Header banner
Revain logoHome Page
Jason Mitts photo
1 Level
763 Review
65 Karma

Review on Samsung 27 Inch Class Monitor LS27AM501NNXZA by Jason Mitts

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Good budget monitor with lots of features

First impression - I only had this monitor for 24 hours. For reference, I paid $320 for it - I see the current price is $399. Keep in mind that the price of $320 is taken into account: **M7 is big** I work with monitors and Apple products. Compared to the iMac's 5K display, which is 27 inches, this 32-inch 4K display feels large and much less dense. There's an extensive debate on the web about pixel density and macOS, and I won't repeat it here, but suffice it to say that if you're used to Apple's post-2012 screens, that combination of size and resolution will seem like crappy. You're better off going for a 27-inch 4K display, of which there are many, or even better, a 24-inch 4K display from LG. This means the M7's resolution is a bit low for computer use, but as a TV (the monitor essentially morphs into a TV) the 32-inch 4K ends up being pretty good. My first impression is that the M7 is best viewed as a small TV. ** M7 feels cheap ** The stand is not adjustable. Everything (except the base) is made of plastic. No aluminum, no glass, nothing but cheap flexible plastic. The monitor shakes left and right as I write this review like a flag on a beach. Panel brightness is minimal, off-axis display is so-so compared to IPS panels (that's right, it's not IPS!), so if you're looking at the center of the screen, the edges are blurry (again, that'll be the case be better like a TV if you sit further away). Color reproduction is generally good.** The M7 is smart!** The M7 is very smart, and that's what it's all about. Ice is an operating system that allows you to use it as a TV and use the main applications (Netflix, Hulu, Prime, Apple TV+, etc.). Annoyingly, though, to download more apps, you'll need to create a "Samsung Account", whatever that is (do washing machines need your email these days?). It has an internet browser that looks a bit silly and I haven't tried it. It has a remote that is actually one of the best remotes I've used in the past few days. I recently had the opportunity to try Android TV and oh my god what a disaster this platform is. A spam-filled Wild West of foreign applications running on cheap hardware. This one (Tizan?) seems a little better. If you just want to relax and watch Netflix and don't want a TV next to a monitor, this is fine. And that is really the main reason for buying this monitor. **M7 is a USB-C monitor** I can't believe it's almost 2021 and they're still making non-USB-C monitors. Well it has USB-C. That means you can connect and charge your laptop or tablet with a single cable. Hallelujah! I believe that fact alone makes this monitor worth the price considering how poorly the competition accepts this standard. cheap build quality, low resolution for the panel size, poor off-axis sharpness BUY THIS IF: As a computer user, you need more screen real estate than quality, and you want your monitor to function as a TV at night. will be the product of the year for everyone, but it has its own niche and it will be great for those looking for its special qualities.

Pros
  • TV
Cons
  • Expensive