Additionally, it offers more functionality than other displays, including the capacity to manage other smart devices. It includes a webcam that you may utilize for native apps or video chat over your PC. You may select between using the Bixby or Alexa voice assistants using the remote control, which incorporates a microphone for voice control. The only difference between the four colors is the stand color; the back is always white. It is available in all four colors. With its new M8 Smart Monitor, which functions as both a display for your desktop, laptop, or gaming console and a fully independent smart TV with all the apps you need for binge-watching your favourite shows, Samsung hopes to realise that ideal. Even a built-in webcam for video calls is included. The Smart Monitor is undoubtedly one of the most adaptable and distinctive displays available, and it is especially perfect for, instance, someone in a small apartment who needs one screen to do it all.
Samsung M8 Smart Monitor review: Design
A shining illustration of the new minimalist trend that contemporary displays have adopted is the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor. The 32-inch screen has a wafer-thin bezel to bring all attention to it, and the stand underneath is just as stylish and useful as the one on Apple’s iMac. Samsung has even taken a cue from Apple and introduced a variety of colour options, including White, Blue, Green, and Pink. Even though we just received the normal White model, it nevertheless looks sophisticated and professional; we certainly wouldn’t describe it as dull. Personally, we believe the design is a significant improvement over the Samsung M7 monitor that came before it, which has a more conventional tubular stand and is only offered in black. The new M8 is much more stunning than the M7, which has a typical PC monitor appearance. With a patterned, textured finish that ensures the M8 attracts the eye from every angle, Samsung has even managed to make the rear seem stylish. Additionally, there are speakers on either side of the monitor’s back that can play music shockingly loud and clearly. While working, we have been jamming out to our Spotify playlists without feeling the need to use our Bluetooth speaker. The M8 requires only one screw to be tightened in order to install the stand, and the monitor simply clicks into position. By simply pulling or pushing, you can raise or lower the monitor’s height by up to 12 cm. You can also tilt the screen forward or backward to find the viewing position that is most comfortable for you. Although I was unhappy that you couldn’t swivel the screen, you can lift it up and tilt it in the direction you like as long as you take care not to scratch your desk.
Display
The 32-inch, 4K LCD screen of the M8 Smart Monitor is a VA panel rather than an IPS or TN one. Without going into too much detail about panel comparisons (and believe us, there is a lot of it), VA panels typically offer deeper black levels, contrast, and colour depth than IPS or TN options. The trade-off is that IPS panels have a wider colour gamut and greater viewing angles while TN panels have blazingly fast refresh rates to make up for their subpar contrast. In conclusion, VA panels are regarded as a reliable middle ground that work best for non-specialized jobs, which is why it makes sense for the use-case of the M8. It is not intended for graphic designers who want extremely accurate colour reproduction. It is also not intended for extreme gamers that want to employ liquid cooling and RGB gaming rigs to achieve ridiculous refresh rates. also you can check our article on Samsung M8 Smart Monitor review. Having said that, it’s beautiful to see in use. A 32-inch screen with 4K resolution provides an incredibly sharp viewing experience. The text is incredibly clear, requiring no strain on the eyes, and it is sufficiently bright, even in a room with sunshine coming in through the window. In fact, we’ve been using it at just over half brightness, which is more than enough for our requirements, despite its 400 nits of peak brightness.
Samsung M8 Smart Monitor review: Connectivity
Unfortunately, Samsung has connectivity issues. There are two USB-C inputs on the monitor. Both devices support Power Delivery up to 65 watts, although only one is DisplayPort Alternate Mode compatible. Although the display features HDMI, it only supports Micro-HDMI. There is no conventional DisplayPort accessible. This is peculiar. The M8 is advertised as a substitute for a mixed-use TV, although it only has one HDMI port and isn’t the typical size. The display’s other features don’t match a professional workstation monitor, but its USB-C connectivity would be appropriate for one. For a variety of devices, adapters will be required.
Features
Tizen, the company’s operating system for smart TVs, home appliances, and more, is operated on the Smart Monitor M8 by Samsung. This enables it to function independently as a smart display, and since it has an integrated microphone and speakers, you can wirelessly download apps to it and utilize them just like you would on a Smart TV without connecting it to a computer. Gamers can now stream games directly to their Samsung 2022 Smart TV or Smart Monitor thanks to the company’s recently released Samsung Gaming Hub app.
Samsung M8 Smart Monitor review: Audio performance
The M8’s emphasis on mixed use is better served by the speakers’ bundling. They provide high-quality audio at a low to medium volume and are loud. The speakers start to become overpowered by the volume, which results in a muddy presentation that hides information. It’s still significantly better than most monitors and suitable for watching television or playing games in a tiny space. But because the monitor lacks a real audio-out connector, Samsung must chalk up yet another communication failure. Owners cannot easily upgrade the audio quality by adding a soundbar or speakers. The monitor does provide Bluetooth audio output.
Gaming performance
Samsung nevertheless adds a number of features designed specifically for gamers on the M8, even though it isn’t a gaming monitor: Gaming Hub, a dedicated 21:9 ultrawide mode, and a low-latency game mode. The M8 has average gaming performance, nevertheless. The monitor is restricted to 60Hz, therefore it prevents you from taking use of a high refresh rate like other gaming monitors do. Even with the finest graphics cards, playing in 4K at 60 frames per second (fps) is still difficult. We used a PC to play Destiny 2 and a little amount of the freshly released Rollerdrome, and we had no problems. Even though 60Hz isn’t ideal, a 4K panel can accommodate it for gaming. The port selection is where the main restriction lies. Mini HDMI and USB-C are your only options, greatly limiting your gaming options. If you’re using a PC, you’ll need a USB-C connection for your GPU, and if you’re using a current-gen console, you’ll need HDMI 2.0. Given how versatile the M8 is, it’s frustrating that there aren’t more ports available to connect many devices and switch between them.
Performance
The only remaining issue is the tiny one of visual quality. The VA panel has benefits and drawbacks. The lack of wide viewing angles compared to the top IPS monitors is immediately apparent. The illumination isn’t very consistent, and there is some visible dimming in the display’s corners, which makes things worse. The speed and response of the display are also only passable, despite a “Game Mode” with two levels of pixel overdrive. When you take into account the 60Hz refresh rate, the M8 is not the M8 for demanding gamers. Despite this, the VA panel still packs a punch thanks to a strong backlight that adheres to SDR standards rather than HDR standards and a lot of contrast. This is about as close to an HDR experience as you’re going to get on a monitor without local dimming. Of course, there is a tone of desktop space available and the 140DPI pixel density is respectable for a 32-inch 4K display. also you can check our article on Samsung M8 Smart Monitor review. The quality of the video content and the fonts are excellent. Regarding color fidelity, Samsung claims that the monitor produces over 90% of the DCI-P3 digital cinema gamut and covers 99 percent of the sRGB color space. It can therefore handle some light content development even though its fidelity isn’t particularly good. Again, if precise color reproduction is important to you, such as if you need a monitor for photo editing, an IPS display is a superior option.
Price and availability
Pre-orders for the Samsung Smart Monitor M8 are currently being accepted on the company’s website, with delivery promised for April 25. For a starting price of $699, you can get a Smart Monitor M8, but you’ll only get the entry-level white model. The pricing of a coloured M8 is an additional $30 over the $729 price of a monochrome model.
Conclusion
Both in terms of “smart” and “monitor,” the Samsung M8 Smart Monitor definitely excels. First off, with its outstanding 4K resolution and bright, even picture quality, it performs very well as a laptop or desktop monitor. Over the years, we’ve learned to anticipate a certain degree of display skill from Samsung, and the M8 is just another example. The webcam, the remote, and the streaming applications are just a few of the many things you can do with it. It functions similarly to having a Chromecast or Fire TV stick integrated into the monitor’s frame, but without taking up a port. Everything works pretty well, and we like the plethora of extras you receive on top of that, including support for AirPlay streaming and built-in Samsung DeX capabilities.
