Digital Trends

Samsung SyncMaster 173P

April 5th, 2004 | by Brandon King

The SyncMaster 173P also pivots from landscape to portrait mode and combined with the included Pivot Pro software, allows you to view documents and images in either mode. Samsung boasts a 178 degree viewing angle from each side. Add to that the ability to tilt back all the way so the screen is almost on the same plane as your desk and you have a screen that can conform to anyone's viewing preferences.

Top view of the SyncMaster 173P shows the small footprint base.

Sporting an excellent 700:1 contrast ratio, .264 pixel pitch, 270 cd/m² brightness, and 25ms response time, the 173P also features a 1280x1024 maximum resolution and a full 16.7 million colors. These numbers are not earth shattering - they nearly match the specifications of Samsung's 172X - but in this case beauty is not just skin deep. The SyncMaster 173P is one of the most eye-catching displays on the market.

With only one button on the bezel you won't be left without a personalized adjustment of the screen. The included configuration software, dubbed MagicTune, takes care of nearly every aspect of the display such as geometry, color, brightness and contrast. The software even includes test images to check your settings. MagicTune also has the ability to save user-defined settings and recall them with a click of the mouse, or to restore to factory default settings. MagicTune only works with Windows 98SE and above and can be accessed through a system tray icon or a desktop icon.

Another feature of the display is what Samsung calls “MagicBright” technology, allowing for three levels of luminescence to be chosen. This feature is seen in several other Samsung monitors we have reviewed.