Samsung SyncMaster 305T 30" LCD Monitor Review

Conclusion

When it comes to Samsung monitors, we have come to expect great picture quality and throughout the two months I had it, the SyncMaster 305T met and in many cases exceeded all of my expectations. From the moment I plugged this monitor in (with a proper DVI cable that is) I was absolutely stunned again and again by the magic that Samsung has conjured with a pre-calibrated monitor. Granted, there is no OSD but to be honest it isn’t needed since the preset colors are absolutely spot-on and the contrast beggars the competition. Usually “pre-calibrated” raises a red flag for me but I was proven wrong by Samsung.

With all of the beauty offered by the picture produced by the 305T, there are two areas where it really shines: playing games and in professional applications. It doesn’t matter which game you play since they all take on a whole new dimension when played at the drool-worthy resolution of 2560 x 1600 but there is one major trade-off with such a large monitor: graphics power. Don’t expect to play your favourite game on the 305T with any budget graphics card since it takes some serious horsepower to render all the pixels a 30” screen can display. While gamers are one portion of the market, on the completely opposite end are the professionals who use their computers for graphics work and this monitor will open up amazing realms of flexibility for them. Even though the color gamut is not as wide as some competing products; Photoshop, Maya and other programs benefit quite a bit from the extra screen space and thus productivity will increase.

There are so many things to like about this monitor but then you look at the connectors which Samusng installed and it becomes evident that there is something missing. In this day and age I feel that the inclusion of a HDMI connector and HDCP support isn’t an option; it is a necessity, especially on a high-end 30” monitor like the 305T. As we saw in the movie viewing section, the full screen picture quality displayed by non-HD content on this monitor is absolutely atrocious and there is no possibility of playing HDCP protected content on it at all. To me this is a deal breaker since there is no way I could see myself spending $1400 on a monitor without it having what I feel are the most basic connectivity and compatibility options. What a shame this is considering the 305T is one hell of a monitor in every other respect.

Samsung has been working long and hard to release the best products for consumers since day one and the 305T could have been their crowning achievement. Unfortunately, the omission of HDCP has the potential to make it an also-ran in the 30” monitor war. Everything about it is superb and indeed if you don’t intend on ever watching high definition movies on it, it should be at the top of your list when looking for a 30” monitor especially since the price is very competitive.


Pros:

- Very good picture quality
- No ghosting
- Wide viewing angles
- 3 year warranty


Cons:

- No HDMI or Display Port
- Not HDCP compatible

Thanks to Samsung for providing us with this monitor