two different XL2370s models ...what's up with this?

[j0j081]

I got my Samsung XL2370 for Christmas and love it. I've only ever used Tns but this is great for me as a pretty heavy gamer. Just yesterday a friend of mine got one after hearing me rave about it for weeks and theirs has the model XL2370-1 on the box instead of plain XL2370. I looked up on Samsung's US site and they do show up as different models but all the specs are identical. They also have different official part numbers.

Could Samsung be up to something like they were with the 226BWs?

My friends monitor looks about the same as mine as far as I can tell, maybe not quite as bright but I didn't compare them side by side. I wonder if they sent out one batch to reviewers and whatnot and have now updated/changed something about them.

 

[Mr. Bluntman]

Considering Samsung's past shenanigans with panel lotteries, I wouldn't put it past them. White LED backlighting really doesn't provide enough of an advantage over CCFL to justify the extra cost. RGB LEDs on the other hand do, but just look at the HP DreamColor lp2480zx to see how outrageously expensive that technology is...

Also, there are many H-IPS and e-IPS panels that are very suitable for fast paced games, like the very reasonably priced Dell 2209WA ($212 through a Dell rep listed on the forums), or the HP LP2475w or Dell U2410 for under $600.

 

[Exodin]

That's actually really alarming.

 

[noxlord]

I would not bother too much with the slightly different model number. Tech companies often makes vendor-exclusive product variant (with no or virtually no tangible difference) so they can't be price-matched. WalMart is pretty big on that dirty trick.

It could also be panel lottery, but I'm not aware of any other panel with a 3000:1 contrast ratio.

 

[eddieck]

The XL2370 is TN. It's not like they've switched to an inferior panel because there isn't one. I'd put my money on the vendor-exclusive trick.

 

[eddieck]

Also, there are many H-IPS and e-IPS panels that are very suitable for fast paced games, like the very reasonably priced Dell 2209WA ($212 through a Dell rep listed on the forums), or the HP LP2475w or Dell U2410 for under $600.

The NEC EA231WMi is decent also. That's a 23" 1920x1080 e-IPS for around $300. Very low input lag (around 8ms, and that's on standard mode). There's not much RTC although I still don't notice any ghosting.

 

[noxlord]

The XL2370 is TN. It's not like they've switched to an inferior panel because there isn't one. I'd put my money on the vendor-exclusive trick.

Oups, I assumed the XL2370 was using the c-pva panel ... my mistake.

 

[eddieck]

Hmm. The XL2370 product page has been removed and I can't seem to find that model anywhere on Samsung's site. However, like the OP said there is an XL2370-1. That would probably mean it's not some kind of vendor-exclusive product.

Both are 23 inch 1920x1080 edge-lit LED-backlit displays with 5,000,000:1 dynamic contrast. The specifications page of the original XL2370 is still cached, and I don't see any differences at all between that and the XL2370-1's specifications.

Oups, I assumed the XL2370 was using the c-pva panel ... my mistake.

2ms response time, 170 degree viewing angles...

 

[j0j081]

The XL2370 is TN. It's not like they've switched to an inferior panel because there isn't one. I'd put my money on the vendor-exclusive trick.

well I wouldn't say that you must have missed the whole Samsung 226BW fiasco where like 3 or 4 different panels were being used and the one by Samsung themselves was much nicer.

 

[eddieck]

well I wouldn't say that you must have missed the whole Samsung 226BW fiasco where like 3 or 4 different panels were being used and the one by Samsung themselves was much nicer.

I was under the impression all Samsung LCDs had panels made by Samsung themselves. Perhaps they were using panels from different bins, that were still made by themselves?

Either way, I say get an IPS but that's just my opinion.

 

[j0j081]

I was under the impression all Samsung LCDs had panels made by Samsung themselves. Perhaps they were using panels from different bins, that were still made by themselves?

Either way, I say get an IPS but that's just my opinion.

I think Samsung doesn't have the capacity to produce all the panels themselves especially in low end tns, with the 226BW it was discovered although the first batches used Samsung panels the later ones were by manufacturers like Chi Mei produced to Samsung's specs but these later panels seemed to vary a lot in default colors and ghosting.

 

[eddieck]

I think Samsung doesn't have the capacity to produce all the panels themselves especially in low end tns, with the 226BW it was discovered although the first batches used Samsung panels the later ones were by manufacturers like Chi Mei produced to Samsung's specs but these later panels seemed to vary a lot in default colors and ghosting.

Hmm. Is there a way you can find out what panel is used in your friend's XL2370-1? I remember the Dell LCDs affected by the panel lottery had an OSD menu which would tell you the panel manufacturer (that functionality was later removed). Other than that, is there some kind of way to determine that over the DVI or HDMI connection?

 

[j0j081]

Hmm. Is there a way you can find out what panel is used in your friend's XL2370-1? I remember the Dell LCDs affected by the panel lottery had an OSD menu which would tell you the panel manufacturer (that functionality was later removed). Other than that, is there some kind of way to determine that over the DVI or HDMI connection?

I'm not sure to be honest I know there was for older models but I think Samsung made it so that wouldn't work anymore.