Samsung 743B 17-inch Monitor

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by Matt Serrano on February 5, 2008 in Graphics & Displays

Think large displays are over-rated? Then Samsung’s brand new 743B might just be worth a look. At 17-inches, it sure isn’t for everyone. It offers a 1280×1024 resolution, fast 5ms response time and an outstanding 7000:1 contrast ratio. Does this small monitor pack a big punch?

Page 2 – Specs, OSD


The specifications for this model are, for some unknown reason, difficult to find. The only trace of them we found online was in a PDF file of the manual on Samsung’s website, and even then, not all of the specifications were mentioned. In order to find those, we had to e-mail Samsung directly.

Samsung 743B
Specification
Maximum/Native Resolution 1024×768@75Hz
1280×1024@60Hz
Contrast Ratio 7000:1
Pixel Pitch 0.266mm
Horizontal Scan Freq. 30 kHz – 81 kHz
Vertical Scan Freq. 56 kHz – 75 kHz
Viewing Angle 170°/160°
Response Time 5ms
Luminance 300 cd/m2
Connector Analog, DVI-D
Other Connectors None
Horizontal Size
Vertical Size
 14.5"
12.1"
Weight 10.3 lbs

I find myself particularly intrigued by the 7000:1 contrast ratio claim Samsung makes. It’s likely that they are using a technology in the monitor to “cheat” for that number, so we’ll be sure to put it to the test.

The on-screen display is controlled solely by a row of touch-based buttons. For that matter, there are no physical buttons anywhere on the monitor. They can be on the sensitive side, but for the most part they work well and keep the design simple. My only real complaint with them is the lack of visibility in low light, which will bug anyone trying to do something as simple as turning it on or off.

From left to right, the buttons include the menu button, the up/preset control, down/brightness control, source/enter button, an auto button for aligning the VGA image and the power button. The monitor illuminates a cool blue LED next to the power button when it’s on, and it blinks when it’s on standby.

With our specs out of the way, let’s finish off with testing and my final thoughts.

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