Samsung M8 Smart Monitor

Two-minute review

How overmuch functionality bash you privation from your PC monitor? Just the pixels? Or each the features? Arguably, the caller Samsung M8 Smart Monitor gives you the lot.

It’s built astir a afloat 4K 32-inch panel. To that it adds niceties similar USB Type-C connectivity with powerfulness transportation and a magnetic clip-on webcam. The truly antithetic spot is afloat Smart TV functionality implicit with networking. What much could you inquire for from immoderate 4K monitor for your PC oregon Mac?

Perhaps much premium sheet tech? As a Samsung monitor, it’s nary astonishment to find that this is simply a VA sheet alternatively than the much wide favored (for PC monitors) IPS type. But that’s not needfully a atrocious thing. 

VA typically has superior contrast, if not ever the champion viewing angles and response. However, what you mightiness beryllium hoping for but decidedly don’t get is existent HDR capableness oregon immoderate section dimming. There is HDR10 awesome processing. But that’s it.

Samsung M8 Smart Monitor review: Price and availability 

• $699 (£699, AU$1,199)
• Decent value

As for the sordid substance of money, astatine $699 (£699, AU$1,199) the Samsung M8 really looks similar conspicuous worth provided you privation each the other features. 

If the SmartTV gubbins and webcam aren’t of interest, determination are cheaper 32-inch 4K monitors retired there. 

• Score: 4/5

Samsung M8 Smart Monitor review: Design

• Funky, colorful style
• Packed with features
• SmartTV functionality is patchy

With a brightness standing of 400 nits and 3,000:1 contrast, if the Samsung M8 ought to beryllium beauteous punchy it’s besides an unusually slick looking show disposable successful either achromatic oregon pink, bluish and green-tinted pastel shades. 

If that sounds a small Apple iMac alike, that’s astir surely Samsung’s intention. Anyway, with slim bezels connected 3 sides of the sheet and a caller herringbone benignant texture connected the rear of the chassis it’s not your accustomed drab achromatic PC show fare.

 Nor, however, is it adjacent adjacent to the worldly prime of Apple’s lush Studio Display. Granted, that’s a overmuch much costly monitor. But not lone does the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor consciousness beauteous cheap, the tallness and tilt-adjustable basal is precise wobbly.

Still, this show is undeniably heaving with features. The USB-C larboard enables single-cable connectivity to your PC oregon Mac with 65W charging. Single-cable docking makes beingness truthful overmuch easier and your table truthful overmuch tidier. There’s besides HDMI for bequest devices that deficiency USB-C, conscionable enactment that the larboard connected the rear of the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor is micro-HDMI. A supporting cablegram is provided, but you won’t beryllium capable to usage a modular HDMI cable.

The webcam is different truly bully feature. It clips connected magnetically to the apical of the show and besides includes a cap, again magnetic, with which to supply afloat carnal security. It has tilt adjustment, which ought to marque it casual to enactment it up without moving the display. Unfortunately, it lone tilts up, erstwhile what you’ll truly privation is to little it a little. In theory, that could beryllium fixed with the integer framework centering and look tracking feature. But that lone works with Google’s Duo video calling app, for now.

Next up, the truly showbiz spot is afloat SmartTV functionality implicit with a distant power with each the accustomed apps and shortcuts for Amazon Prime, Netflix and Disney+. The SmartTV functionality besides includes a web browser and wireless connectivity that supports surface mirroring, including Apple AirPlay. 

It adjacent has productivity apps similar Microsoft 365 and supports a keyboard and mouse. In a pinch you could bash basal computing connected the Samsung M8 without, well, a computer.

However, the SmartTV level does not tally astatine the screen’s autochthonal 4K. So the representation prime for the interface is simply a small brushed and blurry. However, the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor does astatine slightest enactment the afloat 4K erstwhile streaming video via the SmartTV apps. Rounding retired the multimedia features are integrated speakers, which connection tenable volume, but naff each dynamic range. That’s hardly a astonishment fixed however slim this show is. You’d privation immoderate outer speakers if you planned to bash immoderate remotely superior media consumption, that’s for sure.

• Score: 4.5/5

Samsung M8 Smart Monitor review: Performance 

• Punchy and plentifulness of contrast
• Limited viewing angles
• Not the fastest sheet ever

All of which leaves the insignificant substance of representation prime to consider. The VA sheet has pros and cons. It’s instantly evident that the viewing angles are not arsenic wide arsenic the champion IPS monitors. Making matters worse, the backlight isn’t hugely consistent, with immoderate evident dimming successful the corners of the display. 

Despite a ‘Game Mode’ with 2 levels of pixel overdrive, the velocity and effect of the sheet is besides simply adequate. Factor successful the 60Hz refresh rate, and the M8 is not an evident prime for demanding gamers. All that said, the VA sheet does present plentifulness of punch acknowledgment to a almighty backlight, by SDR alternatively than HDR standards, and plentifulness of contrast. As monitors without section dimming go, this is astir arsenic adjacent to an HDR acquisition arsenic you’re going to get.

Of course, arsenic a 32-inch 4K monitor, the pixel density is decent astatine 140DPI and there’s oodles of desktop existent property to enactment with. Fonts look bully and crisp and video contented looks great. 

As for colour accuracy, Samsung claims 99 percent sum of sRGB and the show delivers astir 90 percent of the DCI-P3 integer cinema gamut. So, it’s not hugely precocious fidelity, but volition header with immoderate airy contented creation. Again, an IPS show is simply a amended prime if close colors are a captious factor.

• Score: 3.5/5

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First reviewed June 2022

Contributor

Technology and cars. Increasingly the twain shall meet. Which is handy, due to the fact that Jeremy (Twitter) is addicted to both. Long-time tech journalist, erstwhile exertion of iCar mag and incumbent car guru for T3 magazine, Jeremy reckons in-car exertion is astir to spell thermonuclear. No, not exploding cars. That would beryllium silly. And dangerous. But alternatively an explosive play of unprecedented innovation. Enjoy the ride.