you to sit farther from the monitor. The Samsung T260 is simply the best LCD we have ever had the pleasure of working with.
Condition is as new. Complete in box. Still under warranty. About 4 months old.
GO TO FOR MORE INFO:
http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/detail/detail.do?group=computersperipherals&type=monitors&subtype=lcd&model_cd=LS26TWHSUV/ZA
