Verdict: A good budget TFT

The Samsung doesn't look like a budget TFT. It feels well built, partly because it weighs in at 4.6kg, unlike the featherweight Iiyama. The extra weight is undoubtedly due to the built-in power supply, which helps to cut down on desk clutter.

However, a closer inspection reveals that the stand is a bit basic, and the lack of anywhere to hide the cables is a shame. But the simple silver bezel, which is only 20mm thick, is smart and the OSD buttons are neatly hidden away underneath. You'll have to avoid accidentally pressing the power button, though, as it's annoyingly located among the other buttons.

Surprisingly for such a cheap monitor, the menu system has more options than you're likely to need. There's gamma, smoothing and sharpness, as well as user presets for colour temperatures. They're only marked as cool, normal and warm, though, so this isn't a monitor for graphics professionals. There's also a quick-access button for Text, Internet, Entertainment and Custom modes, which vary the brightness and gamma accordingly.

View a photo slideshow in the Entertainment mode and you won't be disappointed with the rich colour reproduction, or the high level of brightness. In fact, the Samsung puts many CRTs to shame. Movies also play well. The 25ms response time leads to some blurring, but most people will probably think the effect is intended. It certainly isn't intrusive.

However, use the Samsung for long periods and you'll notice that the horizontal viewing angles aren't quite up to the claimed 150 degrees, and some uneven backlighting becomes evident (and frustrating) when large expanses of a single colour are displayed. In everyday use, though, you're probably not going to notice these problems too much.

Despite the D-SUB interface, there was a minimum of interference, and text appeared sharp and clear. We also saw no noticeable banding in the tough DisplayMate tests, and the colour range was miles better than that of the BenQ.

If you're after technical performance then choose the Sony or Sharp. Otherwise the Samsung is a good budget TFT, and the best compromise if your finances won't stretch to one of the winners.

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