Samsung 205BW 20inch Widescreen LCD Monitor

[mghotbi]

I truly hate shopping at CompUSA, but this deal was great. IO almost bought this monitor today at NewEgg for $299 before I saw the CompUSA ad. The monitor is spectacular for everyday office-type use and DVD viewing. Comes with DVI and Analog cables. Power converter is located in the unit, so no bulky adapter.

No USB ports, but at this price, who cares. Resolution is 1680 x 1050. Crystal-clear text and images with DVI signal. It wasn't even on display in the store, you had to ask for it and the sales associates (who are generally clueless anyway), had no idea what I was asking for. I found the boxes on the top shelf and pointed to them. I hope you have better luck with service than I had.

 

[joseraul]

I got this monitor last week, and it's great! I thought I had read a post here about it, but now I can't find it...

In the US, Officemax had it for $290, and if you price matched to CompUSA's regular price, you'd be able to get it for $210 after rebates. Since I'm from PR, prices are higher, but I was able to do this and will end up costing $250 (which over here is extremely cheap).

Maybe you can try and ask for a reimbursement of the difference?

 

[LouPoir]

Samsung makes a super LCD monitor -

 

[Avalon]

I wonder how it compares to the Viewsonic 20" widescreen, because the price is fantastic. It's so nice to see LCD prices coming down.

 

[Extelleron]

Originally posted by: Avalon
I wonder how it compares to the Viewsonic 20" widescreen, because the price is fantastic. It's so nice to see LCD prices coming down.

Yeah, I'd like to know how it compares to the ViewSonic as well.

 

[CCityInstaller]

Originally posted by: Extelleron

Originally posted by: Avalon
I wonder how it compares to the Viewsonic 20" widescreen, because the price is fantastic. It's so nice to see LCD prices coming down.

Yeah, I'd like to know how it compares to the ViewSonic as well.

I've owned the Viewsonic 2025, and after seeing the clarity of the Samsung 205, I would say I would choose it over the VS. The Samsung has much better text display, and no backlight issues. As far as gaming goes, I didn't see an y ghosting on either unit.

 

[usernamemax20charact]

Link for the lazy

 

[superHARD]

Originally posted by: usernamemax20charact
Link for the lazy

ty

 

[cytoSiN]

Or, get it here for $289.95 shipped, no rebate, and way more importantly, NO COMPUSA!

No tax for me either, but that may depend on where you are...

Either way, good price on a great monitor. :thumbsup:

 

[araczynski]

CompUSA can kiss my A, especially with rebates (haven't bought anything there for years (at least 5). I wouldn't buy anything from them even with a 100% rebate, F'ing C suckers.

 

[videopho]

Originally posted by: araczynski
CompUSA can kiss my A, especially with rebates (haven't bought anything there for years (at least 5). I wouldn't buy anything from them even with a 100% rebate, F'ing C suckers.

Wow. That sounds a bit harsh on them. After losing that law suit a year ago or so CommyUSA has now paid off the rebates in a good timing manner, imo. I bought a UPC last xmas with a $75 rebate and got the check 4 weeks later in which it was a huge improvement. YMMV as always

Back to topic. How does this monitor compare to dell 2005 or 2007fwp?

 

[Jbog]

Originally posted by: joseraul
I got this monitor last week, and it's great! I thought I had read a post here about it, but now I can't find it...

In the US, Officemax had it for $290, and if you price matched to CompUSA's regular price, you'd be able to get it for $210 after rebates. Since I'm from PR, prices are higher, but I was able to do this and will end up costing $250 (which over here is extremely cheap).

Maybe you can try and ask for a reimbursement of the difference?

I'm confused. Are you saying you went to CompUSA and pricematched OM's price or is that just your theory? As far as I know, and speaking from experience, CompUSA will not price match their pre-rebate price to that of other stores. They will just say their price after rebate is lower.

 

[joseraul]

Originally posted by: Jbog

Originally posted by: joseraul
I got this monitor last week, and it's great! I thought I had read a post here about it, but now I can't find it...

In the US, Officemax had it for $290, and if you price matched to CompUSA's regular price, you'd be able to get it for $210 after rebates. Since I'm from PR, prices are higher, but I was able to do this and will end up costing $250 (which over here is extremely cheap).

Maybe you can try and ask for a reimbursement of the difference?

I'm confused. Are you saying you went to CompUSA and pricematched OM's price or is that just your theory? As far as I know, and speaking from experience, CompUSA will not price match their pre-rebate price to that of other stores. They will just say their price after rebate is lower.

Yes, I did the price match. On the CompUSA I went to, they had the LCD labeled at regular price (actually, it was like this at two CUSA's I went to). When I asked for the PM, the employee went to check the price, and since it didn't say anything about the rebates, they went ahead and pricematched. The employee at the register then gave me the rebates that printed out, but even if she had thrown them away (which I've read has happened to people), you can get the rebate forms at their website. All you need is the receipt, which they have to give you anyway.

 

[Ferris23]

CompUSA near me is closing so you will get another %age off. They deserve to close though, that store sucks balls.

 

[MrX8503]

Originally posted by: joseraul

Originally posted by: Jbog

Originally posted by: joseraul
I got this monitor last week, and it's great! I thought I had read a post here about it, but now I can't find it...

In the US, Officemax had it for $290, and if you price matched to CompUSA's regular price, you'd be able to get it for $210 after rebates. Since I'm from PR, prices are higher, but I was able to do this and will end up costing $250 (which over here is extremely cheap).

Maybe you can try and ask for a reimbursement of the difference?

I'm confused. Are you saying you went to CompUSA and pricematched OM's price or is that just your theory? As far as I know, and speaking from experience, CompUSA will not price match their pre-rebate price to that of other stores. They will just say their price after rebate is lower.

Yes, I did the price match. On the CompUSA I went to, they had the LCD labeled at regular price (actually, it was like this at two CUSA's I went to). When I asked for the PM, the employee went to check the price, and since it didn't say anything about the rebates, they went ahead and pricematched. The employee at the register then gave me the rebates that printed out, but even if she had thrown them away (which I've read has happened to people), you can get the rebate forms at their website. All you need is the receipt, which they have to give you anyway.

If this actually works, thats a sweet deal. But i visited my local Officemax and their price was $340, but their online site is $289. Does anyone know why this is?

Also on a different note when I got an HDD from circuitcity, they wouldnt give me the rebate papers after i PM'd so i just printed them out myself and got the rebates in the end.

 

[joseraul]

Originally posted by: MrX8503

If this actually works, thats a sweet deal. But i visited my local Officemax and their price was $340, but their online site is $289. Does anyone know why this is?

Also on a different note when I got an HDD from circuitcity, they wouldnt give me the rebate papers after i PM'd so i just printed them out myself and got the rebates in the end.

Yeah, it was on sale last week at OM for $290. Who knows, maybe they won't look at the ad's date. When I got it pricematched, the employee didn't even bother looking at the date.

 

[Jester666]

Originally posted by: cytoSiN
Or, get it here for $289.95 shipped, no rebate, and way more importantly, NO COMPUSA!

No tax for me either, but that may depend on where you are...

Either way, good price on a great monitor. :thumbsup:

PCConnection is great. I ordered a monitor late Mon night, it arrived Wed morning with free shipping.

 

[MrX8503]

I tried to pm, the guy just told me that Comp's monitor is cheaper. I told him that, but its a rebate, he said it doesnt matter.

i'm just gonna get the viewsonic.

 

[cytoSiN]

Does this monitor pivot into portrait mode? The PCConnection website that I posted says it does ("height-adjustable stand with portrait/landscape pivot"), but someone told me that this monitor doesn't support it. If it does, I'm in...anyone know? Thanks!

 

[bigballer]

The 205BW does not pivot from landscape to portrait. It is, however, height-adjustable, it swivels left and right on it's base and, of course, the screen tilts up and down.

 

[cytoSiN]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....tough call then...why get this one instead of hte viewsonic 2025? that one can be had for a similar price at various (frequent) deals.

 

[bigballer]

Originally posted by: cytoSiN
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....tough call then...why get this one instead of hte viewsonic 2025? that one can be had for a similar price at various (frequent) deals.

I had both of these monitors sitting on my desk side by side. I was only going to keep one. I go the Samsung first and it was OK, then I decided I would compare it to the VX2025wm. Based on the reviews that I had read, I was expecting to return the Samsung. But when I compared them. I didn't see that much difference in the color reproduction of the screens and the viewing angle of the samsung was passable, so I decided to return the Viewsonic.

Here's a little more info to help you understand how I made my decision:
The Samsung is height adjustable, and swivels. I use my monitors as a secondary TV screen during football season, so swivel is a nice feature to have.
The Viewsonic does not swivel and is not height adjustable and that turned out to be important because the Viewsonic sits pretty high, about 2 or 3 inches higher that I like for normal use.
The Viewsonic also had a pretty wide bezel around the screen when compared to the Samsung, so it looks and feels bigger without adding any useable screen area.
The Samsung is HDCP-compliant. The Viewsonic is not.
I got the Samsung for Samsung for $275.xx after tax, no rebates at OfficeMax.
The Viewsonic total after $50 rebate would have been $292.xx at OfficeDepot.

The Viewsonic does have built-in speakers, which I never tried, because I have desktop speakers and don't need them in my monitor. The Viewsonic is also the more attractive monitor to my eyes. The back and cord management on the Viewsonic put the Samsung to shame, but that was not enough to make me keep it.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[MrX8503]

they are both pretty nice monitors for around the same price. but in the end i'm going with the viewsonic. In my opinion its the better screen when you talk about backlightbleed, color, and view angles.

the samsung does have hdcp, which is a plus, but i refuse to support tech that has such apalling requirements. I wont be playing any bluray movies on my computer for anytime soon.

The success to DVDs is that you didnt have to have "EXTRA" stuff to play it, only a dvd player and it brought new things to the movie biz. In my opinion bluray is going to take a little longer than dvds for the public to accept.

 

[HarryP]

What color does the Samsung shift out to when you change your viewing angle? Is the color different than the Viewsonic? Also, do you prefer the antiglare coating of one monitor over the other? I ask because my Dell shifts to red, which is pretty annoying and its glare coating tends to sparkle a lot.