Deals: Samsung's New 32-Inch Smart Monitor M8 Hits All-Time Low Price of $499.99 ($200 off)

[otozuz]

I suppose I’ll dispute that. I don’t have a strong connection to 4k, but vs a 1080p computer monitor at less than 3 feet (since this is a computer monitor), 4k likely is visibly sharper. Now 4k on a 32 inch TV screen (with the increased distances people sit from the TV), and yeah, that doesn’t make much sense. But when it’s right in front of your face (as it would be on most desks), it probably does make a difference.

It's a TV. Hence 2160 lines (1080x2).

I see both points 🙂 I was referring to the fact that this is a monitor, not a TV, and if you want to maintain proper @2x upscaling of the macOS UI, 4K on 32" will make elements very big, defeating the purpose of a large display. To avoid that, you have to upscale things imperfectly, which will make the UI blurry and far from the crispness of Apple's iMac, Studio Display, and Pro Display XDR.

Apple properly upscales legacy resolutions by 2x, optimizing for each specific display size:

• iMac 24" — 4.5K
• Studio Display 27" — 5K
• Pro Display XDR 32" — 6K

These resolutions at these exact screen sizes allow for perfect scaling. The iMac, at 24", is 4.5K. Samsung is pushing a lower 4K resolution to 32", that's why I wrote it doesn't make any sense for a good computer monitor.

 

[Someirishguy]

My iMac "27 5K Retina, (2017) is now no longer getting the new MacOS releases.
So it's on notice and Xcode, my primary application, is grinding hard.

The obvious desktop replacement for me right now would be the Mac Mini M2.
I don't do video editing so I don't need anything more powerful.
Looking around for a screen comparable to my iMac and I can't find anything to match. At least not for stupid money.
That would be 27" at 5120x2880.
I wish someone would come up with a mod to rip out the guts of these iMacs and replace with a new board that allowed the screen to be recycled because it's worth more as a screen now than it is as a 2nd hand desktop computer.
iFixit? You listening! There must be a market for a mod like this.

Convert a 5K iMac into an External Display

How to convert your 5K 27" iMac into an external display for other Apple laptops or desktops.

mschmitt.org

 

[Someirishguy]

I see both points 🙂 I was referring to the fact that this is a monitor, not a TV, and if you want to maintain proper @2x upscaling of the macOS UI, 4K on 32" will make elements very big, defeating the purpose of a large display. To avoid that, you have to upscale things imperfectly, which will make the UI blurry and far from the crispness of Apple's iMac, Studio Display, and Pro Display XDR.

Apple properly upscales legacy resolutions by 2x, optimizing for each specific display size:

• iMac 24" — 4.5K
• Studio Display 27" — 5K
• Pro Display XDR 32" — 6K

These resolutions at these exact screen sizes allow for perfect scaling. The iMac, at 24", is 4.5K. Samsung is pushing a lower 4K resolution to 32", that's why I wrote it doesn't make any sense for a good computer monitor.

Non-integer pixel scaling isn’t relevant/noticeable to most people, so I wouldn’t worry about this (not these days anyway - maybe it was worse back in the day)

 

[AppleTO]

If the smart interface on this monitor is Tizen, like their smart TVs, expect apps to stop working in a few years, as the OS will never get updates (like their TVs). If this is Android or Google TV based the situation may be better though.

 

[svish]

Good price for the Samsung monitor

 

[velocityg4]

Maybe a stupid question, but what is "smart" in a smart monitor ? I understand the concept of smart TV (not saying I like it) but a monitor is not expected to have any smartness IMHO.

It's just a small smart TV with some different inputs. The use seems limited to me. Since I can just watch all the shows via the computer anyways. Plus streaming websites on a computer are way more responsive than apps on a Smart TV.

 

[picpicmac]

the fact that this is a monitor, not a TV

But the M8 is a TV.

That's the whole point of Samsung's advertising for this device. All you need is a cable TV box or tuner and the M8 series is your TV.

 

[TheRoxyTheatre]

Every screen at this price point should be 120hz. Hard pass.

 

[Scoob Redux]

This would be perfect for a dorm room. Smart TV built in.

Yikes. I can't believe anyone would surrender their privacy to a "smart" TV. Why would you ever let your TV connect to the internet? Dumb TVs + Apple TV are the only way to go.

 

[Akrapovic]

Some of these monitors look pretty nice and the discounts are great, but it seems like most (all?) of them have only 1,440 vertical pixels, which is kind of gross for 27" to 32" computer monitors in 2023.

The Samsung M8 in this deal is 3840 x 2160. It's a full 4K.

 

[nathansz]

I saw one of these in Costco

The display looks like garbage

 

[benwiggy]

4K resolution on a 32” panel makes zero sense for a monitor.

4K at 32 inches gives 120 ppi, which isn't that great. A 27 inch would give 142 ppi.

 

[picpicmac]

120 ppi, which isn't that great

The old iMacs, before Retina displays and such, were 99ppi. I find them acceptable for some work though obviously they are bettered by newer Macs.

I'm shopping for monitors (given the unlikelihood of a new iMac anytime soon), and I'm debating 4K 27" versus others.

A quick Google search shows heated debates on whether 4K 27" is a good compromise (compared to the ASD 5K) or not.

Currently I'm agnostic over it.

 

[Akrapovic]

4K at 32 inches gives 120 ppi, which isn't that great. A 27 inch would give 142 ppi.

It's not incredible, but that's why this is a third of the price of 5Ks

 

[PowerFlower]

I have the M80B (the predecessor) and quite like it. No, it's not the Studio Display, not in display quality nor build quality, and I wasn't expecting that. It is however the only screen under $500 that doesn't look like it was designed 20 years go. It's an actual flat panel (instead of flat in the front and like a CRT from the back). The VA panel has good contrast and after calibration reasonable color fidelity. Viewing angles don't matter much to me as I'm sitting right in front of it.

The "smart" features are useless to me, mostly (apart from having to be able to test the occasional Tizen app for work, so that's a nice bonus). The terrible sound quality would disqualify it as an actual TV for me. I was mildly impressed when I used the IR remote for my AC and it recognised it, and can actually control it -- though don't see the point if you have to go through three layers of menus to get there (rather than just using the AC remote)...

Would have preferred the 27" M80C for better pixel density, but somehow that one is impossible to find in Europe. But I really don't mind the 1080 x2 setting for 4K on it. And I'm still wondering if the M80C camera is better than the M80B camera (and if so, whether it'd be worth finding the part).

The Studio Display with nano texture and adjustable stand is a whopping €2489 here in Spain. I got the M80B for €420. I'm not complaining.

 

[Sebalto]

Well, people on this forum despise Apple and it’s not considered a bit strong here. In fact, it’s held up as a standard.

I think "despising" a tech company is a waste of energy if you ask me. Just don't buy their products.

 

[kc9hzn]

I see both points 🙂 I was referring to the fact that this is a monitor, not a TV, and if you want to maintain proper @2x upscaling of the macOS UI, 4K on 32" will make elements very big, defeating the purpose of a large display. To avoid that, you have to upscale things imperfectly, which will make the UI blurry and far from the crispness of Apple's iMac, Studio Display, and Pro Display XDR.

Apple properly upscales legacy resolutions by 2x, optimizing for each specific display size:

• iMac 24" — 4.5K
• Studio Display 27" — 5K
• Pro Display XDR 32" — 6K

These resolutions at these exact screen sizes allow for perfect scaling. The iMac, at 24", is 4.5K. Samsung is pushing a lower 4K resolution to 32", that's why I wrote it doesn't make any sense for a good computer monitor.

I’ll grant you then that it probably doesn’t make as much sense as a monitor on a Mac. I legitimately don’t know how Windows handles high DPI scaling, so it’s possible that it might still make sense as a budget-y 4k monitor on Windows.

 

[benwiggy]

The old iMacs, before Retina displays and such, were 99ppi. I find them acceptable for some work though obviously they are bettered by newer Macs.

A quick Google search shows heated debates on whether 4K 27" is a good compromise (compared to the ASD 5K) or not.

Currently I'm agnostic over it.

Once they settled on the 1080p standard c.2009, the 1080p iMacs at 21.5 inches were 102ppi; the 27 inch iMacs, with 2K resolution, were slightly higher with 109ppi. The Retina display iMacs in 2014 essentially doubled the 109ppi pixel count to 218ppi.

I used to have an old Thunderbolt display, which is also 2K @ 27", (109ppi), and since Apple removed sub-pixel aliasing, text was frequently 'jagged' or 'blurry' (particularly on a dark background).

You will find loads of posts all over the internet of "How do I improve the Mac's font rendering on my external display? It looks fine on Windows."

I now have the Studio Display, and the difference with my old TB display is like night and day. Hairlines can be really thin. Text is amazingly sharp. The contrast is great too, for all the many different shades of grey that Apple uses... 😂

3840 x 2160 @ 27 inches will give you 163ppi, which is prolly good enough for use on a Mac, I'd say. You're not sitting as close as to your laptop or iPad, so it doesn't need to be quite "Retina"; but higher ppi is always better. You want to be able to use scaling, ideally.