Samsung ViewFinity S9 – Review

Samsung has been working on turning your monitor into a gaming hub and TV. The Samsung ViewFinity S9 is part of its efforts and has been launched to take on the Apple Studio display. Therefore, it is not surprising that it costs a premium.

Design

Boasting a pristine silver metallic chassis, the Samsung ViewFinity S9 looks good enough to fit in any modern design studio. The slim metal frame comes with height and tilt adjustment, which is very easy to use. If you want to attach it to a monitor arm, or a wall, it is also VESA-compatible. The 27-inch display measures 611.4 x 530.7 x 135.3mm.

There is a great set of ports around the back. These include three USB-C 3.0, one Mini DisplayPort and a Thunderbolt 4 port. The set is simple and powerful, but does not offer a lot of variety because there is no full-size HDMI and no KVM switch.

Image Quality

The Samsung ViewFinity S9 comes with a lot of add-ons, like an array of features and also its luxe design. However, it is the panel that takes the cake. It has been designed for creative professionals, which is apparent from its color accuracy and solid contrast. Samsung also boasts a ton of calibration features that allow you to tweak the monitor as per your workload needs. You can use Smart Calibration with a smartphone and there are also sRGB and DCI-P3 color space modes.

The matte display works well with the high brightness and delivers an excellent viewing experience. Even though it is not made for games or movies, it does an outstanding job. Since it does not have a Mini LED, OLED or a high refresh rate, it means the 5K IPS panel focuses more on detail rather than a crisp finish.

The panel has been designed for productivity and creativity tasking and it gets the job done. If you want to get some video or photo editing done, the Samsung ViewFinity S9 works great. It has plenty of real estate and gives professional-looking results.

Software and Features

The host of features that the Samsung ViewFinity S9 comes with makes it a good option not only for creative professionals and also for people looking for a smart TV replacement. The TizenOS offers access to all the typical TV streaming apps, such as Apple TV+, Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video and more. You can also find Spotify, YouTube and many others.

The Gaming Hub is an excellent inclusion, as it gives easy access to various game streaming apps, such as the Xbox app and Nvidia GeForce Now. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are both supported. You can also enjoy split screen capabilities and some apps also allow you to share the display with your PC input. In fact, there is also support for Apple AirPlay. You will also find a webcam and offers crisp 4K quality.