Full marks to Samsung for continuing to innovate while the majority of manufacturers churn out the same old LCD designs. The 971P is a remarkable-looking display, building on the success of the 17in 770P, and it certainly wins on the catwalk this month.
The gloss black coating gives it a sleek look and the offset arm is much sturdier than before, keeping the screen firmly in place. The screen can be raised by 110mm and it also pivots 90 degrees. It can also be tilted back 65 degrees, which could be a bonus for retail or commercial use, where the screen needs to be visible when you’re standing up.
The design is so minimalist that we searched in vain for five minutes before finding the single DVI input recessed into the underside of the stand. Don’t lose the supplied DVI cable, though, as others we tried didn’t fit into the cavity. There are no physical OSD controls, but the MagicTune software includes a simple wizard for calibrating image quality.
The 971P has a contrast ratio of 1500:1, but a maximum brightness of just 250cd/m2. So the black level is flawless, but at the expense of bright whites. The overall image appeared a little dull in our tests and struggled to produce the detail and sharpness others could. The best colour accuracy we could achieve left colours a little murky, and this applies to all applications.
Overall, the Samsung is best for Internet browsing and office work. But despite extras like the two-port USB hub, the external power supply is annoying and the sleek design isn’t enough to justify the price, especially as it’s one of the more expensive models of the group.
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