The slimline XL2370 boasts an extremely attractive design, and its colour reproduction matches all but the best monitors in this group. However, many of its features put their emphasis on video and home entertainment, rather than on being a design workhorse.

Its most obvious attraction is the extremely thin screen panel, which is barely an inch thick at the top edge, although it does thicken out a little where the stand slots into the lower edge of the screen. The sleekness of the design is further emphasised by the touch-sensitive controls, which glow when you touch them and then fade away once you’ve finished using them.

The 23in display uses an LED backlight to produce an extremely bright and colourful image that works well when displaying photos or watching video; the 1,920 x 1,080 resolution is ideal for watching HD video. Look around the back and you’ll see an HDMI interface along with the standard DVI connector. The monitor also has both stereo and multi-channel digital audio output, making it clear that Samsung is focusing on the home entertainment market. The company talks about how its ‘mega dynamic contrast’ boasts a contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1 – compared to the standard 1,000:1 found in most of its rivals. Unfortunately, it slips ‘1,000:1’ in brackets immediately after that on the spec sheet, suggesting a slight touch of exaggeration by Samsung’s marketing department.

Our tests show that the colour gamut of the XL2370 is more limited than that of the more expensive NEC and Eizo models, but will still be perfectly adequate for simple magazine layouts or marketing material that don’t require absolutely precise colour reproduction. However, it’s a shame that Samsung has overlooked some basic features, such as the ability to swivel the screen or to adjust the height to avoid straining your neck and shoulders during a long work session.

So while the XL2370 will look great at home, designers and photographers who need an affordable monitor for their office or studio might prefer to opt for a display that is more focused on work than on entertainment.