Dell 2407WFP

Dell 2407WFP

We already tested the previous 30" version and then the 2007WFP (20 inches). Even if it is the third of its kind, we are still seduced by the design of this new series and quality of finishing touches. The monitor is beautiful and perfectly assembled. This all looks great and we love it! The only ones that might moderately appreciate it are Mac users – the black colour might not necessarily go well with the computer (the Samsung will probably be more appropriate) – and those who recently bought the 2405FPW. Seeing the release of an even better successor probably isn´t that easy to handle.


This must be all the more difficult that at the time of the 2405WFP’s design, Samsung wasn´t yet on the path of "good color quality right out of the box". The previous monitor was sold with less accurate colours, and calibration was necessary for anyone who wanted to professionally work on images.
Since that time we have seen monitors assembled with correctly adjusted TN and PVA panels, and this is a very big change!


Finally, we have to say that everything isn´t perfect, or should we say there is still much to do. We will give more details below, but even a monitor like this one seems to be designed by Samsung engineers for games rather than for professionals. In a way they aren´t completely wrong. They probably think that an individual user will look for bight shining colors in games and movies. If this is your case, you will love it. An image professional, however, will have to calibrate the monitor. If we want to play devil´s advocate we could also say that in principle, they won´t mind the standard adjustments, because they will create another profile.


The biggest change – except for the design – would be in reaction time. The previous panel of the 2405FPW was a 16 ms ISO / 8 ms G2G, and this one is a 6ms G2G. It is comparable to the Samsung SyncMaster 970P (previously tested by us) and it makes a big difference.

Samsung SyncMaster 244T

Samsung SyncMaster 244T

Samsung is the first manufacturer to sell big and fast panels. It’s been six months since they started selling this PVA 6 ms model, integrated first by Acer in the AL2416W. This monitor was really interesting for games, relatively affordable (we find the Acer monitor around 850€) but only has one analog input and isn´t compatible with the HDCP protection norm. Now we are starting to have more information about this protection. If Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs are delayed and we don´t know yet if they will be protected, satellite and cable contents are. If you don´t have HDCP, this means that you will simply have a black screen. Very briefly this protection has been deactivated in some countries to avoid the frustration of football fans, but cable operators have confirmed to us of having the intention to shut down HD access and only reserve it to those who have HDCP monitors in the days/weeks to come. This is what we were afraid of and it’s becoming essential.

The Samsung monitor corrects some of the Acer’s imperfections. It is HDCP certified and has a DVI input. But that isn´t all…


This superb monitor looks very much like the Dell in terms of functionalities (in fact, it’s the Dell that looks like the Samsung, the 244T was released a few months before the 2407WFP). It is vertically adjustable, has a USB hub, pivot mode, YUV inputs (for a console, DVD player, satellite decoder, TV modem…), S-Video and Composite (use only these two inputs for signals that do not require best quality, for example, taking a quick look at pictures, video of a camcorder…).


The monitor design is a little less aggressive than Dell’s and a little more classic. It will probably also be more "Apple friendly".

As usual with Samsung, the controls at the bottom of the panel makes possible to navigate between several pre-programmed modes, with auto adjusted contrast / brightness / gamma. In practice, it mainly results in "blinding for leisure", "comfortable for reading and internet". To have more precise adjustments, it is also possible to use the software provided with the monitor. However, we already said during the SyncMaster 215TW test that these tools aren´t really intuitive and sometimes lead to undesired results. There are three steps in the Natural Color application…each of them cancels results of the previous one. So it is best to choose one and stick to it. Also, even if we carefully follow instruction, we sometimes end up by choosing very wrong adjustments. Samsung doesn´t contradict us either. Several people from Samsung Korea came to our office to understand our tests, preferences and our criticisms of their tool. The attempt that they made with their software pointed out its weaknesses and they couldn’t even get a good result.


This is unfortunate, because color quality out of the box is comparable to the Dell. Of course, we aren´t surprised as the panel is the same for both monitors. There are however some slight variations as we will see in the pages to come. Generally, defects are the same and are very difficult to correct.


And then there is reaction time, which is very good. Playing with this monitor is a real pleasure. It isn´t the best on the market as TN and IPS 6 ms are slightly faster. However, not so long ago, up until the middle of last year, it was the best on the LCD market. For those who bought it, afterglow of the 244T is comparable to that of the ViewSonic VP191b (MVA 8 ms), Samsung SM 913N (TN). These monitors were the best for gaming up until June 2005.

Color quality out of the box: errors and corrections

Color quality out of the box

Samsung, the component manufacturer changed the way it was proceeding last year and we can´t complain about this modification. Panels are now shipped out with good adjustments, however, they aren’t calibrated. Except for few intended for professionals, panels are adjusted to stick to the sRGB gammut with brighter colors than necessary. They explained to us that the public was looking for “flattering” colors rather than natural ones. This is the standard argument, but it is starting to annoy us. Digital camera manufacturers also render brighter colors and it’s is almost official now that monitor manufacturers do the same. Printers and photo labs also modify them to please clients/buyers. If we look at the three steps for the final product, we can seriously believe that the result does not correspond at all to the initial picture. We feel that it’s necessary for the monitor to at least accurately display what the camera has captured. Now let´s get back to our test…

Color fidelity is measured with the LaCie Blue Eye Pro colorimeter, which is in fact a Gretag tool coupled with the new LaCie software suite. Just to remind you, we work with a value called DeltaE. It represents a measurement between the color requested and the one really displayed on the monitor. The higher the result obtained, the less true colors are. The value is also counter-balanced for human eye color sensitivity.

Delta E > 3 the desired color is noticeably different from the one on the screen.
2 < Delta E < 3 color quality is satisfactory but a graphic designer probably wouldn’t be content
1< Delta E <2 colors are accurate.
Delta E < 1, the result is perfect

Each time, 18 patches of color are studied and 16 results are reported in a graph. To facilitate interpretation of these results, here first is a table based on the average DeltaE for the 2 monitors studied.


The monitors are close but the Dell, more recently assembled, beneficiate from the most accurate colors.

The dominants are obvious: the Dell is too green, the Samsung is more purplish (red + blue). Now if we take a closer look at the grey shades measured in red / green / blue components, here is the result:

In greys, RGB levels should be strictly equivalent. This isn´t visibly the case for either of the two monitors. These values confirm our first visual impression. The first one has a surplus of green, whereas Samsung is lacking in it.
We continue with colour analysis right out of the box… Here are the differences for each monitor, what lacks and what is excessively present. Everything that is above the zero bar is excessive and below it is lacking. The Y-axis is the value on the scale of 256 colors in the RGB space.

We can now see why it is so difficult to manually adjust a monitor. Colour differences aren´t always the same. The three colours are lacking – most of the time red and blue – in the dark greys of the Dell, but red and green levels are rather equilibrated in the light greys. It’s the same for the Samsung, but the result is even more accentuated. Without a complete breakdown of the color table, it isn´t possible to have ideal colors. At best, we will only diminish the most obvious dominance by reinforcing the red and the blue of the Dell and by adding some green for Samsung.

Color rendering

We use the same method for color attempts. First line of colors: colors displayed right out of the box. Second line just below : the ideal ones.

Dell 2407WFP
Samsung SM 244T
We understand better why the Dell monitor is a little more accurate than the Samsung. Color gaps are visibly less important. The 244T systematically starts with more vivid colors.
Here is the same graph but with values this time:

Conclusion:

Dell 2407WFP: the level of red can stay the same, however, slightly reduce green and add some blue.

Samsung 244T: reduce the red.

These adjustments are very approximate. A professional will have to calibrate the monitor if he wants to work with them, especially the Samsung.

After calibration, persistent errors

After calibration, persistent errors

OK, the colorimeter says that the monitors are perfect after calibration. Nevertheless, you shouldn´t believe this. Your monitor gammut won´t necessarily be the same as your personal of professional printer.

For the "Pros" here is a new test. It compares the calibrated profiles of the monitors to the Pro printers in ISO Coated Fogra27. The coloured parts represent colors that are displayed and in gray, the shades that are saturated by the monitor. The monitor will display uniform color areas for this level of color whereas on paper we might see a color scale or additional details:

Dell 2407WFP
Samsung SM 244T
Results are logically very close as the components are more or less identical…This test of printable colors speaks for itself. It represents quite well the physical limitations of monitors. For individual users this time, here are the consequences for a standard picture in sRGB, which means taken in the usual color space of digital cameras.

In neutral grey, in the flowers, the logo Kodak (who has, by the way, produced this picture), in the fruits: the areas in which the monitor saturates. It no longer displays more detail, just a uniform color area. We have reached its limits.

Dell 2407WFP
Samsung SM 244T
The Samsung is less accurate with standard adjustments than the Dell, but after calibration – as we saw on the color scale patterns of the previous test – it finally reaches a higher level. Its gamut is a little wider and it can display details that are invisible on the Dell.
This result puts the previous test of the patterns compared to the printer gamut into perspective. Indeed, monitors have limitations as they do not go as far as professional printers in some shades. For personal use, however, picture editing or printing, they are more than enough.

Finally, to finish with colors, the two monitors showed some disparity in brightness, which is 15% higher below than in the middle of the monitor. Homogeneity is perfect in the upper half.
This brightness variation has a small impact on color intensity. Nevertheless only an expert user will really see this. We have already seen much worse (the variation was 50% for some of the 30 inches…).

Reaction test

Reaction test

A car moves from left to right at high speed.

Movement isn’t perfectly fluid. Depending on its speed, the car is shown in several successive positions. If the car goes very fast, the positions are very close and the eye perceives a flowing movement.
Perfect monitor monitor with 3 ghost images
A monitor without ghosting effects would have previous images completely fading away when a new one appears. This is the theory and in practice, it´s often not the case as images fade progressively. Sometimes up to 5 afterglow images remain on the monitor and represent the visible white trail behind objects. Some monitors have strong overdrives in addition to image anticipation algorithms. In this case, an image can appear in front of the main object, creating a white halo ahead of objects in motion.

With CRTs we captured afterglow with a camera at a shutter speed of 1/60 seconds as compared to 1/1000 s for an LCD. We take 50 pictures per test. We then can see a monitor’s ghosting effects, or all the car’s position in the entire process. The most important image is the one on the left, the better one. It will be the most displayed on the monitor, while the one on the right is in transition.

Here are the two extreme states with each monitor as afterglow oscillates.

S-PVA 6 ms : Dell 2407WFP
S-PVA 6 ms : Samsung SyncMaster 244T
This test isn´t really scientific, but from our point of view it is closer to reality or what we see in games. It’s much better than an oscilloscope response time measurement. Nevertheless, the pictures published above are flattering. They represent precisely what the monitor is capable of, but that isn´t what our eyes exactly see. Our sight is subject to a phenomenon of visual latency. Nowadays, the largest part of afterglow perceived on monitors no longer comes from monitors but from our eyes. This is the reason why the BFI and MPA technologies unveiled by BenQ and Samsung at CeBIT this year are so promising. They both introduced a visual screening, a black or grey area in motion that will "clean" our eyes from previous images. This principle directly comes from CRTs.

This test reflects the monitor’s pure reaction time and allows us to compare it to others. We’ve included the previous Samsung SM 242MP equipped with the previous S-PVA 16 ms panel. This is the same panel as the Dell 2405FPW.


This test shows the progresses made by the new Samsung panel. You have to count the afterglow image to see it. The new Dell and Samsung produce the same results:


This small "1" in the best image makes a big difference for the monitor behaviour. For the 16ms panel, the afterglow is very strong and bothersome. For the 6ms, it has considerably diminished to come back to a much more reasonable level, comparable to TN and MVA 8 ms panels:

P-MVA 8ms : ViewSonic VX2025wm

Films and viewing angles

Films

We now have to separate results into two different categories. Either you have a recent ATI card with updated drivers and standard options, or you don´t (not recent, no update, NVIDIA…). Indeed, the Canadian manufacturer has recently introduced an anti-noise function for MPEG2 movies that is activated with standard options. It is impressive and very efficient for monitors with PVA panels like these two, which are subject to a strong twinkling effect. However, this isn´t perfect yet. Its activation has, from my point of view (a guy that isn´t specialised at all in graphic cards) more negative consequences than positive. To begin with, anti-noise, doesn´t perfectly smooth out parasite pixels. It freezes them and we see them on monitor. Usually, they move all around and here they are still. They aren´t perfectly fixed, like some noise, they shake a little and this is the reason why you see them. There is however some smothering and color approximation work that is done, and sometimes it gets lucky and the image is much nicer. Sometimes it isn´t and the image is clearly worse. There are uniform color areas instead of shades of the same color and it causes a reduction of detail and sometimes small areas with very off colors.

I prefer deactivating this function…when I use an ATI graphic card. This isn´t however the case here as I have an NVIDIA 7800GT.

Rendering is standard and typical of PVA panels with wide viewing angles and reduced afterglow, but with strong twinkling. There are also overly strong colors when they aren´t adjusted; green for the dell and red for Samsung…




To benefit from SD and HD sequences, if possible step back at least two meters from the monitor.

Finally, if you are planning on connecting a DVD player or a satellite decoder, use the DVI input, even if you have to use a DVI/HDMI adaptor (if you have this output) or else the YUV.

Viewing angles

The two 24 inches
Viewing angles are very good, and up until 100° colors are almost as bight as for ISP monitors:

Beyond 100°, however, color intensity decreases faster. ISP monitors have (as written in their characteristics) almost total viewing angles, while PVA monitors do not. So, it isn´t logical to us that both technologies have equivalent viewing angles on paper, 178°. We already said that many times, this is due to the "norms" that are used by manufacturers and aren´t representative of real results. Figures for 5:1 or even 10:1 don´t really even have a point.

Conclusion

Conclusion

Do we recommend these two monitors? The answer is clearly yes! It is very nice to work, play, and watch movies. These monitors look good, have very nice finishing touches, extraordinary ergonomics and very low afterglow effects. Now we will only wait for real progress with the MPA and BFI technologies respectively released by Samsung and BenQ.

That doesn´t necessarily mean that the monitors are perfect. They are better than the previous generation but we are still waiting for:

better and more accurate color quality, closer to reality right out of the box

zero dead pixel warranty

less twinkling in video sequences

So this is the reason why BenQ´s next product draws our attention. They recently announced the release of a 24" monitor, the FP241W with HDMI, which will feature the first AU Optronics P-MVA 8 ms panel. This will be the bigger version of the panel included in the very popular Belinea 10 20 35W and ViewSonic VX2025wm. Twinkling in video sequences of these two monitors is almost equal to zero and the image is much nicer in SD and HD (this is true for all compression rates). BenQ told us that this monitor would be available in shops in September

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