*Scroll to bottom for update! (July 26, 2010)
A few months ago I needed a new LCD panel because at time I only had one 21″ LCD that was a programmer’s nightmare. I searched the internet for the best LCD for my money. I came across the Samsung BX2440X, there were little to no reviews on the panel so I’d be taking a chance. I’m glad I did!
From Samsung.com
Main Features
- 1920 x 1080 resolution – Very crisp resolution, excellent for web browsing or gaming.
- 24″ diagonal width – Large screen means more productivity!
- 5ms response time – Slower than some gaming panels but I haven’t notice any issues with BC2 or WoW.
- DVI & VGA inputs – No HDMI here, I can’t tell the difference.
- Fully height adjustable stand – Move it up or down to fit your style.
- Vertical & Horizontal adjustable – Awesome feature for an LCD in this price range. I couldn’t find any that had this feature under $500.
- LED backlight - Very energy efficient and the LCD as a whole uses 25 Watts and under .3W in standby.
- Very thin bezel - Great looking frame.
Specifications
| Screen Size | 24″ |
| LED Backlight | Yes |
| Widescreen | Yes |
| Recommended Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Viewing Angle | 170°(H) / 160°(V) |
| Pixel Pitch | 0.282mm |
| Brightness | 250 cd/m2 |
| Contrast Ratio | DC 1,000,000:1(1000:1) |
| Response Time | 5ms |
| Bezel Width | 1.9 cm (Inches: 3/4) |
Whats in the box?
- Panel
- Stand (bolts into panel)
- DVI cable
- Power cable.
- CD with drivers (I never installed them)
- Lots of Styrofoam.
Photos
No damage during shipping!
Some of the marketing features ( 
)
First Looks
Menu (real buttons)
Connections on back
Samsung BX2440X on left next to 21" (which is closer so it may appear bigger)
My Impressions
Design
The panel is gorgeous. Very thin bezel and glossy black finish make it a sharp looking panel. The power button lights up blue and is not overpowering, it’s subtle.
One problem I have with the design is the location of the power plug. It’s on the far right (if facing the LCD) and when you try to orientate the panel vertically, it gets caught on the plug. This forces me to tilt the panel back so that it can move around.
Color
I’m no expert Photoshop user or design student but the colors are brilliant. They are very crisp and are on par with my Samsung HDTV. Movies look awesome in full 1080p resolution.
Connections
Very little when compared to cheaper devices. DVI and VGA here only! No HDMI or display port.
Hardware
This does not have one of the new IPS panels which were too expensive for my budget. This panel is bright however delivering a great contrast ratio.
Gaming
Gaming is awesome on this display. No tearing or ghosting! Colors look awesome when I compare them to my old LCD.
Conclusion
The panel is excellent. If you are a casual gamer like me that mainly surfs the internet and codes, this is the perfect panel for you. Gaming was perfectly fine and I notices no issues with ghosting or tearing at full settings in Bad Company 2.
Pros:
- Fully adjustable stand
- Great size at 24″
- LED powered so great energy efficiency
- Minimal heat output
- Great contrast ratio
- Under $300
Cons:
- Not one of the new IPS panels
- Refresh rate low for some people
- Weird plug position that makes it hard to orientate vertically.
Update (July 26, 2010)
Here are some updated photos. John in the comments heared that the plug was an issue when adjusting the LCD to the vertical position.
The problem is that the plug sticks out too far. This is true; however, I only have to tilt the screen from the bottom to go around the plug. See the new pictures below.
The plug sticks out slightly which hits the main support post.
This is avoided by tilting the LCD outward from the bottom.
Tilting the panel outward.
Then I tilt the monitor into the portrait position and push it back vertically.
LCD rotated and pushed back (bottom is pushed back towards pole)
Then I’m all set!
Final Thoughts
I’ve had this monitor for about 2 months now. I have had no problems with it and will be picking up another once I graduate in August. It’s the perfect size and has plenty of desktop real estate within.
Hope this helps!
Thanks for the review – I was trying to decide on what monitor to get and this has pretty much nailed it for me. I have similar needs to yours, the vertical option is what I really want for work stuff and sounds like the rest is good too.
Hello,
I read from someone else that in order to use the “portrait” or “vertical” orientation, then monitor needs to be “unplugged” or I’m assuming powered off.
Is this true? Or can you simply rotate it into a vertical position while your viewing something, i.e. a web page and that automatically adjusts to the change in screen orientation?
Thanks.
Hey John,
That is really the only problem with this monitor.
The plug sticks out of the back and the next of the arm hits it as you turn. I have to pull the bottom of the LCD towards me to it clears the neck. I do not have to unplug it though.
I will take additional photos tonight.
-Lee
Hey…thanks for the prompt response. I think I will buy it today.
Hello Lee,
I just received my bx2440 today! I still getting used to the colors – I’ve had my HP 19 inch LCD monitor for years and the colors seem to be more saturated than my new Samsung which I prefer.
Anyway, my question is how do you get web pages and other content to change orientation when you rotate the monitor into portrait position? When I rotate my new monitor into portrait, the web page remains in the original orientation, unlike what you have in the last image of yours above.
Thanks!
Hello Lee,
Hey, I figured it out.
Thanks.
Excellent! Glad you enjoy your new LCD and figured out the rotation!
In case someone still needs to figure this out, try this:
1. Try to use the included software which can aid in rotating the screen.
2. OR, (this is what I do) open your driver control panel, such as catalyst for ATI, and rotate the display manually.
Is this screen glossy or matte?
Hey Lee,
I finally got the color saturation to my liking by setting the magic angle to “side mode”.
That should be the factory default.
Like you, I’m glad I got this monitor. And I bought it based on what you said on this blog…thanks!
Excellent! I haven’t even touched the settings yet, thanks for the reminder.
@Vince – The screen is matte, though the stand and bezel are glossy.
I trade stocks through the Internet. I’m using four Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP with three in the vertical “portrait” position. I’m melting from the heat they generate!
Is the Samsung BX2440X the best 24″ LED computer monitor available that pivots? Will four of them solve my heat problem?
These LED panels operate at much cooler temperatures. One, two…even four would run much cooler than one “typical” LCD display. I can barely feel any heat coming out of my BX2440X. I sometimes feel like my 32″ LCD in my living room could cook my dinner it gets so hot, the BX2440X runs super cool.
Since you’re trading stocks, you don’t seem to be worried about “perfect color” reproduction and super high performance that most photographers and gamers would need. The BX2440X would be great and probably cheaper than any of the Ultrasharp displays.
Heya, neat review, reviews on this monitor are still very hard to find!
Could you tell me exactly how wide the bezels are? My current 19″ Samsungs have 1.5cm bezels.. and am hoping the bx2440 is a similar size..
Thanks!
Thanks Mace! For some strange reason, this monitor hasn’t been on any review sites radar.
The bezel is exactly 3/4 inches or 1.9 centimeters. Slightly larger than your current Samsungs.