Samsung SyncMaster 172X 17" LCD Flat Panel Display

Company: Samsung
Product: 172X Silver
Street Price: N/A
Date Reviewed: November 13, 2003
Reviewed By: Rob Parks

Examining the Samsung SyncMaster 172X Exterior:

As you can see the SyncMaster 172x lives up to its name. With only one half inch of framing on the screen and only three quarters of an inch deep. The base is also kept very small by removing the power from the unit and placing it in an external enclosure, much like a laptop power supply. The SyncMaster 172X comes with one standard VGA 25pin sub-d cable, a power cable and inverter, driver CD, quick setup guide, and a manual. It would have been nice to see a DVI cable in the package as well. It saves using a vga to dvi converter, or the cost of buying a separate cable.

The base is a static mount, with no real option for movement other than to pick it up. Unlike the SyncMaster 173T model we reviewed some time ago which was on a swivel pad that allows for a full 360 degree rotation. The mount basically only has up/down and tilting options. The height should be good for most users when maxed out.

The on screen menu is easy to use and gives direct access to the brightness controls with just one touch access to Samsung's MagicBright control. The OSM gives you access to the brightness, contrast, image lock, position and color control features for this monitor.

Examining The Samsung SyncMaster 172X Display:

Taking a look at the screen we can see that the colors are very rich and have depth. As in our previous tests with the SyncMaster 173T, the 172X continually out shone the CRT in color quality, brightness and text readability. The sharper contrast of the LCD makes reading text and internet browsing much easier on the eyes. With several quick access brightness settings preset, the SyncMaster 172X can cater to any environment and any number of applications.

The other feature, the one that gamers will like most, is the MagicBright one touch brightness control. This is especially helpful when playing games that tend to be very dark, with a lot of shadows of dark corridors. The MagicBright feature allows for quick adjustment to one of three preset levels, or one user defined level. This helps to expose those campers that utilize dark holes to hide and snipe you when you are not looking.