Samsung’s new 27-inch monitor competes with Apple’s Studio Display for half the price

Samsung has officially unveiled the latest smart monitor in its M-series, with the $649 27-inch Studio Display competitor joining the mix.

Samsung’s new M8 smart screen

Announced at CES 2023, Samsung’s M-series displays feature all-around smart solutions not available in other “dumb” displays. The new 27-inch M8 model competes directly with Apple’s Studio Display, but at a much lower price point.

the Official announcement Samsung states that these new monitors, the M8 (M80C), M7 (M70C), and M5 (M50C), are designed to suit each individual’s needs. But the biggest selling point may be the new 27-inch model, which joins the flagship 32-inch option.

The M8, which now comes in a new size, is still packed with features, including support for 4K resolution, HDR10+, and up to 400 nits brightness. Both the M8 and M7 smart displays also offer up to 99% sRGB color coverage, so colors should be well represented on the screens.

Samsung says the M8 and M7 smart displays feature an “iconic thin design” with a back that measures just 11.39mm. Both screens feature a height and tilt adjustable stand. The screen itself can rotate up to 90 degrees, which helps to view documents in portrait orientation.

Smart displays have a range of built-in streaming apps, such as Amazon Prime and Netflix, and also include the company’s smart TV features, such as the Samsung Gaming Hub. This will allow users to play a variety of different games, all without the need for a console or computer.

It also supports connection, management, and control of various smart home products, thanks to built-in Matter and SmartThings Hub support. This means that users can use the Samsung SmartThings app to control the lights in their homes and much more.

The M8 and M7 also feature built-in voice assistants – Bixby from Samsung and Alexa from Amazon. To help with this, both monitors also have built-in microphones with far-field audio support.

For Apple users, they have integrated AirPlay 2 – for both audio and video.

But wait, there’s more

The 2023 lineup of smart displays also features a “My Contents” feature, which Samsung says will allow users to “quickly access useful information.” The company demonstrates how smart displays can detect a “registered smartphone” through Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), then show calendar information, photos, weather stats, and more.

The M8 also comes with a removable magnetic camera. It supports FHD resolution and auto framing, which will keep the user in the center of the camera while on a video call.

The M8 is available starting at $649.99 for the 27-inch option, or $699.99 for the 32-inch model. The 27-inch M7 costs $549.99, while the 32-inch model is $599.99. The M5 costs $279.99 or $299.99 for the 27- and 32-inch models, respectively.

Finally, the M8 comes in four different colors: Warm White, Sunset Pink, Spring Green, and Baby Blue. The M7 is available in warm white, while the M5 is available in black or white.

Both new M-series smart screens will go on sale next June.

When compared, Samsung’s previous M8 Smart Display does an impressive enough job against Apple’s studio monitor.

We got hands-on with Samsung’s latest monitors earlier this year at CES and were impressed by the wide variety Samsung has brought to market including productivity and gaming models.

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