So here is a product category that mystifies me a bit. Samsung has actually had several models in the last few years and LG is now joining them. We also hear that Dell and Sony have models coming as well, likely around CES 2023.
LG 32’’ 4K UHD Smart Monitor with webOS and Ergo Stand (32SQ780S-W) | LG USA
My questions are why someone would buy these. So far anyway they seem to me to be answering a question that not many are asking.
On the surface I can see the pitch to a set of consumers that might buy one of these to double as both computer monitor and smaller smart TV as both run the same OS as the company’s actual Smart TV lines, primarily missing an OTA TV tuner.
But among the problems we’ve seen with the ones we have tested to date is that they are at best mediocre as monitors, with for example the Samsung M7, which my BB sources tell me is decent seller having multiple drawbacks such as only supporting a maximum 60hz refresh rate, and the USBC video connection being gimped from a bandwidth standpoint including not supporting HDR from the computer.
Not to mention that it’s a VA panel which has even for VA relatively bad viewing angles.
But more importantly, I’m failing to see a benefit here, if you have a computer connected, as all of the services supported in the smart system, also have browser-based options as well.
The one thing I saw the BB person sell a customer on was the “one cable” solution as they could connect their laptop and it would deliver display and sound, serve as a lowest end USB hub of a sort.
But again, in the case of Samsung it seems to be much more a jack of all trades master of none, situation where Samsung’s own TVs in the same range are much better TV’s (better sound, prices, screen size options)
And alternatively, the LG Ultrafine displays at the same price point are much better computer monitors and several have the one cable USBC connection that’s also not gimped when it comes to video connection.
To be fair to Samsung, they tout built in Dex functionality, so in theory anyway you could just connect a keyboard and mouse and call it a day for light computer use.
And it is one of the few non-PC devices that supports the Xbox cloud gaming app.
So this LG at least based on this model at least, has the virtues of a lower list price and is an IPS panel which will have better viewing angles, albeit at the expense of contrast.
So has anyone here bought any of the Samsung’s or has interest in this category generally?