Page 2: Menu, Testing, Conclusion
Menu:
The menu on the DYLM24D6 contains all the information and setup that you will need. Many monitors that run on DVI don't even include a contrast ratio adjustment! The DYLM24D6 provides all the nitty gritty control options you may need.
The quick options that pop-up when you press certain keys are distinct and too the point. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
The menu option that I really want to show is the color temperature and scale screen. This monitor has amazing color right out of the box, but if you need to tweak it, you have the options available to you. I like when monitors have color adjustments. It is helpful when doing any graphics or print work to ensure proper color. I didn't have to make any adjustments to the color, but if you do you can.
One of the buttons on the monitor enables a highlighting feature. This feature allows you to highlight an area of the screen. I can think of a few different purposes. If you have a data entry person, you can highlight the portion of the screen to enter the data on. You can also use it to highlight areas for a presentation. The monitor basically increases the contrast and brightness a bit to highlight the area as you can see.
Testing:
Showing screenshots of the computer if fairly pointless and I love when I read reviews that do that. Taking pictures of the monitor really doesn't do it justice, but I'm including a shot of the Ubuntu log-in to show you.
The panel produced excellent color definition right out of the box. There is absolutely no banding or waviness in the picture. I inspected the monitor for an hour looking for dead pixels using various tests and such. I'm very happy to report that I didn't find any. I used some free tools to see if the monitor needed any calibration. To my surprise, it was fine the way it was.
The panel offers a quick 6ms response time. To test this, I watched a few DVDs and played some UT2K4 on my Ubuntu box. I notice no ghosting or any weird artifacts while playing. This is a really nice panel. Perhaps SOYO will be giving Samsung some competition soon?
The monitor doesn't include a USB hub. This is something I miss on my monitor. Even my 28" doesn't have USB built-in. This isn't a deal breaking feature, but it is nice to have so you don't need another USB hub on the desk.
The speakers are fine for light use. If you really want to do any music listening, get some real speakers.
The monitor leaks a minor bit of light at the top. It is not bad at all considering you need to be a very certain angle to see the light bleeding through the vent holes. It is very difficult to make a monitor that doesn't leak light with having proper ventilation. This ventilation is very important. The ambient temperature in my room is 69 degrees Fahrenheit. The monitor panel front is pushing out 94 degrees near the top and the top ventilation was pushing out 105 degrees. This isn't bad considering my 28" puts out over 115 degrees all over the place.
There are only inputs for DVI, VGA, and audio. If you want to hook this up to any console, you'll need a converter. This is a PC monitor, after all.
One more thing. You will change your computing habits after using a high resolution monitor. I don't maximize windows anymore. In fact, I'm looking for a way to do the Mac style "Maximize" in Linux. The Mac always had it right. You only make the window big enough to not have to scroll.
Conclusion:
The SOYO Topaz S retails for about $400. At this price, it is a fair price for the package considering that other 24" monitors cost much more. The SOYO Topaz S offers a large screen size with a no frills package. It is perfect for your first entry into the widescreen market. The panel produces excellent color and definition out of the box. Monitors are very important, I urge you to see it in person before making a decision.
I'd like to thank Jason at SOYO for making this review possible.
The menu on the DYLM24D6 contains all the information and setup that you will need. Many monitors that run on DVI don't even include a contrast ratio adjustment! The DYLM24D6 provides all the nitty gritty control options you may need.
The quick options that pop-up when you press certain keys are distinct and too the point. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
The menu option that I really want to show is the color temperature and scale screen. This monitor has amazing color right out of the box, but if you need to tweak it, you have the options available to you. I like when monitors have color adjustments. It is helpful when doing any graphics or print work to ensure proper color. I didn't have to make any adjustments to the color, but if you do you can.
One of the buttons on the monitor enables a highlighting feature. This feature allows you to highlight an area of the screen. I can think of a few different purposes. If you have a data entry person, you can highlight the portion of the screen to enter the data on. You can also use it to highlight areas for a presentation. The monitor basically increases the contrast and brightness a bit to highlight the area as you can see.
Testing:
Showing screenshots of the computer if fairly pointless and I love when I read reviews that do that. Taking pictures of the monitor really doesn't do it justice, but I'm including a shot of the Ubuntu log-in to show you.
The panel produced excellent color definition right out of the box. There is absolutely no banding or waviness in the picture. I inspected the monitor for an hour looking for dead pixels using various tests and such. I'm very happy to report that I didn't find any. I used some free tools to see if the monitor needed any calibration. To my surprise, it was fine the way it was.
The panel offers a quick 6ms response time. To test this, I watched a few DVDs and played some UT2K4 on my Ubuntu box. I notice no ghosting or any weird artifacts while playing. This is a really nice panel. Perhaps SOYO will be giving Samsung some competition soon?
The monitor doesn't include a USB hub. This is something I miss on my monitor. Even my 28" doesn't have USB built-in. This isn't a deal breaking feature, but it is nice to have so you don't need another USB hub on the desk.
The speakers are fine for light use. If you really want to do any music listening, get some real speakers.
The monitor leaks a minor bit of light at the top. It is not bad at all considering you need to be a very certain angle to see the light bleeding through the vent holes. It is very difficult to make a monitor that doesn't leak light with having proper ventilation. This ventilation is very important. The ambient temperature in my room is 69 degrees Fahrenheit. The monitor panel front is pushing out 94 degrees near the top and the top ventilation was pushing out 105 degrees. This isn't bad considering my 28" puts out over 115 degrees all over the place.
There are only inputs for DVI, VGA, and audio. If you want to hook this up to any console, you'll need a converter. This is a PC monitor, after all.
One more thing. You will change your computing habits after using a high resolution monitor. I don't maximize windows anymore. In fact, I'm looking for a way to do the Mac style "Maximize" in Linux. The Mac always had it right. You only make the window big enough to not have to scroll.
Conclusion:
The SOYO Topaz S retails for about $400. At this price, it is a fair price for the package considering that other 24" monitors cost much more. The SOYO Topaz S offers a large screen size with a no frills package. It is perfect for your first entry into the widescreen market. The panel produces excellent color and definition out of the box. Monitors are very important, I urge you to see it in person before making a decision.
I'd like to thank Jason at SOYO for making this review possible.