Which features are most important to you? Is that all? What about all the features? Samsung’s new M8 Smart Monitor, if used as a business monitor, has a lot to offer.
It’s based on a 32-inch 4K display. USB Type-C connection with power supply and a magnetic clip-on camera are just some of the additional perks. The most interesting aspect is the ability of a Smart TV to connect to the internet. There is nothing more that a 4K display for your PC or Mac can provide.
Perhaps a higher-end panel technology? It’s hardly a surprise that this is a VA panel rather than an IPS one, since this is a Samsung monitor. However, this isn’t always a negative aspect.
When it comes to color and contrast, VA is usually the finest, but it’s not always. True HDR capabilities and local dimming, on the other hand, may be on your wish list, but they’re not included here. HDR10 signal processing is available. Then then, that’s all there is.
Samsung M8 Smart Monitor review: Price and availability
- $699
- Decent value
Samsung’s M8 costs $699 (£699, AU$1,199) and appears like a good deal if you’re willing to pay for all the extras.
There are 32-inch 4K monitors on the market that don’t include the SmartTV gizmos and webcams.
Samsung M8 Smart Monitor review: Design
- Funky, colorful style
- Packed with features
- SmartTV functionality is patchy
The Samsung M8, which has a 400-nit brightness rating and a contrast ratio of 3,000:1, also has an incredibly sleek display, available in white or in pastel pink, blue, and green hues.
As if it’s not obvious, that’s almost surely Samsung’s goal with that. There are three sides of the display with thin bezels, as well as a new herringbone-style texture on the back of the chassis.
It’s not even close to Apple’s Studio Display in terms of material quality. Yes, it is a far more costly display. The Samsung M8 Smart Monitor’s height and tilt-adjustable stand is shaky, too.
Despite this, the display is packed to the gills with options. The USB-C connector allows you to connect to your PC or Mac with a single connection and charge your device at 65W. Docking with a single connection eliminates the need for several docking stations or USB-C adapters, making life simpler and your workplace more organized. A micro-HDMI connector on the back of the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor serves as a fallback option for devices that don’t have USB-C or HDMI inputs. You will be able to utilize the included cable, but not a conventional HDMI cable.
Another great feature is the built-in webcam. It has a magnetic top that attaches to the display and a magnetic cap for further security. Allows for simple alignment without moving the display with tilt adjustment. When you truly need to lower, you’ll need to tilt it up. Unfortunately, this tilts just up. Digital frame centering and facial tracking might theoretically solve this problem. For the time being, this feature is limited to use with the Google Duo video calling app.
Full SmartTV capabilities with a remote control that includes all the typical applications and shortcuts for Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Disney+ is the next big showbiz feature. A web browser and wireless networking, such as Apple AirPlay, are also included in the SmartTV feature.
Microsoft 365 and a keyboard and mouse are supported as well. The Samsung M8 may function as a substitute for a computer in a pinch.
A native 4K resolution isn’t available on a SmartTV. A bit soft and grainy in the interface’s visual quality. Even so, when using the SmartTV applications to stream video, the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor does at least support 4K at 60 frames per second in full resolution. There are built-in speakers that provide enough loudness but no dynamic range to round out the multimedia functions. Given how thin this display is, this comes as no surprise. If you’re going to be watching any kind of media, you’ll need external speakers.
Samsung M8 Smart Monitor review: Performance
- Punchy and plenty of contrast
- Limited viewing angles
- Not the fastest panel ever
There is still the slight issue of picture quality to deal with. Pros and Cons of the VA Panel Because of the lack of IPS panel technology, it is instantly apparent that the viewing angles are not as broad as on the finest models. Adding insult to injury, the display’s backlight isn’t very constant, with noticeable fading in the corners.
With two degrees of overdrive, the panel’s speed and responsiveness are likewise just passable. Because of the 60Hz refresh rate, the M8 isn’t a natural option for gamers that have high expectations. However, the VA screen still packs a punch owing to a bright backlight (by SDR standards rather than HDR ones) and lots of contrast. When it comes to non-local dimming displays, this is as near to HDR as you can get.
Of fact, with a pixel density of 140DPI, this 32-inch 4K display is more than enough for most desktop tasks. Fonts are clean and clear, and the video material is stunning.
When it comes to color accuracy, the monitor provides around 90% of the DCI-P3 digital cinema gamut, according to Samsung’s claims. So, it’s not going to be able to handle a lot of high-quality content development, but it can handle a little bit of it. If you’re looking for a monitor for picture editing, for example, and color accuracy is a must, go for an IPS display.
