NVIDIA GeForce 3D Vision Review

The Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ

The Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ 120Hz LCD display is the monitor that came bundled with the GeForce 3D Vision kit.

The Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ is the very first 3D monitor that Samsung has brought to market. The Samsung 2233RZ, which is obviously 100% compatible with GeForce 3D Vision and will be available for purchase in April 2009. This 22″ monitor alone carries an MSRP of $399, so you can see the largest expense of GeForce 3D Vision is the monitor and not the gaming glasses or the software needed to make it work.

Samsung 2233RZ Monitor Product Specifications:

• 1680 by 1050 Native Resolution
• 300 cd/m2 Brightness
• 20,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
• 170^o/160^o (CR>10) Viewing Angle
• GTG 3ms (3D) / 5ms(2D) of Response Time
• 120Hz Dual Engine
• HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection)
• DVI-D (Digital Interface)

The Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ is a 120Hz LCD monitor that is required for crystal-clear, flicker-free stereoscopic 3D gaming as it provides 60Hz per eye. You must have a 120Hz monitor that supports 3D for it to work with GeForce 3D Vision. The very first feature listed on the retail box is “3D Gaming Monitor”, so if you want to go with a different monitor be sure that it supports 3D gaming! This monitor is also ENERGY STAR compliant, so if you do your part for the environment you have nothing to worry about here.

The Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ bundle comes with the stand, DVI cable, power cable, driver disc, installation guide and a cable holder/sorter to keep the cables looking good behind your desk.

I use a pair of Samsung SyncMaster 204B monitors in the office and I switched one of them out in order to test the Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ and I’m super impressed. The Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ makes my old Samsung 204B look weak and a few years back the 204B was one of the top of the line swivel monitors. In the picutre above you can see a difference over six feet away! Both monitors are on auto settings with nothing defined, so this is what you get when you turn them on for the very first time. After using the Samsung 2233RZ I want to get rid of both of my 204B, but for a $399 monitor it does lack a couple things I would like to see for a monitor coming in in 2009.

For starters is only has a single DVI input! For a $399 monitor I expected on seeing maybe something like an HDMI input, but who uses that right? The second thing is that it is a 22″ LCD monitor, which means that it only supports up to 1680 x 1050 native resolution. I would have much rather seen a 24″ monitor with a 1920 x 1080 native resolution as at this price tag I’d like to have a monitor that can do more than just 3D games! With internal Blu-Ray drives now reaching below $80 on sale it only makes sense to invest in a monitor that can support true HD. My final gripe is that the stand is not four-way adjustable (height, pivot, tilt and swivel) like my old Samsung monitors could. I have some more pictures and comments on this monitor in the forums, so check it out if you want more information on it.

All gripes aside the Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ is an amazing lCD monitor that blows away the image quality and brightness on anything I have ever seen before. You really have to see one of these monitors in person to believe it. If you are interested in looking at other monitors you might want to consider the Viewsonic FuHzion VX2265wm as it supports GeForce 3D Vision as well.