PC & Console Peripherals

Samsung The Space Review: 32-inch Monitor with Special Stand

The new Samsung The Space Monitor tries to differentiate itself from the competition’s models by its space-saving mounting. Whether the new concept can convince and whether the Samsung The Space Monitor can convince not only by its design, but also technically, we show in our following test. Currently the Samsung The Space Monitor is offered in two versions, soon a third version especially for gamers will follow. The review refers to the 32-inch model of the monitor.

Versions of the Samsung The Space

Samsung The Space 27-inch

The 27-inch model of Samsung The Space is currently available for 379 Euro. The resolution of the VA panel is WQHD (2560 x 1440 pixels). The maximum brightness is 250 cd/m², the contrast ratio is 3000:1 and the refresh rate 144 Hz. With a response time of 4 ms, the Samsung monitor can’t keep up with high-end gaming monitors, but casual gamers should also be satisfied with the Samsung The Space 27-inch for fast shooters.

Samsung The Space 32-inch

With 32 inch screen diagonal the Samsung The Space Monitor has 489 Euro. Unfortunately, the VA panel with its 4K resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels) offers only 60 Hz refresh rate, which makes the monitor a bad choice even for casual gamers. As with the 27-inch model, the response time is 4 ms, and the brightness is also identical with a maximum of 250 cd/m². Unfortunately, the contrast ratio of the larger model is only 2500:1.

Samsung The Space 32-inch as “Gaming Version”

In addition to the two already available models, Samsung also announced a Gaming version in 32-inch at Gamescom 2019, which offers 144 Hz refresh rate at WQHD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels). According to Samsung, there are no differences between the gaming version and the 32 inch The Space Monitor, except for the other panel. At which price the monitor with AMD Radeon FreeSync support will come on the market Samsung has not yet announced during the show.

New Mounting Concept and Ergonomics

Instead of a conventional stand, the Samsung The Space Monitor has a clamp that can be attached to tables up to 90 mm thick. The mounting concept is only known when using an additionally purchased monitor mount like the Arctic Z2 Pro (Gen 2), which costs between 50 and 100 Euros depending on the model. Due to the lack of a VESA hole for mounting alternative mounts, Samsung The Space users are limited to the supplied stand.

According to Samsung, the new fixing option should create space on the table where only a small part of the edge of the table is clamped. The space saving is also enormous in reality in comparison to the feet that are usually quite protruding on 32-inch monitors. When upright, The Space Monitor is directly on the wall and occupies only a few centimetres of the desk.

Unfortunately, the concept also has a decisive disadvantage which, in my opinion, significantly devalues the actually clever solution. This is due to the height adjustment of the monitor, which can only be done by pulling the monitor towards the user via the central hinge, which also changes the inclination of the display. Paradoxically, the concept, which was actually designed to save space on the desk, ensures that a height adjustment of the image close to the desk top ensures that the monitor requires even more space during work than models with a conventional stand. On the positive side, the mounting clamp hardly wobbles, even though it is anchored to the tabletop with a screw.

In addition to the height adjustment, the ergonomics of the Samsung The Space Monitor are also severely restricted by the new mounting concept. The monitor therefore lacks not only the pivot function (90 degree rotation) but also the swivel function (rotation around its own axis). Only the inclination of the monitor can be freely adjusted by the large hinge.

Design and Workmanship

The Samsung The Space Monitor has a completely black housing and an overall very minimalist design. At first glance, it’s the narrow display edge, apart from the underside of the monitor, that is most noticeable, reminiscent of notebooks such as the Dell XPS series. In order to realize the thin frame, Samsung has done without elements like a webcam or buttons for the on-screen display at the front of The Space. Settings are changed via a single 5-way button on the back, which resembles a joystick. The Space by Samsung also has integrated loudspeakers.

Samsung also attaches great importance to an attractive design and a tidy workplace when it comes to cable routing. For this purpose, two channels are integrated in the holder, through which the cables from the connections in the monitor can be routed under the table. Unfortunately, the cables regularly slipped out of the channel during the test when the monitor was folded down onto the table.

The processing of the monitor is impeccable. The case is made of high quality plastic and all parts of the mount that are heavily loaded, such as the screw terminal, are made of metal.

Connectivity

As already mentioned, Samsung has reduced The Space Monitor to the bare minimum. Unfortunately, this is also noticeable in the connections. Besides an HDMI port (2.0) there is unfortunately only one DisplayPort (1.2). Other monitors in this price range are much better positioned here. The USB port on the back provides only diagnostic data that technicians can read out in case of a defect. There is no USB hub or charging possibility for tablets and smartphones due to the narrow frame.

The scope of delivery includes a combination cable that occupies only one of the two cable ducts of the bracket and can be used to connect both the HDMI signal and the external power supply. Despite the relatively high purchase price, a DisplayPort cable is not included in the package.

Image Quality and Usage

The image of the Samsung The Space looks brilliant due to the 4K resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels). The sRGB color space, which is now standard for mid-range and high-end monitors, is also fully covered by the Samsung The Space, according to our test. According to Adobe’s graphics software, the monitor only has minor weaknesses in the Adobe RGB, which nobody but professional photographers should notice in everyday life.

Unfortunately, the relatively low maximum brightness of 250 cd/m² ensures that, although The Space Monitor has a matt display, disturbing reflections can occur in direct light.

The Picture-in-Picture mode, which offers two sufficiently large areas thanks to the 32 inch screen diagonal, is also positive to note. For example, it is possible to display contents of the work computer on one half of the monitor, while the notebook can be displayed on the other half if required. In practice, switching between the standard mode with an image source and the Picture-in-Picture mode was very fast.

Gaming and other purposes

The Samsung The Space can inspire casual gamers with its high resolution, if there is a correspondingly fast computer available that can deliver current games in 4K resolution. Ambitious players and eSportsmen won’t be happy with The Space because of the low refresh rate of 60 Hz and the relatively high response time of 4 ms (grey to grey).

This is mainly due to the fact that fast shooters have small streaks compared to current gaming monitors. In addition, the Samsung The Space seems to have a relatively high input lag, which is no disadvantage for office use, but leads to a delay in the processing of input for particularly fast games. The monitor also doesn’t offer Nvidia G-Sync, AMD FreeSync and HDR. Gamers in this price class would be better off with a different device.

The Samsung The Space, on the other hand, can show off in typical office use, where the low refresh rate and the other “gaming disadvantages” don’t come into play. The large screen also makes it easy to edit oversized Excel tables or view two Word documents in parallel. Another positive feature is the LED backlight, which, like Samsung promises in advertising, is flicker-free in practice. The workhorse is rounded off by the integrated blue light filter, which filters out parts of the light that are particularly tiring for the eyes. Long working hours are therefore no problem with the Samsung The Space.

Conclusion

The currently available 32-inch version of Samsung The Space is suitable for users for whom design is particularly important. Nevertheless, the monitor cuts an excellent figure in office applications. Gamers should currently wait until the 32-inch version with 144 Hz panel comes onto the market.

Samsung The Space - 32-Zoll

Design
Ergonomics
Image Quality
Workmanship
Value for Money

A successful design monitor that is ideal for the office.

Simon Lüthje

I am co-founder of this blog and am very interested in everything that has to do with technology, but I also like to play games. I was born in Hamburg, but now I live in Bad Segeberg.

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